Edurne Berra
eberra
Edurne Berra
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Cancer Cell Signaling And Metabolism Lab
Address: Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, building 801A, Derio (Bizkaia)

Edurne Berra obtained her BSc in Pharmacy from the University of Navarra (Pamplona) and a “Licence Spéciale” in Toxicology at the ULB (Brussels, Belgium). She continued her scientific pursuits by completing her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University Autonomous of Madrid (UAM, CBM Severo Ochoa), Spain.

After a first postdoctoral period at the Glaxo-Wellcome-CSIC laboratory of Molecular and Cell Biology (Madrid), Dr. Berra joined the laboratory of Prof. Dr. Pouysségur at the University of Nice where she was appointed “Chargé de Recherche” (CNRS-CR1) and she got her HDR (Habilitation à la Direction de Recherche).

In 2007, Dr. Berra joined CIC bioGUNE as an Associate Principal Investigator to lead her independent research, which is devoted to understand the molecular mechanisms of the hypoxia signaling pathway, emphasizing its significance in hypoxia-related pathologies, particularly in the context of cancer. The exploration centers on the critical role of oxygen homeostasis in organisms and the potential for irreversible damage caused by hypoxia.

Our research has a core focus on the mechanisms of cellular adaptation to oxygen deficiency or hypoxia through three mains research projects:

  • • We aim at deciphering the molecular basis of the hypoxia cascade and its crosstalk with other signaling pathways. In this context, we try to understand the role of DUBs that we have identified through a RNAi based genetic screen in the context of the hypoxia signaling pathway.
  • • We work on the molecular understanding and the design of new therapies for the Von Hipple-Lindau Syndrome (VHL), a hereditary condition associated with tumors arising in multiple organs. VHL is caused by genetic mutations on the VHL gene, a master regulator of the hypoxia signaling pathway.
  • • In synergy with the central focus of the Cancer Cell Signaling and Metabolism laboratory, we are also interested in investigating how hypoxia-driven changes in cellular metabolism influence tumor cell behavior and impact on prostate cancer progression, and how this knowledge could be translated.

Awards & recognitions
Fundación Renal “Iñigo Alvarez de Toledo” Prize (2007), “Dr Joseph Amalrich” Prize for Excellence in Cancer Research (2002) and the HFSP (1999) and EMBO (1998) Fellowships.

Collaborations
Julián Aragonés (University Autonomous de Madrid, Spain), Alberto Pascual (IBiS - Institute of Biomedicine, Seville), Sonia Rocha (University of Liverpool, UK), Jesús Ruiz-Cabello (CIC biomaGUNE, Spain), Violaine See (University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, France), Verónica Torrano (University of the Basque Country, Spain). Dr. Berra is on the Management Committee of the Spanish and the European Hypoxia Networks (HypoxEU). She collaborates with the Spanish Association for Cancer Research (AECC) and VHL syndrome charities (Alianza Española VHL and Sendabide), and actively participates in programs to promote STEAM (11F, Conócelas ASEICA and Inspira STEAM).

Latest Publications

2022

2021

2020

2019

2017

2015

2014

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.
Latest Publications

A class I PI3K signalling network regulates primary cilia disassembly in normal physiology and disease

Conduit, SE; Pearce, W; Bhamra, A; Bilanges, B; Bozal-Basterra, L; Foukas, LC; Cobbaut, M; Castillo, SD; Danesh, MA; Adil, M; Carracedo, A; Graupera, M; McDonald, NQ; Parker, PJ; Cutillas, PR; ...

NATURE COMMUNICATIONS

2024-08-21

MetSCORE: a molecular metric to evaluate the risk of metabolic syndrome based on serum NMR metabolomics

Gil-Redondo, R; Conde, R; Bruzzone, C; Seco, ML; Bizkarguenaga, M; González-Valle, B; de Diego, A; Lain, A; Habisch, H; Haudum, C; Verheyen, N; Obermayer-Pietsch, B; Margarita, S; Pelusi, S; ...

CARDIOVASCULAR DIABETOLOGY

2024-07-24

Metastatic hormone-naïve prostate cancer: a distinct biological entity

Corres-Mendizabal, J; Zacchi, F; Martín-Martín, N; Mateo, J; Carracedo, A;

TRENDS IN CANCER

2024-07-23

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

Metabolic adaptations in prostate cancer

Pujana-Vaquerizo, M; Bozal-Basterra, L; Carracedo, A;

BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER

2024-07-05

SERS analysis of cancer cell- secreted purines reveals a unique paracrine crosstalk in MTAP- deficient tumors

Valera, PS; Plou, J; Garcia, I; Astobiza, I; Viera, C; Aransay, AM; Martin, JE; Sasselli, IR; Carracedo, A; Liz-Marzan, LM;

PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

2023-12-26

STAT3/LKB1 controls metastatic prostate cancer by regulating mTORC1/CREB pathway

Pencik, J; Philippe, C; Schlederer, M; Atas, E; Pecoraro, M; Grund-Gröchke, S; Li, W; Tracz, A; Heidegger, I; Lagger, S; Trachtová, K; Oberhuber, M; Heitzer, E; Aksoy, O; Neubauer, HA; Wingelhofer, ...

MOLECULAR CANCER

2023-08-12

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

Metabolism in the tumor cell and beyond

Carracedo, A;

MOLECULAR ONCOLOGY

2023-06-06

Machine Learning-Assisted High-Throughput SERS Classification of Cell Secretomes

Plou, J; Valera, PS; García, I; Vila-Liarte, D; Renero-Lecuna, C; Ruiz-Cabello, J; Carracedo, A; Liz-Marzán, LM;

SMALL

2023-04-12

Identifying prognostic parameters related to surgical technique in patients treated by robotic radical prostatectomy

Iriarte, AL; Viscasillas, IL; Gonzalez, SR; Martín, AS; Aparicio, DG; Olano, AU; Pérez, AC; Urzaiz, MU;

ACTAS UROLOGICAS ESPANOLAS

2023-01-01

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

CiberAMP: An R Package to Identify Differential mRNA Expression Linked to Somatic Copy Number Variations in Cancer Datasets

Caloto, R; Lorenzo-Martín, LF; Quesada, V; Carracedo, A; Bustelo, XR;

BIOLOGY-BASEL

2022-10-01

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

Pyruvate Kinase M1 Suppresses Development and Progression of Prostate Adenocarcinoma

Davidson, SM; Schmidt, DR; Heyman, JE; Brien, JPO; Liu, AC; Israelsen, WJ; Dayton, TL; Sehgal, R; Bronson, RT; Freinkman, E; Mak, HH; Fanelli, GN; Malstrom, S; Bellinger, G; Carracedo, A; Pandolfi, ...

CANCER RESEARCH

2022-07-01

Epigenetic Mechanisms Influencing Therapeutic Response in Breast Cancer

Arruabarrena-Aristorena, A; Toska, E;

FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY

2022-06-14

Methionine Cycle Rewiring by Targeting miR-873-5p Modulates Ammonia Metabolism to Protect the Liver from Acetaminophen

Rodríguez-Agudo, R; Goikoetxea-Usandizaga, N; Serrano-Maciá, M; Fernández-Tussy, P; Fernández-Ramos, D; Lachiondo-Ortega, S; González-Recio, I; Gil-Pitarch, C; Mercado-Gómez, M; Morán, L; Bizkarguenaga, ...

ANTIOXIDANTS

2022-05-01

High SOX9 Maintains Glioma Stem Cell Activity through a Regulatory Loop Involving STAT3 and PML

Aldaz, P; Martín-Martín, N; Saenz-Antoñanzas, A; Carrasco-Garcia, E; Alvarez-Satta, M; Elúa-Pinin, A; Pollard, SM; Lawrie, CH; Moreno-Valladares, M; Samprón, N; Hench, J; Lovell-Badge, R; Carracedo, ...

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES

2022-05-01

Stromal oncostatin M cytokine promotes breast cancer progression by reprogramming the tumor microenvironment

Araujo, AM; Abaurrea, A; Azcoaga, P; Lopez-Velazco, JI; Manzano, S; Rodriguez, J; Rezola, R; Egia-Mendikute, L; Valdés-Mora, F; Flores, JM; Jenkins, L; Pulido, L; Osorio-Querejeta, I; Fernández-Nogueira, ...

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION

2022-04-01

Angiocrine polyamine production regulates adiposity

Monelli, E; Villacampa, P; Zabala-Letona, A; Martinez-Romero, A; Llena, J; Beiroa, D; Gouveia, L; Chivite, I; Zagmutt, S; Gama-Perez, P; Osorio-Conles, O; Muixi, L; Martinez-Gonzalez, A; Castillo, ...

NATURE METABOLISM

2022-03-14