AT THE LABORATORY OF BIOLOGICAL NOISE AND CELLULAR PLASTICITY AT CIPF, WE INVESTIGATE HOW CELLULAR HETEROGENEITY DRIVES DISEASE PROGRESSION AND TREATMENT RESISTANCE IN CONDITIONS SUCH AS CANCER.
Our research focuses on understanding how genetically identical cells within the same tumor can exhibit divergent behaviors that promote adaptation and survival in response to therapy.
A central aspect of our work is the study of transcriptional noise—random fluctuations in gene expression that occur even among identical cells. This phenomenon contributes to the emergence of cellular subpopulations with greater plasticity and enhanced capacity to escape treatment. We have identified a key player in this process: the mitochondrion. Our findings show that mitochondrial differences between cells directly affect energy levels, thereby influencing transcription rates and, ultimately, cell-to-cell variability.
By unraveling this connection between metabolism, gene expression, and plasticity, we are paving the way for the development of targeted therapies aimed at blocking the adaptive capacity of tumor cells, with the goal of improving the effectiveness of current cancer treatments.
PRESENTATION
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RESEARCH STAFF
THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT ALL POSSIBLE
Francisco Jose Iborra Rodríguez
fjiborra@cipf.es
PUBLICATIONS
OUR SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTIONS
Chemotherapy induces cell plasticity; controlling plasticity increases therapeutic response.
Signal Transduction And Targeted Therapy 2023 Jul, DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01500-w, Vol. 8, pag. 256-256
Mitochondrial levels determine variability in cell death by modulating apoptotic gene expression.
Nature Communications 2018 Jan, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02787-4, Vol. 9, pag. 389-389
Global variability in gene expression and alternative splicing is modulated by mitochondrial content.
GENOME RESEARCH 2015 May, DOI: 10.1101/gr.178426.114, Vol. 25, pag. 633-644
