Metabolism and Cell Signaling Laboratory
Basic/translational research
Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO)
·Madrid ·

At the CNIO’s Metabolism and Cell Signaling laboratory we study the connection between nutrient excess and cancer. In particular, pancreatic cancer has a strong association with an elevated body mass index, and we still largely do not know why this association exists. Using mouse models, together with biochemical and cellular tools, our group focuses on understanding how overweight leads to aberrant activation of the immune system, chronic inflammation and cellular alterations in the pancreatic epithelium favor cancer development.

Main publications in pancreatic cancer:

  1. Ortega-Molina A, Lebrero-Fernández C, Sanz A, et al. Inhibition of Rag GTPase signaling in mice suppresses B cell responses and lymphomagenesis with minimal detrimental trade-offs. Cell Rep. 2021 Jul 13;36(2):109372. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109372. PMID: 34260908; PMCID: PMC8355512.
  2. de la Calle Arregui C, Plata-Gómez AB, Deleyto-Seldas N, et al. Limited survival and impaired hepatic fasting metabolism in mice with constitutive Rag GTPase signaling. Nat Commun. 2021 Jun 16;12(1):3660. doi: 10.1038/s41467 021-23857-8. PMID: 34135321; PMCID: PMC8209044.
  3. Ortega-Molina A, Deleyto-Seldas N, Carreras J, et al. Oncogenic Rag GTPase signaling enhances B cell activation and drives follicular lymphoma sensitive to pharmacological inhibition of mTOR. Nat Metab. 2019 Aug;1(8):775-789. doi: 10.1038/s42255-019-0098-8. Epub 2019 Aug 19. PMID: 31579886; PMCID: PMC6774795.
Alejo Efeyan
Yurena Vivas

Principal Investigator

Group members

  • Alejo Efeyan
  • Yurena Vivas
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