Skip to main content

Protein kinases in cancer research

Our group is interested in dissecting new cellular signaling pathways that control cancer cell proliferation and differentiation.  We collaborate with academics and Biopharma Companies to perform preclinical development of new anticancer drugs. Specifically, we are interested in deciphering the role of the new MAP kinase ERK5 in cancer proliferation and survival. We are also interested in the modulation of autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress as new strategies to tackle cancer, to improve chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments.

We are involved in potentiating translational aspects of our resources. We actively collaborate with Ability Pharmaceuticals SL in the preclinical/clinical development of the new antitumor drug ABTL0812, which it is Clinical Trial Phase II to treat cancer patients with advanced endometrial and squamous NSCLC cancers (NCT02201823). We uncovered the mechanism involved in the antitumor action of ABTL0812: by modulating the Akt/mTORC1 axis and ER stress, this molecule induces cancer cell death by activating cytotoxic autophagy in cancer cells.

Team

Jose Miguel Lizcano De Vega

Jose Miguel Lizcano De Vega

Head of group
Protein kinases in cancer research
Read more
Elisabet Megías Roda

Elisabet Megías Roda

Administration and Management
Protein kinases in cancer research
Read more
Clàudia Faúndez Vidiella

Clàudia Faúndez Vidiella

Predoctoral researcher
Protein kinases in cancer research
Read more
Idoia Bolinaga Ayala

Idoia Bolinaga Ayala

Predoctoral researcher
Protein kinases in cancer research
Read more
Laura Fresno Bermejo

Laura Fresno Bermejo

Senior researcher
Protein kinases in cancer research
Read more
Lluis Tort Bardolet

Lluis Tort Bardolet

Protein kinases in cancer research
Read more
Jose Miguel Lizcano De Vega

Jose Miguel Lizcano De Vega

Head of group
Protein kinases in cancer research
Read more
Elisabet Megías Roda

Elisabet Megías Roda

Administration and Management
Protein kinases in cancer research
Read more
Clàudia Faúndez Vidiella

Clàudia Faúndez Vidiella

Predoctoral researcher
Protein kinases in cancer research
Read more
Idoia Bolinaga Ayala

Idoia Bolinaga Ayala

Predoctoral researcher
Protein kinases in cancer research
Read more
Laura Fresno Bermejo

Laura Fresno Bermejo

Senior researcher
Protein kinases in cancer research
Read more
Lluis Tort Bardolet

Lluis Tort Bardolet

Protein kinases in cancer research
Read more

Projects

Grup de Recerca Emergent (GRE) Childood Cancer & Blood disorders

IP: Lucas Moreno Martín-Retortillo
Collaborators: Luís Gros Subias, Raquel Andreu Vilarroig, Andrea Vilaplana Blanes, Pablo Velasco Puyó, Laura Murillo Sanjuán, Maria Isabel Benitez Carabante, Aroa Soriano Fernández, Guillem Pons Barcons, Jose Miguel Lizcano De Vega, Maria Cristina Díaz de Heredia Rubio, María de los Ángeles Rodríguez Sánchez, Uría Oficialdegui, Maria Luz, Maria Jose Pérez García, Miguel Segura Ginard, M Mar Mañu Pereira, Lorena Valero Arrese, Raquel Anta Peña, Thaïs Murciano Carrillo, Constantino Sábado Álvarez, Anna Llort Sales, Elisabet Megías Roda, Raquel Hladun Alvaro, Ariadna Boloix Amenós, Carlota Aguilera Ordoñez, Adria Molero Valenzuela, Júlia Sansa Girona, Gabriela Guillén Burrieza, Laura Alonso Garcia, Victoria Gutierrez Valle, Idoia Bolinaga Ayala, Josep Roma Castanyer, Sergio Espinosa Gil, Elena Andretta, Claire Diot, Amira Idrizovic
Funding agency: Agència Gestió Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca
Funding: 60000
Reference: 2021 SGR 00638
Duration: 01/01/2022 - 31/12/2024

Publications

MAP kinase ERK5 modulates cancer cell sensitivity to extrinsic apoptosis induced by death-receptor agonists.

PMID: 37919293
Journal: Cell Death & Disease
Year: 2023
Reference: Cell Death Dis. 2023 Nov 2;14(11):715. doi: 10.1038/s41419-023-06229-6.
Impact factor:
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Alari-Pahissa, Elisenda; Artigas, Antoni; Blot, Pierre-Louis; Bolinaga-Ayala, Idoia; Cartailler, Jerome; Chousterman, Benjamin G; Colas, Eva; Denizli, Melek; Espinosa-Gil, Sergio; Faundez-Vidiella, Claudia et al.
DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06229-6

Review of the allocation criteria for heart transplant in Spain in 2023. SEC-Heart Failure Association/ONT/SECCE consensus document.

PMID: 37926340
Journal: REVISTA ESPANOLA DE CARDIOLOGIA
Year: 2023
Reference: Rev Esp Cardiol (Engl Ed). 2023 Nov 3:S1885-5857(23)00284-0. doi: 10.1016/j.rec.2023.11.001.
Impact factor:
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Alari-Pahissa, Elisenda; Almenar-Bonet, Luis; Atienza, Felipe; Aurelio Sarralde-Aguayo, Jose; Baguda, Javier De Juan; Barge-Caballero, Eduardo; Blasco-Peiro, Teresa; Bolinaga-Ayala, Idoia; Camino, Manuela; Carlos Sanchez-Salado, Jose et al.
DOI: 10.1016/j.rec.2023.11.001

Methuosis Contributes to Jaspine-B-Induced Cell Death.

PMID: 35806262
Journal: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
Year: 2022
Reference: Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Jun 29;23(13). pii: ijms23137257. doi: 10.3390/ijms23137257.
Impact factor: 5.924
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Bielsa, Nuria; Casasampere, Mireia; Abad, Jose Luis; Enrich, Carlos; Delgado, Antonio; Fabrias, Gemma; Lizcano, Jose M; Casas, Josefina et al.
DOI: 10.3390/ijms23137257

An ERK5-KLF2 signalling module regulates early embryonic gene expression and telomere rejuvenation in stem cells.

PMID: 34780645
Journal: BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL
Year: 2021
Reference: Biochem J. 2021 Dec 10;478(23):4119-4136. doi: 10.1042/BCJ20210646.
Impact factor: 3.857
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Gourlay, Robert, Brown, Helen A, Williams, Charles A C, Zhou, Houjiang, Rios-Szwed, Diana, Fernandez-Alonso, Rosalia, Mansoor, Saria, McMulkin, Liam, Toth, Rachel, Peltier, Julien et al.
DOI: 10.1042/BCJ20210646

A first-in-human phase I/Ib dose-escalation clinical trial of the autophagy inducer ABTL0812 in patients with advanced solid tumours.

PMID: 33588149
Journal: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER
Year: 2021
Reference: Eur J Cancer. 2021 Mar;146:87-94. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2020.12.019. Epub 2021 Feb 12.
Impact factor: 9.162
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Gascon, Pere, Domenech, Carles, Vidal, Laura, Victoria, Ivan, Gaba, Lydia, Brunet, Merce, Colom, Helena, Cortal, Marc, Gomez-Ferreria, Mariana, Yeste-Velasco, Marc et al.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2020.12.019

GRP78 Overexpression Triggers PINK1-IP3R-Mediated Neuroprotective Mitophagy.

PMID: 34440243
Journal: Biomedicines
Year: 2021
Reference: Biomedicines. 2021 Aug 18;9(8). pii: biomedicines9081039. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines9081039.
Impact factor: 6.081
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Romeo-Guitart, David, Herrando-Grabulosa, Mireia, Munoz-Guardiola, Pau, Polo, Miriam, Banuls, Celia, Petegnief, Valerie, Bosch, Assumpcio, Lizcano, Jose Miguel, Apostolova, Nadezda, Fores, Joaquim et al.
DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9081039

ERK5 Inhibition Induces Autophagy-Mediated Cancer Cell Death by Activating ER Stress.

PMID: 34805151
Journal: Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
Year: 2021
Reference: Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Nov 4;9:742049. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.742049. eCollection 2021.
Impact factor: 6.684
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Gamez-Garcia, Andres, Bolinaga-Ayala, Idoia, Yoldi, Guillermo, Espinosa-Gil, Sergio, Dieguez-Martinez, Nora, Megias-Roda, Elisabet, Munoz-Guardiola, Pau, Lizcano, Jose M et al.
DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.742049

The antitumour drug ABTL0812 impairs neuroblastoma growth through endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated autophagy and apoptosis.

PMID: 32943619
Journal: Cell Death & Disease
Year: 2020
Reference: Cell Death Dis. 2020 Sep 17;11(9):773. doi: 10.1038/s41419-020-02986-w.
Impact factor: 6.304
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Soriano, Aroa, Jimenez, Carlos, Erazo, Tatiana, Munoz-Guardiola, Pau, Masanas, Marc, Antonelli, Roberta, Boloix, Ariadna, Alfon, Jose, Perez-Montoyo, Hector, Yeste-Velasco, Marc et al.
DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-02986-w

STK11 (LKB1) missense somatic mutant isoforms promote tumor growth, motility and inflammation.

PMID: 32647375
Journal: Communications Biology
Year: 2020
Reference: Commun Biol. 2020 Jul 9;3(1):366. doi: 10.1038/s42003-020-1092-0.
Impact factor: 4.165
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Granado-Martinez, Paula, Garcia-Ortega, Sara, Gonzalez-Sanchez, Elena, McGrail, Kimberley, Selgas, Rafael, Grueso, Judit, Gil, Rosa, Naldaiz-Gastesi, Neia, Rhodes, Ana C, Hernandez-Losa, Javier et al.
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-1092-0

Thesis

MAP kinase ERK5, by controlling TP53INP2 proteostasis, modulates cancer cell sensitivity to extrinsic apoptosis induced by death-receptor agonists.

PhD student: Sergio Espinosa Gil
Director/s: Jose Miguel Lizcano De Vega
University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Year: 2023

Blog

News

A team from Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) highlights the ERK5 protein as a key factor in the resistance to cancer drugs.

On World Cancer Research Day, we highlight the oncology research model of the Vall d'Hebron Campus that allows laboratory results to be transferred as quickly as possible to clinical practice.

Vall d’Hebron ha celebrat avui la Jornada del Dia Mundial contra el Càncer, una malaltia cada cop més freqüent que patiran al llarg de la vida un de cada dos homes i una de cada tres dones del nostre entorn.