Staff Scientists
Carmen Guerra, PhD
Dr. Guerra studies genetic and pharmacological therapeutic strategies against pancreatic cancer in genetically modified mouse models (GEMMs) that recapitulate human disease. The identification of possible therapeutic targets is carried out both in tumor cells and in the stroma of pancreatic cancer tumors. Specifically, stromal studies are focused on defining at a molecular and functional level the different populations of cancer associated fibroblasts. After the validation of the targets in preclinical trials in GEMMs, the targets are validated in tumor samples of patients, both in organoids and in tumors of patients implanted in immunosuppressed mice (PDX).
Sara García-Alonso, PhD
sgarciaa@cnio.es
saragarciaalo
Dr. Sara García-Alonso focus her research in the identification of RAF1 selective degraders, as a therapeutic strategy for patients with KRAS driven lung and pancreatic adenocarcinoma. She has purified RAF1 full-length in a soluble form and, in collaboration with Guillermo Montoya at the Novo Nordisk Center for Protein Research (Copenhagen), has resolved part of RAF1 structure by Cryo Electronic Microscopy. She is now conducting studies to find peptides and PROTACs capable of degrading RAF1. Furthermore, she is using the degradation TAG (dTAG) system to reproduce pharmacologically those therapeutic effects observed upon RAF1 genetic ablation.
