In the Biomolecular Design and Structural Nanomedicine Group, our research sits at the interface of protein design, structural biology, artificial intelligence (AI), and synthetic biology. We leverage AI-driven approaches to design novel protein cages, nanomachines, and therapeutic biomolecules with precise functions, and combine these with cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and studies of viral architectures to explore new ways of manipulating biological systems. Our goal is to understand fundamental processes in cancer and translate these advances into nanomedicine, developing cutting-edge tools and therapeutic platforms to address critical challenges in human health. Our research includes AI-driven biomolecular design of novel proteins for targeted therapeutic and diagnostic applications; cryo-EM methods development, including the creation of imaging scaffolds for the structure determination of small proteins; and structural nanomedicine, harnessing virus-like particles and designed protein cages for precision drug delivery and cancer therapy.
Research Scientists
- Pablo San Segundo
Graduate Students
- Miguel Sánchez
Recent publications
- (2024). Design of a symmetry-broken tetrahedral protein cage by a method of internal steric occlusion. Protein Sci 33, e4973. Publication in other institutions.
- (2024). A suite of designed protein cages using machine learning and protein fragment-based protocols. Structure 32, 751-765. Publication in other institutions.
- (2024). Unravelling the Maturation Pathway of a Eukaryotic Virus through Cryo-EM.. BioRxiv (in press). Publication in other institutions.
- (2023). Cryo-EM structure determination of small therapeutic protein targets at 3 Å-resolution using a rigid imaging scaffold. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 120, e2305494120. Publication in other institutions.