SÁNCHEZ DE ALCÁZAR MELENDO, Daniel

Academic training

PhD in Molecular Biology and Biomedicine, UNIVERSIDAD DEL PAÍS VASCO
Master's Degree in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biomedicine, UNIVERSIDAD COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID
Degree in Biochemistry, UNIVERSIDAD COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID

Professional experience

Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry in 2013 from the Complutense University of Madrid and my Master’s in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biomedicine in 2014 from the same university. In 2015, I completed an internship at IMDEA Nanoscience, focusing on protein engineering under the supervision of Aitziber López Cortajarena. This experience gave me my first hands-on exposure to protein expression and purification.
From 2016 to 2020, I pursued my PhD in Molecular Biology and Biomedicine at the University of the Basque Country, working at the CICbiomaGUNE research center (San Sebastián) under the supervision of Prof. Aitziber L. Cortajarena. My research centered on using consensus tetratricopeptide repeat proteins (CTPRs) to design and synthesize novel functional biomaterials.
These proteins have an intrinsic “head-to-tail” and “side-to-side” self-assembly property, enabling them to form films. I leveraged this capability to fabricate nanostructured films with optical properties suitable for laser applications, demonstrating their potential as sensors. Additionally, these protein-based biomaterials were used as scaffolds to immobilize enzymes, such as catalase, exploiting the hydrogen peroxide dismutation reaction to generate electrical current by coupling the system to a piezoelectric device. Furthermore, I employed CTPRs to create nanotubes, where the proteins’ helical tertiary structure allowed for compact tube formation. This work laid the foundation for designing new supramolecular structures.
I also contributed to the development of biohybrid White Light Emission Diodes (bioHWLEDs) using protein-based polymers, resulting in a durable and functional material with significant potential to replace outdated OLED technology. Throughout this period, I collaborated on several high-impact projects that resulted in publications and ultimately led to my integration into a postdoctoral research group.
As a postdoctoral researcher at CIC nanoGUNE and POLYMAT, under Dr. Ana Beloqui’s supervision, I expanded my knowledge of protein-polymer hybrids for the fabrication of macro- and nanomaterials, which enhanced my multidisciplinary training. I worked on various projects using Single Enzyme Nanogels (SENs), where nanomaterials are generated through polymerization around a protein, forming a capsule only 2-5 nm thick. This polymeric capsule can be functionalized with different groups, such as carboxyls, amines, and imidazoles. I focused on developing nanomaterials for biomedical applications, including a fluorometric sensor for glucose detection in tears.
In my second postdoctoral position, I was awarded a Juan de la Cierva Formación fellowship to work at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) under the supervision of Prof. Samuel Sánchez. My current research focuses on developing nanomotor projects, including the production of recombinant urease for nanomotor fabrication and catalase-based nanomotors, studying the fundamental aspects of the motion.