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Marta Martínez Vicente

I am senior researcher at the VHIR, I’m a Principal Investigator at the Neurodegenerative Diseases Group and I head the Autophagy and Lysosomal Dysfunction lab.

Institutions of which they are part

Main researcher
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca

Marta Martínez Vicente

Institutions of which they are part

Main researcher
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca

I am senior researcher at the VHIR, I’m a Principal Investigator at the Neurodegenerative Diseases Group and I head the Autophagy and Lysosomal Dysfunction lab.

I obtained a degree in Chemistry/Biochemistry and a PhD in Biochemistry by the University of Valencia. From 2004 to 2008, I worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the laboratory of Dr. Ana Maria Cuervo at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York, USA), focusing on the role of autophagy in neurodegenerative diseases and aging.
I obtained in 2010 a tenure-track position as Miguel Servet I in the Neurodegenerative Diseases Group of the VHIR and since January 2016 I became VHIR Senior Researcher (Miguel Servet II-A).
Currently, the efforts of my team are devoted to study the role of autophagy in neurodegeneration. Alterations in the autophagy process have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease and has been shown to be one of the main causes that contribute to neuronal death in these pathologies. Our efforts are currently directed to: 1) Study the role of the autophagic and lysosomal dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease; 2) Development of new therapies for Parkinson’s disease based in the restoration of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase (GBA) activity; 4) Unravel the link between Parkinson and lysosomal storage diseases, 4) Characterize the defective lysosomal-mediated turnover of mitochondria and aggregates in Huntington’s disease and its contribution to neurodegeneration.
I’ve been able to turn my group into a reference group in the study of autophagy in neurodegeneration and aging. This position is endorsed by our publications, projects, dissemination activities and participation in scientific organizations. Bibliographic parameters: h-index: 31. Citations: >12.000, Publications: 49 scientific articles and mean impact factor/publication in the last 6 years = 10.6. I’ve been PI of several research projects funded by public agencies like ISCIII and MINECO as well as private entities as the Michael J. Fox Foundation, the Silverstein foundation and the BBVA Foundation, in addition I have also been PI in several collaboration agreements with private biotech companies.
I’m member of the Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), member and part of the management committee (board member) of the Spanish Autophagy Network (SEAFAGIA), member and part of the management committee of the European COST TRANSAUTOPHGAY network, member and part of the Scientific Advice Committee of the Women in Autophagy (WIA), member of the Spanish Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SEBBEM), and member of the Association of Women Researcher and Technologists (AMIT). As member of theses scientific societies I participated in the organization of national and international scientific conferences and I am member of the Editorial Board of Cells (ISSN 2073-440). I am in possession of the accreditation of Associate Professor/Researcher by the Agència per a Qualitat del Sistema Universitari de Catalunya (AQU).

Research lines

Role of autophagy in neurodegeneration

The main focus of our research is to study the role of autophagy in neurodegeneration.

Autophagy is the degradation of intracellular components inside the lysosomes and it is essential for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and neuronal viability. Alterations in the autophagy process have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease,  and has been shown to be one of the main causes that contribute to neuronal death in these pathologies.

 

Our efforts are currently directed to:

- Study the pathogenic role of autophagic/lysosomal dysfunction in Parkinson's disease

- Development of new therapies for Parkinson’s disease based in the restoration of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase (GBA) activity through nanoencapsulation.

- Development of new autophagy pharmacological modulators (mTOR-independent) as a therapeutic strategy in neurodegenerative diseases.

- Study  selective autophagy in Huntington’s disease: charaterization of mitophagy impairment in Huntington’s disease.

IP: Marta Martínez Vicente

Pathogenic role of autophagic/lysosomal dysfunction in Parkinson's disease

Autophagy is the degradation of intracellular components inside the lysosomes and it is essential for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and neuronal viability. Alterations in the autophagy process have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease and has been shown to be one of the main causes that contribute to neuronal death in these pathologies.


Our efforts are currently directed to:

- Development of new therapies for Parkinson’s disease based in the restoration of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase (GBA) activity.

- Development of new autophagy pharmacological modulators (mTOR-independent) as a therapeutic strategy in neurodegenerative diseases.

IP: Marta Martínez Vicente, Miquel Vila Bover

Mitophagy impairment in Huntington's disease

Defective lysosomal-mediated turnover of mitochondria may play a pathogenic role in Huntington’s disease neurodegeneration.

IP: Marta Martínez Vicente

Projects

NanoERT: nano-delivery platform for Enzyme Replacement Therapy in Parkinson's and Gaucher's disease

IP: Marta Martínez Vicente
Collaborators: Mercedes Arrúe Gonzalo, Maria Camprodon Gomez, Pablo Castillo Sánchez
Funding agency: Agència Gestió Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca
Funding: 42000
Reference: 2024 PROD 00073
Duration: 02/12/2024 - 01/06/2026

Malalties neurodegeneratives

IP: Miquel Vila Bover
Collaborators: Jorge Hernández Vara, Joan Compte Barrón, Marta Martínez Vicente, Jordi Bove Badell, Eddie Pradas Gracia, Maria Camprodon Gomez, Marina Lorente Picón, Laura Castillo Ribelles, Oriol de Fabregues-Boixar Nebot, Javier Hoyo Pérez, Ariadna Laguna Tuset, Thais Cuadros Arasa, Jordi Riera Heredia, David Ramos Vicente, Marta Montpeyó Garcia-Moreno, Helena Xicoy Cortada, Malalties neurodegeneratives , Marta González Sepúlveda, Joana Margalida Cladera Sastre, Annabelle Parent, Daniela Samaniego Toro, Daniela Samaniego Toro
Funding agency: Agència Gestió Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca
Funding: 40000
Reference: 2021 SGR 00784
Duration: 01/01/2022 - 30/06/2025

New nanotechnological therapy for Parkinson ?s disease: nose to brain delivery of GBA-polymer nanoconjugates

IP: Marta Martínez Vicente
Collaborators: Pablo Castillo Sánchez, Laia Perez Lasarte
Funding agency: Agència Gestió Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca
Funding: 73383.97
Reference: AGAUR/FI/2023/CASTILLO
Duration: 01/06/2023 - 31/05/2026

New nanotechnological therapy for Parkinson's disease: nose-to-brain delivery of GBA-polymer nanoconjugates (NANOGBAtoBRAIN)

IP: Marta Martínez Vicente
Collaborators: José Antonio Arranz Amo, Eddie Pradas Gracia, Laura Castillo Ribelles, Clara Carnicer Cáceres, David Moreno Martinez, Jordi Riera Heredia, Marta Montpeyó Garcia-Moreno, Pablo Castillo Sánchez
Funding agency: Fundació "La Caixa"
Funding: 249950
Reference: HR22-00602
Duration: 01/11/2022 - 31/10/2025

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