Modulating cellular signalling and cell behaviour with biomaterials

Dr. Nuria Oliva

Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Spain

Monday, 29 Jan 2024
12.00 AM 
ICMAB - Sala d'Actes Carles Miravitlles.

Abstract:

Biomaterials have been used in the clinic for decades, from titanium in hip replacements to adhesives for wound closure. Biomaterials interact with tissues, creating outside-in signals that travel via the cell membrane through the cytoskeleton and into the nucleus, affecting chromatin. This leads to epigenetic alterations that ultimately result in alterations in cell phenotype. However, the nature and extent of biomaterial-induced phenotypical alterations in healthy and diseased tissues remains an underexplored area. My research group operates on the hypothesis that understanding epigenetic changes will allow for rational engineering of biomaterials that, alone or in combination with drugs, can treat disease by rewiring cells’ healthy phenotype. In this talk, I will share some of the preliminary data gathered by the group in this topic in the context of skin pathological fibrosis.

Short bio:

Dr. Núria Oliva obtained her BSc in Organic Chemistry from the Institut Químic de Sarrià, and her PhD in Medical Engineering and Medical Physics from the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. Her thesis focused on the development of biodegradable hydrogel-based adhesives for wound closure, as well as new nanotechnologies for the treatment of breast cancer. She held two postdoctoral fellowships, one at Brigham and Women's Hospital, part of Harvard Medical School, and a second one at the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College London.

In 2020, she started her independent research group with an Imperial College Research Fellowship (ICRF), focused on discovering new interactions between bioadhesives and tissues, with the goal of accelerating tissue regeneration and treating complex diseases such as fibrosis, diabetic foot ulcers, and degenerative osteoarthritis. In 2022, Dr. Oliva joined IQS Barcelona as a la Caixa Junior Leader fellow. During her career, Dr. Oliva has published 18 articles and two book chapters, and has received over 2M € in funding in the form of fellowships and grants. She has also been awarded multiple distinctions, such as the ETRS Young Investigator Award and the Aviva Woman of the Future Award in the science category.

https://www.oliva-lab.com