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Translational Molecular Pathology

Our work focuses on the identification and validation of new therapeutic opportunities for cancer treatment with a special focus on targeting intercellular communication. We have identified inhibitors that target the process of exosome uptake via the ITGB3/HSPG axis and can demonstrate efficacy in metastasis models. We can now also demonstrate efficacy of our Type-II MNK1/2 inhibitor EB1 in vivo. Projects are pending patent protection previous to publication are supported by grants from Planes Complementarias, Ramón Areces and ISCIII. Following our discovery that the gap junction protein Cx43 induces tunneling nanotubes, which regulate malignancy and therapy-resistance, we have continued to study this phenomenon with an ISCIII grant. We have initiated work on the pannexin 1 channel protein in this setting. The pathology department is highly activity of the in collaborative projects, providing samples, expertise and specialized techniques like digital pathology (see publications).

eCORE

  • Cancer
  • Personalized Medicine, Innovative Diagnostics, Molecular Imaging & Digital Health

Team

Group Leader
Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras

Principal Investigator (PI)
Trond Aasen, Cleofé Romagosa Pérez-Portabell

Researchers
Josep Castellví Vives, Domínguez Oronoz, Elena Antima Martinez Saez, Vicente Peg Camara, Maria Teresa Salcedo Allende, Irene Sansano Valero, Javier Hernandez Losa, Marta Sese Faustino, Stefan Hümmer

PhD Students
Nikaoly Ciriaco Cortés, Jordi Temprana Salvador, Marta Cano Galietero, Elena Muro Blanc, Sara Garcia Ortega, Aldo Di Vito (visiting)

Lab Technicians
Teresa Moline Marimon, Maria Rosa Somoza Lopez de Haro

Publications

48
Publications
66.7
%Q1
398.91
Impact Factor
8.31
Average Impact Factor

Saura C, Ortiz C, Matito J, Arenas EJ, Suñol A, Martín Á, Córdoba O, Martínez-Sabadell A, García-Ruiz I, Miranda I, Morales-Comas C, Carrasco E, Viaplana C, Peg V, Nuciforo P, Bayó-Puxan N, Gonzalez-Medina A, Miquel JM, Gómez-Rey M, Villacampa G, Arévalo S, Espinosa-Bravo M, Balmaña J, Dienstmann R, Arribas J, Tabernero J, Vivancos A, Sansó M.
Early-Stage Breast Cancer Detection in Breast Milk.
Cancer Discov. 2023 Oct 5;13(10):2180-2191.
DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290
IF: 28.2

Lin S, Samsoondar JP, Bandari E, Keow S, Bikash B, Tan D, Martinez-Acevedo J, Loggie J, Pham M, Wu NJ, Misra T, Lam VHK, Sansano I, Cecchini MJ.
Digital Quantification of Tumor Cellularity as a Novel Prognostic Feature of Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma.
Mod Pathol. 2023 Mar;36(3):100055.
DOI: 10.1016/j.modpat.2022.100055
IF: 7.5

Martins-Marques T, Witschas K, Ribeiro I, Zuzarte M, Catarino S, Ribeiro-Rodrigues T, Caramelo F, Aasen T, Carreira IM, Goncalves L, Leybaert L, Girao H.
Cx43 can form functional channels at the nuclear envelope and modulate gene expression in cardiac cells.
Open Biol. 2023 Nov;13(11):230258.
DOI: 10.1098/rsob.230258
IF: 5.8

Juega J, Li J, Palacio-Garcia C, Rodriguez M, Tiberi R, Piñana C, Rodriguez-Luna D, Requena M, García-Tornel Á, Rodriguez-Villatoro N, Rubiera M, Muchada M, Olivé-Gadea M, Rizzo F, Hernandez D, Dios-Lascuevas M, Hernandez-Perez M, Dorado L, Quesada H, Cardona P, De La Torre C, Gallur L, Camacho J, Ramon-Y-Cajal S, Tomasello A, Ribó M, Molina CA, Pagola J; ITACAT study group.
Granulocytes-Rich Thrombi in Cerebral Large Vessel Occlusion Are Associated with Increased Stiffness and Poorer Revascularization Outcomes.
Neurotherapeutics. 2023 Jul;20(4):1167-1176.
DOI: 10.1007/s13311-023-01385-1
IF: 5.7

Dinia L, Vert C, Gramegna LL, Arikan F, Hernández D, Coscojuela P, Martinez-Saez E, Ramón Y Cajal S, Luzi M, Sarria-Estrada S, Salerno A, De Barros A, Gandara D, Quintana M, Rovira A, Tomasello A.
Wall enhancement as a biomarker of intracranial aneurysm instability: a histo-radiological study.
Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2023 Oct;165(10):2783-2791.
DOI: 10.1007/s00701-023-05739-8
IF: 2.4

Projects

Targeting extracelluar vesicel mediated intercellular communication as a novel approach to combat cancer metastasis.
Principal Investigator: Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras
Agency: Fundación Ramón Areces
Funding: 127,486 €
Period: 2023-2026

INtegrative GENomic, digital Imaging and clinical information towars Precision Oncology Optimization – INGENIO
Principal Investigator: Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras
Agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 80,400 €
Period: 2022-2025

Overcoming therapy resistance and immune evasion with a novel MNK inhibitor
Principal Investigator: Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras
Agency: Planes Complementarios // Fundació Institut Bioenginyeria de Catalunya
Funding: 178,000 €
Period: 2023-2024

Cx43-regulated intercellular protrusions in cancer: functional elucidation, target discovery, biomarker development and tumor screening.
Principal Investigator: Trond Aasen
Agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 147,620 €
Period: 2022-2024

Targeting the MNK/eIF4E axis in cancer: a rational approach to enhance tumor sensitivity to chemo- and immunotherapy.
Principal Investigator: Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras
Agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 123,420 €
Period: 2021-2025

VHIR Annual Report 2023