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 neglected 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 |
| Eva Maria Perez Cuevas |
| Tanja Holzknecht |
| Enrique Madruga Mayordomo |
| Alberto Rodriguez Fernandez |
| Alfonso Garcia Rubia |
| Oscar Gutierrez Jimenez |
| Maria del Carmen Campanero Belda |
| Rebeca Paris Ogayar |
Selected Publications
Sebastián-Pérez, V.; Hendrickx, S.; Munday, J. C.; Kalejaiye, T.; Martínez, A.; Campillo, N. E.; de Koning, H.; Caljon, G.; Maes, L.; Gil, C. [2018]. Cyclic nucleotide specific phosphodiesterases as potential drug targets for anti-Leishmania therapy. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 2018, 62, e00603-18.
Chierrito, T. P. C.; Pedersoli-Mantoani, S.; Roca, C.; Sebastian-Perez, V.; Martinez-Gonzalez, L.; Perez, D. I.; Perez, C.; Canales, A.; Cañada, F. J.; Campillo, N. E.; Carvalho, I.; Martinez, A. [2018]. Chameleon-like behavior of indolylpiperidines in complex with cholinesterases targets: Potent butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors. Eur. J. Med. Chem. 2018, 145, 431-444.
Paez, J. A.; Campillo, N. E. [2018]. Innovative therapeutic potential of cannabinoid receptors as targets in Alzheimer's disease and less well-known diseases. Curr. Med. Chem., 2018, 25, 1-38.
Del Cerro, P.; Alquezar, C.; Bartolome, F.; Gonzalez-Naranjo, P.; Perez, C.; Carro, E.; Paez, J. A.; Campillo, N. E.; Martin-Requero, A. [2018]. Activation of the cannabinoid type 2 receptor by a novel indazole derivative normalizes the survival pattern of lymphoblasts from patients with late-onset Alzheimer's disease. CNS Drugs 2018, 32, 579-591.
Roca, C.; Requena, C.; Sebastian-Perez, V.; Malhotra, S.; Radoux, C.; Perez, C.; Martinez, A.; Antonio Paez, J.; Blundell, T. L.; Campillo, N. E. [2018]. . Identification of new allosteric sites and modulators of AChE through computational and experimental tools. J. Enzyme Inhib. Med. Chem. 2018, 33, 1034-1047.
Gandini, A.; Bartolini, M.; Tedesco, D.; Martinez-Gonzalez, L.; Roca, C.; Campillo, N. E.; Zaldivar-Diez, J.; Perez, C.; Zuccheri, G.; Miti, A.; Petralla, A.; Monti, B.; Rossi, M.; Moda, F.; Legname, G.; Martinez, A.; Bolognesi, M. L. [2018]. Tau-centric multitarget approach for Alzheimer's disease: Development of first-in-class dual Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3beta and tau-aggregation inhibitors. J. Med. Chem. 2018, 61, 7640-7656.
Roca, C.; Martinez-Gonzalez, L.; Daniel-Mozo, M.; Sastre, J.; Infantes, L.; Mansilla, A.; Chaves-Sanjuan, A.; Gonzalez Rubio, J. M.; Gil, C.; Cañada, F. J.; Martinez, A.; Sanchez-Barrena, M. J.; Campillo, N. E. [2018]. Deciphering the inhibition of the neuronal calcium sensor 1 and the guanine exchange factor Ric8a with a small phenothiazine molecule for the rational generation of therapeutic synapse function regulators. J. Med. Chem. 2018, 61, 5910-5921.
Sánchez-Cruz, A.; Villarejo-Zori, B.; Marchena, M.; Zaldivar-Díez, J.; Palomo, V.; Gil, C.; Lizasoaín, I.; de la Villa, P.; Martínez, A.; de la Rosa, E. J.; Hernández-Sánchez, C. [2018]. Modulation of GSK-3 provides cellular and functional neuroprotection in the rd10 mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa. Mol. Neurodegener. 2018, 13, 19.
Bartolome, F.; de la Cueva, M.; Pascual, C.; Antequera, D.; Fernandez, T.; Gil, C.; Martinez, A.; Carro, E. [2018]. Amyloid beta-induced impairments on mitochondrial dynamics, hippocampal neurogenesis, and memory are restored by phosphodiesterase 7 inhibition. Alzheimer’s Res. Ther. 2018, 10, 24.
Kraft, C.; Boya, P.; Codogno, P.; Elazar, Z.; Eskelinen, E. L.; Farres, J.; Kirkin, V.; Jungbluth, H.; Martinez, A.; Pless, O.; Primard, C.; Proikas-Cezanne, T.; Simonsen, A.; Reggiori, F. [2018]. Driving next-generation autophagy researchers towards translation (DRIVE), an international PhD training program on autophagy. Autophagy 2018, 1-5.
Funding
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 - 31.12.2019
PI: Dr. Ana Martinez
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 - 31.12.2018
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
Chemi-computation to discovery of multitarget drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (CTQ2015-66313-R)
MINECO, RETOS Program
01.01.2016 - 31.12.2018
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. A. 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
Kinase inhibitors for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SAF2012-37979-C03-01).
MINECO
01.01.2013 - 31.12.2016
PI: Dr. Ana Martinez
PAST
New pharmacological approaches for Parkinson’s disease treatment (SAF2012-33600)
MINECO
01.01.2013 - 30.06.2016
PI: Dr. Carmen Gil
Novel potential anti-Alzheimer agents: From design to preclinical studies (i-link0801).
CSIC, i-LINK Program
01.01.2014 - 30.06.2016
PI: Dr. Ana Martinez
Phosphodiesterase inhibitors as potential drugs for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PIE-201280E087).
CSIC, Proyectos Intramurales Especiales.
01.06.2012 - 30.05.2015
PI: Dr. Carmen Gil
Development of innovative therapies for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (IPT-2012-0762-300000)
MINECO, INNPACTO Program
01.7.2012 - 31.12.2015
Coordinator: Dr. Manuel Sarasa (ARACLON). PI (CSIC): Dr. Ana Martinez.
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
