Our research is focused on the use of nanoparticles and chemical biology to understand biological mechanisms in pathological conditions and therapeutic recovery. Among other materials, we use Quantum Dots (QDs) as luminescent nanoparticles to visualize molecular targets and monitor enzyme activity. QDs offer great potential for studying biological systems due to their optimal luminescent properties and the versatility of conjugation with different biomolecules. In parallel, we work with peptides in different applications including cell penetrating peptides and their conjugation with nanoparticles.
We focus our research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) a rare and devastating neurodegenerative disease that currently lacks of effective therapy. We aim at developing tools to help find those drugs with the potential of making a difference in the treatment of this disease.