Metabolism and Cell Signaling

The Metabolism and Cell Signaling Program integrates studies on how organs and cells respond to biological and environmental stressors and their adaptive response. Cell stressors include pathogenic insults, inflammation, nutrient deficiency and genotoxic agents. Our research concerns the mechanisms used by cells to transduce, integrate, and respond to information received from their environment through cell surface receptors or by intracellular signals elicited in response to pathogens, stress or damage. The main topics of this program involve:
1) The study of how this information is translated into biochemical events that trigger specific signaling and metabolic pathways, control gene activity, and modify cell behavior;
2) The identification of potential biomarkers and molecular targets for diagnosis, prevention and therapeutic intervention of human diseases;
3) The identification and preclinical studies of new therapies against different diseases.
The Metabolism and Cell Signaling Department brings together investigators with complementary expertise in biochemistry, biotechnology, cellular and molecular biology, immunology, physiology, and comparative medicine. Our multidisciplinary research is aimed at the study and identification of cellular mechanisms of stress response and their alterations, with an impact on diseases ranging from diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, Parkinson's disease and cancer, as well as on cellular processes such as inflammation and aging. Our goal is to provide insights and therapeutic avenues for combating these major human diseases.

Head of department: Castrillo Viguera, Antonio