PhD Thesis Defense by Mireia Quintana (IQAC-CSIC) at the CID-CSIC Sala d'Actes Room

PhD Thesis Defense by Mireia Quintana (IQAC-CSIC) on 30th September at the CID-CSIC Sala d'Actes Room.

Title: Screening and biological evaluation of novel anti-cancer agents and lipid profiling of autophagy-related proteins
Speaker:  Mireia Quintana
Supervisor: Gemma Triola (Researcher at IQAC-CSIC)
Date: Monday, 30th September 2019
Time: 11:00 am
Venue: Sala d’Actes room CID-CSIC. C. Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona

Abstract:

The efficiency of R&D models of the pharmaceutical companies (new medicines launched/monetary investment) has declined since decades. Consequently, the identification of new biomarkers and the development of new strategies to detect and treat pathological disorders is an emerging field of research. This thesis addresses three different subjects closely related. First, a phenotypic screening measuring cytotoxicity in the gastric cancer cell line HGC-27 is reported. Next, a targeted-based assay measuring the activity of the autophagy-related protein Atg4B is developed and employed to identify small-molecules inhibiting this protein. Finally, a basic research study is carried out in order to gain knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that control autophagy, with special emphasis on the role of C-terminal lipidation of LC3B.