ERC Consolidator Grant Ikerbasque Research Professor
0000-0001-5957-1260Arkaitz Carracedo obtained his BSc in Biology from the Complutense University of Madrid, and he continued his scientific pursuits by completing his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the same university. At this early stage in his career, he focused on researching the "Antitumor Effects of Cannabinoids: The Role of p8 and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress".
At the end of his tenure at the Guzman laboratory, Dr. Carracedo advanced his research on how compounds regulate autophagy via the oncogenic PI3K-mTOR pathway, sparking his deep interest in its impact on cancer cell biology and potential pharmacological targeting. To explore this from a novel perspective, he joined Pier Paolo Pandolfi's lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he concentrated on the PI3K-mTOR pathway's role in cancer. His work enhanced understanding of the tumor suppressor PTEN in prostate cancer and clarified the regulation of mTOR signaling and its therapeutic potential. Utilizing cell biology studies and genetically modified mouse models, he also explored cancer cell metabolic reprogramming, specifically focusing on fatty acid oxidation as a therapeutic avenue. Dr. Carracedo completed a total of four years of postdoctoral research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, USA.
In 2010, Dr. Carracedo joined CIC bioGUNE, first as a Ramón y Cajal researcher and then as an Ikerbasque Research Professor and Group Leader of the Cancer Cell Signaling and Metabolism Lab, under an ERC Consolidator Grant. His research group is aimed at deconstructing the essential requirements of cancer cells with special emphasis on the translation of the acquired knowledge from bench to bedside. In order to define the genuine features of cancer cells, they focus on the signaling and metabolic alterations in tumors. Through a multidisciplinary approach with increasing complexity, his lab works on bioinformatics, cell lines and primary cultures (using cell and molecular biology technologies), mouse models of prostate cancer that are faithful to the human disease and the analysis of human specimens through the development of prospective and retrospective studies.
Awards & recognitions
Ramiro Carregal Award for Emerging Talent in Oncological Research (2024). AstraZeneca Young Researchers Award in Oncology, Precision Medicine and Immuno-oncology (2023). BBVA Foundation Leonardo Grant for Researchers and Cultural Creators (2023). Margarita Salas National Science and Research Award for Young Researchers (2022). CRIS Cancer Foundation Excellence Award (2022). Jesús Serra Foundation Research Award (2022). Banco Sabadell Award in Biomedical Research (2019). Astra Zeneca Young Researchers Award in Oncology (2018). Spanish Society in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SEBBM) Young Researcher Award (2018). National Research Prize in Oncology (VII Drs. Diz Pintado Award) (2018). Cadena SER (Spanish national radio station) Research Award to the Best Researcher (2017). Constantes y Vitales Award to the Young Research Talent in Biomedicine (2017). BBVA Foundation Award to Scientific Research Teams in Biomedicine (2016). Promega Accesit Prize SEBBM meeting (2007). European PhD and PhD extraordinary prize (2006).
Latest Publications
2024
2023
2022
The research in the Carracedo lab is aimed at deconstructing the essential requirements of cancer cells with special emphasis on the translation of the acquired knowledge from bench to bedside. In order to define the genuine features of cancer cells, we focus on the signalling and metabolic alterations in prostate and breast cancer. Through the use of a hierarchical approach with increasing complexity, we work on cell lines and primary cultures (using cell and molecular biology technologies), mouse models of prostate cancer that are faithful to the human disease and the analysis of human specimens through the development of prospective and retrospective studies. Our work stems from the hypothesis that cancer is driven by signalling and metabolic alterations that, once identified, can be targeted for therapy. The center and our collaborator institutions offer state-of-the-art technologies (from OMICS to in vivo imaging), which allow us to build and answer our hypotheses with high level of confidence.
To address our scientific questions in cancer, the Carracedo lab has developed a series of research lines:
- Bioinformatics-based discovery. The lab takes full advantage on publicly available human prostate and breast cancer datasets in order to identify candidate genes to contribute to cancer pathogenesis, progression and response to therapy. Best hits are then validated employing genetic mouse models, xenograft surrogate assays and the latest advances in cellular and molecular biology combined with OMICs technologies.
- Genetic mouse models as a source for the identification of novel cancer players. Genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) can faithfully recapitulate many aspects of human cancer. Dr. Carracedo envisions the molecular analysis of GEMMs with high throughput technologies as a mean to identify novel cancer-related genes. These hits are then validated through the analysis of human cancer specimens and cellular and molecular biology approaches.
- Multi-OMICs analysis for non-invasive biomarker identification. Biofluids are the perfect source for cancer biomarkers that can inform about the presence or features of cancer. The lab has undertaken a biomarker discovery approach by applying the latest OMICs technologies to biofluid specimens from well-annotated prostate cancer patients, in order to define better molecules that inform about this disease.
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Group Leader
Isabel Mendizabal
Ikerbasque Research Fellow - Ramón y Cajal Programme Associate Principal Investigator -
Edurne Berra
Emerging Scientist -
Amaia Ercilla Eguiarte
Ikerbasque Research Fellow - Juan de la Cierva Fellow -
Marco Piva
Ikerbasque Research Fellow - Ramón y Cajal (RyC) Programme IKERBASQUE RESEARCH FELLOW -
Oihana Iriondo Martinez de Zuazo
Ikerbasque Research Fellow RESEARCH ASSISTANT -
Amaia Zabala Letona
AECC Researcher -
Natalia Martín Martín
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER -
Laura Bozal Basterra
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Mikel Pujana Vaquerizo
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Jaione Auzmendi Iriarte
Juan de la Cierva Fellow -
Blanca Calle Ciborro
TECHNICIANS / DOCTORAL CANDIDATES -
María Ponce Rodríguez
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Onintza Carlevaris
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Encarnación Pérez Andrés
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Kathrin Keim
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Belén Martínez La Osa
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Alex Rodríguez Alonso
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Maria Camila Salazar Palacio
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Victoria Cid I Centelles
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Irati Aguirre Vicente
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Mikel Arana Castañares
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Candela Gerediaga Ruiz de Velasco
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Uxue Lazcano Dobao
AECC Predoctoral Fellow -
Adrián Vicente Barrueco
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Saioa García Longarte
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Ianire Astobiza
Members
Latest Publications
Aggressive prostate cancer is associated with pericyte dysfunction
Martinez-Romero, A; Martinez-Larrinaga, A; Grego-Bessa, J; Garcia-Longarte, S; van Splunder, H; Astobiza, I; Ercilla, A; Bozal-Basterra, L; Mendizabal, I; Villacampa, P; Carracedo, A; Graupera, ...
Molecular Oncology
2025-11-03
Unravelling the role of L-and Dalanine in prostate cancer: a Positron Emission Tomography study in a genetic mouse model
Castellnou, P; Gómez-Martínez, M; Gómez-Vallejo, V; Baz, Z; López-Gallego, F; Rondon-Lorefice, I; Zabala-Letona, A; Poot, AJ; Mendizabal, I; Carracedo, A; Rejc, L; Llop, J;
NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY
2025-09-25
A bioinformatics screen identifies TCF19 as an aggressiveness-sustaining gene in prostate cancer
Ercilla, A; Crespo, JR; Garcia-Longarte, S; Fidalgo, M; del Palacio, S; Martin-Martin, N; Carlevaris, O; Astobiza, I; Fernández-Ruiz, S; Guiu, M; Bárcena, L; Mendizabal, I; Aransay, AM; Graupera, ...
MOLECULAR ONCOLOGY
2025-09-15
Role of CNNM4 in the progression of cholangiocarcinoma: implications for ferroptosis and therapeutic potential
Mercado-Gómez , M; Goikoetxea-Usandizaga, N; Giné, AE; Rodrigo, MAM; Afonso, MB; Azkargorta, M; Zapata-Pavas, LE; Rejano-Gordillo, CM; Romero, MR; Mendizabal, I; Rodrigues, PM; Wu, HH; Rodríguez-Agudo, ...
GUT
2025-08-05
Transcriptional analysis of metastatic hormone-naïve prostate cancer primary tumor biopsies reveals a relevant role for SOX11 in prostate cancer cell dissemination
Martin-Martin, N; Garcia-Longarte, S; Corres-Mendizabal, J; Lazcano, U; Astobiza, I; Bozal-Basterra, L; Herranz, N; van Splunder, H; Carlevaris, O; Pujana-Vaquerizo, M; Blasco, MT; Aransay, ...
GENOME BIOLOGY
2025-06-03
Precision proteogenomics reveals pan-cancer impact of germline variants
Rodrigues, FM; Terekhanova, NV; Imbach, KJ; Clauser, KR; Selvan, ME; Mendizabal, I; Geffen, Y; Akiyama, Y; Maynard, M; Yaron, TM; Li, YZ; Cao, S; Storrs, EP; Gonda, OS; Gaite-Reguero, A; Govindan, ...
CELL
2025-05-01
Asymmetrical Evolution of Promoter Methylation of Mammalian Genes after Duplication
de la Fuente, M; Mendizabal, I; Han, M; Yi, S; Alvarez-Ponce, D;
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
2024-12-30
Human brain aging is associated with dysregulation of cell type epigenetic identity
Jeong, H; Mendizabal, I; Yi, SV;
GEROSCIENCE
2024-12-27
The PP2A regulator IER5L supports prostate cancer progression
Crespo, JR; Martín-Martín, N; Garcia-Longarte, S; Corres-Mendizabal, J; Carlevaris, O; Astobiza, I; Zabala-Letona, A; Guiu, M; Azkargorta, M; Gonzalez-Lopez, M; Macías-Cámara, N; Doan, P; Elortza, ...
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
2024-07-18
Human Brain Aging is Associated with Dysregulation of Cell-Type Epigenetic Identity.
Jeong, Hyeonsoo; Mendizabal, Isabel; Yi, Soojin V;
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
2024-06-03
DNA methylation differences between the female and male X chromosomes in human brain.
Morgan, Robert; Loh, Eddie; Singh, Devika; Mendizabal, Isabel; Yi, Soojin V;
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
2024-04-17
METTL1 promotes tumorigenesis through tRNA-derived fragment biogenesis in prostate cancer
García-Vilchez, R; Anazco-Guenkova, AM; Dietmann, S; López, J; Morón-Calvente, V; DAmbrosi, S; Nombela, P; Zamacola, K; Mendizabal, I; García-Longarte, S; Zabala-Letona, A; Astobiza, I; Fernández, ...
MOLECULAR CANCER
2023-07-29
Master Transcription Factor Reprogramming Unleashes Selective Translation Promoting Castration Resistance and Immune Evasion in Lethal Prostate Cancer
Santasusagna, S; Zhu, S; Jawalagatti, V; Carceles-Cordon, M; Ertel, A; Garcia-Longarte, S; Song, WM; Fujiwara, N; Li, P; Mendizabal, I; Petrylak, DP; Kelly, WK; Reddy, EP; Wang, L; Schiewer, ...
CANCER DISCOVERY
2023-01-01
RAD51 is a druggable target that sustains replication fork progression upon DNA replication stress
Feu, S; Unzueta, F; Ercilla, A; Pérez-Venteo, A; Jaumot, M; Agell, N;
PLOS ONE
2022-08-15
Epigenetic Mechanisms Influencing Therapeutic Response in Breast Cancer
Arruabarrena-Aristorena, A; Toska, E;
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
2022-06-14
PI3K-regulated Glycine N-methyltransferase is required for the development of prostate cancer
Zabala-Letona, A; Arruabarrena-Aristorena, A; Fernandez-Ruiz, S; Viera, C; Carlevaris, O; Ercilla, A; Mendizabal, I; Martin, T; Macchia, A; Camacho, L; Pujana-Vaquerizo, M; Sanchez-Mosquera, ...
ONCOGENESIS
2022-02-23
Defining a Methylation Signature Associated With Operational Tolerance in Kidney Transplant Recipients
Rodriguez, RM; Hernández-Fuentes, MP; Corte-Iglesias, V; Saiz, ML; Lozano, JJ; Cortazar, AR; Mendizabal, I; Suarez-Fernandez, ML; Coto, E; López-Vázquez, A; Díaz-Corte, C; Aransay, AM; López-Larrea, ...
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
2021-08-20
Evolution of DNA methylation in the human brain
Jeong, H; Mendizabal, I; Berto, S; Chatterjee, P; Layman, T; Usui, N; Toriumi, K; Douglas, C; Singh, D; Huh, I; Preuss, TM; Konopka, G; Yi, S;
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
2021-04-01
Genomic and Functional Regulation of TRIB1 Contributes to Prostate Cancer Pathogenesis
Shahrouzi, P; Astobiza, I; Cortazar, AR; Torrano, V; Macchia, A; Flores, JM; Niespolo, C; Mendizabal, I; Caloto, R; Ercilla, A; Camacho, L; Arreal, L; Bizkarguenaga, M; Martinez-Chantar, ML; ...
CANCERS
2020-09-01