Anabel Torrente

Application of new methods for analyzing the safety of biopharmaceuticals – Mario Martínez Popeti

7 May, 2022 por Anabel Torrente Leave a Comment

Biopharmaceuticals are pharmaceutical products manufactured from biological sources, such as cell cultures, animals, etc. Examples of biopharmaceuticals include vaccines and therapeutic proteins, among others. In this research, we present a study to evaluate the safety of romiplostim, the active ingredient of drug, used to increase the level of platelets in blood. Romiplostim is a protein and as such, is susceptible to changes in its structure. These changes can be caused, for example, by exposure to high temperatures or poor storage. This can inhibit the function of the drug or even produce undesirable reactions in the patient.
In this research, we analyze these structural modifications using a multi-attribute method, involving digestion of the romiplostim (cleavage of its structure into peptides), separation of the resulting peptides and detection by mass spectrometry. The drug is subjected to certain specific situations in the laboratory that might induce changes in its structure (for example, exposure to light). In this way, we evaluate the stability of its properties when subject to a range of different conditions, in order to assess and ensure its safe use.

Keywords: biopharmaceuticals; therapeutic proteins; romiplostim; multi-attribute method; safety

Directed by: Natalia Navas Iglesias

Cosmetic formulations for topical acne treatment – María Díaz Salas

7 May, 2022 por Anabel Torrente Leave a Comment

ne is a worldwide disease, affecting mainly the 12 – 24 years-old age group, in which it is the most common disease. Several options are available as treatment for acne, including topical or oral antibiotics, topical retinoids, hormone-based therapies, isotretinoin, etc. However, due to the side effects they can cause and the worldwide increase in bacterial resistance to antibiotics, new alternatives are being sought to balance the skin microbiota, the set of microorganisms that reside on our skin. Cutibacterium acnes is a bacterium found normally in healthy skin and more abundantly in people with acne.

New alternatives include the use of topical probiotics (such as Lactobacillus fermentum), which are live microorganisms that directly improve and modify the skin’s microbiota and immune response.
These probiotics directly inhibit C. acnes with proteins that act against microorganisms and also have properties that modify the skin’s immune system. Hence, this Master’s thesis focuses on the development of new cosmetics with natural ingredients enriched with probiotics with the aim of balancing the skin’s microbiota to combat diseases such as acne and avoid the unwanted side effects of the anti-acne treatments currently in use.

Keywords: skin; acne; probiotics; Lactobacillus fermentum; mask

Directed by: Mª Encarnación Morales Hernández

Quantitative stability analysis of nivolumab, an anti-tumour drug – Lorena Jiménez Morán

7 May, 2022 por Anabel Torrente Leave a Comment

Cancer, which involves an uncontrolled increase in cell proliferation and growth, remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Our immune system tries to eliminate this excess proliferation of cells from the body. However, cancer has mechanisms that help it evade the actions of the immune system, making it very difficult to fight effectively.
New therapies and drugs are being developed to combat this disease. One such drug is nivolumab, which is used to treat lung cancer, among others. However, it has an important disadvantage in terms of its high price and its loss of efficacy in certain storage conditions or during hospital use, because of its protein nature. In this project a quantitative technique (MicroScale thermophoresis) is used to analyze the efficacy and stability of nivolumab over time and when subjected to conditions similar to those applicable during handling of the drug in hospitals.

Keywords: cancer; nivolumab; efficacy; stability; MicroScale thermophoresis

Directed by: Jesús Hermosilla Fernández

Immune response to gut microbiota in mouse lupus model – Lorena Albaladejo Maricó

7 May, 2022 por Anabel Torrente Leave a Comment

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an immune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks and damages its own tissues and organs by producing antibodies against them (auto-antibodies). In recent years, several studies have shown that the microorganisms that live in our gut, known as microbiota, play an important role in the development of the disease, possibly due to the inflammation of the gut reported in patients with lupus.
In our group we observed gut inflammation in a mouse model of lupus. It is thought that gut inflammation leads to an increase in intestinal permeability, which would enable gut bacteria to enter the system inducing an immune response that could fuel the inflammation.
Our objective was to determine both the general immune response that takes place in the organism and the gut-associated reaction against the microbiota and/or organs.
To accomplish our goal, we measured the levels of antibodies in blood serum and feces. We also characterized the ability of the serum antibodies to react against microbiota. In future research, the bacteria that get through the intestinal barrier and induce an immune response will be identified.

Keywords: Lupus; antibody; microbiota; gut.

Directed by: Marta Alarcón-Riquelme

Designing new drugs for the treatment of cancer – Laura Erviti Marticorena

7 May, 2022 por Anabel Torrente Leave a Comment

CD44 is a protein that is found on the surface of human cells. It interacts with another protein, hyaluronic acid (HA), causing normal cells to become tumour cells, so enabling tumour development, metastasis and resistance to drug treatment. HA-CD44 interaction is therefore an interesting pharmacological target in cancer therapy.
The main objective of this project is the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of inhibitors of HA-CD44 interaction, known as derivatives of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (THIQ). These molecules act as antitumor agents because they bind to CD44 in a place close to where HA binds, thus inhibiting HA-CD44 interaction. To this end, in this project we study the influence of small variations in the structure of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline on the inhibition of the HA-CD44 interaction.

Keywords: cancer; inhibitors; hyaluronic acid; CD44, isoquinoline.

Directed by: Ana Conejo García