PROJECT
SUPERVISORS
Project Supervisor
Laura Belver
Background
I did my PhD at the Spanish National Cancer Center (CNIO) in Madrid. My thesis project studied the role of microRNAs in B-cell differentiation and demonstrated their strict requirement for preventing the development of B-cell-driven autoimmunity.
After graduating, I relocated to New York to join Columbia University as a postdoctoral researcher. During this period, my work mainly focused on the study of the genetic and molecular basis of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Among my contributions to the field, the most significant was the identification of GATA3 as a key element in T-ALL pathogenesis, positioning this transcription factor as a promising therapeutic target. The relevance of this finding was broadly recognized with the Acute Leukemia Forum Young Investigator Award, the American Society of Hematology Abstract Achievement Award, and the European School of Hematology Early Career International Award. Since August 2020, I have been leading my own research group at the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute in Barcelona. Our main interest is the study of the molecular mechanisms driving blood cancers and the development of experimental therapies for the treatment of these diseases.
Research
Our work combines molecular biology, biochemistry, experimental therapeutics, and bioinformatics approaches with in vitro and in vivo models to identify new therapeutic targets and develop novel treatments for different types of leukemia.
One of our main areas of interest is PTPN11, a gene frequently mutated in leukemia and associated with poor patient prognosis. By analyzing the aberrant activity of non-coding regulatory sequences, we have uncovered previously overlooked molecular mechanisms driving the oncogenic effects of mutant PTPN11. In addition, drug screenings have allowed us to identify novel compounds capable of counteracting its pathological activity. Beyond PTPN11, we are exploring GATA3 as a potential therapeutic target in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). By elucidating the structure of this transcription factor, we aim to design strategies to block its activity and achieve antileukemic effects. Overall, our goal is to develop new therapeutic approaches for leukemia patients who currently face limited treatment options and poor outcomes.
Publications
Campagnari A, Belver L (2024). NOTCH1-induced T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in vivo models. In: Čemažar M, Jesenko T, Tratar UL, editors. Mouse Models of Cancer: Methods and Protocols. Springer Nature.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3714-2_2
Antoszewski M, Fournier N, Ruiz Buendía GA, Lourenco J, Liu Y, Sugrue T, Dubey C, Nkosi M, Pritchard CEJ, Huijbers IJ, Segat GC, Alonso-Moreno S, Serracanta E, Belver L, Ferrando AA, Ciriello G, Weng AP, Koch U, Radtke F (2022). Tcf1 is essential for initiation of oncogenic Notch1-driven chromatin topology in T-ALL. Blood, 139(16):2483-2498.
https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.2021012077
Fiñana C, Gómez-Molina N, Alonso-Moreno S, Belver L (2022). Genomic and Epigenomic Landscape of Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia. Cancers, 14:1335-1355.
https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14051335
Belver L, Yang AY, Albero R, Herranz D, Brundu FG, Quinn SA, Pérez-Durán P, Álvarez S, Gianni F, Rashkovan M, Gurung D, Rocha PP, Raviram R, Reglero C, Cortés JR, Cooke AJ, Wendorff AA, Cordó V, Meijerink JP, Rabadan R, Ferrando AA (2019). GATA3-Controlled Nucleosome Eviction Drives MYC Enhancer Activity in T-cell Development and Leukemia. Cancer Discovery, 9(12):1774-1791.
https://doi.org/10.1158/2159-8290.CD-19-0471
Belver L, Ferrando AA (2016). The genetics and mechanisms of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Nature Reviews Cancer, 16(8):494-507.
https://doi.org/10.1038/nrc.2016.63