Clinical and experimental oncology and immunology
Host Department
Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology
Immunology of tumors
Research Topic A
Abstract of the proposed UNIPhD research project
The tumor microenvironment is a very complex niche of cancerous and non-cancerous cells that constantly interact with one another. This dynamic crosstalk dictates several aspects of cancer behavior and therapy response. During my PhD, I’ll use a novel synthetic immunology technique known as LIPSTIC (Labelling Immune Partnerships by SorTagging Intercellular Contacts) in order to evaluate key cellular interactions in a genetically engineered lymphoma mouse model. This strategy will deepen current knowledge on the lymphoma TME, which will be useful to pinpoint and validate potential immunotherapeutic targets.
Short bio
Born and raised in Mexico City, I graduated with honors from Tecnológico de Monterrey School of Medicine. Ever since the beginning of med school, I always felt particularly interested in the biomedical aspects of disease, especially in the fields of immunology, oncology, and hematology. During my senior year, I did clinical electives at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lille, France and at the Hemato-Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of the Hospital Universitario Niño Jesús, in Madrid. After graduating, I pursued a Master’s in Biomedical Sciences (focusing on cancer research) also from Tecnológico de Monterrey, where I studied sphingolipid metabolism of aggressive Diffuse Large B-Cell lymphomas. My thesis work was highly praised by the thesis committee, and I graduated with the highest honors. I’m very excited to begin this new chapter in Padua, where I’m sure I’ll make everlasting relationships and find all the necessary tools to succeed as a physician-scientist.
