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Disease Biomarker and Molecular Mechanism (DIBIOMEC)

ONCOLOGY
BIOMARKERS IN VITRO EXPERIMENTS
TARGETS

About Us

Founded in 2016, the Disease Biomarker and Molecular Mechanism (DIBIOMEC) research group operates under the Pere Virgili Research Institute (IISPV) and the Joan XXIII University Hospital of Tarragona (HJ23). Recognized as a consolidated research group by the Agency for the Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR) of the Generalitat de Catalunya – Universitat Rovira i Virgili, we are committed to advancing the understanding of biomarkers in inflammatory-related diseases.

 

Our Focus

Our primary research efforts are dedicated to identifying biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of diseases, particularly those associated with inflammation. We focus on the cancer microenvironment, including exosome-associated microRNAs, and explore their target genes as potential therapeutic targets. Our goal is to translate laboratory discoveries into clinical applications, bridging the gap between bench and bedside.

Our multidisciplinary team, which includes urologists, pathologists, and basic scientists, works closely together to address clinically relevant questions through biological research. We utilize a workflow that integrates patient-derived data with in vitro experiments, aiming to uncover biomarkers for clinical use and to elucidate their molecular mechanisms of action.

RESPONSIBLE

  • Dra. Matilde Rodríguez Chacón

  • Dr. Xavier Ruiz Plazas

  • Research lines
  • Group members
  • Projects
  • Patents and technology transfer
  • Publications
  • Dissemination
  • Contact
  • Peritumoral Adipose Tissue in Cancer Aggressiveness
    Investigating the role of peritumoral adipose tissue in influencing the aggressiveness of cancer.
  • Characterization of the Cancer Microenvironment in the Search for New Biomarkers
    Exploring the tumor microenvironment to discover novel biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

  • Identification of TWEAK regulated Exo-oncomicroRNAs in the crosstalk between peritumoral adipose tissue and prostate cancer cells. Usefulness as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis.

    FUNDIGN ENTITY: Instituo de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)

    PROJECT Nº: PI20/00418

    PERIOD: 2021-2023

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Matilde Rodriguez Chacón

    Co-PI: Xavier Ruiz Plazas

  • Búsqueda de biomarcadores de diagnóstico en suero de pacientes con artritis reumatoide temprana mediante un enfoque multiomico combinado

    FUNDIGN ENTITY: Societat Catalana de Reumatologia (Beca Lilly)

    PERIOD: 2022-2024

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Samantha Rodriguez

    Co-IP: Matilde Rodriguez Chacón

  • ExomicroRNAs asociados a artritis reumatoide naïve en biopsia líquida como biomarcadores tempranos de la enfermedad

    FUNDIGN ENTITY: Societat Catalana de Reumatologia (Beca Lilly)

    PERIOD: 2020-2022

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Samantha Rodriguez

    Co-IP: Matilde Rodriguez Chacón

  • Evaluation of sTWEAK / Fn14 / CD163 axis as potential predictive biomarkers of immunological recovery and disease progression in HIV-infected patients under virological suppression.

    FUNDIGN ENTITY: IISPV. BOOSTING YOUNG TALENT CALL

    PERIOD: 2020-2021.

    PI: Anna Rull

    TEAM MEMBER: Matilde Rodriguez Chacón

    AMOUNT GRANTED

  • Identification and functional characterization of microRNAs regulated by the TWEAK cytokine in the context of prostate cancer: search for new biological markers of diagnosis and prognosis as well as new therapeutic targets

    FUNDIGN ENTITY: Fundación Vallformosa. IV Premi Martí Via

    PERIOD: 2019-2020

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Xavier Ruiz-Plazas

    Co-PI: Matilde Rodriguez Chacón

  • Study the TWEAK cytokine and its Fn14 and CD163 receptors as potential noninvasive biomarkers in the context of prostate cancer. Relationship with the patient’s metabolic status

    FUNDIGN ENTITY: ISCIII

    PROJECT Nº: PI 17/00877

    PERIOD: 2018-2020

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Matilde Rodríguez Chacón

    Co-PI: Xavier Ruiz Plazas

  • Study of the TWEAK / Fn14 / CD163 axis as a panel of non-invasive biomarkers in the diagnosis / prognosis of prostate cancer.

    FUNDIGN ENTITY: Fundación Para la Investigación en urología. Ayuda a la investigación Pedro Cifuentes Diaz

    PERIOD: 2018-2019

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Matilde Rodríguez Chacón

    Co-PI: Xavier Ruiz Plazas

  • Analyses of the global kinase activities in adipose tissue to find molecular differences resulting from insulin resistance across different clinical phenotypes from lean to obese and type 2 diabetic patients. Discovery of new targets for therapy

    PROJECT Nº: (86/C/2016).

    FUNDIGN ENTITY: Marató TV3

    PERIOD: 2017-2019

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Joan Vendrell Ortega

    TEAM MEMBER: Matilde Rodriguez Chacón

  • Identification and characterization of microRNAs regulated by sTWEAK in the adipocyte and its role in the inflammatory response associated with Insulin Resistance. Analysis of its usefulness as biomarkers in the Pizarra and di@bet.es studies.

    FUNDIGN ENTITY: ISCIII

    PROJECT Nº: PI 14/00465

    PERIOD: 2015-2018

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): Matilde Rodríguez Chacón

  • Validation of the biomarker panel composed by sTWEAK, exomiR-221-3p and exomiR-222-3p in semen liquid biopsy for prostate cancer prognosis and, assessment its usefulness in PCa diagnosis and active surveillance

    FUNDIGN ENTITY: GÍNJOL Programme Patent Fund (2022)

    PERIOD: 2023-2024

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): Matilde Rodríguez Chacón

  • INVENTORS: Matilde Rodríguez Chacón, Xavier Ruiz Plazas, Josep Segarra Tomás, Joan Francesc García Fontgivell, Salomé Martínez González, Javier Lozano Bartolomé.

    TÍTLE: Biomarcadors d’agressivitat de càncer de pròstata

    No: EP18382842.5

    APPLICATION DATE: 22/11/2018

    INSTITUTION: Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV)

  • INVENTORS: Matilde Rodríguez Chacón, Xavier Ruiz Plazas, Josep Segarra Tomás, Joan Francesc García Fontgivell, Salomé Martínez González, Javier Lozano Bartolomé, Antón Altuna-Coy.

    TÍTLE: biomarkers of prostate cancer aggressiveness

    No: PCT/EP2019/082081

    APPLICATION DATE: 22/11/2019

    INSTITUTION: Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV)

    https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2020104588&tab=PCTDOCUMENTS

  • INVENTORS: Rodriguez Chacón, M; Ruiz Plazas, X; Segarra Tomas, J; Garcia Fontgivell, JF; Altuna Coy,A; Bernal Escoté, X; Arreaza Gil, V; Alves Santiago, M.

    TITLE: Algorithm DiPrAS-CaP

    Ref. i-DEPOT: 145575

    APPLICATION DATE: 19-02-2024

    Expiry date: 19-02-2029.

  • INVENTORS: M. Rodriguez Chacón, X. Ruiz Plazas, J. Segarra Tomas, J. F. Garcia Fontgivell, A. Altuna Coy, X. Bernal Escoté, V, Arreaza Gil

    TITLE: Improved Method For Prostate Cancer Prognosis For Patients Under Active Surveillance

    No: EP 243824596

    DATE: 25/04/2024

    Year

    Tumoral periprostatic adipose tissue exovesicles-derived miR-20a-5p regulates prostate cancer cell proliferation and inflammation through the RORA gene

    Sánchez-Martin S, Altuna-Coy A, Arreaza-Gil V, Bernal-Escoté X, Fontgivell JFG, Ascaso-Til H, Segarra-Tomás J, Ruiz-Plazas X, Chacón MR.

    J Transl Med. 2024 Jul 15;22(1):661

    DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05458-3

    In silico analysis of prognostic and diagnostic significance of target genes from prostate cancer cell lines derived exomicroRNAs

    Altuna-Coy, A., Ruiz-Plazas, X., Arreaza-Gil, V. Chacón M.R.

    Cancer Cell Int 23, 275 (2023)

    DOI: 10.1186/s12935-023-03123-1

     

     

    A serum metabolic biomarker panel for early rheumatoid arthritis

    Rodríguez-Muguruza S, Altuna-Coy A, Arreaza-Gil V, Mendieta-Homs M, Castro-Oreiro S, Poveda-Elices MJ, Del Castillo-Piñol N, Fontova-Garrofé R, Chacón M.R.

    Front Immunol. 2023 Sep 1;14:1253913

    DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1253913

    The lipidomic profile of the tumoral periprostatic adipose tissue reveals alterations in tumor cell's metabolic crosstalk. BMC Med. 2022 Aug 18;20(1):255.

    Altuna-Coy A, Ruiz-Plazas X, Sánchez-Martin S, Ascaso-Til H, Prados-Saavedra M, Alves-Santiago M, Bernal-Escoté X, Segarra-Tomás J, Chacón M.R.  IF: 11,1 Q

    DOI: 10.1186/s12916-022-02457-3

    CD68 and CD83 immune populations in non-metastatic axillary lymph nodes are of prognostic value for the survival and relapse of breast cancer patients. Breast Cancer. 2022 Jul;29(4):618-635. doi: 10.1007/s12282-022-01336-2. Epub 2022 Feb 8.

    López C, Bosch R, Korzynska A, García-Rojo M, Bueno G, García-Fontgivell JF, Martínez González S, Gras Navarro A, Sauras Colón E, Casanova Ribes J, Roszkowiak L, Mata D, Arenas M, Gómez J, Roso A, Berenguer M, Reverté-Villarroya S, Llobera M, Baucells J, Lejeune M.  PMID: 35137329 .IF etc.

    DOI: 10.1007/s12282-022-01336-2

    A Serum Biomarker Panel of exomiR-451a, exomiR-25-3p and Soluble TWEAK for Early Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Front Immunol. 2021 Nov 15;12: 790880.

    Rodríguez-Muguruza S, Altuna-Coy A, Castro-Oreiro S, Poveda-Elices MJ, Fontova-Garrofé R, Chacón MR. eCollection 2021. PMID: 34868079 PMCID: PMC8636106

    DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.790880

    Serum Levels of the Cytokine TWEAK Are Associated with Metabolic Status in Patients with Prostate Cancer and Modulate Cancer Cell Lipid Metabolism In Vitro. Cancers 2021, 13, 4688.

    Altuna-Coy, A.; Ruiz-Plazas, X.; Alves-Santiago, M.; Segarra-Tomás, J.; Chacón, M.R. IF: 6.639 Q1 (WOS): 4

    https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13184688

    Liquid Biopsy-Based Exo oncomiRNAs Can Predict Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Jan 11;13(2):250.

    Ruiz-Plazas X, Altuna-Coy A, Alves-Santiago M, Vila-Barja J, García-Fontgivell JF, Martínez-González S, Segarra-Tomás J, Chacón MR. IF: 6.126 Q1 Citations (WOS): 5 PMCID: PMC7826893

    DOI: 10.3390/cancers13020250

    Differences in the Immune Response of the Nonmetastatic Axillary Lymph Nodes between Triple-Negative and Luminal A Breast Cancer Surrogate Subtypes. Am J Pathol. 2021 Mar;191(3):545-554.

    López C, Gibert-Ramos A, Bosch R, Korzynska A, García-Rojo M, Bueno G, García-Fontgivell JF, Martínez González S, Fontoura L, Gras Navarro A, Sauras Colón E, Casanova Ribes J, Roszkowiak L, Roso A, Berenguer M, Llobera M, Baucells J, Lejeune M. Epub 2020 Dec 10. IF: 6.126 Q1 Citations (WOS): 5

    DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2020.11.008

    Biofluid quantification of TWEAK/Fn14 axis in combination with a selected biomarker panel improves assessment of prostate cancer aggressiveness. J Transl Med. 2019 Sep 9;17(1):307.

    Ruiz-Plazas X, Rodríguez-Gallego E, Alves M, Altuna-Coy A, Lozano-Bartolomé J, Portero-Otin M, García-Fontgivell JF, Martínez-González S, Segarra J, Chacón MR.  IF: 4.098 Q1

    DOI: 10.1186/s12967-019-2053-6

    Bladder foreign body. Arch Esp Urol. 2018 Mar;71(2):224.

    Fabià Mayans A, Segarra Tomás J, Ascaso Til H, Serra Deola A, Centeno Álvarez C, Ruiz Plazas X, Prados Saavedra M, Vila Barja J, Santillana Altimira JM.

    Posterior Walnut Cracker Syndrome as a cause of gross hematuria. Arch Esp Urol. 2018 Jul;71(6):560-561. PMID: 29991667

    Fabia Mayans A, Ascaso Til H, Centeno Alvarez C, Serra Deola A, Segarra Tomás J.

    Altered Expression of miR-181a-5p and miR-23a-3p Is Associated With Obesity and TNFα-Induced Insulin Resistance. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2018 Apr 1;103(4):1447-1458.

    Lozano-Bartolomé J, Llauradó G, Portero-Otin M, Altuna-Coy A, Rojo-Martínez G, Vendrell J, Jorba R, Rodríguez-Gallego E, Chacón MR. IF: 5.605 Q1

    DOI: 10.1210/jc.2017-01909

Team Members

  • Principal Investigador

    • Dra. Matilde Rodríguez Chacón

  • Co-IP

    • Dr. Xavier Ruiz Plazas

  • Basic Researchers

    • Silvia Sánchez Martin
    • Veronica Arreaza Gil

  • Pathologist

    • Joan García Fontgivell
    • Xana Bernal Escoté

  • Urologist

    • José Segarra Tomás
    • Maria Peraire Lores

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