The PhD Program in Cell Biology and Biomedicine is based on the growing need for human capital capable of interrelating and integrating basic knowledge about the functioning of the cell and its molecules and the human diseases that require better treatments. One of the main reasons that make Cell Biology a fundamental discipline for the development of Biomedicine is that most diseases arise from alterations in some cellular function, where most treatments attempt to restore or inhibit that function. Thus, an advance in the detailed knowledge of cellular functioning is required, especially in certain aspects that are still not well understood and that can only be elucidated with experimental research.

The Program brings together a diverse group of consolidated researchers, incorporating an interdisciplinary approach, such as aspects of structural, molecular, evolutionary, and computational biology. The objective of the Program is the formation of human capital, capable of performing independent research of excellence, which contributes to the knowledge of the normal and pathological functioning of the cell as a rational search for innovative therapeutic alternatives, in tune with the current requirements of society and the prevalent pathologies in the country.

This program has large institutional laboratory areas with modern designs for experimental research, integrating the student to a wide network of collaborations and exchange opportunities with laboratories of prestigious national and international institutions.

The Program is aimed at graduates and Masters in Biology, Medicine, Chemistry, Biochemistry and Biotechnology or equivalent training.

The lines and sublines of research of the Program are:

• Protein and membrane trafficking: mechanisms, functions and disease:
  • Endocytic, exocytic and secretory pathways (conventional and non-conventional), and mechanisms of cell polarity.
  • Role of organelles and their intra-membrane interactions in cell plasticity, signaling and metabolism.
  • Membranous vehicles (microvesicles and exosomes) in cell communication and their importance in cancer and obesity.
  • Structural and evolutionary bases of protein and membrane trafficking mechanisms.
• Pathologies associated with autoantibodies, inflammation, metabolism and/or aging.
  • Neuronal dysfunction due to autoantibodies and neuropathologies, potential therapeutic targets.
  • Function and dysfunction of organelles and macromolecules in aging, inflammatory and metabolic pathologies, including the involvement of genome-environment interaction (epigenetics).
  • Molecular, cellular and evolutionary mechanisms of inflammation and muscular dystrophies.
  • Intercellular communications in microenvironments and their contribution to metabolism.
• Homeostasis, recycling and cellular plasticity: mechanisms and disease.
  • Autophagocytosis as a process of adaptation, recycling, cellular turnover and survival, alterations and therapeutic potential in cancer, autoimmunity, obesity and aging.
  • Proteasome and ubiquitination in quality control and degradation of normal and abnormal proteins.
  • Regulation of cellular plasticity processes and their molecular alterations in the development of pathologies.
  • Formation and regulation of biomolecular condensates by liquid-liquid phase separation and their role in cellular plasticity.
  • Cellular basis of cellular plasticity under hypoxic conditions.