Abstract

Protein-protein interactions in biological membranes constitute a key mechanism for the regulation of cell viability.

The molecular characterization of these interactions, together with the identification of cell survival modulators, provide new strategies to define therapeutic targets of great interest for our society. In the present project we study protein-protein interactions in membrane environments for the discovery of new drug candidates.

Our work focuses on programmed cell death (apoptosis), a central process in the complicated mechanisms of cancer. In our research project we use biochemical, molecular and cellular techniques together with biological chemistry developments for the modification/regulation of cell death processes associated with cancer.

The novel techniques that we are developing to study the functioning of apoptotic proteins will help us to understand the cellular response to chemotherapy, and will serve for the development (in collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry) of new anticancer drugs to improve our chemotherapy arsenal against cancer.