Lizcano’s Lab is interested in dissecting new cellular signaling pathways that control cancer cell proliferation and differentiation.  We collaborate with academics and Biopharma Companies to perform preclinical development of new anticancer drugs. Specifically, we are interested in deciphering the role of the new MAP kinase ERK5 (a MAP kinase) in cancer proliferation and survival. We are also interested in modulation of autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress as new strategies to tackle cancer

We use two different perspectives to approach fundamental problems:

a) Basic Research. Dissection of the mechanisms by ERK5 kinase (as well other kinases) exert a control on the proliferation and survival of tumor cells. We have contributed to propose new molecular mechanism for regulation of protein kinase Akt; discovered that tumor suppressor kinase LKB1 functions as a master kinase; or more recently, we have established a new mechanism by which ERK5 translocates to the nucleus and regulates the proliferation of tumor cells regardless of its enzymatic activity.

b) Research directed to pharmacological intervention in cancer. We are involved in potentiating translational aspects of our resources. We actively collaborate with Ability Pharmaceuticals SL in the preclinical/clinical development of the new antitumor drug ABTL0812, which it is Clinical Trial Phase II to treat cancer patients with advanced endometrial and squamous NSCLC cancers (NCT02201823). We have discovered a new cellular signaling pathway by which ABTL0812 exerts its antitumor action: by altering the sphingolipidoma of cancer cells, ABTL0812 induces a sustained activation of ER stress and UPR, as well as inhibition of the Akt/mTORC1, which ultimately results in activation of cytotoxic autophagy. Finally, we actively collaborate with other academic laboratories characterizing new ERK5 inhibitors with anticancer activity.

CURRENT WORK

1) Role of MAP kinase ERK5 in cancer cell proliferation and survival (neuroblastoma and endometrial cancer)

2) Preclinical development of new drugs for cancer therapy. Antitumoral drugs that exert their action by activating cytotoxic autophagy. New ERK5 inhibitors with anti-cancer activity.