Why INT2ACT?
I find being part of the INT2ACT network extremelly exciting because of its collaborative, multidisciplinary approach—together, we can unlock the full potential of nucleic acids to advance cancer therapies. I’m eager to contribute to groundbreaking research that drives real, impactful change.
Dr. María Armesto Alvarez
Co-supervisor of DC1 and DC3
Dr. María Armesto Alvarez is a Senior scientist within the Molecular Oncology group at the Biogipuzkoa Health Research Institute in Gipuzkoa, Spain.
Biogipuzkoa is a dedicated healthcare research centre and the Molecular Oncology group focuses on a multi-disiplinary approach to fighting cancer by combining the identification and validation of clinically useful biomarkers, development of novel diagnostic technologies and drug delivery systems, and the use of advanced therapeutic technologies.
My journey into this field started with my interest in molecular biology and its potential to drive real-world impact. Working in a lab that pioneered the detection of non-coding RNA in blood for cancer biomarkers sparked my interest in the power of liquid biopsies. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I was able to apply my background in virology to develop a novel nucleic acid biomarker diagnostic technology. Since then, my research has focused on advancing liquid biopsy biomarker discovery, diagnostic technologies, and nucleic acid-based therapeutics, with the aim of improving patient outcomes in cancer and beyond.
After completing my D.Phil. in Biochemistry at the University of Oxford, I focused on virus pathogenicity before joining the IAH Compton – now the The Pirbright Institute- Coronavirus Research Group. Later, I transitioned to cancer research at Biogipuzkoa, focusing on the establishment of a new research line on liquid biopsy biomarkers, leading to over 20 high-impact publications. My work on COVID-19 diagnostics resulted in a commercialized, CE-approved test and a publication in Biosensors. Currently, I am PI on several projects, including studies on CAR-T therapy biomarkers and initiatives to advance nucleic acid detection in cancer and improve drug delivery systems.
- Armesto M; Charconnet M; Marimón JM; Fernández Regueiro CL; Jia J; Yan T; Sorarrain A; Grzelczak M; Sanromán M; Vicente M; Klempa B; Zubiria J; Peng Y; Zhang L; Zhang J; Lawrie CH. Validation of Rapid and Economic Colorimetric Nanoparticle Assay for SARS-CoV-2 RNA Detection in Saliva and Nasopharyngeal Swabs. Biosensors 13, 2023. DOI: 10.3390/bios13020275
- Delphine Casabonne; Yolanda Benavente; Julia Seifert; Laura Costas; María Armesto; María Arestin; Caroline Besson; Fatemeh Saberi Hosnijeh; Eric J Duell; Elisabete Weiderpass; Giovanna Masala; Rudolf Kaaks; Federico Canzian; María-Dolores Chirlaque; Vittorio Perduca; Francesca Romana Mancini; Valeria Pala; Antonia Trichopoulou; Anna Karakatsani; Carlo La Vecchia; Maria-Jose Sánchez; Rosario Tumino; Marc J Gunter; Pilar Amiano; Salvatore Panico; Carlotta Sacerdote; Julie A Schmidt; Heiner Boeing; Matthias B Schulze; Aurelio Barricarte; Elio Riboli; Anja Olsen; Anne Tjønneland; Roel Vermeulen; Alexandra Nieters; Charles H Lawrie; Silviade Sanjosé. Serum levels of hsa-miR-16-5p, -29a-3p, -150-5p, -155-5p and -223-3p and subsequent risk of chroniclymphocytic leukemia in the EPIC study. INT J CANCER .147 – 5, pp. 1315 – 1324. 03/02/2020. ISSN 1097-0215 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32894
- María Armesto; Charles Lawrie. Presente y futuro de la aplicación de la biopsia líquida en los linfomas. Linfomas 360. chapter 16, pp. 346. Ambos, 2024. ISBN 978-84125780-8-9
- Carla Sole; Ibai Goicoechea; Alai Goñi; Maike Schramm; Maria Armesto; María Arestin; Lorea Manterola; Maitena Tellaetxe; Aitor Alberdi; Leonor Nogueira; Mathieu Roumiguie; Jose Ignacio López; Juan Pablo Sanz Jaka; Ander Urruticoechea; Itziar Vergara; Ana Loizaga-Iriarte; Miguel Unda; Arkaitz Carracedo; Bernard Malavaud; Charles Lawrie. The urinary transcriptome as a source of biomarkers for prostate cancer. DOI: 10.3390/cancers12020513