Biography

My PhD work at M Blasco´s laboratory was pioneer showing that telomerase regulates the balance between cancer and aging (Nat Genetics, 2000; Cancer Res, 2003; EMBO J, 2001; MCB, 2002; Oncogene, 2005). As a postdoctoral scientist in Amgen (Seattle, WA, USA) I opened a new line of research on breast cancer and RANK, within my group, traditionally focused on bone. I got exposed to the biotech challenges and I published my work in high impact journals: (MCB, 2007; Nature, 2010), despite publications were not a priority in industry. In 2008 I was awarded a prestigious Ramon y Cajal contract and accepted a position as group leader in the IDIBELL which is settled in a clinical environment and in 2013 I was positively evaluated for tenure. Since 2019, I hold a position as a senior group leader at the CNIO Madrid, Spain and maintain a part-time position at IDIBELL to develop clinical research.
I have managed to get uninterrupted national and international competitive funding including the US prestigious Susan G Komen foundation (US) and Concern Foundation (US), an ERC-Consolidator grant and two Proof of Concept grants from the European union. I have established a solid network of basic and clinical collaborators. I have directed 9 doctoral theses and currently supervise 6 PhD students (one of them a MD), 1 postdoctoral scientist, 1 technician and 2 senior staff scientists. I coordinate a clinical trial with Denosumab in breast cancer patients. I have a master in innovation and Business from IE.
We use genetically modified mouse models, primary organoids, patient derived xenografts, together with cell lines as complementary models to understand breast cancer and identify novel therapeutic targets which can be translated to the clinics and improve survival of breast cancer patients.

Results from my group demonstrate a key role of RANK signaling pathway in mammary gland development (Stem Cells 2013, Stem Cells 2016, Dev Cell 2021, Nat Comm 2023) and support the use of RANKL inhibitors (such as Denosumab) for prevention and treatment of breast cancer for its anti-tumor (Can Res 2012, Can Res 2016, Embo Mold Med 2023) and immunomodulatory activity (Nat Comm, 2020, BCR 2025). We established a collection of breast cancer PDX determinant for the identification of chemoresistance mechanisms in triple negative breast cancer (Stem Cell Rep 2017, Can Res 2019). Innovation projects are ongoing in the laboratory. I am member of several national and international scientific societies and have an active role reinforcing the links between basic and clinical research and disseminating scientific findings to the society.
I have 60 publications:22 as corresponding author and 7 as first author, 27 in D1, 23 in Q1. H-index: 34, i10 index 49 and 5646 citations (google scholar). One article as senior author is under review in Science and one in Nature Communications. Two publications with more than 600 citations and two with more than 400. ORCID 0000-0003-0858-8171