Cellular Oncology

Group leader: Ander Matheu, Ph.D.

Biodonostia HRI. Ikerbasque Research Associate.. ander.matheu@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Dr. Ander Matheu Fernández obtained his PhD under the direction of Dr. Manuel Serrano at the CNIO (Spanish National Cancer Research Centre) in 2005, and completed his postdoctoral training at the laboratory of Dr. Robin Lovell-Badge at the MRC-NIMR (London) from 2006 until 2011.
In 2011 he joined the Biodonostia HRI as a Miguel Servet researcher (ISCIII) to head the Cellular Oncology Research Group. Since his incorporation, he has composed the multidisciplinary team of 20 members who work with him today. Dr. Matheu has participated in 95 publications in high-impact scientific journals (including Nature, Cell and Cell Stem Cell), more than 75 of them since joining Biodonostia, and being a senior author in 40 of them. He has also headed the writing of five book chapters and is the co-inventor of four patents at both national and international level.
Dr. Matheu has led 25 national and international research projects, participating in more than 55 as a collaborator. These projects represent a total sum of €15 million, more than €6 million of which were awarded to his Research Group. His Group is part of the CIBERfes (Network Centre for Biomedical Research in Frailty and Healthy Ageing) and he is Associate Professor at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), being a Ikerbasque Research Associate. He has directed 11 doctoral theses between researchers of the Biodonostia HRI and doctors at the Donostia University Hospital (Donostialdea IHO) and has also supervised the final projects of more than 20 bachelor’s and master’s degree students.

Strategic Objectives

The interest of Dr Matheu’s group originally focused on the characterisation of glioma stem cells and the identification of molecular mechanisms related with the ageing of neural stem cells. Hence its original name of Neuro-oncology. However, the research lines of the group have increased and extended and today include knowledge of the molecular mechanisms responsible for regulating cell plasticity and heterogeneity, their role in cancer and ageing processes, and the translation of this knowledge into clinical practice.

Main lines of research

Within the line of cancer research, the objectives of his group consist of:  

  • Determining the signalling pathways regulating the subpopulation of cancer stem cells present in the neoplasms of the central nervous system (CNS) and gastrointestinal cancers
  • Studying the impact of cancer stem cells on the origin and progression/metastasis of the cancer
  • Identifying molecular targets and markers of prognosis and/or response to treatment making it possible to establish alternative therapeutic strategies and stratification patterns of patients in Pediatric CNS tumours, and (iv) generating and/or validating pharmacological agents against cancer stem cells.

Within the line of research in ageing, the objectives consist of:

  • Looking for biomarkers enabling the early detection of frailty and neurodegenerative diseases
  • Identifying the mechanisms responsible for the successful ageing typical of 100 year-olds
  • Characterising CNS and muscle stem cells in the search for molecular targets to palliate the functional decline associated with ageing and neurodegenerative pathologies.

 

Team Members

Name Surname
Center E-mail
Sara Arevalo Lobera Donostialdea IHO sara.arevalolobera@osakidetza.eus
Aizpea Artetxe Zurutuza Biogipuzkoa HRI aizpea.artetxe@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Jaione Auzmendi Iriarte Biogipuzkoa HRI jaione.auzmendi@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Estefanía Carrasco García Biogipuzkoa HRI estefania.carrasco@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Fernando Cossio Mora UPV – EHU fp.cossio@ehu.es
Sara Cruces Salguero Biogipuzkoa HRI sara.crucessalguero@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Larraitz Egaña Otaño Donostialdea IHO larraitz.eganaotano@osakidetza.eus
Joseba Elizazu Perez Biogipuzkoa HRI joseba.elizazu@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Nerea Iturrioz Rodriguez  Biogipuzkoa HRI nerea.iturriozrodriguez@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Diego Marcos Pérez Biogipuzkoa HRI diego.marcos@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Verónica Moncho Amor CIBERNED veronica.moncho@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Manuel Moreno Valladares Donostialdea IHO manuel.morenovalladares@osakidetza.eus
David Ignacio Ortiz De Urbina Ugarte Onkologikoa Fundazioa dortiz@onkologikoa.org
Maddalen Otaegi Ugartemendia Biogipuzkoa HRI maddalen.otaegi@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Irune Ruiz Diaz Donostialdea IHO irune.ruizdiaz@osakidetza.eus
Ander Saenz Antoñanzas Biogipuzkoa HRI ander.saenz@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Nicolas Sampron Lebed Donostialdea IHO nicolasmanuel.sampronlebed@osakidetza.eus
Jhonatan Andrés Vergara Arce Biogipuzkoa HRI jhonatanandres.vergaraarce@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Jorge Alberto Villanua Bernues OSATEK jvillanua@osatek.net

Scientific Output