(4bc) Unraveling Environmental and Human Health Challenges: From Microbes to Cancer

Many environmental and human health challenges involve both cancer cells and bacteria. Despite being biologically different, both share remarkable characteristics such as adaptability to complex environments, signaling, evolution, phenotypic diversity, and community interaction. Cancer cells evade immune responses and resist therapies, while bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics and coordinate or compete with other species. The interaction between these two communities is known to play an important role in disease progression. However, it is still unclear whether they can establish a steady-state community, fight, or contribute the disease progression.

My research program focuses on unraveling the biophysical principles between cancer cells, microbes, and microbe-cancer interactions to understand their impact on environmental and human health. The Trenado-Yuste Lab will integrate a multidisciplinary approach, combining experiments, theory, and computational methods, to address unanswered questions at the intersection of biophysics, microbial communities, and cancer biology. My program aims to develop a framework that combines engineered experimental platforms with biophysically motivated models to:

1. Investigate how chemo-mechanical guidance cues orchestrate cancer cells within a tumor and influence disease progression, to develop therapies that control the invasion and dissemination of cells.

2. Understand trophic microbial interactions in complex environments to mitigate harmful effects on ecosystems and human health.

3. Study bacterial colonization and interaction with cancer cells to control tumor progression in the presence of microbes and propose new cancer therapies leveraging microbial potential.

Building on my expertise on biophysics gained during my PhD studies under the guidance of Prof. Luis Bonilla at UC3M, and as a Damon Runyon Quantitative Postdoctoral Fellow at Princeton University under the advisement of Prof. Celeste Nelson, Prof. Sujit S. Datta, and Prof. Ned S. Wingreen, my independent research program explores new directions in understanding the interplay between microbes and cancer. My background as a mathematician and quantitative biologist, with training in cancer biology and chemical and biological engineering, equipped me to 1) create a framework that combines engineered tumors with biophysical models to anticipate the malignant progression of triple-negative breast tumors, and 2) study real-time bacteria-cyanobacteria interactions in spatially 3D complex environments.

My independent research program will recruit and train interdisciplinary scholars who will integrate insights from biophysics, microbial ecology, and cancer biology. My goal is to advance our understanding of tumor progression and microbes, driving the field forward with innovative biomathematical models and experimentally engineered platforms for studying bacteria and tumors. This approach could help predict early patient prognosis and decrease cancer-related deaths.

Teaching Interests

During my PhD and postdoctoral training, I gained substantial experience in university teaching. I am committed to fostering an environment of learning and mentorship, assisting students in achieving their academic and research objectives.

Teaching was a cornerstone of my academic journey during my PhD. In 2018 and 2019, I received the highest recognition for graduate teaching at UC3M. Furthermore, during my postdoctoral training, I thought a course of Integrated Science for undergraduates, and mentored several undergraduate students. I also actively participate in weekly meetings, providing guidance and support to students as they work on their junior and senior theses. I assist them in navigating their projects, offer guidance as needed, and facilitate a platform for students to present their work, thereby encouraging questions and stimulating discussion.

My teaching interests encompass computational methods, fundamentals of chemical engineering, and emerging fields such as biophysics, soft matter physics, and biological engineering. I am fully equipped to teach both laboratory-based and computational methods. Drawing from my extensive background in university teaching, computational, and laboratory mentorship, I am well-equipped to guide students through all aspects of experimental design, microscopy, data analysis, and the development of biomathematical models. I am also enthusiastic about teaching graduate-level courses in tissue engineering and soft matter.