Ana Arda
aarda
Ana Arda
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Ikerbasque Research Associate
Ikerbasque Research Associate
Chemical Glycobiology Lab
Address: Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, building 800, Derio (Bizkaia)

Ana Ardá obtained her BSc in Chemistry from the University of A Coruña (Spain) and continued her scientific pursuits by completing her PhD in Chemistry from the same University in 2006.

That same year, Dr. Ardá joined the Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research at Utrecht University (The Netherlands) as a postdoctoral associate to research on NMR of carbohydrates. After, Dr. Ardá continued her postdoctoral studies at the Center for Biological Research (CIB) (Spanish Research Council, CSIC) at Madrid (Spain) working with Prof. Jiménez-Barbero on glycan protein interactions.

In 2014, Dr. Ardá moved to CIC bioGUNE where in 2015 was awarded a Ramón y Cajal Fellowship (tenure track). Since 2021, Dr. Ardá is an Ikerbasque Research Associate and Associate Principal Investigator at the Chemical Biology Group, where she leads several projects related to molecular recognition of glycans by protein receptors, mostly involving Galectins and C-type lectins.

Her research is at the interphase between Chemistry and Biology, trying to disclose the molecular basis of glycan-mediated biological events particularly in immune regulation and host-pathogen interactions, by employing a multidisciplinary approach combining chemical and molecular biology tools alongside various biophysical techniques. Utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) as a primary tool, she elucidates the structural basis of molecular recognition events between glycans and carbohydrate-containing molecules, such as glycoproteins and glycolipids, as well as protein receptors like lectins and antibodies. This atomic-level insight, complemented by other biophysical methods (ITC, microscopy, BLI, X-Ray, arrays) and molecular biology techniques, aids in designing well-defined molecules to dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions. Additionally, she devises novel strategies and innovative tools to comprehend the influence of glycosylation on glycoconjugate properties and interactions. Through international collaborations, she seeks to establish crucial structure-function relationships in the realm of immunity and host-pathogen interactions, ultimately aiming to shape our understanding and application of these processes.

Awards & recognitions
Mizutani Glycoscience Foundation (2024). Ikerbasque Research Associate (2021). Ramon y Cajal Research Fellow (2015). Juan de la Cierva Fellow (2009). BSc Excellence Award in Chemistry, University A Coruña (2000).

Collaborations
G. Rabinovich (CONICET), Y. Blériot & S. Thibaudeau (University Poitiers), O. Francesconi & C. Nativi (University Florence), A. Molinaro (University Naples), N. Nifantiev (Russian Academy Sciences), N. Reichardt & S. Serna (CIC biomaGUNE), F. Fieschi (University Grenoble Alpes), R. Adamo (GSK, Siena), J. Codée (University of Leiden), G.-J. Boons (University Utrecht).

Links
31st Mizutani research grant (No. 240081) from the Mizutani Foundation for Glycosciences starting on April 2024 (https://www.mizutanifdn.or.jp/index.html) and Principal Investigator at CIC bioGUNE of the proposal “ENSCC: European Network on the Supramolecular Chemistry of Carbohydrates” granted as European Doctoral Network Project, starting on March 2024 (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101119492).

Latest Publications

2023

2022

2021

The Chemical Glycobiology Lab is actively engaged in extensive multidisciplinary studies on diverse glycan-lectin systems related to health and disease. This collaborative research involves Senior (Jimenez-Barbero, Ardá, Ereño-Orbea, Unione) and Emerging Scientists (Gimeno), along with Specialists, Technicians, Postdoctoral associates, and Doctoral candidates.

Using a combination of diverse and synergic methodologies, including chemical synthesis, protein biochemistry and molecular biology, biophysics (ITC, BLI), molecular modelling, and structural biology (X-Ray crystallography and CryoEM), with special emphasis on NMR spectroscopy, the Chemical Glycobiology lab investigates the interactions of glycans related to immune responses, from cancer to bacterial and viral infections.

Indeed, glycans, prevalent on mammalian cells and in the extracellular matrix, collectively form the glycocalyx, impacting physical properties, regulating protein function, and acting as ligands for lectins. Dysregulation of glycosyltransferases results in tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs), unique to tumor cells. While TACAs are recognized therapeutic targets, their low immunogenicity presents a challenge for T-cell-dependent immune responses crucial in cancer therapy. TACAs play a crucial role in modulating immune responses within the tumor microenvironment through interactions with lectins. Similar interactions are observed in bacterial and viral-mediated infectious events.

From the application side, the focus is on structure-based drug and vaccine design, collaborating with research groups and pharmaceutical companies worldwide, investigating lectin-glycan and antibody-glycan molecular recognition processes. Additionally, from the basic perspective, we explore the conformational properties of glycans, specially the glycosyl oxocarbenium cations, key intermediates in synthesis and cleavage, and examine the presentation and dynamic properties of glycans designed for specific geometrical shapes.

In parallel, the laboratory continuously develops cutting-edge NMR-based techniques. Special emphasis is placed on the use of stable isotopes (13C, 19F) to push the boundaries of NMR applications. These advancements are vital for understanding the pivotal roles of glycans in their interactions with receptors, influencing biological responses associated with health or disease.

Specific areas and research lines include:

  • • Interactions of glycans with galectins and C-type lectins, overseen by Dr. Ana Ardá.
  • • Recognition of sialic acids by Siglecs and their role as glyco-immune checkpoints, led by Dr. June Ereño-Orbea.
  • • Attachment of glycans to influenza virus proteins and other pathogens, investigating their impact on infections, directed by Dr. Luca Unione.
  • • Analysis of proteoglycans and the functional landscape of glycosylation in cancer, spearheaded by Dr. Ana Gimeno.
Latest Publications

Unraveling Molecular Recognition of Glycan Ligands by Siglec-9 via NMR Spectroscopy and Molecular Dynamics Modeling

Atxabal, U; Nycholat, C; Pröpster, JM; Fernández, A; Oyenarte, I; Lenza, MP; Franconetti, A; Soares, CO; Coelho, H; Marcelo, F; Schubert, M; Paulson, JC; Jiménez-Barbero, J; Ereño-Orbea, J;

ACS CHEMICAL BIOLOGY

2024-02-16

Evolution of human H3N2 influenza virus receptor specificity has substantially expanded the receptor-binding domain site.

Thompson, Andrew J; Wu, Nicholas C; Canales, Angeles; Kikuchi, Chika; Zhu, Xueyong; de Toro, Beatriz Fernandez; Canada, Francisco J; Worth, Charli; Wang, Shengyang; McBride, Ryan; Peng, Wenjie; ...

Cell host & microbe

2024-02-14

Strategy for the Enzymatic Acylation of the Apple Flavonoid Phloretin Based on Prior α-Glucosylation

Gonzalez-Alfonso, JL; Alonso, C; Poveda, A; Ubiparip, Z; Ballesteros, AO; Desmet, T; Jiménez-Barbero, J; Coderch, L; Plou, FJ;

JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY

2024-02-13

The impact of glycosylation on the structure, function, and interactions of CD14.

Quintana, Jon Imanol; Delgado, Sandra; Rabano, Miriam; Azkargorta, Mikel; Florencio-Zabaleta, Mirane; Unione, Luca; Vivanco, Maria dM; Elortza, Felix; Jimenez-Barbero, Jesus; Arda, Ana;

Glycobiology

2024-01-16

Krylov, Vadim B; Gomez-Redondo, Marcos; Solovev, Arsenii S; Yashunsky, Dmitry V; Brown, Alistair J P; Stappers, Mark H T; Gow, Neil A R; Arda, Ana; Jimenez-Barbero, Jesus; Nifantiev, Nikolay ...

Cell surface (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

2023-12-15

Targeting the Spike: Repurposing Mithramycin and Dihydroergotamine to Block SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Stagnoli, S; Macari, G; Corsi, P; Capone, B; Vidaurrazaga, A; Ereño-Orbea, J; Ardá, A; Polticelli, F; Jiménez-Barbero, J; Abrescia, NGA; Coluzza, I;

ACS OMEGA

2023-11-13

Synthesis of a glycan hairpin

Fittolani, G; Tyrikos-Ergas, T; Poveda, A; Yu, Y; Yadav, N; Seeberger, PH; Jiménez-Barbero, J; Delbianco, M;

NATURE CHEMISTRY

2023-07-03

Total Synthesis and Structural Studies of Zwitterionic Bacteroides fragilis Polysaccharide A1 Fragments

Wang, Z; Poveda, A; Zhang, QJ; Unione, L; Overkleeft, HS; van der Marel, GA; Jesús, JB; Codée, JDC;

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

2023-06-13

Structural insights into Siglec-15 reveal glycosylation dependency for its interaction with T cells through integrin CD11b

Lenza, MP; Egia-Mendikute, L; Antoñana-Vildosola, A; Soares, CO; Coelho, H; Corzana, F; Bosch, A; Manisha, P; Quintana, JI; Oyenarte, I; Unione, L; Moure, MJ; Azkargorta, M; Atxabal, U; Sobczak, ...

NATURE COMMUNICATIONS

2023-06-13

KR-12 Derivatives Endow Nanocellulose with Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory Properties: Role of Conjugation Chemistry

Blasi-Romero, A; Angström, M; Franconetti, A; Muhammad, T; Jiménez-Barbero, J; Göransson, U; Palo-Nieto, C; Ferraz, N;

ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES

2023-05-11

Blood pH Analysis in Combination with Molecular Medical Tools in Relation to COVID-19 Symptoms

Siebert, HC; Eckert, T; Bhunia, A; Klatte, N; Mohri, M; Siebert, S; Kozarova, A; Hudson, JW; Zhang, RY; Zhang, N; Li, L; Gousias, K; Kanakis, D; Yan, MD; Jiménez-Barbero, J; Kozár, T; Nifantiev, ...

BIOMEDICINES

2023-05-11

Molecular Recognition of Glycan-Bearing Glycomacromolecules Presented at Membrane Surfaces by Lectins: An NMR View

Lete, MG; Hoffmann, M; Schomann, N; Martínez-Castillo, A; Peccati, F; Konietzny, PB; Delgado, S; Snyder, NL; Jiménez-Oses, G; Abrescia, NGA; Ardá, A; Hartmann, L; Jiménez-Barbero, J;

ACS OMEGA

2023-05-03

SARS-CoV-2 Spike N-Terminal Domain Engages 9-O-Acetylated?2-8-Linked Sialic Acids

Tomris, I; Unione, L; Nguyen, L; Zaree, P; Bouwman, KM; Liu, L; Li, ZS; Fok, JA; Carrasco, MR; van der Woude, R; Kimpel, ALM; Linthorst, MW; Kilavuzoglu, SE; Verpalen, ECJM; Caniels, TG; Sanders, ...

ACS CHEMICAL BIOLOGY

2023-04-27

Highly Diastereoselective Multicomponent Synthesis of Spirocyclopropyl Oxindoles Enabled by Rare-Earth Metal Salts

Tallarida, MA; Olivito, F; Navo, CD; Algieri, V; Jiritano, A; Costanzo, P; Poveda, A; Moure, MJ; Jiménez-Barbero, J; Maiuolo, L; Jiménez-Osés, G; De Nino, A;

ORGANIC LETTERS

2023-04-26

Development of synthetic, self-adjuvanting, and self-assembling anticancer vaccines based on a minimal saponin adjuvant and the tumor-associated MUC1 antigen

Pifferi, C; Aguinagalde, L; Ruiz-de-Angulo, A; Sacristán, N; Baschirotto, PT; Poveda, A; Jiménez-Barbero, J; Anguita, J; Fernández-Tejada, A;

CHEMICAL SCIENCE

2023-03-01

Biomimetic Tweezers for N-Glycans: Selective Recognition of the Core GlcNAc2 Disaccharide of the Sialylglycopeptide SGP

Milanesi, F; Unione, L; Ardá, A; Nativi, C; Jiménez-Barbero, J; Roelens, S; Francesconi, O;

CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL

2023-02-24

New Glucosamine-Based TLR4 Agonists: Design, Synthesis, Mechanism of Action, and In Vivo Activity as Vaccine Adjuvants

Romerio, A; Gotri, N; Franco, AR; Artusa, V; Shaik, MM; Pasco, ST; Atxabal, U; Matamoros-Recio, A; Mínguez-Toral, M; Zalamea, JD; Franconetti, A; Abrescia, NGA; Jimenez-Barbero, J; Anguita, ...

JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY

2023-02-23

Revealing the Specificity of Human H1 Influenza A Viruses to Complex N-Glycans

Canales, A; Sastre, J; Orduña, JM; Spruit, CM; Pérez-Castells, J; Domínguez, G; Bouwman, KM; van der Woude, R; Cañada, FJ; Nycholat, CM; Paulson, JC; Boons, GJ; Jiménez-Barbero, J; de Vries, ...

JACS AU

2023-02-17

Exploring multivalent carbohydrate-protein interactions by NMR

Quintana, JI; Atxabal, U; Unione, L; Ardá, A; Jiménez-Barbero, J;

CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS

2023-02-08

Structures of the Inhibitory Receptor Siglec-8 in Complex with a High-Affinity Sialoside Analogue and a Therapeutic Antibody

Lenza, MP; Atxabal, U; Nycholat, C; Oyenarte, I; Franconetti, A; Quintana, JI; Delgado, S; Núñez-Franco, R; Marroquin, CTG; Coelho, H; Unione, L; Jiménez-Oses, G; Marcelo, F; Schubert, M; Paulson, ...

JACS AU

2022-12-23