PRELACAN2

Welcome to Our Research Group

Our research group is part of the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and the Department of Human Anatomy & Embryology at the University of Valencia, housed within the prestigious Faculty of Medicine. Since its inception, our group has also been integrated into the INCLIVA Institute for Biomedical Research, a leading institution committed to advancing biomedical science. Through consistent external evaluations, our team has been recognized as one of the most well-established and productive research groups within INCLIVA.

Collaboration lies at the heart of our work. Within INCLIVA, we maintain close partnerships with other groups, including those in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, fostering interdisciplinary synergy. Internationally, we have cultivated a longstanding relationship with The Chicago Medical School, USA, spanning over 20 years. This collaboration has been so fruitful that our co-PI, Dr. J.R. Viña, holds a permanent research professor position at the University of Chicago. By connecting basic and clinical researchers, we aim to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and clinical applications, promoting the seamless transfer of knowledge to benefit healthcare.

Our Research Focus

For decades, our group has concentrated on unraveling the biological mechanisms underlying the pregnancy/lactation cycle, with a particular emphasis on mammary gland development and involution following lactation. Using rodent models, we have worked tirelessly to understand the complex molecular events that occur during the post-lactation phase, especially during forced weaning.

In our early research, we tackled fundamental questions in Molecular Biology, focusing on how gene expression is precisely regulated in specific cell types. We explored key signals like nitric oxide (NO) and glutathione (GSH) during the early stages of mammary gland involution and studied the role of retinoids in tissue remodeling.

As our work progressed, we adopted a broader approach, studying gene networks and transcriptional regulatory nodes to uncover how functional gene expression programs operate. A significant discovery was the role of NF-kB as a regulatory node during weaning, particularly in modulating the inflammatory response. This finding led to the identification of genes such as calpains, which are linked to neoplasms and other critical biological processes.

Our ongoing research focuses on these pathways and their secondary outputs, including the study of calpains and their end-products. Supported by funding programs such as Generalitat Valenciana-PROMETEO, we aim to provide a more comprehensive understanding of mammary gland involution. Our ultimate goal is to identify factors that influence breast cancer risk while exploring the protective effects of lactation.

Thank you for visiting our page, and we invite you to learn more about our groundbreaking research and collaborative efforts. Together, we strive to advance knowledge and improve lives.