Sara Alvira de Celis graduated as a pharmacist from the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela in 2006 followed by an MSc in Biotechnological Engineer (2006-2008). There, she started her research career in the laboratory of Mark van Raaij, in crystallography of viral proteins. In 2008 she moved to the Centro Nacional de Biotecnología in Madrid to complete her doctoral studies in molecular chaperones and transmission electron microscopy at the laboratory of Jose María Valpuesta. After one year of postdoctoral research in the same laboratory, she accepted in 2014 a Research Associate position at the University of Bristol at the laboratory of Ian Collinson working in protein translocation machineries across membranes from a biochemical and structural view. She was awarded in 2015 with the José Tormo Prize from the Spanish Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology for her PhD studies in structural biology and the same year she obtained an EMBO Long Term Fellowship. Now, he is an Elizabeth Blackwell Fellow at the same position at the University of Bristol. She was Director of the SRUK South West Constituency from 2017 to 2018 and now she is Director of the International Collaborations Department.

Research Fellow – Translational Laboratory for Cardiovascular Imaging and Therapy
Spanish National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC)
Eduardo Oliver received his PhD in Pharmacy from the University of Valencia. In 2010 he started working as a postdoctoral Research Associate at Imperial College London where he investigated on the search for new therapeutic targets on pulmonary hypertension. Thanks to his work, in 2016 receives the Young Investigator Award of the European Federation of Pharmacology (EPHAR). Currently, Eduardo is a researcher at the Spanish National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC) in Madrid thanks to a Research Fellow from the COFUND Marie Sklodwska-Curie actions. Eduardo is also an external professor of the Master’s Degree on Research and Rational Use of Medicines at the University of Valencia since 2013.
During the six years living in the UK, Eduardo played a significant role in the conception and development of SRUK/CERU. He is a founding member and since its formal foundation in 2012, he has been part of the board of directors and various committees, some of which he has launched. He was President between 2015-2016, year in which numerous initiatives were developed. He is also one of the components of the Science Policy committee that developed and presented the Report of Recommendations on R&D in Spain for the General Elections of 2015, he has participated in public debates and written opinion articles in the press about science policy and diplomacy.

Name: María Jimenez Sanchez
Job position: MRC Research Fellow, Group Leader
Workplace: King´s College London

Scientific background: Maria is a MRC research fellow at the Maurice Wohl Neuroscience Institute at King´s College London. She is interested in studying the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration. Her newly established research group will explore the role of glial cells in these diseases in order to elucidate novel therapeutic targets. Until June 2016, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, where she moved after obtaining her PhD from the University Complutense in 2008.

I graduated in Biology (2000) and obtained my PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2006) both at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Since 2007 I live and work in Oxford, at the Medical Research Council. My research has focused on unravelling and identifying pathomechanisms operating in neurodegenerative conditions, such us Huntington’s disease and ALS using mouse genetics, with the ultimate goal of developing therapeutic strategies. In relation to SRUK, I am a regular member since 2013. I am one of the first directive board members of the Oxford Constituency, founded in 2014, where I stayed for two years, and I am still today part of Working Group of the Oxford Constituency. I am interested in international collaborations and promoting network amongst scientists, in particular between Spain and UK. Therefore in January 2016 I became an active member of the Fellowship committee and the international relationships committee.

After obtaining a degree in Pharmacy at the University of Navarra (Spain), I carried out a PhD at the National Centre for Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC, Madrid) under the supervision of Dr José Francisco Rodríguez Aguirre and Dr José Ruiz Castón where I studied and gained practical knowledge of structural aspects of viral capsids. Wishing to extend my knowledge in mechanisms of viral translation and virus gene expression, I joined Dr Ian Brierley’s laboratory (Division of Virology. University of Cambridge). Since October 2010, I have been trying to understand the implication of frameshifiting and readthrough in retro- and coronavirus and applying the novel technique of ribosome profiling to positive single stranded RNA viruses. I am a founding member of SRUK and from July 2014 to July 2016 I was the Director of the Cambridge Constituency. I have been actively involved in fostering international collaboration between SRUK and Spanish institutions since January 2015 and became the Director of the Department of International Collaborations in July 2016.

I graduated in Biology and Biochemistry at the University of Salamanca and I completed a PhD programme at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) in Madrid in the Molecular Cytogenetics Group where I developed different research projects in haematological malignancies. Since August 2015, I work as a postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for Haemato-Oncology at Barts Cancer Institute (BCI) of the Queen Mary University of London, identifying and studying the genetic events that lead to the development of familial acute myeloid leukaemia.

I have been a member of SRUK since I arrived to London, actively participating in various events and being part of the Organizing Committee for the 4th International Symposium SRUK/CERU and the SRUK Mentoring Programme.

Cristina graduated in Pharmacy for the Universidad de Alcalá de Henares in 1981 and received the Prize “Jose Lucas Gallego” from La Real Academia de Farmacia in January 1982. She joined the Department of Biochemistry to undertake research studies on the properties of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase throughout the differentiation of red blood cells. Her MPhil and a PhD were obtained in 1983 and 1986 and were awarded Prizes by the Consejo General de Colegios de Farmacia in 1984 and Real Academia de Farmacia (Premio Ascension Vidal) in 1987, respectively. During her first post-doctoral position at the Royal Free Hospital Medical School (now part of UCL), Cristina was the principal investigator in the development of new technologies for the PEGylation of proteins, liposomes and viruses which innovation lead to seven patent families. In order to commercialise the technology, in 1995 Cristina together with Drs Gillian Francis and Derek Fisher founded PolyMASC Pharmaceuticals plc, the first biotechnology start-up in England to get the initial funding via a flotation in AIM of the London Stock Exchange. She continued her scientific career as Director of Pharmacological Research contributing to the development of the technology in the laboratory (implementing SOPs, developing scale-up, etc) and also the strategic development of the patent portfolio to maximise commercial success. In 1999, Cristina played a pivotal role during the sale of PolyMASC to Valentis Inc, a biotech located in Burlingame near San Francisco. After completing the successful transfer of the technology to California in 2001, Cristina has continued her scientific activity in the United Kingdom as an independent consultant in various projects for biotech companies and also as an expert witness in litigations between pharmaceutical companies.

 I graduated in Biochemistry (Hons) at the Complutense University of Madrid. Then I was awarded a PhD Fellowship by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spanish Ministry of Health) to carry out my PhD studies under the supervision of Prof María Antonia Lizarbe and Dr Javier Turnay (Dept. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Complutense University of Madrid). I obtained my PhD degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Doctor Europeus Mention) for studying the role of 4F2hc in tumorigenesis and the effect on butyrate and bile acids on human colon adenocarcinoma cells. During my PhD, I also did a 6-month internship in Dr Robert Clarke’s group at The University of Manchester (United Kingdom), where I became interested in breast cancer stem cells. I moved to Manchester in August 2013, and since then I have held a postdoctoral position in Dr Robert Clarke’s group. In January 2014, I was awarded a 2-year Postdoctoral Fellowship by the Alfonso Martín Escudero Foundation (Spanish private non-profit institution). More recently, I have been able to secure some funding from Rosetrees Trust and Breast Cancer Now to continue my studies about breast cancer dormancy. In Jan 2015, I joined SRUK/CERU and recently I became part of the Press Office of the Northwest Constituency (February 2016).

In 2009 I moved to University of Leeds to join, as a postdoctoral Research Associate, the tissue remodelling group headed by Professor Chris Peers at Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine where I investigated the modulation of ion channel activity by gasotransmitters in health and disease. In 2015 I was awarded the Wellcome Trust ISSF fellowship to develop a new area of research focused on the molecular mechanisms of vascular function in health and disease. In particular I investigate endothelial dysfunction associated with autoimmune diseases where there is a dysregulation of the immune system. In March 2017 I was appointed Lecturer in Pharmacology at the University of Bradford where I am currently setting my laboratory up to investigate the physiological role of gasotransmitters in vascular diseases such as pulmonary arterial hypertension and heart failure.

I got my BSc in Biology by the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in 2008. Some months later, I started my PhD in Genetics and Cell Biology in the same University, having my PhD dissertation in March 2014. Since then, I am living abroad. I performed a first Postdoc at Karolinska Institutet (Stockholm, Sweden) and I moved to London in October 2015, where I joined University College London (UCL) as a Research Associate, thanks to a Ramón Areces Foundation Postdoctoral fellowship. Currently, I continue working at UCL developing novel light-based therapies to treat cancer. My research interests include cancer, personalized medicine and diagnostics, among others.

I graduated in Electronic Engineering at University Carlos III of Madrid. After undertaking a MSc in Analogue and Digital IC Design at Imperial College London, I worked in Industry for 3 years in several roles on Consultancy and Telecommunication. In 2017 I started my PhD at Imperial College London, as part of the Centre of Bio-Inspired Technology. My work focuses on the development of nano-scale sensors capable of “filming” what’s happening inside a DNA amplification reaction. This technology has the potential to improve early diagnosis of a wide range of diseases – from Breast Cancer to Zika.

I became member of SRUK in summer 2017, and since then I am deeply involved in several initiatives that aim to promote Science and Engineering among both the new generations and the wider society.