Researcher

Anna Aviñó is a Research Associate at the Biomedical Research Networking Centre for Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN, CB06/01/0019). She obtained her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Barcelona in 1996. She then undertook postdoctoral research at the Rega Institute in Leuven, Belgium, and at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany. She currently works at the Nucleic Acids Chemistry Group of the Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC). Her research interests include the synthesis and structural analysis of non-canonical DNA and RNA, including quadruplexes, triplexes, and i-motifs. She has extensive experience in preparing conjugates of therapeutic oligonucleotides with proteins, lipids, peptides, carbohydrates, and intercalating agents, with the aim of enhancing their effectiveness. Additionally, she is interested in designing and synthesising oligonucleotides for diagnostic purposes.

She is the coordinator of Oligonucleotide Synthesis Platform (NANBIOSIS Unit 29) that is devoted to preparing modified oligonucleotides containing special nucleotides or attached molecules for improving their delivery or stability. The main applications are in the field of therapeutic oligonucleotides. These include aptamers, siRNAs, antisense and microRNAs. The service is also focused on synthesizing modified oligonucleotide probes for detecting sequences involved in various diseases or pathogens.

Dr Aviñó’s main scientific contribution is her understanding of the impact of modified nucleotides on different modalities of oligonucleotide therapeutics. Furthermore, she made a valuable contribution to the preparation and biophysical analysis of probes for triplex formation detection, which have been adapted to different biosensor techniques. Finally, she has exploited the oligomerization of antimetabolite nucleosides as a new therapeutic strategy.

Ramon Eritja Casadellá, a member of the CB06/01/0019 CIBER-BBN holds a degree in Chemistry and in Pharmacy from University of Barcelona obtained in 1977 and 1982 respectively. He completed his PhD at University of Barcelona in 1983 in solid-phase peptide synthesis supervised by Prof. Ernest Giralt. Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. Itakura’s (Beckman Research Institute at Hope, CA, USA, 1984-1988) and Dr. Caruthers’s (University of Colorado at Boulder, USA, 1988-1989) laboratories. He returned to University of Barcelona in 1989. He became Tenure Scientist at CSIC in Barcelona in 1990. Then, in 1994, he moved to EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany as Group Leader and responsible of DNA synthesis facility at EMBL. He returned to Barcelona as Research Professor at CSIC leading the Nucleic Acid Chemistry Group in 1999. He was an invited member of the IRB Barcelona (2006-2012) and director of institute (IQAC, 2012-2017). He is a member of the Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine of Spain (CIBER-BBN) since 2006 being responsible of the Nucleic Acid Chemistry Research Group.

The Nucleic Acid Chemistry Research Group focuses on the preparation and evaluation of novel modified oligonucleotides with potential interest in diagnostic and therapeutic applications. With more than 40 years’ experience in Nucleic Acids Chemistry the group is well-known for their activities in oligonucleotide synthesis being selected for the presidency of the international society of nucleotides, nucleotides and nucleic acids (IS3NA). In addition the group supervises the  Oligonucleotide Synthesis Platform (NANBIOSIS Unit 29). This platform focus their services in providing modified oligonucleotides that are difficult to obtain from commercial sources. These include microgram to milligram amounts of DNA and RNA derivatives carrying several modifications as well as oligonucleotide conjugates carrying lipids, membrane-receptors ligands, carbohydrates and peptides designed for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes.

Dr. Eritja’s main scientific contributions include: 1) Development of novel RNA derivatives to enhance specific gene silencing properties of siRNA by RNA interference, including nuclease resistant siRNAs, lipid-RNA and development of lipid formulation for siRNA transfection. 2) Modulation of the structural parameters of non-canonical DNA structures such as G-quadruplex, i-motif and parallel duplex by chemical modification. 3) Development of oligonucleotides carrying 8-aminopurines for enhanced binding by triple helix formation. 4) Functionalization of DNA bidimensional arrays and DNA origami. 5) Synthesis and properties of oligonucleotides carrying non-natural nucleobases for the study of mutagenesis, DNA repair, and DNA methylase inhibition. 6) Development of novel oligonucleotide-peptide and DNA-protein conjugates. His background in Pharmacy is a valuable asset in the investigation of new therapeutic approaches.