Molecular signaling Group


​Francesc Viñals- Group Leader
Agnès Figueras - Associate researcher
Alvaro Lahiguera - PhD Student
  • Description
  • Publications
  • Research projects
  • Collaborations
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The molecular signaling cascades that take place inside the cells are essential to respond to changes in their environment or to alter their homeostasis, for example, at the level of cell proliferation, movement, growth or metabolism. Understanding how these mechanisms of signal transduction work can explain how biological processes are controlled in a normal physiological context, but also, the alterations that take place in many pathologies. Thus, changes in signaling can be used to detect the presence of many diseases and signaling molecules are targeted by many drugs. In addition, these signaling pathways are affected in response to therapies used to treat for example, cancer, and will participate in the generation of drug resistance.
Our group investigates the role of different signaling pathways in physiological processes, as members of the families of TGFbeta and EGFR control angiogenesis, or the role of different ubiquitin ligases regulating the function of signal proteins.
A second block corresponds to projects on ovarian epithelial cancer. We studied the role of different receptor tyrosine kinases (such as PDGF or c-Kit receptors) and cytokine receptors (such as CXCR4) in the development and metastasis of this type of cancer.
Finally, a third aspect of our research is how different signaling pathways participate in the generation of resistance to chemotherapy in testicular and epithelial ovarian cancer.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Vi%C3%B1als+F​
Original publications by the group  
  • M. Juliachs, C. Muñoz, C.A. Moutinho, A. Vidal, E. Condom, M. Esteller, M. Graupera, O. Casanovas, J.R. Germà, A. Villanueva & F. Viñals. “The PDGFRbeta-AKT Pathway Contributes To CDDP-Acquired Resistance In Testicular Germ Cell Tumors” Clinical Cancer Research: 658-667, 2014.
         
  • del Valle-Pérez, V.G. Martínez, C. Lacasa-Salavert, A. Figueras, S.S. Shapiro, T. Takafuta, O. Casanovas, G. Capellà, .F. Ventura & F. Viñals. “Filamin B plays a key role in VEGF-induced endothelial cell motility through its interaction with Rac-1 and Vav-2” Journal of Biological Chemistry 285: 10748-10760, 2010.
 
  • W. Castillo-Ávila, J.M. Piulats, X. Garcia del Muro, A. Vidal, E. Condom, O. Casanovas, J. Mora, J.R. Germà, G. Capellà, A. Villanueva & F. Viñals. “Sunitinib inhibits tumor growth and synergizes with cisplatin in orthotopic models of cisplatin-sensitive and resistant human testicular germ cell tumors” Clinical Cancer Researcch 15: 3384-3395, 2009. 

Colaboration articles

 
  • Jiménez‐Valerio G, Martínez‐Lozano M, Bassani N, Vidal A, Ochoa‐de‐Olza M, Suárez C, García‐del‐Muro X, Carles J, Viñals F, Graupera M, Indraccolo S & Casanovas O. “Resistance to Antiangiogenic Therapies by Metabolic Symbiosis in Renal Cell Carcinoma PDX Models and Patients” Cell Reports 15: 1134-1143, 2016.
 
  • R. Ola, A. Dubrac, J. Han, F. Zhang, J.S. Fang, B. Larrivée, M. Lee, A.A. Urarte, J.R. Kraehling, G. Genet, K.K. Hirschi, W.C. Sessa, F. Viñals Canals, M. Graupera, M. Yan, L.H. Young, P.S. Oh & A. Eichmann. “PI3 kinase inhibition improves vascular malformations in mouse models of hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia” Nature Communications 7: 13650, 2016.
 
  • Serra H, Chivite I, Angulo-Urarte A, Soler A, Sutherland JD, Arruabarrena-Aristorena A, Ragab A, Lim R, Malumbres M, Fruttiger M, Potente M, Serrano M, Fabra À, Viñals F, Casanovas O, Pandolfi PP, Bigas A, Carracedo A, Gerhardt H, Graupera M. ”PTEN mediates Notch-dependent stalk cell arrest in angiogenesis.” Nature Communications 6: 7935, 2015.
 
  • P. Lopez-Serra, M. Marcilla, A. Villanueva, A. Ramos-Fernandez, A. Palau, L. Leal-Esteban, J. Wahi, F. Setien-Baranda, K. Szczesna, C. Moutinho, A. Martinez-Cardus, H. Heyn, J. Sandoval, S. Puertas, A. Vidal, X. Sanjuan, E. Martinez-Balibrea, F. Viñals, J.C. Perales, J. Bramsen, T. Ørntoft, C.L Andersen, J. Tabernero, U. McDermott, M. Boxer, M. Vander Heiden, J. Pablo Albar, and M. Esteller. “A DERL3 Associated Defect in the Degradation of SLC2A1 Mediates the Warburg Effect” Nature Communications 5: 3608, 2014.
     
  • Soler, H. Serra, W. Pearce, A. Angulo, J. Guillermet-Guibert, L. Friedman, F. Viñals, H. Gerhardt, O. Casanovas, M. Graupera & B. Vanhaesebroeck. “Inhibition of the p110 isoform of PI3 kinase stimulates non-functional tumor angiogenesis.” Journal of Experimental Medicine 210: 1937-1945, 2013. 
Title: A PILOT PROJECT FOR PERSONALIZED CANCER MEDICINE: ONCOPROFILE
Institution: INSTITUTO DE SALUD CARLOS III, Proyectos Integrados de Excelencia en los Institutos de Investigación Acreditados Ref PIE13/00022.
Years: 2014-2016                              
PI: Manel Esteller (Co-PI: Francesc Viñals)
 
Title: GENÉTICA, TERAPIA Y ANGIOGÉNESIS DE TUMORES EPITELIALES Y GERMINALES.
Institution: Ayuda para Grupos Consolidados 2014, 2014SGR364. Generalitat de Catalunya.
Years: 20142017
PI: Francesc Viñals Canals
 
Title: NUEVAS DIANAS PARA EL TRATAMIENTO Y DIAGNÓSTICO DEL CÁNCER EPITELIAL DE OVARIO: VÍAS DEL TGFBETA Y DE LOS RECEPTORES PDGF
Institution: DGICYT Ref SAF2013-46063-R
Years: 20142017
PI: Francesc Viñals Canals
To inquire about open positions please contact:

​Dr. Francesc Viñals Canals
Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance, ProCURE
Catalan Institute of Oncology
Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, IDIBELL
3 floor, LRT1, Hospital Duran i Reynals
Gran Via 199-203, 08907 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat
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