UBIRed is a network committed to improve the quality, productivity and impact of the research groups in Spain specialised in the study ofubiquitin and UBL proteins and their roles in cell proliferation, differentiation and cancer.
Post-translational modification with ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins (UBLs) is an essential biological process that regulates celular mechanisms such as cell cycle, chromatin structure, transcription, morphogenesis, differentiation, cellular response to stress and immune response. Aberrations in these processes are implicated in human diseases such as cancer. Therefore, pharmaceutical companies are very interested in developing drugs that could modulate UBLs activities. However, many unresolved scientific questions must be addressed to accelerate the successful translation of basic research into medical application. Resolution of some of these questions requires integrated approaches that demand critical mass and technical know-how of groups with different expertises. UBIRed proposes to integrate the efforts made by Spanish research teams to better understand the role of UBLs in cancer and to translate novel discoveries into products of clinical and/or economical value.
The main objectives are:
- To improve high-quality collaborations between national groups working in this field of research.
- To foster technological development and knowledge in the field
- To increase the transfer of knowledge from basic to applied science developing new diagnostic and therapeutic
techniques and tools.
In summary, the expected impact of UBIRed is to develop strategies aiming at modulating UBL modification processes to better diagnose and/or cure those cancers in which UBLs conjugation is involved. In this manner, we expect to increase Spanish scientific leadership in this highly competitive field and to translate scientific knowledge into cutting-edge innovations that will improve human health.