IMIBIC launched a call in October 2019 offering fellowships for recognised researchers (R2) of any nationality to carry out a project in any of the research areas of the institute and focusing on personalised and precision medicine. The selected fellows will perform forward-looking research in this field which is set to become the standard of medical practice, situating them in an advantaged position to continue their research careers and reach independence.

IMIBIC-P2Med fellowships are co-financed by the European Commission’s H2020 Marie-Sklodowska Curie Actions, the University of Cordoba, the Regional Government of
Andalusia (Consejería de Salud y Familias, Consejería de Transformación Económica, Industria, Conocimiento y Universidades) and IMIBIC.

Seven talented researchers have been awarded the IMIBIC-P2Med Fellowship. They will join IMIBIC in early 2021.

We give our warmest welcome to:

Alexander Batista Duharte, MD, PhD.

Alexander will join the group GC01 Immunology and Allergy, led by Prof. Rafael Solana Lara. His research project is titled FluVag-Tregs – Immunosenescence and immune responses to influenza vaccination. Use of antisense oligonucleotides targeting regulatory T cells to improve vaccine efficacy in old mice. The expected results of this project would increase the understanding of the Tregsbiology in immunosenescence and allow to evaluate the relevance of its modulation to increase the anti-influenza-vaccine efficacy in old age. The project will last for 3 years.

André Morais Sarmento Borges Cabral, PhD

André will work within the group GC27 OncObesity and Metabolism, led by Dr. Raúl M. Luque Huertas (PI) and Dr. Manuel David Gahete Ortiz (Co-PI). His project is titled ProsCanGO – Role of GOAT/Ghrelin system in the pathological interaction between obesity and prostate cancer: Identification of novel personalized diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic targets. The expected results include the definition of the key molecular and endocrine-metabolic mechanisms linking GOAT/In1 system with prostate cancer and obesity and generation of knowledge that will help with the design of new personalised diagnostic tests, predictive markers, and therapeutic targets for prostate cancer. The project will last for 3 years.

Silvia Leon Tellez, PhD

Silvia is already a member of the host group GC10 Hormonal Regulation of Energy Balance, Puberty and Reproduction, which is led by Prof. Manuel Tena Sempere. She will complement her ongoing MSCA-IF grant project with the IMIBIC-P2Med project titled Tac1-PCOS – Setting the Basis for Improved, Personalized Management of Ovulatory Dysfunction: Roles of Perturbed LH Secretory Profiles and Contribution of Substance-P/Tachykinin Receptor Type 1 (Tac1/Tacr1) System. Her project will expand our understanding of the mechanisms controlling ovulation and female fertility, helping to define novel, personalised strategies for the management of reproductive disorders, particularly polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The project will start in 2022 and last for 1 year.

María Isabel Martínez Macías, PhD

María Isabel will reinforce the IMIBIC group GC22 Epigenetics, under the supervision of the group leader Prof. Teresa Roldán. Her project titled GLIOCHEM – Repair of temozolomide-induced DNA damage in tumour cells: role in glioblastoma resistance to chemotherapy, will last for 3 years. This project aims to generate new knowledge on the molecular mechanisms involved in resistance to temozolomide, a DNA methylating agent used in the treatment of several types of cancer including glioblastoma (brain tumour). Moving towards personalised cancer therapy, the expected results include the identification of new therapeutic targets and predictive biomarkers for methylating anticancer treatment.

Pushpak Mizar, PhD

Pushpak will join the IMIBIC group GC24 Clinical and Molecular Microbiology, under the supervision of Prof. Luis Martínez Martínez to carry out his research project PATTOR – Precision antimicrobial therapeutics targeting key determinants of resistance. Pushpak’s project aims to generate knowledge to support the design of a specific drug that could “switch off” bacteria’s ability to cause infection. The project spans 3 years.

Marina Mora-Ortiz, PhD

Marina will develop her research project within the group GC09 Nutrigenomics – Metabolic Syndrome. She will be supervised by Prof. José López-Miranda. Her project is titled MEMOIR – MEtagenomic Modelling of cOgnitive ImpaiRment. It aims to determine the effect of diet and/or a probiotic treatment on the gut-microbiota and its association with Mild Cognitive Impairment. Marina’s project will last for 3 years.

Almudena Pino Ángeles, PhD

Almudena will join the group GC09 Nutrigenomics – Metabolic Syndrome and will be supervised by Dr Pablo Pérez Marínez, one of the Co-IPs of the GC09 group. Almudena’s project is titled HIDELIS – Linking structure and dynamics to protein malfunction in Cardiovascular Disease, and will last for 2 years. The results of her project are expected to generate new knowledge at the molecular level of Reverse Cholesterol Transport and ultimately guide the design and development of improved and more specific therapeutic approaches to Cardiovascular Diseases.

Updated on 26 May 2022: The acronym of Silvia Leon’s project changed.