MÉNDEZ FERNÁNDEZ, Olga

Academic training

PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Autonomous University of Barcelona
Degree in Biology, Autonomous University of Barcelona

Professional experience

In July 2021 I joined the Biomedical Research group in Urology at Vall d ́Hebron Institut de Recerca, where I am focusing on the study of BRCA2 prostate tumors biology, trying to obtain new therapeutic approaches to broaden the available drugs to be used in the clinic. I am
also involved in improving the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer through the use of artificial intelligence in two different projects. The project Tartaglia (national, 987.624 €) where I am a collaborator and the Project Flute (HORIZON-HLTH-2022-IND-13-02 topic, 490.375€) where I am co-principal investigator. Moreover, I have been recently awarded as a principal investigator of a I+D+i project from the Instituto de salud Carlos III (expedient number PI23/01310).
I did my PhD in the Institut de Recerca Oncològica (IRO) studying the role of loss of apoptosis and genetic instability in the metastatic progression of breast cancer (Hospital de Bellvitge, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona). I obtained my PhD in biology in the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in the year 2002. I was granted a 4-year PhD fellowship from the Generalitat de Cataluña (AGAUR). In the year 2003 I started my postdoctoral training in Columbia University in the city of New York, in the Institute for Cancer Genetics. There, I studied the role of the helicase Bach 1 in breast cancer genetic instability. I was granted a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship from the Ministerio de Educación, cultura y deporte. In 2005, I joined as a postdoctoral researcher the Pathology Department of New York University. There, I studied the role of HIF-1a and hypoxia in the development of gliobastoma multiforme. In 2009 I joined the Tumoral Biomarkers
laboratory in the Vall d ́Hebron Institute of Oncology, where we set up the methodology to work with the secretomes of tumoral cells. Using this approach, we studied the contribution of nonclassical secretion to breast cancer invasion and metastasis. This allowed us to uncover a new extracellular function linked to invasion and metastasis for HMGA1, a known co- transcription factor. From 2017 to 2019 I was awarded with a contract from the "Pla Estratègic de Recerca i Innovació en Salut" (PERIS) from the Generalitat de Catalunya.
I am author of 23 publications. I have mentored several undergraduate and master students doing their rotation in our laboratory. I am member of ASEICA (Asociación Española de Investigación sobre el Cáncer). I have also given several scientific talks in meetings, master
studies and in specific formative courses. I am at the same time participating in informative actions to make science closer to society, such as the Movember movement or activities to explain science to kids.