Forthcoming theses

- Nerea Garitano Larrea. "Epigenetic modulation of cardiac fibrolast activation via Kat5 inhibition: therapeutic implications for cardiac fibrosis".
Director: Dr. Beatriz Pelacho Samper.
December 18, 2025 at 11.30h. CIMA building auditorium .

→ Identification of epigenetic regulators of fibrotic transformation in cardiac fibroblasts by CRISPR screens.
 

Nerea Garitano, a doctorate student in the department , has just published her work: "Identification of epigenetic regulators of fibrotic transformation in cardiac fibroblasts through bulk and single-cell CRISPR screens", in the journal Nature Communications. The article is part of his doctoral thesis , which he will defend next December.

In the study, conducted under the direction of Dr. Beatriz Pelacho, professor in the department of Biochemistry and Genetics at the University of Navarra, they have identified core topic proteins that control the transformation of cardiac fibroblasts into cells that generate fibrosis after heart injury. By blocking one of these proteins, called KAT5, the researchers were able to reduce the fibrotic response in human cells, which opens new avenues for developing therapies against heart failure. Dr. Laura Aguado, who completed her thesis and postdoc at the department, participated in the work .