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Javier García-Sancho#


Professor of Physiology and Group Leader
Institute for Molecular Biology & Genetics (IBGM), University of Valladolid and Spanish National Research Council

Main Interests:

Cell signalling, Membrane Biophysics, Calcium signalling, Cell Therapy, Regenerative Medicine

Background:
  • M.D., University of Valladolid (1972)
  • Ph.D., University of Valladolid (1974)
  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Biological Chemistry, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA (1975 & 1976)
  • Associate Professor of Physiology, Univ. of Santander & U. Valladolid, Spain (1977-1982)
  • Visiting Professor, The Physiological Laboratory, Univ. of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K. (1982-83)
  • Professor or Physiology, University of Valladolid, Spain (1983-)
  • Visiting Professor, Howard Hughes Institute, Univ. of California, San Diego, CA, USA. (1997-98)
  • Visiting Professor, Institute for Neurosciences, Univ. Miguel Hernández & CSIC, Alicante (2006)

Present activity:

Professor of Physiology in the Medical School, University of Valladolid (UVa), and Group Leader of the Cell Activation Unit of the Institute for Molecular Biology & Genetics (IBGM), a joint venture of the UVa and the Spanish Research Council (CSIC).

Scientific History:

Our group’s main focus is on Cell Activation, especially on aspects related to the role of Ca2+ as second messenger. During the last 25 years our group has studied Ca2+ signaling in relation to physiological functions and pathophysioly of blood cells, anterior pituitary, pancreatic islets, chromaffin cells and neurons. During the last few years we have been interested on the possibility of restoring lost function by Cell Therapy procedures and we have promoted translational research in this field through the Spanish Cell Therapy Network.

Current Grant Projects:
  • Calcium and cell function (Spanish Ministry of Education), covering several aspects of signaling including role of STIM and Orai proteins, calcium handling by organelles and role of TRPV1 receptors in endoplasmic reticulum.
  • Disturbance of calcium processing by intracellular organelles in the ER-mitochondria calcium cycle in a triple mutant model of Alzheimer disease (ERA-Net NEURON JTC 2008).
  • Several translational projects through the Spanish Cell Therapy Network (Coordinator; Spanish National Institute of Health Carlos III).
  • EU (H2020. RESPINE) 2017-2020. REgenerative therapy of intervertebral disc: a double blind phase 2b trial of intradiscal injection of mesenchymal stromal cells in degenerative disc disease of the lumbar SPINE unresponsive to conventional therapy — RESPINE (‘action’). Leader of WP2 (Cell production).

Relevant positions
  • Member of the following societies: Spanish Societies for Physiological Sciences, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Biophysics and Gene and Cell Therapy (SETGyC). European Association for Red Blood Cell Research, Physiological Society (U.K.), American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Academia Europaea
  • Chairman of the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Valladolid (1986-1989)
  • Director of the Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, a joint venture of the University of Valladolid and the Spanish Research Council (2000-2004).
  • President of the Biomedicine Committee, Spanish Commission for Evaluation of Research (1995-1996)
  • Coordinator of the Physiology and Pharmacology Committee of the Spanish Agency for Research Evaluation and Prospective (ANEP) (2002-2004).
  • Coordinator of the Spanish Cell Therapy Network (TerCel) of the National Institute of Health Carlos III (2003-2010)
  • Member of the Guarantee Committee for Donation and Use of Human Cells and Tissues (2005-2011)
  • President of the Spanish Society for Gene and Cell Therapy (SETGyC), (2013-2015)
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