The studies developed by our group have contributed to identify the mechanism of cannabinoid anticancer activity, and the factors for resistance to the action of these agents in gliomas and have led to the development of several cannabinoid-based combinatory strategies that have been translated into clinical studies. Likewise work in his group has contributed to clarify the mechanisms involved in autophagy-mediated cancer cell death as well as the role of Tribbles proteins in cancer.

Our main lines of research are the following:

1. Optimization of the use of cannabinoids and other antitumor agents in Gliomas
   Main findings: Identification of Amphiregulin and Midkine as resistance factors to the anti-tumor action of cannabinoids. Identification of the synergistic action of cannabinoids with Temozolomide (TMZ) in Glioblastoma (GBM) via enhances autophagy activation. Contribution to the development of the GEINOCANN clinical study (ongoing in 2024)
2. Analysis of the role of the Midkine/ALK axis in GBM
   Main findings: Identification of MDK as a poor prognostic factor and of the MDK/ALK axis as a potential therapeutic target in GBM. Identification of SOX9 seletive autophagic degradation as a factor that regulates the self-renewal capacity of Glioma stem-like cells, Contribution to the development of the GEINO 1402 clinical study that supports the idea that ALK inhibition with Crizotinib may be useful for the treatment of patients with GBM.
3. Analysis of the mechanisms responsible for the stimulation of cell death mediated by autophagy.
   Main findings: Identification of the mechanism by which cannabinoids and other drugs stimulate autophagy-mediated cancer death via modification of the sphingolipid profile of autophagosomes.
4. Analysis of the role of different genes related to autophagy in cancer.
   Main findings: Contribution to the Identification of the role of AMBRA1 as a tumor suppressor as well as its mechanism of action through the regulation of autophagy, the stability of c-myc, and cyclin D.
5. Analysis of the role of Tribble proteins in cancer.
   Main findings: Identification of the tumor suppressor role of TRIB3 in animal models of cancer.