LABORATORY OF CANCER BIOLOGY

Principal Investigators

Dra. María Marta Facchinetti
Dr. Alejandro Curino

Research lines

The Cancer Biology Laboratory investigates the role of specific cellular proteins, including heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), the vitamin D receptor (VDR), the transcriptional cofactor p300, and Rho GTPases, in the development, progression, and potential regression of different types of cancer.

The laboratory also investigates the mechanisms of action of these proteins through the use of specific inhibitors that may serve as potential therapeutic tools. Preclinical studies are conducted to evaluate the antitumor effects of natural compounds, including purified extracts obtained from native fungi and plants, as well as chemically synthesized compounds, such as novel vitamin D analogs. These studies employ tissue samples obtained from the human tumor biobank, cultured cell lines, and animal models of cancer.

Researchers / Fellows

Dra. Georgina Coló
Dra. Maria Julia Ferronato
Dra. Eugenia Fermento
Dra. Eliana Alonso
Dr. Sebastián Giunti
Dr. Exequiel Alonso
Lic. Valentina Clemente
Lic. Karen Schweitzer
Clara Tais Madsen
Ana Cruz

Collaborators

Marilina Mascaró
Mariela Agotegaray
Cristian Vitale
Gabriel Radivoy
Julián Arévalo
Sergio Recio
Pamela Pichel
Jessica Carballido
Pablo Postemsky
Martin Abba
Ezequiel Lacunza
Alfredo Quevedo
Jorge Blasco

Former members

Dra. Marilina Mascaró
Farm. Lucía Fernández Chávez
Farm. Agustina Ibarra
Bioq. Guillermina Gallardo
Dr. Ariel Gandini
Dr. Diego Obiol

Selected publications

Alonso, EG.; Mascaró, M; Schweitzer, K; Giorgi, G; Carballido, J A.; Ibarra, A; Clemente, V; Pichel, P; Recio, S; Fernández Chavez, L; Coló, G P; Alonso, E; Ferronato, M; Fermento, M; Facchinetti, M; Curino, A. Heme-Oxygenase-1: A Key Player In Thyroid Carcinoma Development .Endocrine Related Cancer 2025, 10.1530/ERC-25-0177.
Fernández Chávez L., Schweitzer K., Alonso E, Ferrronato J, Fermento M, Alonso EN., Facchinetti, M., Curino, A.C and Coló, G.P. GEF-H1 drives breast cancer cells to tumor progression. BBA-Molecular Basis of Disease 2025, 1871(5):167816. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2025.167816
Coló, G.P., Schweitzer K., Oresti, M., Alonso E., Fernández Chávez L., Mascaró, M., Giorgi G., Curino, A. and Facchinetti MM. Proteomic analysis of the effect of hemin in breast cancer. Scientific Reports 2023, 13, 10091. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-35125-4.
Mascaró M., Alonso EG., Schweitzer K., Rabassa M., Carballido J., Ibarra A., Alonso EN., Bermúdez V., Fernández Chávez L., Coló GP., Ferronato MJ., Pichel P., Recio S., Clemente V., Fermento ME., Facchinetti MM., Curino AC. Hemoxygenase-1 promotes head and Neck Cancer cell viability. Antioxidants 2022, 11(10):2077. doi: 10.3390/antiox11102077.
Heme oxygenase-1 has an antitumor role in breast cancer. Gandini NA, Alonso EN, Fermento ME, Mascaró M, Abba MC, Coló GC, Arévalo J, Ferronato MJ, Guevara JA, Nuñez M, Pichel P, Curino AC, Facchinetti MM. Antioxidants & Redox Signalling. 2019, 30(18):2030-2049. doi: 10.1089/ars.2018.7554.
Vitamin D Receptor Expression is Associated with Improved Overall Survival in Human Glioblastoma Multiforme. Salomón, DG; Fermento, ME; Gandini, NA; Ferronato, MJ; Arévalo, J; Blasco, J; Andrés, NC; Zenklusen, JC; Curino, AC & Facchinetti, MM. Journal of Neuro-Oncology. 2014, 118:49-60. doi: 10.1007/s11060-014-1416-3.

Awards

2019 Premio Lucio Cherny al mejor trabajo de investigación. “Integrin-mechanosignaling role in small GTPases activation and cancer”. Georgina Coló, et al. Otorgado por la Sociedad Argentina de Investigaciones Clínicas en la Reunión Anual de Sociedades de Biociencia, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
2025 Premio JCI TOYP a los jóvenes sobresalientes de la provincia de Buenos Aires. Dr Exequiel Alonso.
2020 Premio JCI TOYP a los jóvenes sobresalientes de la provincia de Buenos Aires. Dra. Georgina Coló. Àrea Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico, Bahía Blanca, Argentina.

Contacts:

DRA. MARÍA MARTA FACCHINETTI

faccinm@criba.edu.ar

+ 54 291 4037195

DR. ALEJANDRO CURINO

acurino@criba.edu.ar

+ 54 291 4037195