OBJECTIVES

The group brings together four senior researchers with different backgrounds. Two of them (Pérez-García and López-López) have extensive experience in the study of ion channels, especially in the context of vascular pathophysiology. Dr. Roqué is a clinical cardiologist at the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona and has maintained a close collaboration with the group during the 10 years, focusing on the role of ion channels in vascular remodeling. The fourth member (Fuente García) is an immunologist who is an expert in gene editing, and is dedicated to the study of a family of proteins of mitochondrial localization, important in the function of respiratory chain complexes. In addition, the group has two postdoctoral researchers, Dr. Cidad Velasco and Dr. García Mateo, with extensive experience in different molecular biology techniques, as well as three predoctoral researchers, funded by different organizations. The group is currently interested in molecular dissection using gene editing tools for several channels of importance in vascular physiology, as well as probably mitochondrial function: the KCNA3 and KCNA5 potassium channels. Among other objectives, the generation of defective smooth muscle primary cell lines in these channels is proposed using an improved CRISPR-based gene editing technique, as a means of studying the role of these channels in vascular remodeling and phenotype change. of these cells in different stress situations. In addition, the aim is to study the signal transduction pathways and the potential impact of KCNA3 on immune function, by generating a model of the T cell line (Jurkat cells, derived from T-cell leukemia), defective for KCNA3 and “knock -ins ”with mutations in the molecule that can alter its function. The history of collaboration between the different members is endorsed by joint publications and by its recent recognition by the Junta de Castilla y León as a Consolidated Research Unit.

RESEARCH LINES