Álvaro Somoza studied Chemistry at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid where he did his Ph.D., under the direction of Prof. Carmen Carreño, focused on the total synthesis of Rubiginones. He then joined the group of Prof. Eric Kool at Stanford University. There he worked on a project focused on using modified oligonucleotides to study the role of sterics and hydrogen bonding interactions in RNA interference. Later, he moved to Barcelona to work with Dr. Ramón Eritja at the IRB, where he started a project devoted to the study of the interactions between RNA strands and the protein involved in RNA interference. In 2009, he joined IMDEA Nanociencia and was promoted to Senior Scientist in 2015.
The research of Dr. Somoza is focused on the preparation of modified oligonucleotides and function alization of nanoparticles for different biomedical applications, such as the detection and treatment of Uveal Melanoma, Pancreatic and Breast Cancer and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Particularly, modified nucleic acids are conjugated to nanoparticles for the regulation and detection of relevant genes and microRNAs involved in those diseases. Some of the sensing systems aim to work with ex vivo samples (RNA extracts) without the need of any equipment. Here, a change in the colour of a solution will confirm the presence of the disease.
For the treatment of the diseases, the nanostructures are also functionalized with different drugs and targeting molecules to improve their efficacy as nanomedicines. In this case, the aim is also to build robust and selective systems that can be translated to in vivo experiments.
Mario Martínez-Mingo obtained his BSc in Chemistry in 2015 from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and his MSc in 2016 at the same university under the supervision of Dr. María Ribagorda and Prof. Carmen Carreño. He then did his PhD at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid under the supervision of Prof. Juan Carlos Carretero and Dr. Nuria Rodríguez focusing on the selective functionalization of C–H bonds through long-range metallacycle intermediates, stabilized by sulfur containing coordinating moieties. Currently, he joined Dr. Álvaro Somoza´s group as post-doctoral researcher at IMDEA Nanociencia.
Demian Pardo studied Biochemistry at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, where he also obtained his master’s degree in biotechnology studying the “mechanisms implicated in the reprogramming of primordial germ cells and DNA damage caused by hypoxia” under the supervision of María Paz de Miguel Gonzalez . Then, he worked as laboratory technician at Instituto de Química Orgánica General at the oligosaccharides and glycosystems group in Spain till 2018. In 2023 he finished his industrial PhD at IMDEA Nanociencia and Synthelia Organics under the supervision of Dr. Álvaro Somoza and Dr. Francisco Tato.
Irene Pardo studied Biotechnology at Universidad Francisco de Vitoria. In 2020, she did an internship in the department of biochemistry and molecular biology in the Miller School of Medicine of Miami, under the supervision of Dr. Sylvia Daunert. There, she worked on a biosensor based on nanobodies to target the prostate specific membrane antigen for the early diagnosis of prostate cancer in liquid biopsies. And during the pandemic, she was also involved in the development of a Point of Care RT-RPA test for the detection of SARS-CoV2.
In 2022 she obtained her master’s degree in Research in Translational Medicine at Universidad Complutense de Madrid working on lncRNAs for cancer diagnosis and treatment at IMDEA Nanoscience under the supervision of Prof. Álvaro Somoza. Currently, she is starting her PhD thesis in relation with her master project.
