Dr. Karmele Valencia Leoz

RESEARCH AREAS

Currently, Principal Investigator (PI) of two funded projects:

1. DSTYK inhibition as the base of a new targeted therapy to break standard treatment resistances in lung cancer. 
2. Inflammation and Cardiovascular Damage in Lung Cancer: Studying the Role of Immunomodulatory Therapies in Reducing Cardiotoxicity and Vascular Injury. "InCaRe".

AREAS OF INTEREST

1. Identify new therapeutic targets in lung cancer with potential for clinical application. Investigate and characterize molecular targets in lung cancer cells that show high potential for clinical translation, with the goal of developing more effective and personalized therapies for patients.
2. Develop specific inhibitors for the newly identified targets. Design and synthesize specific inhibitors aimed at the discovered molecular targets, assessing their efficacy and selectivity in preclinical lung cancer models.
3. Uncover the mechanisms of resistance to current therapies in lung cancer. Analyze both primary and acquired resistance mechanisms to current lung cancer treatments, with the aim of identifying vulnerabilities that can resensitize tumor cells and improve treatment response.
4. Explore novel therapeutic combinations to enhance treatment effectiveness. Evaluate new drug combinations that may boost the efficacy of current treatments or overcome resistance in lung cancer, to provide more effective therapeutic options for patients who do not respond to conventional therapies.