Group Leader/s
Head of lab
intro
The Translational medicinal and biological chemistry group is focused on the design, synthesis, biological evaluation, study and further optimization of pharmacokinetic properties of structurally diverse chemical entities for drug discovery. The efforts of our group are focused on the discovery of innovative drugs with novel mechanism of action as disease-modifying agents for unmet severe pathologies such as neurodegenerative and infectious diseases. Our group applies medicinal chemistry programs combining classical and computational medicinal chemistry.
For the design of our drugs (mainly small heterocyclic molecules with MW<500), different strategies will be used. These include computer-aided drug design, multifunctional compounds bearing different pharmacophore moieties in the same molecule to interact with different targets, and improving ADME properties of the candidates, among others. The group has developed an in-house chemical library (called MBC library) containing over 1200 compounds with privileged scaffolds which is continuously growing and extensively used in our directed biological and computational screening programs.
Our research is applied with a high content of translational research. The group's research programs are designed from the early stages of drug discovery to proof of efficacy in representative animal models. Scientific collaborations and technology transfer to companies in the pharmaceutical sector are key tasks in achieving our goals.
Members
| Ana Martinez Gil |
| Carmen Gil Ayuso-Gontan |
| Nuria Eugenia Campillo Martin |
| Ruth Perez Fernandez |
| Tiziana Ginex |
| Eva Maria Perez Cuevas |
| Alfonso Garcia Rubia |
Selected Publications
Zaldivar-Diez, J.; Li, L.; Garcia, A. M.; Zhao, W.-N.; Medina-Menendez, C.; Haggarty, S. J.; Gil, C.; Morales, A. V.; Martínez, A. [2020]. Benzothiazole-based LRRK2 inhibitors as Wnt enhancers and promoters of oligodendrocytic fate. J. Med. Chem. 2020, 63, 2638-2655.
Gil, C.; Ginex, T.; Maestro, I.; Nozal, V.; Barrado-Gil, L.; Cuesta-Geijo, M. A.; Urquiza, J.; Ramirez, D.; Alonso, C.; Campillo, N. E.; Martinez, A. [2020]. COVID-19: Drug targets and potential treatments. J Med Chem 2020, doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1020c00606
Martinez-Gonzalez, L.; Rodríguez-Cueto, C.; Cabezudo, D.; Bartolome, F.; Andrés-Benito, P.; Ferrer, I.; Gil, C.; Martin-Requero, A.; Fernández-Ruiz, J.; Martinez, A.; de Lago, E. [2020]. Motor neuron preservation and decrease of in vivo TDP-43 phosphorylation by protein CK-1δ kinase inhibitor treatment. Sci. Rep. 2020, 10, 4449.
Castro-Sánchez, S.; Zaldivar-Diez, J.; Luengo, E.; López, M. G.; Gil, C.; Martínez, A.; Lastres-Becker, I. [2020]. Cognitive enhancement, tau phosphorylation reduction and neuronal protection by the treatment of a LRRK2 inhibitor in a tauopathy mouse model. Neurobiol. Aging 2020, 96, 148-154.
Martinez-Gonzalez, L.; Rodríguez-Cueto, C.; Cabezudo, D.; Bartolome, F.; Andrés-Benito, P.; Ferrer, I.; Gil, C.; Martin-Requero, A.; Fernández-Ruiz, J.; Martinez, A.; de Lago, E. [2020]. Motor neuron preservation and decrease of in vivo TDP-43 phosphorylation by protein CK-1δ kinase inhibitor treatment. Sci. Rep. 2020, 10, 4449
Sebastián-Pérez, V.; García-Rubia, A.; Seif el-Din, S. H.; Sabra, A.-N. A.; El-Lakkany, N. M.; William, S.; Blundell, T. L.; Maes, L.; Martinez, A.; Campillo, N. E.; Botros, S. S.; Gil, C. [2020]. Deciphering the enzymatic target of a new family of antischistosomal agents bearing a quinazoline scaffold using complementary computational tools. J. Enz. Inh. Med. Chem. 2020, 35, 511-523.
Martínez de Iturrate, P.; Sebastián-Pérez, V.; Nácher-Vázquez, M.; Tremper, C. S.; Smirlis, D.; Martin, J.; Martínez, A.; Campillo, N. E.; Rivas, L.; Gil, C. [2020]. Towards discovery of new leishmanicidal scaffolds able to inhibit Leishmania GSK-3. J. Enz. Inh. Med. Chem. 2020,35, 199-210.
Botros, S. S.; Williams, S.; Sabra, A-N. A.; El-Lakkany, N. M.; Seif el-Din, S. H.; Sterk, G. J.; Salado, I. G.; Augustyns, K.; García-Rubia, A.; Sebastian-Perez, V.; Maes, L.; Munday, J. C.; Leurs, R.; Gil, C.; De Koning, H. P [2019]. Antischistosomal screening of a PDE-focused library identifies imidazoles with in vitro and in vivo activity. Int. J. Parasitol.: Drugs Drug Resist. 2019, 9, 35-43.
de Araújo, J. S.; Garcia-Rubia, A.; Sebastian-Perez, V.; Kalejaiye, T. D.; Bernardino da Silva, P.; Fonseca-Berzal, C. R.; Maes, L.; De Koning, H.; Soeiro, M. N. C.; Gil, C. [2019]. Imidazole derivatives as promising agents for the treatment of Chagas disease. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 2019, 63, e02156-18.
Sebastián-Pérez, V.; Martinez, M. J.; Gil, C.; Campillo, N. E.; Martinez, A.; Ponzoni, I. [2019]. Inference of QSAR Models for identifying LRRK2 inhibitors for the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease. J. Integr. Bioinform. 2019, 20180063.
Funding
PROJECTS
ON-GOING
Multitarget-designed small molecules targeting protein kinase and BACE1: A new approach for prevention and treatment of cognitive disorders (SAF2016-76693-R)
MINECO, RETOS Program
01.01.2017 - 31.12.2020
PI: Dr. Ana Martinez
Design and development of innovative drug for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ELA-Madrid-CM) B2017/BMD3813
Programa de actividades de i+D entre grupos de investigación de la Comunidad de Madrid en Biomedicina.
01-2018/12-2022
Coordinator: Dr. Ana Martínez
Spanish network of drug discovery (SAF2017-90913-REDT)
MINECO Redes de Excelencia Program
7-2018-6/2020
PI (CSIC): Dr. Ana Martínez
Combination of computational, biological and synthetic strategies to be applied in drug development (RTI2018-096100B-100)
MINECO, RETOS Program
1-2019 / 12-2021
IP: Dra. Nuria E. Campillo
Design and Synthesis of broad spectrum antivirals (PIE-201980E024)
CSIC, Proyectos Intramurales Especiales
1-2019/12-2021
PI: Dr. Carmen Gil
Ensuring long-term sustainability of excellence in chemical biology within Europe and beyond EU-OPENSCREEN-DRIVE (GA 823893)
European Union H2020-INFRADEV-2018-2020
2-2019/2-2023
Coordinator: Prof. Wolfgang Fecke (FMP Berlin). PI (CSIC): Dr. Ana Martínez
Locking cells against Ebola virus (HR18-00469)
“La Caixa” Banking Foundation Health Research 2019 Call
9-2019/9-2022
Coordinator: Dr. Carmen Gil
PAST
Strengthening the druggability of protein kinases of Leishmania. Drug discovery of specific parasite protein kinase inhibitors (SAF2015-65740-R)
MINECO, RETOS Program
01.01.2016 - 31.07.2019
PIs: Drs. Carmen Gil and Luis Rivas
From fragments to hits: Exploiting the potential of dynamic combinatorial chemistry in drug discovery (CTQ2015-69643-R)
MINECO, RETOS Program
01.01.2016 - 31.12.2018
PI: Dr. Ruth Pérez Fernández
Chemoinformatics to discover multitarget drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (CTQ2015-66313-R)
MINECO, RETOS Program
01.01.2016 - 30.09.2018
PI: Drs. Nuria E. Campillo and Angeles Martín Requero
Eyes: a diagnosis window to the brain (SAF2015-72325-EXP)
MINECO, EXPLORA Program
01.06.2016 - 31.05.2017
PI: Dr. Ana Martinez
Development of innovative therapies for Parkinson’s disease (RTC-2015-3439-1).
MINECO, RETOS-COLABORACIÓN Program
01.70-2015 – 31.12-2018
PI: Dr. Ana Martinez
Spanish network of drug discovery (SAF2015-71892-REDT).
MINECO, Redes de Excelencia Program
01.01.-2016 – 31.12.2017
PI (CSIC): Dr. Ana Martínez
Parasite-specific cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitors to target neglected parasitic diseases-PDE4NPD (GA 602666)
UE, FP7-Health Program
1.03.2014 - 28.02.2018
Coordinator: Prof. Rob Leurs (VUA). PI (CSIC): Dr. Carmen Gil
More info
Outreach activities
Lectures
Pint of Science (https://pintofscience.es/event/la-farmacia-y-la-medicina-ms-unidos-que-nunca)
Title: Cómo ser un fármaco y no morir en el intento
Carmen Gil and Nuria E. Campillo
Location: Madrid
Date: 24 Mayo 2016
“¿Qué sabemos de?” institutional program (http://www.csic.es/conferencias-que-sabemos-de)
Title: Parkinson y Alzheimer: avances en el tratamiento
Ana Martinez
Location: Lanzarote
Date: 24 Mayo 2016
Title: Parkinson y Alzheimer: avances en el tratamiento
Ana Martinez
Location: Fuerteventura
Date: 25 Mayo 2016
Title: Ciencia y emprendimiento: del laboratorio a la farmacia
Ana Martinez
Location: Madrid
Date: 14 Enero 2016
“Primavera para el recuerdo”
Title: ¿Qué sabemos del Alzheimer? (http://www.diariodelaltoaragon.es/NoticiasDetalle.aspx?Id=992869)
Ana Martinez
Location: Huesca
Date: 6 Mayo 2016
“Ciudad Ciencia” institutional program (http://www.ciudadciencia.es/)
Title: ¿Que sabemos del Alzheimer?
Ana Martinez
Location: Plasencia
Date: 13 April 2015
http://www.ciudadciencia.es/agenda/conferencia_alzehimer_plasencia/
Title: ¿Qué sabemos del Parkisnon?
Ana Martinez
Location: Barbastro
Date: 26 November 2015
http://www.ciudadciencia.es/agenda/que-sabemos-del-parkinson/
Title: ¿Qué sabemos del Parkisnon?
Ana Martinez
Location: Valdepeñas
Date: 10 December 2015
http://www.ciudadciencia.es/agenda/que-sabemos-del-parkinson-2/
Books
Title: ¿Qué sabemos del Alzheimer?
Ana Martinez
Editorial: CSIC and Catarata ISBN: 978-84-00-08818-7
https://editorial.csic.es/publicaciones/libros/11689/978-84-00-08818-7/el-alzheimer.html
Title: ¿Qué sabemos del Parkinson?
Carmen Gil and Ana Martinez
Editorial: CSIC and Catarata ISBN: 978-0-470-95917-6.
https://editorial.csic.es/publicaciones/libros/12525/0/el-parkinson.html
Title: ¿Qué sabemos de cómo se fabrica un medicamento?
Nuria E. Campillo and María del Carmen Fernández
Editorial: CSIC and Catarata ISBN: 978-84-00-10324-8.
https://editorial.csic.es/publicaciones/libros/13003/0/como-se-fabrica-un-medicamento.html
Workshops
10-13/11/2015 Science Week
“Paracetamol synthesis” Hands on workshop with more than 80 High School students.
https://vimeo.com/146020592
