Dr. Maite Garcia Fernández de Barrena

RESEARCH AREAS

Main field of research over the past 19 years based on the study of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the progression of Chronic Liver Diseases and in Hepatic and Pancreatic tumor development.

Graduated in Chemistry with Honors and Summa Cum Laude in 2003.

PhD completed in 2010 at the University of Navarra (Spain), being hired as “junior investigator” by CIBERehd, focused on the analysis of molecular and cellular mechanisms of liver disease progression. 
Postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Fernandez-Zapico ́s laboratory at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA, working on the characterization of epigenetic mechanisms regulating hepatic and pancreatic carcinogenesis. Appointed as Assistant Professor of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in March 2014. 

Since May 2014, part of the Hepatology Department of CIMA. Awarded a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship Contract from the EU, starting a new line of research as Principal Investigator based on the study of Epigenetic Mechanisms of liver disease. 

Ramon y Cajal Fellow granted by Agent of the Spanish Science, Technology and Innovation System in 2018. R3 – certificate as an established researcher.

AREAS OF INTEREST

• Molecular mechanisms involved in the progression of Chronic Liver Disease and the development of Hepatic Tumors. 
• Epigenetic processes implicated in all stages of liver disease and hepatobiliary oncogenesis: in vitro and in vivo models. 
• Identification of new therapeutic targets based on epigenetic mechanisms and the development of novel pharmacological approaches.
• Epigenetic strategies for sensitizing hepatobiliary tumors to chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
• Mechanisms of chronic liver disease progression in the context of fatty liver and metabolic reprogramming. Identification and characterization of potential therapeutic targets.