Sep 2022
Host: Professor David Gomez-Cabrero
Abstract:
In
the current seminar, I will discuss some of the work that has been
performed in my laboratory during the last few years, covering the role
of epigenetics in the development and treatment of cancer. The
indisputable role of epigenetics in cancer and the fact that epigenetic
alterations can be reversed have favoured development of epigenetic
drugs. In our lab, we designed and synthesize potent novel, selective
and reversible chemical probes that simultaneously inhibit the G9a and
DNMTs methyltransferase activity named CM-272. During the last few years
we have explored the efficacy of CM-272 in hematological as well as
solid tumors and have demonstrated its potential both in vitro and in
vivo models of acute myeloblastic and lymphoblastic leukemia, but also
hepato and cholangiocarcinoma. The demonstration of the potential
mechanism of action has led to the combination of CM-272 with checkpoint
inhibitors and Bcl-2 demonstrating a remarkable activity in in vivo models of metastatic bladder carcinoma.
Undoubtedly,
CAR-T cells have revolutionized treatment of hematological
malignancies, specifically B-cell tumors such as ALL, NHL and myeloma.
In my lab we initiated a translational program of CAR-T cells focus on
the development of academic CAR-T cells and the identification of new
strategies aiming to improve the clinical results, including the
development of CAR-T cells for solid tumors. I will present some of our
recent results with an academic BCMA CAR-T for multiple myeloma, the
identification of a new CAR-T directed against the tumor
microenvironment of solid tumors and the demonstration of the impact of
the level of expression of the CAR in their efficacy.
Bio:
Professor
Prosper graduated from the University of Navarra in 1989 and after his
residency and PhD (1994), he completed a fellowship and postdoctoral
training at the University of Minnesota. Relocated to the Clinica
Universidad de Navarra in 2001, he was responsible for the development
of the Cell Therapy program, becoming the Head of the Hematology
Department in 2003. In 2012, Professor Prosper was appointed as the
Director of the programs of Hematology-Oncology and Regenerative
Medicine at CIMA Universidad de Navarra. Professor Prosper ́s principal
research interest and key discoveries have been focused on two main
research areas: ¨Molecular bases of the hematological malignancies¨ and
¨Application of Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine in the field of
human diseases¨.
Google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=nrsUgKoAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao