Luí Algeciras Jiménez was given his degree on in Basic and Experimental Biomedicine from the University of Seville in 2016. That same year, after finishing his university degree, he was granted with a scholarship provided by the AECC (Spanish Association Against Cancer) to perform a research related to genetical immunomodulation in immune and cancer cells during the summer months at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Nutrition of the University of Barcelona. During the 2016-2017 academic year, he studied and obtained a Master's degree in Cognitive and Behavioural Neuroscience from the University of Granada.
From the beginning of 2018 until the end of 2019 he obtained a position of Laboratory Technician granted by the "Garantía Juvenil" spanish employment system in calls number 2 and 3, where he carried out two different contracts at the Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS). During his first contract he worked at the laboratory of JJ Toledo-Aral following the line of research "Cellular Therapies in Parkinson's Disease" while in the second he developed and started a new line of research amongst J. Ureña and L. Varela which consisted in using High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) and its subclasses both as a biological marker and possible treatment for subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by aneurysmal rupture.
Today he is at his first year of doctorate (PhD) in Biomedicine under the advisement of A.V Villar on the in vivo study of molecular design therapies and a genetically modified nanotransporter as a specific system against cardiac fibrosis.
Nano and Molecular Treatments against (Cardiac) Fibrosis
Host group to: Dra. Matxalen LLosa
Research lines
- Study of the molecular basis of the fibrotic pathology and the molecular mechanisms related to TGFβ and Hsp90 to target the disease in vitro and in vivo.
- Study the effects of new biotechnological nanodrugs, CRISPR/Cas mutations or new genetic modified molecules as theragnostic particles in vitro and in vivo.
- Generation of new nano-delivery systems to reach fibrotic targets.
- Generation of new diagnostic tools.
The group of the Associate Professor, Dr. Ana V Villar studies the molecular mechanisms related to the role of the Hsp90 chaperone and the TGFβ cytokine in their relationship with the phenomena of cardiac fibrosis. The molecular studies settle the basis for the application of new nano-biotechnological and genetic drugs newly developed specifically for our projects. Hsp90α knock out mice, natural and immortalized primary cells, as well as
in vivo tracking visualization tools, and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance functional studies (in collaboration with medical Doctors) lead us to perform highly innovative experiments orientated to the clinical needs to demonstrate advances in the field.
One of our research branch is focused on the generation of new therapies like our already patented one "Genetic Alert System" that is designed as a latent molecule that wakes up when the disease starts.
We are also interested in new nano-delivery systems to reach
in vitro and
in vivo pro-fibrotic targets. Implementation of new theragnostic strategies: tracked particles and fluorescent plate tests.
Pathologies in study: Myocardial fibrosis/Scleroderma
Funding
- November 2020-22. Principal Investigator: "Anti-fibrotic treatment for SARS-CoV2 infected lungs". IDIVAL Foundation. Project code InnVal 20/34.
- January 2019-22. Principal Investigator: Estudio in vivo de terapias moleculares de diseño y un nano-transportados genéticamente modificado contra la fibrosis cardiaca. Ministerio de Ciencia Innov y Univer (RTI2018-095214-B-I00).
- January 2018-20. Principal Investigator: "Nanosensor test for fibrosis diagnosis in scleroderma patients". IDIVAL Foundation. Project code InnVal 17/22.
- October 2018-20. Colaborator: Predictive study for the severity of the scleroderma disease. IDIVAL Foundation. Project code NextVal 18/10.
- October 2018. Principal Investigator. Project "puente UC Sodercan": "Modular nanobiotechnological tools designed to detect and interfering with the key signaling route of cardiac fibrosis". Project code BIO2016-77367-C2-2-R.
- May 2016-18: Principal Investigator: "Modular nanobiotechnological tools designed to detect and interfere with the key signaling pathway of cardiac fibrosis in vivo". IDIVAL Foundation (InnVal 15/31).
- April 2017-2020: Principal Investigator: "Genetic Alert System to prevent myocardial fibrosis. Ministerio de Ciencia Innov y Univer (BIO2015-72124-EXP).
Link to our Blog to keep you informed of our latest news: http://villarav.blogspot.com.es
Link to our webpage at the University of Cantabria http://web.unican.es/ibbtec/Paginas/Groups/Villar.aspx
Lab Retreat 2019
