Lab members

Current lab members

Lorea Blazquez, Principal Investigator

I am a molecular biologist interested in understanding how RNA-processing regulates gene-expression and causes human diseases. Likewise, I am interested in developing RNA-targeting therapeutic strategies to treat these disorders. I have a PhD in Genetics from the University of the Basque Country (2009) and two postdoctoral training periods in Dr. Fortes' lab at CIMA-University of Navarra (2009-2014) and Prof. Ule’s lab at UCL Institute of Neurology & The Francis Crick Institute (2014-2020). In 2020 I joined the Neurosciences Area of Biodonostia Health Research Institute as a 'Ramon y Cajal' and 'Ikerbasque' principal investigator,  where  I lead the 'RNA-processing and therapeutics' lab. 

Josune Alonso Martínez de Marañon, Postdoctoral researcher

I studied Biology at the University of Basque Country and then, I moved to Barcelona to complete a Master’s degree in Biomedicine at the University of Barcelona, where I started specializing in cancer research. In 2018, I started my doctoral studies in Biomedicine in the group of Molecular mechanisms of cancer and stemness at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM). During my PhD, my research was focused on elucidating novel molecular mechanisms involved in DNA damage response and therapy resistance in cancer. In September 2023, I joined the RNA-processing and therapeutics group to study RNA-misprocessing in glioblastoma.

Irene Santos-García Sanz, Postdoctoral researcher 

My scientific background is related to molecular biology and biomedicine, specifically the study of the molecular landscape of neurodegenerative diseases and therapeutic targeting. I studied Biochemistry at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), followed by a Master's degree in Clinical Neuroscience. In early 2017, I started my Ph.D. at the Ramón y Cajal Health Research Institute (IRYCIS), focusing on the characterization of the endocannabinoid system and the search for new therapeutic targets in ALS and FTD. In 2022, I moved to Prof. Pahnke´s  lab at the University of Oslo (UiO), where I carried out my first postdoctoral stay in an project focused on the identification of new biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease through the application of multi-omics techniques. In May 2024, I returned to Spain where I joined Dr Blazquez's group at Biogipuzkoa Health Research Institute (BHRI) to study and validate genetic variants and alterations in RNA processing that occur in the context of ALS and FTD.

Ane Velasco, PhD student

I obtained a BSc in Genetics (Autonomous University of Barcelona) and two MSCs in Phylosophy, Science and Values (UPV/EHU, 2019) and Molecular Medicine (Autonomous University of Madrid, 2020). After an internship in Gene Editing at Oxford Genetics LTD-OXGENE (2020-2021), I joined the lab in February 2021 as a PhD student in Neurosciences.  I am interested in understanding how gene expression can impact on human health and how we can treat genetic diseases. During my PhD, I investigate alterations at the RNA processing level associated with progranulin deficiency in Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) in order to identify molecular markers with therapeutic potential and develop personalized medicine strategies based on the CRISPR-dCas13 system.

Ane Rubio, PhD student

I graduated in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) in 2018 and subsequently, I obtained a Master's degree in Health Biology at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM). During these years, I have had the opportunity to join research groups in different centers such as the Achucarro Basque Neuroscience Center, the Italian National Research Council (CNR) and the Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO). Within biomedical research, I am interested in the molecular mechanisms involved in cancer progression, which has led me to develop my PhD in the RNA processing and therapeutics group where I am studying RNA processing in Glioblastoma in order to find diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers.

Alberto Damborenea, PhD student

I studied Biology at the University of the Basque Country, where I became mainly interested in the biological mechanisms that underlie animal behaviour. I then completed a master´s degree in Neurosciences at Universidad Complutense de Madrid to deepen my knowledge of the topic. In July 2021, I joined the Neurosciences Department at HRI Biodonostia, where I’m currently developing my thesis project focused on how RNA processing alterations impact neuromuscular diseases such as facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) in collaboration with Prof. Adolfo López de Munain. 

Laura Perez, PhD student

After finishing my BSc in Biotechnology at the University of León (2021), I  joined the lab as an MSc student in Molecular Biology and Biomedicine (UPV/EHU) for my Master Thesis. My project, co-supervised by Prof. Aitziber López-Cortajarena at CIC-biomaGUNE in San Sebastián, focused on developing protein-stabilized gold nanoclusters for delivery of CRISPR-dCas13 complexes for biomedical applications. Since October 2022, I am  doing my PhD between both groups, developing RNA-editing tools through protein engineering. 

María Manterola, PhD student

I finished my BSc in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) in 2021, and then moved to Barcelona to complete a master’s degree in Genetics and Genomics at the University of Barcelona (UB). I have always been interested in neuroscience too, so this project joined both of my interests. In September 2022, I joined Blazquez Lab as a research assistant, following my idea of gaining experience in the lab by working on multiple projects ongoing in the group, but with the goal of completing a PhD in the future.

María Carazo, Computational research assistant

I am a Biotechnology graduate from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, specialized in computational biotechnology. Throughout my academic journey, I gained practical experience through summer internships in CBGP (Madrid) and CRAG (Barcelona). Following these internships, I completed my final degree project, which was focused on a proteomics study to identify potential biomarkers in fragile X syndrome. Aiming to deepen my knowledge in both bioinformatics and neuroscience, I joined the neuroRNA lab in July 2024. As bioinformatician, I assist researchers with data processing and RNAseq data analysis across multiple projects, contributing to our understanding of misregulated RNA processing in neurological disorders.

Past lab members

Álvaro Herrero, Computational research assistant (June 22 - June 24)

I have a degree in Biomedical Engineering (UNAV) and I am particularly interested in genomics. I joined the lab in June 2022 to carry out a summer internship and joined again in January 2023 to develop my undergraduate thesis on RNAseq data analysis. Currently, I am a bioinformatics research assistant in the lab, mainly focused on data science and bioinformatics as I believe them to be paramount tools for disease research.

Simon Bajew, Postdoctoral researcher in Bioinformatics (January 23- March 24)


I’m a bioinformatician and I joined the lab in 2023. I completed my PhD in Biomedicine at Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona where I identified and characterised a distinct program of microexons regulated in endocrine pancreas. I’m interested in alternative splicing and how this mechanism contributes to cell identity, function and  deregulation in disease.

Leonhard Kempinger, MSc Student (July-October 2023)


After I graduated in Management and Technology from the Technical University Munich, I pursued my passion for life science and started Pharmaceutical Science at the University of Munich (LMU).  I was visiting researcher at the Queens Medical Center Honolulu for 6 months investigating the effects of phytochemicals on the nociceptive pain system. In July 2023 I joined the Blazquez lab for my master thesis, where I will develop antisense RNAs in frontotemporal dementia.

Mikel García Puga, Postdoctoral researcher (January 2020 -June 2023)

I studied Biology at the University of Basque Country in 2013 and in 2014 I completed a Master’s degree in Molecular Biology and Biomedicine in Santander. After my Master’s degree, I joined the Neuromuscular Diseases and Oncology groups in Biodonostia Health Research Institute. During my PhD I have studied the molecular mechanisms implicated in aging and cancer processes in a neuromuscular disease named myotonic dystrophy type 1. In 2021, I joined the lab, where I am studying alternative splicing in cancer.

Olatz Arnold, Predoctoral researcher

I studied my BSc in Genetics at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. I am interested in the bioinformatic data analysis; in hereditary disease research and gene therapies. I joined the “RNA processing and therapeutics” research group as an MSc student in Bioanalytics and Pharmatechnology at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) in January 2021. For my Master Thesis, I performed a computational analysis of RNAseq data in hereditary frontotemporal dementia (FTD) to identify differential alternative splicing events in FTD. In October 2021, I started my PhD in the lab and since September 2022 I am visiting student in the group of Prof. Don Cleveland at University California San Diego (UCSD), where I am supervised by Dr. Jone López-Erauskin.

Laura Jareño, MSc student (September 2022-March 2023)

I am a Biomedical Engineer (UNAV) currently doing a MSc in Biomedical Engineering specialized in Data Science at the University of Navarra (UNAV). As a student specialized in data analysis, I like bioinformatics and programming and I am very interested in using these tools in the medical field. I joined the lab in September 2022 for my final MSc project and I am focused on identifying splicing events in high-grade gliomas that may serve as therapeutic targets. Currently, PhD student with Angel Rubio at Tecnun-University of Navarre 

Oier Etxezarreta Arrastoa, BSc student (June-July 2021)


I am a student of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Navarra interested in biomedical data analysis and artificial intelligence applied to the medical field. I joined the lab in July 2021 to carry out an internship thanks to a grant awarded by the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC). My project was focused in the analysis of the transcriptome of brain tumour samples with a special focus on the characterization of RNA processing. Currently, PhD student at Yosef Lab - Weizmann Institute of Science.

 

Xabier Bujanda, MSc student (January-June 2021)

MSc student in Molecular Biology and Biomedicine at the University of the Basque Country (UPV), he joined the “RNA processing and therapeutics” lab in January 2021. He combines wet-lab and computational data analysis for his research project in Frontotemporal Dementia. He has a BSc in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Navarra.