2023/12/21

Ana Ruiz-Saenz joins CIC bioGUNE as a Principal Investigator

CIC bioGUNE is excited to announce the recent incorporation of Dr. Ana Ruiz-Saenz as Principal Investigator, leading the Cancer Therapy Resistance Lab (CTRLab).

Dr. Ana Ruiz-Saenz obtained her bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) and continued her scientific pursuits by completing her Doctoral thesis in Molecular Biology at UAM. In 2013, Dr. Ruiz-Saenz pursued postdoctoral studies at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) under Prof. Dr. Moasser, focusing on HER2-amplified cancers and SRC kinase regulation. Following this, she established her own research group at Erasmus MC in The Netherlands, backed by prestigious programs like the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Programme and the Dutch Research Council.

Dr. Ana Ruiz-Saenz has recently joined CIC bioGUNE, member of BRTA, as a Ramon y Cajal and Ikerbasque Principal Investigator, leading the Cancer Therapy Resistance Lab (CTRLab). Her research is committed to unveiling the molecular mechanisms underlying resistance to targeted therapies, with a specific focus on highlighting the significance of tumor-associated aberrant glycosylation in breast cancer. The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has further endorsed her incorporation, providing support through the Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers Career Development Award.

Breast cancer, the most prevalent cancer among women, includes a subtype named HER2-positive, driven by the overexpression of the HER2 glycoprotein on cancer cells. Understanding and overcoming cancer resistance is crucial in the fight against breast cancer, particularly HER2-positive types. Despite therapeutic advancements, a significant number of patients do not respond or develop resistance to current treatments.

CTRLab's ultimate goal is to provide deeper insights into personalized medicine in breast cancer, maximizing the translational impact of their research and contributing to the improvement of targeted therapies for cancer treatment.

About CIC bioGUNE

The Centre for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), located in the Bizkaia Technology Park, is a biomedical research organisation conducting cutting-edge research at the interface between structural, molecular and cell biology, with a particular focus on generating knowledge on the molecular bases of disease, for use in the development of new diagnostic methods and advanced therapies.

About Ikerbasque

Ikerbasque - Basque Foundation for Science - is the result of an initiative of the Department of Education of the Basque Government that aims to reinforce the commitment to scientific research by attracting, recovering and consolidating excellent researchers from all over the world. Currently, it is a consolidated organization that has 290 researchers/s, who develop their work in all fields of knowledge.

About BRTA

BRTA is an alliance of 4 collaborative research centres (CIC bioGUNE, CIC nanoGUNE, CIC biomaGUNE y CIC energiGUNE) and 12 technology centres (Azterlan, Azti, Ceit, Cidetec, Gaiker, Ideko, Ikerlan, Lortek, Neiker, Tecnalia, Tekniker and Vicomtech) with the main objective of developing advanced technological solutions for the Basque corporate fabric.

With the support of the Basque Government, the SPRI Group and the Provincial Councils of the three territories, the alliance seeks to promote collaboration between the research centres, strengthen the conditions to generate and transfer knowledge to companies, contributing to their competitiveness and outspreading the Basque scientific-technological capacity abroad.

BRTA has a workforce of 3,500 professionals, executes 22% of the Basque Country's R&D investment, registers an annual turnover of more than 300 million euros and generates 100 European and international patents per year.

Spanish version