Research lines

• Identification of non-invasive biomarkers of liver injury and new signalling pathways of liver fibroproliferative processes

  Biochemical identification and clinical validation of non-invasive serological markers of liver disease and their complications. Identification of new therapeutic targets for fibrosis.

• Evaluation of new strategies to inhibit hepatocyte activity of FoxO1 or to modify the activity of specific Akt targets that have a therapeutic potential to stimulate functional liver regeneration in cirrhotic livers

  Experiments are being carried out in animal models of hepatic regeneration based on partial hepatectomy and toxicity induced by overdose with acetaminophen.

• Establish new therapies for the normalisation of the intrahepatic vasculature in cirrhotic livers

  These new therapies focus on inhibiting the occurrence of mesenchymal endothelial transition phenomenon, increased endothelial connectivity, inhibition of pathological amniogenesis and decrease of sinusoidal capillarisation.

• Evaluation of the therapeutic potential of cerium oxide nanoparticles in experimental models of hepatocellular carcinoma and liver steatosis

  The effects of cerium oxide nanoparticles, antioxidant agents with liver tropism and superoxide dismutase and catalase activity are studied on animal models with non-alcoholic fatty liver  disease (NAFLD), steatohepatitis (NASH) and hepatocellular carcinoma animals, focusing on the study of inflammation, lipid content and composition, and proliferation at the molecular and cellular level.

• Evaluation of the utility of collagen matrix implants containing endothelial cells as a cell therapy to stimulate the regenerative layer of cirrhotic livers

  The potential therapeutic effects that healthy endothelial cells immersed in the matrices of collagen can have when interacting and communicating with dysfunctional endothelial cells and pro-inflammatory macrophages in the murine cirrhotic liver are investigated.

• Modulation of macrophages to liver damage, regeneration and cancer through functionalised nanoparticles and gene therapy

  Nanoparticles are designed and synthesized to be incorporated by pro-inflammatory macrophages in the cirrhotic liver or by macrophages associated with tumours. These nanoparticles can inoculate nucleic acids that inhibit various antifibrotic signalling pathways or promote the activation of pro-regenerative or anti-tumour pathways, as the case may be.