Nanoprobes and Nanoswitches

Research in the laboratory focuses on developing nanoscale tools to study biological systems. These tools include instrumentation based on proximity probes, such as electrochemical tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy and single molecule force spectroscopy, that we apply to investigate electron transfer in individual redox proteins, and other biophysical and biochemical interactions.

These studies are relevant to understand lipid membrane dynamics, to the development of biosensors and molecular electronics devices, and have led to the discovery of long-distance electrochemically gated electron transport between partner proteins of the respiratory and photosynthetic chains.

Another set of nanotools that we are developing is based on engineered molecular actuators that can be switched with light, such as azobenzene, which can be chemically attached to biomolecules in order to remotely control their activity (photopharmacology). They include peptide inhibitors of protein-protein interactions, small molecule enzymatic inhibitors, and photoswitchable ligands of a diversity of other proteins.

Among several applications, these compounds have enabled photoactivated chemotherapy, photocontrol of cellular signaling mediated by ion channels and G protein-coupled receptors, photocontrol of cardiac activity and locomotion, sensory restoration, and photocontrol of brain waves.

Based on these tools, we have also developed two-photon pharmacology to manipulate and study the activity of neurons and glia in intact brain tissue with pharmacological selectivity and sub-cellular three-dimensional resolution.

CURRENT STAFF

Pau Gorostiza Langa

Group Leader / ICREA Research Professor

+34 934 020 208

pgorostizaibecbarcelona.eu

Researcher profile

ALUMNI LIST

• Dr. Juan Manuel Artés. Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.  
• Dr. Marisabel Bahamonde-Santos. Postdoctoral researcher at the Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona. 
• Dr. Antonio Bautista. Data scientist at the data science and analytics company Le Wagon in Bordeaux. 
• Dr. Miquel Bosch. Assistant Professor at the International University of Catalonia in Barcelona. 
• Dr. Amir Broomand.
• Dr. Rossella Castagna. Assistant Professor at the Latvian Institute of Organic Chemistry in Riga and in the Politecnico di Milano. 
• Dr. Aida Garrido-Charles. Alexander vonHumboldt postdoctoral fellow at the University of Göttingen.
• Dr. Alexandre Gomila-Juaneda. Postdoctoral fellow at the University of Barcelona. 
• Dr. Berta Gumí. Project manager at the clinical research consulting company Teamit in Barcelona. 
• Dr. Mercè Izquierdo-Serra. Associate Professor at the University of Barcelona. 
• Dr. Montserrat López-Martínez. Postdoctoral fellow at the Technical University of Vienna. 
• Dr. Manuel López-Ortiz. Postdoctoral researcher at the University of Rostock.
• Dr. Andrés Martín-Quirós. Manager atthe technology consulting company EY in Barcelona. 
• Dr. Carlo Matera. Associate Professor at the University of Milan. 
• Dr. Silvia Pittolo. Marie Slodowska Curie postdoctoral fellow at the University of California in San Francisco and Max Delbrück Center in Berlin. 
• Dr. Marta Pozuelo Ruiz
• Dr. Davia Prischich. Postdoctoral fellow at the Imperial College, London. 
• Dr. Lorena Redondo-Morata. Researcher at the Pasteur Institute in Lille.
• Dr. Fabio Riefolo. Project manager at the clinical research consulting company Teamit in Barcelona. 
• Dr. Ricardo Zamora Brito

Undergraduates, master students, and other researchers

• Luca Agnetta, Visiting Researcher
• Adam Ali Dahbi Skali, Masters Student
• Maria Elena Antinori, Masters Student
• Esther Argüelles Marcos, Research Assistant
• Blai Barberà Bertrans, Undergraduate Student
• Felipe Caballero Briones, Postdoctoral Researcher
• Eric Calatayud Gómez, Undergraduate Student
• Pablo Calvé Pérez, Masters Student
• Francesco Calzaferri, Masters Student
• Maria Cambra Pellejà, Undergraduate Student
• Àlex Carreté Bello, Masters Student
• Maria Casademont Cavero, Undergraduate Student
• Laura Casas Ferrer, Masters Student
• Pere Català Quilis, Undergraduate Student
• Alejandro Cebrián Ortiz, Undergraduate Student
• Àlvar Claparols Carrasco, Masters Student
• Adrián Crespo Villanueva, Masters Student
• Fernanda Da Silva Andrade, PhD Student
• Nadim Darwish, Postdoctoral Researcher
• Paula de Saralegui Cabot, Undergraduate Student
• Genís Del Pino Vives, Undergraduate Student
• Ismael Díez Pérez, Visiting Researcher
• Beatriu Domingo Tafalla, Masters Student
• Judit Donada Oliu, Masters Student
• Joël Donkeng Dazie, Visiting Researcher
• Jose Antonio Durán Mota, Masters Student
• Gustavo Echeveste, Masters Student
• Safae El Jellouli Bota, Undergraduate Student
• Victòria Englert González, High School / Voc. Training
• Míriam Ferrer Huerta, Masters Student
• Mattia Ferrero, Undergraduate Student
• Marta Forcella, Masters Student
• Coral Fustero Torre, Undergraduate Student
• Ignasi Garcia Ibañez, undergraduate
• Lídia García Guillamón, Undergraduate Student
• Hubert Gerwe, Visiting Researcher
• Irene Giménez Gonzalez, High School / Voc. Training
• Arnaud Giraudet, Undergraduate Student
• Alfredo Maria Gravagnuolo
• Iñigo Hierro Rivero, Masters Student
• Javier Hoyo Pérez, PhD Student
• Mariana Köber, Visiting Researcher
• Alvaro Lahiguera
• Michela Libergoli, Masters Student
• Lia Lima , Undergraduate Student
• Aaron Mañas Marin, Undergraduate Student
• Santiago Martin Solans
• Alejandro Martín Rodríguez, PhD Student
• Xavier Martínez Soler, Undergraduate Student
• Marta Masó Martínez, Masters Student
• Sònia Matencio Lloberas, Masters Student
• Debora Mazzetti, Masters Student
• Mireia Novell Cardona, Undergraduate Student
• Claudia Orabona Masters Student
• Sthefany Ortiz Tescari, Undergraduate Student
• Alissa Jayne Owen, Undergraduate Student (erasmus)
• Andras-Robert Pal Polgar, Undergraduate Student
• Anna Palacios Padrós, PhD Student
• Jaume Palou Fusté, Senior Researcher
• Claudio Papotto, Masters Student
• Laia Pasquina Lemonche, Masters Student
• Marina Pedrola Teixell, Undergraduate Student
• Sara Peña Gutiérrez, Undergraduate Student
• Deborah Pirovano, Masters Student
• Santiago Pons Allés, Masters Student
• Judit Prat Trunas, Undergraduate Student
• Beatrice Preda, Masters Student
• Guillermo Prol Castelo, Undergraduate Student
• Josecarlo Alejandro Quintanilla Ibarra, Undergraduate Student
• Cristian Ramos Guerra, Undergraduate Student
• Sara Redondi, Masters Student
• Ivan Rimmaudo
• Cristina Rivero Martí, Undergraduate Student
• Silvia Roda, Masters Student
• Karin Rustler, Masters Student
• Ewa Rzad, Undergraduate Student (erasmus)
• Júlia Sanz Farnós, Undergraduate Student
• Veronica Sarasso, Postgraduate Student
• Christian Seca, Undergraduate Student
• Silvia Sodric Hidalgo, Masters Student
• Karolina Szczesna, Undergraduate Student
• Maria del Carmen Torres Martín-Mora, Masters Student
• Iro Tsintzou, Masters Student
• Simone Vitiello, PhD Student
• Pamina Winkler, Visiting Researcher
• Daniel Wutz, PhD Student

• iMic molecular imaging system
• Electrochemical scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) for molecular imaging
• Asylum Research Molecular Force Probe
• Multimode SPM Nanoscope III (SCT-UB)
• Autolab potentiostat
• Patch clamp setup with Heka EPC10 amplifier
• Molecular Imaging Electrochemical STM

• Prof. Amadeu Llebaria
  Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (IQAC-CSIC)
• Prof. Ernest Giralt
  Dept. de Química Orgànica, Universitat de Barcelona
• Prof. Miquel Àngel Pericàs
  Institut Català d’Investigació Química (ICIQ), Tarragona
• Dr. Piotr Bregestovski
  Institut de Neurobiologie de la Mediterraneé (INMED), Marseille
• Dr. Mireia Oliva
  Dept. de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica, Universitat de Barcelona
• Dr. Artur Llobet
  Dept. Patología y Terapéutica Experimental, Universitat de Barcelona
• Dr. Joan Torrent
  Escola Universitària d’Òptica i Optometria de Terrassa, Spain
• Prof. Dirk Trauner
  Chemistry Dept., UC Berkeley, USA
• Prof. Carles Solsona
  Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics Dept, UB
• Prof. Francisco Ciruela
  ICREA / Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
• Prof. Jesús Giraldo & Dr. Jordi Hernando
  Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
• Niek van Hulst, Michael Krieg, Pablo Loza
  Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO)
• Carme Rovira
  ICREA, Universitat de Barcelona
• Pedro de la Villa
  Universidad de Alcalá de Henares
• Eduardo Fernández
  Universitat Miguel Hernández
• Burkhard König
  Regensburg University
• Michael Decker
  Regensburg University
• Elisabet Romero
  Institut Català d’Investigació Química (ICIQ), Tarragona
• Ismael Díez-Pérez
  King’s College London
• Andrea Barberis
  Italian Institute of Technology
• Roberta Croce
  Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
• Gertrudis Perea
  Instituto Cajal
• Irene Díaz-Moreno, Miguel Ángel de la Rosa, Antonio Díaz-Quintana
  Instituto de Investigaciones Químicas, Universidad de Sevilla
• Joan Torrent
  Escola Universitària d’Òptica i Optometria de Terrassa, Spain
• Jordi Hernando, Ramon Alibés, Félix Busque, Josep Maria Lluch
  Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain

We are happy to receive CVs and enquiries from talented individuals. Prospective students and staff are encouraged to contact us to discuss possibilities. Please feel free to suggest new projects, areas of research or new ideas. You can visit the jobs page to find currents job openings in all IBEC groups or administration positions.