Research, projects and team

ONCOCRISPR Lab research team at Complutense University of Madrid

Lab members

Principal Investigator:

Alvaro Gutierrez-Uzquiza, PhD

Predocs:

Marina Hermosilla Trespaderne

Inés de la Guía López

Inés del Monte García

Former members:

María Rodrigo-Faus, PhD (2024)

Alicia Gordo Vega

Paula de Lucas

We use the power of CRISPR/Cas9 technology to unravel the molecular mechanisms of cancer and other diseases.

Our laboratory works on two main research lines, together with several ongoing collaborations:

1) Functional discoveries in the area of metastasis: Focusing on the understanding of the cellular and molecular factors implicated in metastasis to identify novel and effective therapeutic targets to decelerate or arrest the emergence and progression of metastatic tumors.

GFP-expressing PC3 prostate cancer cells migrating through a pore membrane coated with epithelial cells
GFP-expressing prostate cancer PC3 cells (green) migrating through an 8 µm pore membrane coated with epithelial cells (red).

To this end we run screens based on CRISPR/Cas9 libraries to identify metastasis-associated genes in prostate cancer in an unbiased way. We combine genome-wide screens (GeCKO, developed by the Zhang lab at the Broad Institute/MIT) with powerful biostatistical analysis (MAGeCK and CASTLE) to identify new genes essential for the metastatic process.

Workflow of a genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 library screen, from library transduction to sequencing and hit identification
CRISPR genome wide screening pipeline

2) Development of mammalian cellular models for validation and characterization of genetic disorders and drug discovery: We use state-of-the-art technologies — including CRISPR/Cas9, flow cytometry and advanced cell culture — to functionally validate the mutations identified by genetic analysis.

Research funding

The work of the ONCOCRISPR Lab is and has been supported by the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI), the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, the Comunidad de Madrid, the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Current projects — Principal Investigator

  • CRISPR tools for the characterization of targets in metastatic prostate cancer (CRISPR-CATM).
    Ref. PID2024-157599OB-I00 · Agencia Estatal de Investigación — Proyectos de Generación de Conocimiento 2024 · 1 September 2025 – 31 August 2028 (36 months) · Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
    Team: Alvaro Gutierrez-Uzquiza (PI), Marina Hermosilla Trespaderne, Inés de la Guía López.

Completed projects — Principal Investigator

  • Development of CRISPR/Cas9 tools for the characterization of prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in metastatic prostate cancer (CHIMPC).
    Ref. CNS2023-144109 · Agencia Estatal de Investigación (Proyecto Consolida) · 1 April 2024 – 30 June 2026 (27 months) · €160,000 · Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
    Team: Alvaro Gutierrez-Uzquiza (PI), Marina Hermosilla Trespaderne, Inés de la Guía López.
  • Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to identify new biomarkers in metastatic prostate cancer (CRISPCAN).
    Ref. PID2020-117650RA-I00 · Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación · 09/2021–05/2024 · €157,000.
  • Genome-scale screening to identify and validate novel genes essential for prostate cancer metastasis.
    Ref. 2021-5A/BMD-20956 · Comunidad de Madrid – UCM · 05/2022–05/2023 · €30,000.
  • Genome-scale screening to identify and validate novel genes essential for prostate cancer metastasis.
    Ref. 2017-T1/BMD-5468 · Comunidad de Madrid, «Atracción de Talento» 2017 – UCM · 02/2018–02/2023 · €227,000.
  • Postdoctoral Prostate Cancer Award. Role of PKC kinases in tumorigenesis and metastasis, and the molecular mechanisms underlying the bone tropism of prostate cancer.
    Department of Defense (USA) · University of Pennsylvania · 06/2011–06/2013 · $120,000.

Participation as co-researcher

  • FLASOHOnCHIP — Understanding FLASH radiotherapy with tissue-on-chip devices and hyperpolarization-enhanced magnetic resonance. Ref. PLEC2022-009256 · 11/2023–07/2027 · PI: Irene Marco Rius.
  • Advanced strategies and new approaches for proton therapy. Ref. P2022/BMD-7434 · Comunidad de Madrid · 11/2023–07/2027 · PI: Luis Mario Fraile.
  • Radiobiology of FLASH-rate proton therapy studied in a lung cancer model. Ref. PID2021-124094OA-I00 · 09/2022–08/2025 · PI: Daniel Sánchez-Parcerisa.

PhD theses supervised

Completed

  • Sara Manzano Figueroa — Papel de C3G en la diseminación, tumorigénesis y señalización celular del glioblastoma.
    Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 2021 · Supervisors: Álvaro Gutiérrez-Uzquiza and Almudena Porras.
  • María Rodrigo-Faus — Utilizando librerías CRISPR-Cas9 para identificar genes esenciales en metástasis de cáncer de próstata.
    Universidad Complutense de Madrid, November 2024 · Cum Laude · Supervisors: Álvaro Gutiérrez-Uzquiza and Paloma Bragado.

In progress

  • Inés del Monte García — Efecto diferencial de la RT FLASH en líneas celulares.
    Universidad Complutense de Madrid · expected 2026 · Supervisors: Álvaro Gutiérrez-Uzquiza and Daniel Sánchez-Parcerisa.
  • Inés de la Guía López — Utilizando librerías CRISPR-Cas9 para identificar genes esenciales en metástasis.
    Universidad Complutense de Madrid · expected 2029 · Supervisors: Álvaro Gutiérrez-Uzquiza and Paloma Bragado.
  • Marina Hermosilla Trespaderne — Desarrollo de herramientas CRISPR-Cas9 para la caracterización de dianas terapéuticas en el cáncer de próstata metastásico.
    Universidad Complutense de Madrid · expected 2029 · Supervisors: Álvaro Gutiérrez-Uzquiza and Paloma Bragado.

Collaborations

Development of CRISPR KO cellular and in vivo models.

Development of new strategies in radiobiology.

Research Interest

Cancer

Metastasis

CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing