María Inmaculada Calvo Sánchez
Jesús Espada Regalado

Sandra Fernández Martos
Marta Escobar Gómez-Rodulfo
Ana Lobo Aldezábal

Beatriz Gálvez Martínez

Richard Meehan (MRC Human Genetics Unit, University of Edinburgh, UK)
Colin Jahoda (Department of Biosciences, University of Durham, UK)
Blanca Diaz Ley (Assistant Doctor of Dermatology, Hospital Universitario del Sureste, URJC)
Luis Navarro Tenedor (Head of Hair Health and Hair Transplant Unit, Clínica Dermatológica Internacional. Capillary Health and Women’s Capillary Health Unit at Clínica Ruber Internacional. Hair Health and Hair Transplant Unit at IMED Clinics)

Skin Target BD, SL

Our research group is focused on the characterization of new molecular mechanisms involved in the functional regulation of somatic or adult stem cell niches with potential therapeutic applications in regenerative medicine and in the prevention/treatment of pathologies such as cancer or degenerative diseases.

Our experimental model is mammalian skin, mainly mice and humans, tissues whose stem cell niches are generally regulated by signaling systems that are equivalent to those that regulate the activity of somatic stem cells in any other adult tissue.

Currently, one of our priority lines of research is the characterization of the physiological functions of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in the regulation of skin homeostasis and regeneration, processes that are directly dependent on the activity of tissue stem cell niches.

In this same sense, another of our priority lines of research is the identification of plant-derived compounds with the capacity to enhance broad-spectrum skin regeneration and in whose activity ROS signaling is potentially involved. In particular, we are interested in cannabinoids, flavonoids, xanthenes and oleic acids.

Our specific research projects currently underway are as follows:

-Physiological roles of ROS in the regulation of skin homeostasis and regeneration.

-Direct transcriptional regulation of gene expression by dedicated ROS production in the nuclear compartment.

-Characterization of ROS-dependent molecular signaling in skin aging.

-Mechanisms of action of cannabinoids, flavonoids, xanthenes and oleic acids in skin regeneration.

Overall, the activity of our group has a strong translational accent, which aims to direct our basic research towards a therapeutic aspect. We are also interested in our R&D activity generating intellectual property patents that may be of interest to the biotechnology sector, which is why we have created our own start-up, SkinTarget BD.

Use of a sequential photon transfer procedure to promote photoprotection and skin regeneration (P202230422)

Src kinase activators and Eng function inhibitors as enhancers of skin homeostasis/regeneration and hair growth (EP17382873.2)

Use of a photosensitizing agent capable of producing reactive oxygen species in the preparation of a drug useful for photodynamic therapy of a stem cell-related disease, in vitro use and pharmaceutical composition (WO2014076338A1)

Sandra Fernandez Martos; Maria Inmaculada Calvo sánchez; Ana Lobo Aldezabal; Ana Isabel Sanchez Adrada; carmen moreno; jesus espada regalado. The deleterious effects induced by an acute exposure of human skin to common air pollutants are prevented by extracts of Deschampsia antarctica. Scientific Reports 11(1):23751, 2021 (doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-03190-2)

Jesús Espada Regalado; Elisa Carrasco Cerro; María Inmaculada Calvo Sánchez; Sandra Fernández Martos; Juan Jose Montoya. Stimulation of Stem Cell Niches and Tissue

Regeneration in Mouse Skin by Switchable Protoporphyrin IX-Dependent Photogeneration of Reactive Oxygen Species In Situ. Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE, (159), 2020, (doi: 10.3791/60859)

María Inmaculada Calvo Sánchez; Sandra Fernández Martos; Jesús Espada. A Photodynamic Tool to Promote a Sustained, ROS-Dependent Growth of Human Hair Follicles in Ex Vivo Culture. Methods in Molecular Biology. 2202, pp. 51-61, 2020 (doi: doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0896-8-8_4)

Bita Hashtroody; Maria Inmaculada Calvo sánchez; Sandra Fernández Martos; Azahara Perez Davo; jesus espada regalado. Deschampsia antarctica as a novel skin protection tool against environmental pollution. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY. Elsevier, 2020, ISSN 0190-9622

Sandra Fernández Martos; María Inmaculada Calvo Sánchez; karla García Alonso; Santos Armenteros; Begoña castro; bita Hashtroody; Jesús Espada Regalado. Induction of sustained human hair follicle growth ex vivo in a defined glycosaminoglycan hydrogel matrix. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. MDPI, 20(7), 1741, 2019 (doi: 10.3390/ijms20071741)

María Inmaculada Calvo Sánchez; Sandra Fernández Martos; Jesús Espada Regalado. Intrinsic activation of cell growth and differentiation in ex vivo cultured human hair follicles by a transient endogenous production of ROS, Scientific reports, Nature, 9(1), 4509, 2019, (doi:10.1038/s41598-019-39992-8)

María Inmaculada Calvo Sánchez; Sandra Fernández Martos; Elisa Carrasco Cerro; Gema Moreno; Carmelo Bernabeu; Miguel Quintanilla Ávila; Jesús Espada Regalado. A role for the TgfB/Bmp co-receptor Endoglin in the molecular oscillator that regulates the hair follicle cycle. Journal of molecular cell biology, 11(1), 39-52. 2019, (doi: 10.1093/jmcb/mjy051)

María Inmaculada Calvo Sánchez; Sandra Fernández Martos; Heidi Katarina Mjoseng; Rocio Fernández Crespo; Richard Meehan; Jesus Espada Regalado. Potential new role for ROS in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Journal of Clinical Epigenetics. 3 – 4, pp. 90 – 91, 2017. ISSN 2472-1158

Ginés Luengo Gil; María Inmaculada Calvo Sánchez; Ester Martín Villar; Sonia Águila; Bohdan N; Antón AI.; Espín S; Ayala de la Peña F; Vicente V; Corral J; Quintanilla M; Martínez-Martínez I. Antithrombin controls tumor migration, invasion and angiogenesis by inhibition of enteropeptidase. Scientific Reports, Nature, 6, 27544, 2016, (doi: 10.1038/srep27544)

Carrasco E; Blázquez-Castro A; Calvo MI; Juarranz Á; Espada J. Switching on a transient endogenous ROS production in mammalian cells and tissues. Methods, 109, 180-189, 2016, (doi:10.1016/j.ymeth.2016.08.013)

Fonda-Pascual P; Moreno-Arrones OM; Alegre-Sanchez A; Saceda-Corralo D; Buendia-Castaño D; Pindado-Ortega C; Fernandez-Gonzalez P; Velazquez-Kennedy K; Calvo-Sánchez MI; Harto-Castaño A; Perez-Garcia B; Bagazgoitia L; Vaño-Galvan S; Espada J; Jaen-Olasolo P. In situ production of ROS in the skin by PDT as a powerful tool in clinical dermatology. Methods, 109, 190-202, 2016 (doi:10.1016/j.ymeth.2016.07.008)

Carrasco E; Calvo MI; Blázquez-Castro A; Vecchio D; Zamarrón A; de Almeida IJ; Stockert JC; Hamblin MR; Juarranz Á; Espada J. Photoactivation of ROS Production in Situ Transiently Activates Cell Proliferation in Mouse Skin and in the hair Follicle Stem Cell Niche Promoting Hair Growth and Wound Healing. The Journal of investigative dermatology, 135(11), 2611-2622, 2015, (doi: 10.1038/jid.2015.248)

Díaz-Ley B; Cuevast J; Alonso-Castro L; Calvo MI; Ríos-Buceta L; Orive G; Anitua E; Jaén P. Benefits of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) in skin photodamage: Clinical response and histological assessment. Dermatologic therapy, 28(4), 258-263., 2015, (doi: 10.1111/dth.12228)

Carrasco E; Calvo MI; Espada J. “In vivo” labeling of DNA: quantification of epidermal stem cell chromatin content in whole mouse hair follicles using FIJI image processing software In “Functional Analysis of DNA and Chromatin”. Methods in molecular biology, 1094, 79-88, 2014 (doi:10.1007/978-1-62703-706-8_7)

Espada J; Carrasco E; Calvo MI. Standard DNA Methylation Analysis in Mouse Epidermis: Bisulfite Sequencing, Methylation-Specific PCR, and 5-Methyl-Cytosine (5mC) Immunological Detection In “Functional Analysis of DNA and Chromatin”. Methods in Molecular Biology. Humana Press. Springer, 2014. ISSN 1940-6029

Espada J; Matabuena M; Salazar N; Lucena S; Kourani O; Carrasco E; Calvo M; Rodríguez C; Reyes E; González S; Juarranz A. Cryptomphalus aspersa mollusk eggs extract promotes migration and prevents cutaneous aging in keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts in vitro. International journal of cosmetic science, 37(1), 41-55, 2015, (doi: 10.1111/ics.12167)

Blázquez-Castro A; Carrasco E; Calvo MI; Jaén P; Stockert JC; Juarranz A; Sánz-Rodríguez F; Espada J. Protoporphyrin IX-dependent photodynamic production of endogenous ROS stimulates cell proliferation. European journal of cell biology, 91(3), 216-223, 2012. (doi: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2011.12.001)

Espada J; Peinado H; Lopez-Serra L; Setién F; Lopez-Serra P; Portela A; Renart J; Carrasco E; Calvo M; Juarranz A; Cano A; Esteller M. Regulation of SNAIL1 and E-cadherin function by DNMT1 in a DNA methylation-independent context. Nucleic acids research, 39(21), 9194-9205, 2011, (doi: 10.1093/nar/gkr658)