Molecular Biomedicine

The main research focus in the Department of Molecular Biomedicine is the study of the molecular mechanisms involved in human physiopathology and the development of new therapies.

Several groups in the Department are characterizing the molecular bases of various types of cancer, identifying therapeutical targets and developing new antitumoral molecules which try to selectively kill cancer cells either in solid tumors (gastrointestinal, melanoma, glioblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, etc.) or in hematological malignancies (myeloma, leukemia) and stem cells. An important aspect is the study of complement-related rare diseases causing vascular and hemostatic disorders, and hereditary tumors. This Department has led to the CSIC holding the rights on orphan drugs for rare diseases. Other areas studied are regulation of immune T cells, cell differentiation, relation between inflammation and cancer, as well as metalloproteinases of extracellular matrix. Members of the Department are also studying the processes involved in development, degeneration and aging, aiming to understand the pathological mechanisms of disorders like Retinitis pigmentosa, Lafora or neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer´s, Frontotemporal dementia and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, as well as molecular pharmacology. This research pursuits the identification of diagnostic markers and target molecules that will help developing new and efficient therapeutic drugs. The Department has played a major role in the implementation and development of high-throughput technologies such as Genomics and Proteomics and has initiated novel nanotechnology projects, now basic tools in Biomedicine and other fields in the Centre. It also encourages collaborations with other departments within the CIB and tries to attract bright young investigators performing pioneer research in Biomedicine. The Department also promotes technology transfer initiatives and translational research through the adequate protection of the scientific results and reagents produced by the individual groups. This has already resulted in the generation of biotechnology spin-offs and represents an added value for the Department, which will continue supporting these initiatives.

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: Estela Area Gómez