p4 p8 p7 - IRB Barcelona

in vivo
January 2014 | Issue 25
NEWSLETTER OF THE INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN BIOMEDICINE
A new network of alliances
for IRB Barcelona
One of the strategic goals of a solid research
cating a significant effort to strengthen its bonds
institute with the ambition to grow stronger is to
by signing partnerships uniting basic and clinical
create a relevant network of alliances in areas of
research, confirming long-standing alliances, such
mutual scientific expertise and interests, both lo-
as the one with the Barcelona Supercomputing
cally and internationally.
Center, and creating new ones.
IRB Barcelona falls in this category and is dedi-
ERC’s Consolidator
for Patrick Aloy
The European Research Council has
awarded ICREA researcher
Patrick Aloy a 5-year
‘Consolidator Grant.’
His project seeks
to monitor the onset
Read more about this on page 2.
and
“Crazy About Biomedicine”
class of 2014 at the starting grid
Twenty-four high schools students are ready
to begin a new ‘crazy’ adventure at IRB Barce-
progression
Alzheimer’s
discover
of
disease
new
to
therapeutic
targets. Read the news on page 6.
Foundation, took place on Saturday, 11 January
at the Casa Milà, in Barcelona.
lona. They belong to the second “Crazy About
On the same day the veteran students of the
Biomedicine” class. The inauguration of the
2013 class received a diploma. This year, the ini-
new year of this successful initiative, organised
tiative has been extended to seven more science
in collaboration with the Catalunya-La Pedrera
institutes in Catalonia. On page 5.
CALLS OPEN FOR
• Group Leaders in
Structural Biology
• ”la Caixa”—Severo
Ochoa International PhD
Programme
APPLY NOW!
See www.irbbarcelona.org for more
Ready to begin a new adventure. This is the “Crazy About Biomedicine” class of 2014 with IRB Barcelona Director
Joan J. Guinovart. (Photo L.T. Barone)
p3
Friedreich’s
Ataxia
Patients alliance
p4
3 conferences
Meet the
scientists
p7
Bake-off
A sweet story
p8
Spotlight
Join Postdoc
Day in April
New strategic
alliances
O
ver the past few months, IRB Barcelona Director
Joan J. Guinovart’s fountain pen has been put to good
use. He has been busy signing a long string of partner-
ships with centres and organisations in Barcelona and beyond. These
IRB Barcelona Director Joan J. Guinovart and VHIR Director Joan X. Comella sign an
agreement to strengthen ties between the two institutes (Photo: S. Sherwood).
new collaborations, with organisations in areas of mutual interest and
expertise, aim to take advantage of the wealth of knowledge, resources and technologies so critical to advancing the field of biomedicine.
One major focus has been to unite basic and clinical researchers. Partnerships have been signed with the Hospital Clinic-IDIBAPS
and the Vall d’Hebron Institute for Research to strengthen activities related to specific diseases. Technology-based collaborations are
also a priority area, and agreements have been established with the
UB Scientific and Technology Centres for the provision of flow cytometer services, and with the Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona (CSIC) to fortify our crystallography activities. We have
tutes with similar areas of activity and interests worldwide. In addition to our standing agreement with the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe, Japan, new collaborations have been
signed with the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS)/
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Bangalore, India, and
we are finalising details for exchanges with the Nencki Institute of
Experimental Biology in Warsaw, Poland and the Nijmegen Centre for the Molecular Life Sciences in Nijmegen, Netherlands.
“These partnerships allow for the exchange of knowledge and exper-
.
extended our long-standing collaboration with the Barcelona Super-
tise, and provide an important chance for researchers from each institute
computing Center to include the Centre for Genomic Regulation.
to spend periods of time at other centres,” affirms Guinovart, “and of-
We also went beyond borders, establishing formal links to insti-
fer a great opportunity for our young scientists. Take advantage.”(ss)
New members broaden scope
of Board of Trustees
A
JOAN MASSAGUÉ
t its meeting in December, the Board of Trustees officially approved
changes to IRB Barcelona’s statutes to incorporate a change in
composition of the Board. Current members from the Ministries
of Economy and Knowledge and of Health of the Government of Catalonia,
and from the UB, will now be joined by two eminent members of the international scientific community, as well as a representative from the private sector.
Jerzy Duszynski, former Director of the Nencki Institute of Experimental
én
Biology in Warsaw, Poland, and Joan Modolell, researcher at the Institute of
Cell Biology at the Centre for Molecular Biology in Madrid (who has served
as member of IRB Barcelona’s External Advisory Board), together with Rafael Pardo, Director of the BBVA Foundation, will now sit on the Board which
is the governing body of the Institute, responsible for overseeing research activities, approving operating funds and ensuring that annual goals are met.
has a new Scientific Director.
Joan Massagué, world leader
in cancer and metastasis research, was appointed to the
position in November, where
he will oversee the activities of
120 research groups and 1,200
members with us,” confirms IRB Barcelona
scientists, and manage a bud-
Director Joan J. Guinovart. “Contributions
get of 400 million dollars.
from their different points of view will help
Though his new job is sure
us to increase our international projection,
to keep him busy, he'll be no
.
py, and provide a valuable new perspective
for other members of the Board.” (ss)
Rafael Pardo joined IRB Barcelona's Board of Trustees in December.
ing Cancer Center in New York
“We are honoured to have these new
visibility and capacity to attract philanthro-
January
2014 |Joan
Issue
25 and
p2 in vivo
Counter-clockwise
from top:
Jerzy Duszyński,
Modolell
The Sloan Kettering Institute
of the Memorial Sloan Ketter-
stranger to IRB Barcelona and
will continue in his advisory capacity for the strategic development of the Institute.
A hitchhiker’s
guide to the
epigenome
SCIENCE BITES
➲
I
tracheal cells as well. Group leader
Jordi Casanova and postdoc Gaëlle
data around, your best choice is ChroGPS, new software
Lebreton have published a study in
that generates intuitive maps to visualise the association
the Journal of Cell Science in which
between genetic elements, with an emphasis on epigenetics.
they describe tracheal development
The article that describes this innovative tool in Nucleic
in the fly in vivo. They observed the
Acid Research emerged from conversations between Ferrán
morphological characteristics of the
Azorín’s group, through PhD student Joan Font-Burgada, and the bioinformatician Òscar Reina, a mem-
leading cell and provided molecular
ber of the Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Unit, then managed by David Rossell.
details about how it can lead and bring
In the last 15 years, researchers worldwide have generated a large amount of information about the
the rest of the cells along with it. The
epigenome: proteins, factors and epigenetic markers which, when bound to DNA, regulate gene expres-
study gives new data about how cells
sion. In spite of these efforts, it is still hard to extract functional and relational information about the
organise themselves to achieve migra-
epigenome and to present the results in a visual manner, as ChroGPS does.
tion and form tubes in a process remi-
“With this tool we have been able to unify information in a single map instead of seeing it in hundreds
niscent of formation of new capillaries
of graphs and figures like in the past,” explains Azorín. Òscar Reina adds that “ChroGPS is based first on
(angiogenesis) to feed an expanding tu-
.
the generation of degrees of similarity between epigenetic components, and then on the representation of
mour. The scientists tracked a group of
these distances in the form of two- or three-dimensional maps to facilitate their interpretation, like maps
from which distance between cities can be drawn up.”
seven cells that form a tracheal branch
of the fly in its first seven hours of development. The leading cell is the only
Joining forces to fight
Friedreich’s ataxia
“W
e cannot afford to duplicate
tees the funding required for this purpose,” explains
efforts in research into rare
Juan Carlos Baiges, on behalf of the members of
diseases like Friedreich’s atax-
Some are
leaders and others are follow-
ers. This is true for D. melanogaster
f you want to make of sense of the flood of epigenetic
Group leader Ferrán Azorín
(Photo: G. Battista/M. Minocri).
Leading cells
one that has receptors for the growth
.
factor FGF, which stimulates a cascade
of reactions that turn that cell into the
promoter of motility.
➲
Genefa.
Unfolding urea
Urea is
not merely a passive spectator
ia,” states Jennifer Farmer, executive Director of
Giralt, with a long and recognised career in pep-
during the unfolding (or denaturation)
FARA, one of the main patients’ associations
tide design, and Díaz-Nido, an international expert
of a protein. In a high-throughput dy-
for Friedreich’s ataxia in the US. Fundraising
in gene therapy and ataxias, will work together on a
namic simulation study of the early
for a gene therapy project, launched by Genefa,
treatment. Patients with this disease inherit a mutat-
stages of this process, group leader
a Spanish platform for a cure for Friedreich’s
ed copy of the frataxin gene, which causes neurode-
ataxia, in collaboration with two other national
generation. The project seeks to replace this defec-
Modesto Orozco and PhD student
associations, Fedaes and BabelFAmily, has tran-
tive gene in the cells of the central nervous system.
scended borders. FARA has just approved fund-
Researcher Meritxell Teixidó explains that “the
ing of US$ 200,000, thus turning this project into
project is magnificent because it has come about
an international cooperation between patients’
from the patients. It reminds us that answers are
associations.
provided by basic research, the cornerstone of all
Started last November in the labs headed by
Ernest Giralt at IRB Barcelona and
future applications.” (sa)
Michela Candotti observed that urea
actively selects and stabilises microscopic unfolding events with exposed
.
hydrophobic regions. The discovery,
published in Plos Computational Biology, clarifies the molecular mechanism
that has made urea one of the most
Javier Díaz-Nido at the Centre for
widely used denaturants and helps
Molecular Biology in Madrid, the
us understand its effects on protein
three-year project is funded exclu-
structure. The researchers believe that
sively through donations. The US
concepts such as ‘folded’ and ‘unfold-
organisation has given half of the
ed’ states or ‘folding’ and ‘unfolding’
funding provided by Genefa to per-
pathways need to be revisited and re-
form the project. “We are all workthe collaboration of FARA guaran-
.
formulated considering the nature of
ing hard towards finding a cure and
the denaturant used.
2014 | Issue 25 p3
in vivo January
in vivo January 2014 | Issue 25 p3
Ernest Giralt, second from the bottom right, and Meritxell Teixidó, top left,
are part of the teams who joined to combat ataxia (Photo L.T. Barone).
3 TOP LEVEL CONFERENCES AT IRB BARCELONA
3rd PhD Student
Symposium
tackles ageing
❝The best organised
C
oleen Murphy is an expert on ageing in C. elegans. She was
conference I have been
to in a long time. I truly
felt adopted by you❞
Coleen Murphy
one of nine speakers invited for the third edition of the IRB
Barcelona PhD student Symposium held on 14-15 Novem-
ber. “I have zero interest in expanding a worm’s life span,” she jokes.
The fact is that the (exactly) 959 cells forming this little creature are very
useful for humans — and once created, they are never replaced. The ‘aged’ worm just
makes them work the whole time. “Ageing is an interesting biological problem, it has
diseases associated with it, but it also has a philosophical edge. It impinges on many
different processes. 80% of the worm genes are conserved in humans, so what we find
is likely applicable to us. Worms are a nice system because you can make genetic and
drug tests really fast.” Murphy’s group is working especially on memory, with the
neurodegenerative diseases in mind. Early ageing is something that characterises both
Moments from The Clock of Life. The round table with invited speakers
(Coleen Murphy, second from right); the Organising Committee with speakers;
lively interactions from the public (Photos S. Klischies; L.T. Barone).
worms and humans, and Murphy’s intuition was that the first could be a good model
for the latter. “Once you start finding that the same genes are regulated in the same
way in worms and mammalian systems, you know that the same processes are going
Gene translation unites
experts from far fields
on,” she says. Another process Murphy is concentrating on is mechanical decline,
F
the third edition of the symposium organised entirely by 13 PhD students was “fan-
Barcelona BioMed Conference (2-4 December) to present
variety of the themes was also great.” (ltb)
rom Mars to tRNA. Paul Fox, mathematician by
training and PhD in molecular biology for fascination,
was at the Gene Translation: Fidelity and Quality Control
because, yes, even worms have aches and pains. “Their skin and muscles change. It’s
a pity they have no knees to study!”
In short, “worms are ideal models for early ageing phenotypes.” She thinks that
one of the speakers with a student made her “feel adopted. The
what he calls “a new form of the most important angiogenic factor, VEGF.” And he’s got quite a story to tell. His scientific career began with the famous astronomer Carl Sagan
in the 1970s. “I simulated the wind-blown dust on Mars
during the Viking space probes mission. My claim to fame
is that I was the first to see a sunset on another planet; I had
Viking take the first two photos of a Martian twilight.” At
first he believed biology was “science for non-scientists,”
until he discovered its beauty (and yes, “thinking quantitatively is an important skill for a biologist”). “I keep
jumping from one field to the other, I love to learn from
younger colleagues,” says this exuberant scientist from the
Cleveland Clinic. He has worked on tRNA synthetase for
.
ten years. One of the discoveries he’s most proud of? “That
of a novel translational control mechanism in ceruloplasmin — the actual reason why I am here.” (ltb)
.
tastic and really well organised, the best in a long time.” Coupling each
Best biosimulators
meet in Barcelona
M
odelling and simulations of molecular systems
have become the rule in biomedical research — so
much so that the discipline received the latest Nobel Prize
in Chemistry. Physicist Michele Parrinello (ETH Zurich) was
among the 150 selected participants of the 22nd Barcelona BioMed Conference, organised in collaboration with the BBVA Foundation, on the Frontiers in
Dynamics Simulations of Biological Molecules (4-6 November). “Computer simulations are becoming so accurately realistic that we can learn a lot about the behaviour
of matter,” he says. Parrinello emphasises that “simulations play two roles: one is
to better understand inevitably limited experimental results. And second to predict
or guide an experiment to optimise its results.” The Car-Parrinello method is used
in molecular dynamics. The reasons for its success are “historical and
sociological,” he explains. “Computer technology 30 years ago was on
the verge of a radical change with the first supercomputers. And we
were able to look at an old problem with fresh eyes. We found something that deeply affected computer science and chemistry. Of course,
luck also played a role.” Ideas on the future of the discipline? “As
.
Niels Bohr said, prediction is very difficult, especially if it’s about the
future. Certainly one of the goals will be to describe complex model
Lluís Ribas pictured at the Barcelona BioMed Conference on Gene Translation, which he cohosted with Peter Dedon. In the circle, Michele Parrinello at the Barcelona BioMed Conference
on Dynamics
by Modesto
OrozcoIssue
and Charles
January
2014
25 Laughton. Both conferences
p4 Simulation, hosted
were organised in collaboration with the BBVA Foundation (Photos L.T. Barone).
in vivo
|
systems with all the data we can now count on.” (ltb)
One more year!
T
he time has come for the 24 pioneering
lona and the Foundation on behalf of the group for
be at IRB Barcelona 18 Saturdays during the year.
students who took part in the “Crazy
the “unforgettable opportunity” they were given
Chosen from among the 430 applications received
About Biomedicine” programme 2013
to work with first-class scientists for a year. Pepe
from schools throughout Catalonia, these stu-
to spread their wings and fly towards new land-
has just been accepted at Harvard and plans to ma-
dents, truly passionate about biomedicine, have
scapes. In an emotional ceremony held at the Casa
jor in Molecular and Cellular Biology.
made it through a difficult selection process based
Milà, they were handed a diploma in recognition
The audience also included the 24 new students
of the their efforts by Joan J. Guinovart and Lluís
of the class of 2014 (15 girls and 9 boys) who will
.
on academic grades, motivation, and a personal
interview. Welcome on board! (ltb)
Farrés, Director of IRB Barcelona and Director
of Knowledge and Research of the Catalunya-La
Pedrera Foundation respectively, the two promoters of this ground-breaking initiative.
Last year, the initiative proved to be successful. So much so, that it has been extended to five
disciplines and it now involves eight research centres across Catalonia. As IRB Barcelona Director Joan Guinovart noted, “it is highly satisfying to see the Crazy initiative being extended
and this passion for biomedicine spreading to
other scientific disciplines. It guarantees the
future of science in the country.”
Before an attentive audience of more than
150 high school students ready to start their new
“Crazy about Science” programme and the Directors of eight Catalan science institutes, the veteran
Crazy student Pepe Amich thanked IRB Barce-
“Thanks for igniting my spark”
Y
ou have given me the opportunity to reaffirm my passion for research. You allowed me to
explore some of the most fascinating discoveries in the life sciences. I worked with profes-
sionals who truly love what they do: this is a precious gift. They were not merely our teachers,
they have acted as our mentors. It has been a privilege to get to know researchers from all over
the world. They have taught us the real meaning of education, based on passion, exchange and
disruptive innovation. And the best of all is that I have genuinely enjoyed the entire journey, from
the very first day to the last. We lived the joy of great science.
Yes, we are all crazy and hungry. Hungry to discover new approaches to challenging problems, sharing them and making them real. We formed a tight group of friends ready to take on the
world. Because interests become passions when you share them, because there is nothing better
than inspiring others and being inspired by the best. I’ve met extraordinary people, who are not
.
only brilliant students but also committed, hilarious and sensitive people.
Crazy about Biomedicine has been a turning point in my life. Thanks for igniting the spark
of our dreams. (Martí Jiménez, Crazy About Biomedicine class of 2013)
Teaching science teachers science
S
cience is a high-speed train that can leave you behind if you do not stay alert. With this in mind,
IRB Barcelona organised for the third consecutive year a science training workshop for school
teachers in collaboration with the Catalunya-La Pedrera Foundation.
The course, held on 29-30 November, brought 15 enthusiastic science teachers to the Institute.
They were trained in cancer, metastasis and personalised medicine by ten scientists led by Elena
Sancho. Eduard Batlle and Roger Gomis explained their latest discoveries, while the group worked
hand-in-hand with PhD students and postdocs to see how crucial questions in cancer research are
.
investigated, including why some patients develop metastasis while others do not, who is at risk,
which cancers tend to reproduce in certain organs, the function of cancer stem cells, and how we can
determine what kind of chemotherapy is the best for any given patient. (jl)
Teachers in the cell culture room (Photo: O. Martorell).
January 2014 | Issue 25 p5
in vivo
Top, Crazy About Biomedicine class of 2013 at
the La Pedrera. (Photo L.T. Barone)
Laura and Joan visit
IRB Barcelona labs
T
.
he magic-power-bearing protago-
storybook, destined to a public of young kids
nists of the collection of research-
interested in science, is fully downloadable on
focussed books published by the
IRB Barcelona’s web page.
Catalan Government have finally visited IRB
Barcelona. Their ‘mission’ was to
1.3M euro for
Alzeheimer’s
research
T
he European Research Council has
awarded Group Leader Patrick Aloy
a ‘Consolidator Grant’ for his project
SysPharmAD (“A systems pharmacology approach to the discovery of novel therapeutics
help researchers uncover the mys-
in Alzheimer’s disease”), which aims to identify
teries of cancer and metastasis, us-
new biomarkers for the disease.
ing the fruit fly as a tool.
“It is clear that we will not find a solution
The “Laura and Joan” series
by concentrating on modifying a single gene and
centers on the efforts of two class-
that we should move away from this genocentric
mates, who, because of their spe-
perspective towards a more realistic therapeutic
cial problem-solving powers, are
called upon by investigators at re-
strategy based on networks of interconnected
search institutes across Catalonia
genes, what we refer to as systems pharmacolo-
to help them with their research.
gy,” says Aloy. The researchers want to focus on
This the 20th edition of the series.
the stages prior to the appearance of the symp-
“Laura and Joan pursue ma-
toms, before irreversible brain damage, and to
lignant cells” was written by Jo-
identify new molecular biomarkers to monitor
sep M. López Madrid and illus-
patient response.
trated by Montse Español. The
In this call, ERC awarded 312 grants, with
funding totalling 575 million
euros. Spain has received
Learning to communicate
20 of the grants, 9 of which
O
searchers in Catalonia.
have been given to re-
n 9-10 December, twenty young researchers used the Fèlix Serratosa room for an unusual
course, sponsored by Esteve Foundation: Scientific Communication, Getting Started and
.
Six scientists at IRB
Speaking. Instructors Brian McCarthy and John Giba guided the students through the most com-
Barcelona are cur-
mon mistakes in English. But also gave them some tricks to improve their presentation skills.
rently financed
Pulling faces and throwing each other balls included. (Photo L.T. Barone)
by the ERC,
for a total
funding
of
more
than 13.5
.
million
euros.
(sa)
Group Leader Patrick Aloy (Photo: G. Battista/M. Minocri).
IN BRIEF
Innovation Day Speed-dating and one-
was one of the 40 students to take part in 3DS, a
the University of Salamanca. The recognition
to-one quick meetings are a great way to find new
3-day initiative held in Barcelona on 15-17 No-
aims to promote and reward the work of young
business partners. With this philosophy, the PCB
vember to promote start-ups and entrepreneurial
Spanish scientists in oncology research.
organised the Networking & Innovation Day on
philosophy. His project is on scaffold biomimet-
Cancer grant The Instituto de Salud Car-
28 November. The Innovation Department and
ics for 3D cell culture suitable for drug screening,
the topic of his thesis.
los III awarded Montserrat Terrazas, a research
many students were there to foster new collabo-
Cancer prize Group Leader Eduard
rations.
associate in Modesto Orozco’s lab, a Miguel
Servet grant, a 5-year contract for her project on
Entrepreneur to be PhD student Juan
Batlle received on 28 January the National Can-
the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of
Pablo Aguilar (from Fernando Albericio’s lab)
cer Research Prize “Doctores Diz Pintado” from
novel biostable small interfering RNA delivery
p6
in vivo
January 2014
| Issue 25
Home-baked
goodness
T
he traditional holiday party IRB Barcelona holds in December
for its employees to celebrate a year of hard work had a sweet
addition to it this time.
Thanks to a suggestion by PhD student Sabine Klischies, in addition
Researchers from the Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Programme are
proud of their cookies. (Photo L.T. Barone)
to the customary lottery, this year’s party included a bake-off competition. All programmes, core facilities and administration were challenged
Federica Battistini prepared on-the-spot pizzas, while Michitaka Isoda
to bake and sell as much cake as possible —
­ with the same objective as
prepared Matcha Daifuku, a Japanese green tea-based sweet that was so
always: to collect money for the Casal dels Infants del Raval, a non-
successful that it disappeared within a quarter of hour.
profit institution in the centre of Barcelona dedicated to helping children, young people and family at risk of social exclusion.
The trophy was claimed by the Oncology Programme, who outsold
the other teams. They earned an extra portion of chocolate and cava to
.
The challenge was taken seriously as researchers prepared cookies,
celebrate. The total amount raised this year was of 1,873 euros. Thanks
cakes, and sweets of all shapes and flavours, as well as many national
to all the participants and providers who donated the gifts for the lottery
dishes of the 36 nationalities currently represented at IRB Barcelona.
for their generosity. (ltb)
‘Marathon’ for
IRB Barcelona
researchers
O
nce again, the Marató de TV3 has recognised research performed at IRB Barce-
lona.
Salvador Aznar Benitah, Ángel R. Nebreda,
Boehringer pays a visit to the
Functional Genomics facility
R
oland Varecka met Herbert Auer at a con-
“I’m here to learn ChIP-Seq,” he says. This
ference some time ago. “His lab has estab-
cutting-edge technique combines a state-of-the-
lished a special protocol for genomic analysis,”
art method to measure how proteins regulate
explains Varecka, who works at the Genomics
our genome (Chromatin Immuno Precipita-
Facility at Boehringer Ingelheim, in Austria. So
tion) with massively parallel DNA-sequencing
he decided to pay a visit to IRB Barcelona.
to identify the binding sites of DNA-associated
Modesto Orozco, and Manuel Palacín are ben-
proteins (Next Gen-
eficiaries of the funds raised in the 2013 edition
eration Sequencing).
of La Marató destined to fight cancer. Of the
“It takes a long
11 million euros collected, the highest amount
time to establish a
raised in the 21 campaigns to date, the projects
new protocol,” ex-
involving scientists at IRB Barcelona have been
plains Varecka, “and
allotted 1.2 million euros.
it is important to learn
.
The addition of these four scientists brings
from people who have
the total of researchers at IRB Barcelona con-
already gained experi-
ducting projects funded by Marató to six. IRB
ence.” (ltb)
.
Barcelona researchers have participated in a total
of 17 projects throughout the years.
systems that can target cancer cells selectively.
Roland Varecka, José Ignacio Pons and Herbert Auer. (Photo L.T. Barone)
of them on page 8.
Pub Quiz The predoctoral communities
New postdoc A new group of postdoc-
Top scientists According to the yearly
of IRB Barcelona and the Center for Genomic
toral fellows supported by EU Marie Curie Ac-
ranking prepared by the Spanish newspaper El
Regulation organised the first joint Pub Quiz on
tions has just been selected and the eight new
mundo, three scientists from the IRB Barcelona
28 November. After a round of ‘power-point ka-
postdocs, representing six nationalities, are ready
community are among the best 25 in Spain. They
raoke’ on the two institutes, 80 students had to
to start. Nearly all of them will carry out their
are Joan J. Guinovart, Ernest Giralt and Joan
answer Trivial Pursuit-like questions on science
research in two different lab to foster interdisci-
Massagué. The three were all listed in this ranking
and their daily lives in the labs. The PhD students
plinarity within the Institute. They will join the
also in 2013.
of the two institutes plan to organise more events
Institute in the coming months. You can meet two
like this to promote interaction.
in vivo
vivo
in
January 2014
2014 |
| Issue
Issue 25
25
January
p7
p7
NEW AT IRB BARCELONA
ON THE MOVE
fel-
Salvatella’s and Án-
Irene
Amata
(Genzano, Italy,
1978) came to Bar-
lows are the first
gel Nebreda’s labs,
tute. In January Ana Terriente (Granada,
Claudio Di Sanza (Rome, Italy,
1981) is another COFUND postdoctoral fel-
celona “to learn mo-
from this year’s call
Spain, 1978) was welcomed by Marco Milán’s
low who has recently joined the Institute. With
EMBL in Heidelberg, where she became an ex-
and Ángel Nebreda’s labs. An expert in Dro-
a degree in cell and molecular biology from
pert in NMR spectroscopy. Her focus of study
sophila developmental biology, after working
La Sapienza University in Rome and doctoral
at IRB Barcelona was intrinsically disordered
at the Centre for Molecular Biology in Madrid,
studies on metabolism, ageing and low caloric
proteins. “They have been neglected for many
Ana went to Cambridge for her postdoc. “I
diets at the Italian National Institute of Health
years but are interesting because they do not
investigated a GRN downstream of Notch in
(ISS), he moved to Utrecht, where he worked
need an exact 3D structure to perform their
Drosophila blood cell differentiation,” she recalls.
on metabolism and diabetes for four years.
functions,” she says. “They broke a ‘dogma,’
The choice of IRB Barcelona was straightforward
“The Netherlands is also going through a dif-
that the structure of a protein is necessary to
for her. “This Institute's international reputation
ficult funding crisis,” explains Claudio. “I had to
function. NMR is the best technique to char-
is very solid. Plus, the Drosophila community
leave and look for a better place,” he says. “At
acterise them at the highest resolution.” After
here and in Barcelona is strong. If you want to
IRB Barcelona I found a solid scientific proj-
nearly 3 years at the Institute, Irene, whose
work on cutting-edge research, this is the place
ect, and the opportunity to ‘contaminate’ my-
second love after biophysics is music (she sings
to be,” she says convincingly. “I am also very
self working with biophysicists. The solvency of
with her own bossanova group), is heading to
happy to have a chance to work in collabora-
the Institute, the competitiveness of the science,
Paris for another postdoc. “I’m going back to
tion with two groups whose scientific focus is
together with the unparallelled quality of life
my first passion, RNA and proteins,” she ex-
cancer.” Her topic will be p38 in tumourogenesis
of the city convinced me that this was the best
plains. IRB Barcelona was a positive experience
in the fly. Even if her arrival is very recent, Ana
choice for my career.” Too bad he will have to
for her: “What I liked the most was that I had
has already jumped into IRB Barcelona activi-
get used to a different type of soccer fan. “Seeing
the opportunity to experience a lot of inter-
ties. “I’m helping out with the organisation of
my beloved Fiorentina play here will be hard,”
disciplinarity. Choosing Barcelona was a very
Postdoc Day,” she says. “Join us!”
sighs Claudio.
good decision, I would do it all over again.”
Two
new
Curie
Marie
Sharing
COFUND
postodoctoral
his
between
to join the Insti-
time
Xavier
lecular biology.” A
physicist by training,
she was also a COFUND fellow coming from
SPOTLIGHT
“Join us for Postdoc Day”
F
aced with the difficult decision at the age of 18 to opt for university
studies in the arts or sciences, Laura Nevola, research associate in
Ernest Giralt’s lab, chose the latter; however, in 2008 and on
the verge of completing her PhD in Pharmaceutical Science at Rome
University, she was seriously doubting a future in this discipline.
What happened to change your mind?
Tim Hunt and other inspiring
scientists will be among our
invited speakers
During the last year of my PhD, I went to Yale University. That was a
Laura Nevola in her lab. (Photo L.T. Barone)
decisive experience because I was thinking of abandoning science... things
were not looking good for a science career in Europe at that time. This year
refuelled my passion for protein-protein interactions.
Why is light such an important part of your research?
UV light can be used to activate proteins with pharmacological applications. We are now focusing on new protein targets that are involved in cancer and apoptosis. Current cancer therapies are highly toxic and this line of
research may open up avenues to more selective treatments for this disease.
You were a founding member of the Postdoc Council. What is the
objective of the first Postdoc Day on 3 April?
Events like this allow people to learn about hot topics in other fields and
can lead to collaborations, and they also show the postdoc community success
stories. We have a great keynote speaker, Tim Hunt. Talks will also be given by
Melike Lakadamyali (ICFO) and Guillaume Filion (CRG), two outstanding
young researchers who will inspire our community.
After hours in the lab activating proteins, how do you “deactivate”
yourself in your free time?
.
I didn’t abandon my artistic inclinations. I write screenplays in Italian and
I am now starting a course in Spanish. Maybe one day one of my pieces will
get produced! (ty)
In vivo, issue 25. Published by the Institute for Research in Biomedicine. Office of Communications & External
Relations. Barcelona Science Park. c/Baldiri Reixac, 10. 08028 Barcelona, Spain.  Web: www.irbbarcelona.org
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/irbbarcelona - Twitter: @IRBBarcelona Editorial committee: Luca
Tancredi Barone (ltb), Sarah Sherwood (ss) (editors), Sònia Armengou (sa). Contributors: Jordi Lanuza
(jl), Tanya Yates (ty). Graphic Production: La Trama. Legal deposit: MU-29-2012. This document
has been printed on recycled paper. To subscribe or unsubscribe from in vivo, e-mail: info@
irbbarcelona.org. © IRB Barcelona 2013.