During my Ph.D. and early post-doc I pioneered the concept of DNA condensation for the formation of DNA particles for gene therapy that can be used as intravenous pharmaceuticals. The focus of my graduate and post-graduate research has been evaluating structure-function relationships on molecular conjugates of DNA for non-viral gene therapy. As a result, several patents have been issued to Case Western Reserve University where Richard W. Hanson and I are listed as inventors. In 1995 we promoted the creation of a company (Copernicus Gene Systems, Inc.) to commercialize this and other gene therapy-related technologies from the University. In Copernicus I have set up, together with Dr. Mark Cooper, an interdisciplinary group working towards better understanding the mechanisms of DNA condensation, gene delivery and gene expression. This fundamental concept is of great importance in the efforts devoted to gene therapy for genetic disorders. I have also worked together with Dr. Ramon Eritja from the CSIC Institute in a collaboration to characterize a novel system for delivering polymers of nucleic acid analog pro-drugs for the treatment of cancer.

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          In 2000, I moved to an independent laboratory as a “Ramon y Cajal” Fellow in the University of Barcelona to work on a new lead on understanding the mechanisms underneath different metabolic alterations related to disease, specifically in diabetes and cancer.  Especially relevant has been our work on the role of PEPCK-M in gluconeogenesis, insulin synthesis and cancer, which is our main focus even today. Many outstanding scientists have initiated their careers at the laboratory as Ph.D. students, and a long list of publications and patents have resulted from our work. This long-term project has received continuous financial support by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology and other Charities, such as “Fundació la Maratò-TV3” or the “Ramon Areces Foundation”.

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          Nowadays, in my position as Full Professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Barcelona, I am trying to integrate a  great deal of interdisciplinary work along with creativity, leadership and prompt transfer of its intellectual property, to our classic focus on physiology with the aim of design, synthesize and evaluate different compounds to specific targets of interest based on our understanding of the contribution of metabolism and mitochondrial physiology to the mechanisms of disease. Many collaborators have been instrumental in the development of these scientific goals, but in the present time, we are especially involved with Dr. Escolano and Dr. Luque on the compound discovery team, and this integration have resulted in a substantial leap in the quality of our work in translational medicine, including the availability of lead compounds with feasible curse into the clinic in the future.