PHARMACOGENOMICS
The main goal of the Pharmacogenomics Lab focuses on the study of germline and somatic variants (polymorphisms and mutations) in complex diseases in order to identify markers associated to disease risk and drug treatment response. Focusing on personalized medicine, the interest of our group is to define genetic factors responsible for the phenotypic variability accompanying different disease models. Molecular biology methodologies are employed in the laboratory to study specific genes encoding drug metabolism and transport enzymes, as well as genes involved in the DNA damage response, apoptosis and proliferation mediated by the p53 signaling pathway. Massive genomic analysis of variants is also undertaken through DNA microarray platforms or whole exome sequencing to identify disease-specific genetic markers and/or pharmacogenes.
Chair: Ariela Freya Fundia, MSc, PhD
Associated investigator – CONICET
Email: arielafundia@gmail.com
- Ariela Freya Fundia, MSc, PhD. Associated investigator – CONICET
- María del Rosario Anadón, BCs. PhD student – CONICET.
- María Belén Fontecha, BCs. PhD student – CONICET.
- Estefanía Fontanini, Biochemical. MSc student in Molecular Biology in Medicine.
- Pharmacogenetics of opioids in pain management.
Extensive variability in opioid-induced analgesia is found among patients with acute and chronic pain. The aim of this study is to identify germline variants associated with the analgesic response to tramadol in pain patients. Genes encoding metabolizing enzymes, drug transporters and opioid receptors signaling are studied in patients with acute and chronic pain.
- Study of pharmacogenetic markers in chronic leukemias.
The aim of this research is to define disease risk and therapeutic response markers in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Germline variants in genes encoding drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters and genes associated with DNA damage response, apoptosis and proliferation mediated by the p53 signaling pathway are under study. In addition, large-scale variant profiling is underway using DNA microarray technology.
- Genetics and genomics of pulmonary arterial hypertension.
The mutational profile of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is very heterogeneous, with alterations in the BMPR2 gene being most frequently found in both hereditary and sporadic conditions. The aim of the present project is to determine the causal variants involved in the disease pathogenesis in Argentine patients. Currently, the study of mutations in the entire BMPR2 gene, as well as in other PAH-associated genes, is being carried out by using whole exome sequencing.
- Discrimination of the chemotherapy resistance status of human leukemia and glioblastoma cell lines by MALDI-TOF-MS profiling. Ledesma M, Poodts D, Amoia S, Hajos S, Fundia A, Vay C, Pibuel M, Lompardía S. Sci Rep. 2023; 13(1):5596. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-32608-2.
- Avances en la genética de la hipertensión arterial pulmonar. Fontecha MB, Anadón MR, Mazzei JA, Fundia AF. Insuficiencia Cardíaca 15 (1):10-18, 2020. http://www.insuficienciacardiaca.org/, http://ref.scielo.org/m3m5r9
- Single nucleotide polymorphism in PTEN-Long gene: A risk factor in chronic myeloid leukemia. Ferri C, Weich N, Gutiérrez L, De Brasi C, Bengió MR, Zapata P, Fundia A, Larripa I. Gene. 2019; 694:71-75. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2019.01.038.
- Gene polymorphism profiles of drug-metabolising enzymes GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1 in an Argentinian population. Weich N, Roisman A, Cerliani B, Aráoz HV, Chertkoff L, Richard SM, Slavutsky I, Larripa IB, Fundia AF. Ann Hum Biol. 44(4):379-383, 2017. doi: 10.1080/03014460.2016.1259429.
- TP53 codon 72 polymorphism predicts chronic myeloid leukemia susceptibility and treatment outcome. Weich N, Ferri C, Moiraghi B, Bengió R, Giere I, Pavlovsky C, Larripa I, Fundia AF. Blood Cells Mol Dis 59:129-33, 2016. doi: 10.1016/j.bcmd.2016.05.007.
- GSTM1 and GSTP1, but not GSTT1 genetic polymorphisms are associated with chronic myeloid leukemia risk and treatment response. Weich N, Ferri C, Moiraghi B, Bengió R, Giere I, Pavlovsky C, Larripa IB, Fundia AF. Cancer Epidemiol 44:16-21, 2016. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2016.07.008.
- Polymorphic variants of GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTP1 genes in childhood acute leukemias: A preliminary study in Argentina. Weich N, Nuñez MC, Galimberti G, Elena G, Acevedo S, Larripa I, Fundia AF. Hematology; 20:511-6, 2015. doi: 10.1179/1607845415Y.0000000007.
- Reliable and cost-effective approach for diagnosis of heterozygous F8/F9 large deletions by quantitative real-time PCR. Abelleyro MM, Radic CP, Tetzlaff T, Marchione V, Fundia AF, Larripa IB, Rossetti LC, De Brasi CD. Haemophilia; 21(3): e247-51, 2015. doi: 10.1111/hae.12656.
- Glutathion-S-transferase gene polymorphisms in celiac disease and its correlation with genomic instability phenotype. Fundia AF, Weich N, Crivelli A, La Motta G, Larripa IB, Slavutsky IR. Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol, 38:379-84, 2014. doi: 10.1016/j.clinre.2014.01.007.
- Gluthatione S-transferase P1 mRNA expression in plasma cell disorders and its correlation with polymorphic variants and clinical outcome. Stella F, Weich N, Panero J, Fantl D, Schutz N, Fundia AF*, Slavutsky I*. Cancer Epidemiol 37:671-4, 2013. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2013.07.004.
2019-2023
- PREMIO ANUAL FUNDACIÓN FLORENCIO FIORINI – Avances En Enfermedades Respiratorias, AÑO 2023. “Detección de variantes genéticas implicadas en la etiología y evolución de la hipertensión arterial pulmonar en Argentina”. Cáneva JO, Fontecha MB, Anadón MR, Favaloro LE, Mazzei ME, Tuhay GI, García AR, Pirola DA, Ledesma MM, Fundia AF.
- ESH Scholarship Fund a la Lic. Rosario Anadón para asistir al 25th Annual John Goldman Conference on Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Biology and Therapy (ESHCML2023). 6 al 8 de octubre de 2023, Mandelieu-La Napoule, Francia.
- Premio Mención Especial al trabajo “Variantes en genes reguladores de apoptosis y su relación con la respuesta terapéutica en leucemia mieloide crónica”. Anadón R, Iglesias CB, Mercado Guzmán V, Fontecha B, Moiraghi B, Bengió R, Larripa I, Fundia AF. Sociedad Argentina de Genética (SAG). LI Congreso Argentino de Genética, Río Cuarto, Córdoba, 1 al 4 de octubre de 2023.
- Premio «EUFEMIO UBALLES» 2021 otorgado por la Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires al trabajo “Rol de la variabilidad genética de la vía p53 en la leucemia linfocítica crónica”. Fontecha MB, Mercado Guzmán V, Anadón MR, Galvano C, Stanganelli C, Slavutsky I, Fundia AF.
- Premio CIENTÍFICO ALAG 2019. XVII Congreso Latinoamericano de Genética, ALAG-2019. Los polimorfismos en genes de la vía p53 se asocian con mayor riesgo de alteraciones cromosómicas en leucemia linfocítica crónica. Mercado Guzmán V, Fontecha MB, Anadón MR; Galvano C, Stanganelli C, Slavutsky I, Fundia A. 6 al 9 de octubre de 2019.