Ana Alvarez de Cienfuegos Suarez, PhD
Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, Division of Cancer Medicine
About Dr. Ana Alvarez de Cienfuegos Suarez
My research program focuses on the development and characterization of novel protein therapeutic agents for cancer treatment and, specifically, the use of antibodies and growth factors for targeted delivery of Granzyme B (GrB), a pro-apoptotic human serine protease, into tumor cells or tumor vasculature. I have a broad experience in the development of novel therapeutics agents targeting different tumor antigens like Fn14 or Folate Receptor α. I am also interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms that allow tumors to become resistant to therapy. Using different genomic tools I am studying genes that could be used as predictors of resistance mechanisms not only in GrB-based therapy but in other immunotherapies as well.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Instructor, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2013 | University of Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid, ESP, PHD, Biochemistry |
| 2007 | Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, ESP, MS, Masters in Biotechnology Engineering |
| 2005 | Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, ESP, BSc, Molecular Biology and Genetics |
Postgraduate Training
| 2014-2018 | Research Fellowship, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
Honors & Awards
| 2024 | Barnhart Award |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Alvarez de Cienfuegos A, Cheung LH, Mohamedali KA, Whitsett TG, Winkles JA, Hittelman WN, Rosenblum MG. Therapeutic efficacy and safety of a human fusion construct targeting the TWEAK receptor Fn14 and containing a modified granzyme B. J Immunother Cancer 8(2), 2020. PMID: 32958685.
- Cheung LH, Zhao Y, Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Mohamedali KA, Cao YJ, Hittelman WN, Rosenblum MG. Development of a human immuno-oncology therapeutic agent targeting HER2: targeted delivery of granzyme B. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 38(1):332, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31362764.
- Mølgaard K, Harwood SL, Compte M, Merino N, Bonet J, Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Mikkelsen K, Nuñez-Prado N, Alvarez-Mendez A, Sanz L, Blanco FJ, Alvarez-Vallina L. Bispecific light T-cell engagers for gene-based immunotherapy of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive malignancies. Cancer Immunol Immunother 67(8):1251-1260, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29869168.
- Harwood SL, Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Nuñez-Prado N, Compte M, Hernández-Pérez S, Merino N, Bonet J, Navarro R, Van Bergen En Henegouwen PMP, Lykkemark S, Mikkelsen K, Mølgaard K, Jabs F, Sanz L, Blanco FJ, Roda-Navarro P, Alvarez-Vallina L. ATTACK, a novel bispecific T cell-recruiting antibody with trivalent EGFR binding and monovalent CD3 binding for cancer immunotherapy. Oncoimmunology 7(1):e1377874, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29296540.
- Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Nuñez-Prado N, Compte M, Cuesta AM, Blanco-Toribio A, Harwood SL, Villate M, Merino N, Bonet J, Navarro R, Muñoz-Briones C, Sørensen KM, Mølgaard K, Oliva B, Sanz L, Blanco FJ, Alvarez-Vallina L. Intramolecular trimerization, a novel strategy for making multispecific antibodies with controlled orientation of the antigen binding domains. Sci Rep 6:28643, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27345490.
- Blanco-Toribio A, Álvarez-Cienfuegos A, Sainz-Pastor N, Merino N, Compte M, Sanz L, Blanco FJ, Álvarez-Vallina L. Bacterial secretion of soluble and functional trivalent scFv-based N-terminal trimerbodies. AMB Express 5(1):137, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26239030.
- Blanco-Toribio A, Lacadena J, Nuñez-Prado N, Álvarez-Cienfuegos A, Villate M, Compte M, Sanz L, Blanco FJ, Álvarez-Vallina L. Efficient production of single-chain fragment variable-based N-terminal trimerbodies in Pichia pastoris. Microb Cell Fact 13:116, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25112455.
- Herrera A, Herrera M, Alba-Castellón L, Silva J, García V, Loubat-Casanovas J, Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Miguel García J, Rodriguez R, Gil B, Ma Jesús Citores , Ma Jesús Larriba , Ignacio Casal J, de Herreros AG, Bonilla F, Peña C. Protumorigenic effects of Snail-expression fibroblasts on colon cancer cells. Int J Cancer 134(12):2984-90, 2014. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24242829.
- Guijarro-Muñoz I, Compte M, Álvarez-Cienfuegos A, Álvarez-Vallina L, Sanz L. Lipopolysaccharide activates Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated NF-κB signaling pathway and proinflammatory response in human pericytes. J Biol Chem 289(4):2457-68, 2014. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24307174.
- Compte M, Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Nuñez-Prado N, Sainz-Pastor N, Blanco-Toribio A, Pescador N, Sanz L, Alvarez-Vallina L. Functional comparison of single-chain and two-chain anti-CD3-based bispecific antibodies in gene immunotherapy applications. Oncoimmunology 3:e28810, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25057445.
- Sánchez-Martín D, Martínez-Torrecuadrada J, Teesalu T, Sugahara KN, Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Ximénez-Embún P, Fernández-Periáñez R, Martín MT, Molina-Privado I, Ruppen-Cañás I, Blanco-Toribio A, Cañamero M, Cuesta AM, Compte M, Kremer L, Bellas C, Alonso-Camino V, Guijarro-Muñoz I, Sanz L, Ruoslahti E, Alvarez-Vallina L. Proteasome activator complex PA28 identified as an accessible target in prostate cancer by in vivo selection of human antibodies. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 110(34):13791-6, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23918357.
- Blanco-Toribio A, Sainz-Pastor N, Álvarez-Cienfuegos A, Merino N, Cuesta ÁM, Sánchez-Martín D, Bonet J, Santos-Valle P, Sanz L, Oliva B, Blanco FJ, Álvarez-Vallina L. Generation and characterization of monospecific and bispecific hexavalent trimerbodies. MAbs 5(1):70-9, 2013. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 23221741.
- Fernández-Periáñez R, Molina-Privado I, Rojo F, Guijarro-Muñoz I, Alonso-Camino V, Zazo S, Compte M, Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Cuesta AM, Sánchez-Martín D, Alvarez-Méndez AM, Sanz L, Alvarez-Vallina L. Basement membrane-rich organoids with functional human blood vessels are permissive niches for human breast cancer metastasis. PLoS One 8(8):e72957, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23951338.
- Cuesta AM, Sánchez-Martín D, Blanco-Toribio A, Villate M, Enciso-Álvarez K, Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Sainz-Pastor N, Sanz L, Blanco FJ, Alvarez-Vallina L. Improved stability of multivalent antibodies containing the human collagen XV trimerization domain. MAbs 4(2):226-32, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22453098.
- Guijarro-Muñoz I, Cuesta AM, Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Geng JG, Alvarez-Vallina L, Sanz L. The axonal repellent Slit2 inhibits pericyte migration: potential implications in angiogenesis. Exp Cell Res 318(4):371-8, 2012. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 22198087.
- Santos-Valle P, Guijarro-Muñoz I, Cuesta AM, Alonso-Camino V, Villate M, Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Blanco FJ, Sanz L, Alvarez-Vallina L. The heterotrimeric laminin coiled-coil domain exerts anti-adhesive effects and induces a pro-invasive phenotype. PLoS One 7(6):e39097, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22723936.
Abstracts
- Mohamedali KA, Cheung LH, Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Rosenblum MG. Development of a new generation of dimeric, highly cytotoxic fusion proteins containing active GrB and VEGF targeting tumor neovasculature: Incorporating IgG heavy chain Fc fragments improves cytotoxicity, stability and pharmacokinetics. 2019 Annual AACR Meeting, 2019.
- Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Cheung LH, Mohamedali KA, Winkles JA, Inge LJ, Whitsett TG, DePalatis LR, Rosenblum MG. Molecular mechanistic and in vivo efficacy studies of Fn14-targeted fusion constructs containing human Granzyme B. 2018 Annual AACR Meeting(#2779), 2018.
- Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Cheung LH, Mohamedali KA, Winkles JA, Rosenblum MG. A human hybrid immuno-oncology construct targeting the TWEAK receptor Fn14 and containing the serine protease granzyme B. 2017 Annual AACR Meeting, 2017.
- Mohamedali KA, Cheung LH, Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Rosenblum MG. Genomic differential expression analysis of fusion proteins incorporating the pro-apoptotic molecule Granzyme B reveals new potential targets for treatment of breast cancer. 2017 Annual AACR Meeting(#5615), 2017.
- Cheung LH, Zhao Y, Mohamedali KA, Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Hittelman WN, Rosenblum MG. Highly cytotoxic, completely human constructs targeting HER2 and containing the immuno-oncology payload Granzyme B. 2017 Annual AACR Meeting(#1646), 2017.
- Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Cheung LH, Mohamedali KA, Winkles JA, Inge LJ, Whitsett TG, DePalatis LR, Rosenblum MG. A Novel Approach Delivering GrB to Fn14-Positive Solid Tumors. 2017 AACR Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Conference, 2017.
- Alvarez-Cienfuegos A, Cheung LH, Mahamedali KA, Zhao Y, Ruisaard KE, Winkles JA, Rosenblum MG. Human serine protease therapeutics- potent constructs targeting Fn14 in multiple tumor types. 2016 Annual ACCR Meeting(#575), 2016.
- Guijarro-Muñoz I, Compte M, Álvarez-Cienfuegos A, Álvarez-Vallina L, Sanz L. Lipopolisaccharide signaling in human pericytes: potential role in inflammation and immune response. III ECI Congress. e-Pub 2012.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified June 26, 2024