Oncometabolism and TME lab
The Oncometabolism and Tumour Microenvironment (TME) Laboratory investigates how metabolic alterations and other host factors, including tissue ecosystems, affect cancer cell plasticity to drive tumor progression and metastasis, especifically in uro-oncological tumours (renal and prostate cancer). By integrating cancer and molecular biology, transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics and imaging techniques, we aim at uncovering mechanisms that can be targeted through personalized medicine to improve cancer survival.
Main research lines
1- Studying key factors promoting cell transformation, metastasis and aggressive features in different renal tumour microenvironments, specifically in renal cell clear cell carcinomas (ccRCC) and fumarate hydratase (FH)-deficient renal tumours. Ascertaining the role that collagens play in promoting cell invasion, migration and metastasis.
2- Role of the cell cycle regulator HIRA loss as an oncogenic event and aggressive trait in renal tumours. Based on out previous knowledge (Valcarcel-Jimenez L. et al, Science Advances 2022) we aim at studying the effect of HIRA loss in renal cancer progression.
3- Deciphering alterations in the extracellular matrix (ECM) promoting prostate cancer (PCa) aggressiveness. In the lab we aim at discovering factors altering the ECM, that could contribute to disease progression to develop better patient stratification and therapeutic strategies (collaboration with Dr. Verónica Torrano).
Members
Lorea Valcárcel Jiménez- Ramón y Cajal, Ikerbasque research fellow and CRIS contra el cáncer emerging leader. She is interested in understanding how cells become tumorigenic in uro-oncological diseases, studying the transcriptomic and metabolic pathways rewired in them both from a cell-intrinsic and extrinsic point of view. Lorea obtained her PhD at the CICbiogune studying the transcriptional control of prostate cancer metabolism. Later, she carried out a postdoctoral training at the MRC Cancer unit (University of Cambridge) and CECAD (University of Cologne) where she studied oncogenic events and metabolic adaptations of FH-deficient renal cancers and clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCC). ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7309-9924.
Email: lorea.valcarcel@ehu.eus
Paula Alonso Ortega- Research technician and PhD candidate. She investigates, from a multidisciplinary perspective, oncogenic events associated with renal cancer progression and tumorigenesis. She was born in Cantabria, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from the University of the Basque Country, and completed a Master’s degree in Genetics and Cell Biology at the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM). Her undergraduate thesis focused on the genetic regulation of the inflammatory response mediated by interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), as well as the role of E2F transcription factors in this regulatory process, in the context of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Later, during her master´s degree she worked on cancer research, identifying new therapeutic strategies for castration-resistant prostate cancer through modulation of intracellular prostaglandin E2 (iPGE2) metabolism. Her work focused on evaluating its impact on 15-PGDH activity and tumor aggressiveness.
Email: paula.alonso@ehu.eus
Benoit Lectez- Postdoctoral researcher.
Undergraduate students
Aitor Gavilán
June Ibañez (AECC prácticas durante el curso)
Past members
Aimar Gamboa (Beca Ikasiker curso 2025/2026)
Ainara Peñafiel (Beca Ikasiker verano 2024)