Inmaculada Navarro-Lérida

My PhD thesis (Complutense University of Madrid, 2005; director: Dr. Franscisco Gavilanes Franco and Dr. José Ignacio Rodríguez) uncovered new modulation mechanisms of Nitric Oxide Synthases through their post-translational modification by lipids, and by contact with new proteins (7 articles, first author in 6 of them). During this period, I carried out two research stays (in United States 2002 and in Canada 2003). I fostered an interest in lipid membrane organization and its impact on cell behaviour and in December 2006 I joined Dr. Miguel Ángel del Pozo Barriuso´s lab (CNIC, Madrid). The lab research was focused on the role of Integrins, Caveolin1 and Rho/Rac GTPases in membrane trafficking. I made significant scientific contributions discovering the new mechanism of palmitoylation- and nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of the Rac1 GTPase and its impact in cancer (Embo J, 2012; first author; Dev Cell, 2015; Cells, 2021; first and co-corresponding author). As another important research line, I also contributed on understanding new aspects of the role of Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) in tumor progression, demonstrating its relevance in tumor stroma remodelling (Cell , 2011 3rd author), in cholesterol homeostasis through its association with MAMs (Membranes-Associated to Mitochondria) (Scientific Report, 2016 1st author) and its relevant role in the regulation of the autoimmune response (Nature Immunology 2017, 7th author). Based on these precedents, I continued to pursue my interest in the mechanisms underlying the communication between tumor and the stroma and we discovered a novel function for Cav1 in cancer through exosome modulation. This work was published in Journal Cell Biology 2020 as co-corresponding author and was part of a thesis (as codirector 2018). In Dec 2020 I incorporated as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Autonomous University of Madrid to initiate my own research line within the group headed by Dr. Catalina Ribas and Dr. Federico Mayor in UAM/CBMSO. In here, I am trying to address how tumor stroma, and its mechanical properties can impact on tumor innervation, and the potential contribution to all these processes of the GPCR-Gq system (Antioxidants 2022, 1st author). During all this time I have obtained several scholarships and consecutive contracts in different competitive calls. I have actively participated in different national, european, and international research projects and attended different congresses and courses. I have been member of the evaluation committee of six doctoral theses, and I have supervised undergraduate, MSc and PhD students. I participated in teaching activities (UCM and UAM) during my predoctoral and postdoctoral phases. As of 2020, I am the main lecturer for several subjects at the grade and master (with more than 400 teaching hours). Accredited by ANECA for the figure of hired doctor and professor at Private University. I have obtained the positive Evaluation in the I3 program in January 2023. I have positive evaluation of 2 Research Periods by Spanish Ministry of Education (“Sexenios”): 2002-2007; 2011-2016 and I am review Editor within Signaling (specialty section of Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology) since April 2021. My long-term goal is to comprehend the processes governing the interaction between tumor cells and their microenvironment and how it affects different aspects of tumor biology, with a particular emphasis on mechanoadaptation, metabolism (autophagy processes), angiogenesis and the nervous system.