Dr. Marina Garcia Macia

About

My scientific interests have always been firmly in biomedical field. I graduated in biology from the Oviedo University in 2008. Then joined the “Cellular Response to Oxidative Stress (CROS)” group, led by Dr. Ana Coto-Montes at the Oviedo University, Spain. During the course of my PhD studies I studied wide-ranging effects of autophagy in several distinct models and I published 14 papers in peer-reviewed journals. I obtained a 4 years fellowship from the Spanish Government to perform my studies. The models and topics I have explored include ageing, tenderization of meat and Harderian gland (HG). I used the latter model in the golden hamster to study the relationship between autophagy and lipid metabolism. During my studies in HG, I began to understand how physiological adaptations, including lipid droplet degradation via lipophagy, allow survival via supply of energy. In the last phase of my PhD, given my growing interest in autophagy and lipid metabolism, I sought to expand my knowledge in lipophagy during a 6-month rotation in the laboratory of Dr. Rajat Singh at Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York, USA) funded by the Spanish Government. Since Dr. Singh’s work contributed to the discovery of lipophagy, I had the opportunity to learn the techniques and methods from the very best person in the field. Following the completion of PhD degree, I rejoined the Singh lab as a postdoctoral fellow to study the mechanisms that regulate lipophagy. Since then, I have learned critical experimental procedures in mice, including stereotaxic brain surgery, which have allowed me to dissect neuron-to-peripheral autophagy networks that control lipid metabolism. This work resulted in a paper published in a high impact journal (Cell Metabolism). As a result of my growing expertise in autophagy, I have taken part in the publishing of the "Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition)" recently published in Autophagy.

In January 2016, I moved with the Singh lab from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine to join Newcastle University as part of Prof Singh’s long-term interests to pursue ageing research. Although Prof. Rajat Singh returned to New York, I consider Newcastle University as the ideal environment to develop my professional career. During my time here, my interest in liver disease and fibrosis has grown due to the close relation between these conditions and ageing. Thus, I contacted Prof. Derek Mann and expressed my interest in becoming a member of his group.

I am already collaborating actively in different projects. So far I have focused in epigenetics and fibrosis development and how MeCP2 controls the activation of the hepatic stellate cells. Furthermore, since I have standardized protocols to measure oxygen consumption rates in different cells and tissues, I will collaborate in the analysis of the metabolic changes in the liver during regeneration. I have also the opportunity to develop my own project having the benefit of great scientific input.

Education

• 2014 - PhD in Cell Biology, awarded with the maximum qualification of Cum Laude, Special mention as International PhD. Project: Different types of autophagy in the Harderian gland of Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). Hormonal regulation study during the estrous cycle. University of Oviedo, Department of Morphology and Cell biology. Faculty of Medicine, Oviedo (Spain).
• 2010 - Diploma of Advanced Studies and Investigating Sufficiency in Neurosciences, awarded with the maximum qualification and honours. Project: Implications of treatment with melatonin on brain aging. University of Oviedo, Department of Morphology and Cell biology. Faculty of Medicine, Oviedo (Spain).
• 2009 - Minor thesis with honors. Project: Search of quality markers during maturation of beef of Asturian local breeds: Asturiana de los Valles and Asturiana de la Montaña. University of Oviedo, Department of Morphology and Cell biology. Faculty of Medicine, Oviedo (Spain).
• 2008 - BSc degree in Biology. University of Oviedo, Department of Morphology and Cell biology. Faculty of Biology, Oviedo (Spain).

Memberships

• Member of Instituto Universitario de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA) (Neuroscience Universitary Institute of Asturias) as postdoctoral investigator. (2014-present).
• Member of Instituto Universitario de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA) (Neuroscience Universitary Institute of Asturias) as PhD student. (2011-2014).
• c) Member of Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Envejecimiento y Fragilidad (RETICEF) (Aging and Frailty Cooperative Researching Network) supported by Carlos III Healthy Institute (Spanish Government).

Prizes

• Best oral communication presented in the Basic researching category in the VI Meeting of the Geriatric Medicine Spanish Society (SEMEG): Rodriguez I, Bermudez M, Potes Y, Rubio A, Roa P, Arche JM, García-Macia M, Caballero C, Solano JJ, CotoMontes A. (2014) Oxidative stress effects in the muscular damaged by obesity. Awarding entity: Awards extraordinary chair of hypertension and vascular risk. Geriatrics at the Salamanca University.
• Second place in XIII National Sport Medicine Research Award: de Gonzalo Calvo D, Rodríguez González S, de Luxán Delgado B, García-Macia M, Suárez FM, Solano JJ, Rodríguez Colunga MJ, Coto Montes A, Fernández García B. (2010) Chronic training profile induces health geriatric emerging biomarkers in men over 65 years. Awarding entity: Oviedo University, Sport School of Medicine, Cajastur.

Invited presentations & conferences

• Marina Garcia-Macia, Beatriz Caballero, Adrián Rubio-González, Beatriz de Luxán-Delgado, Yaiza Potes, Susana Rodríguez-González, José A Boga, Ana Coto-Montes. 3rd Autophagy UK Network Meeting. Lipophagy in the Harderian gland along the estrous cycle: a potential retrieval effect of melatonin. Oral communication. London, UK (2017).
• Marina García-Macia. Biological Seminar Series at Long Island University. Different types of autophagy in the Harderian gland of Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). Hormonal regulation study during the estrous cycle. Brooklyn, New York, USA (2015)
• Marina García Macia; Ana Coto Montes; Beatriz Caballero García; Veronica Sierra Sánchez; David de Gonzalo Calvo; Mª Josefa Rodríguez Colunga; Ignacio Vega Naredo. 47th Annual Scientific Meeting of ESCI. Autophagic processes along the oestrous cycle of the golden hamster and its role in porphyria. Oral communication. Albufeira, Portugal (2013)European Society for Clinical Investigation (ESCI).
• Marina García Macia; Verónica Sierra Sánchez; Ignacio Vega Naredo; David de Gonzalo Calvo; Susana Mª Rodríguez González; Beatriz de Luxán Delgado; Ana Palanca Cuñado; Mª Josefa Rodríguez Colunga; Mª Carmen Olivan; Ana Mª Coto Montes. Farm Animal Proteomics. Autophagic processes are involved in meat tenderization. Invited/keynote talk. Glasgow, UK (2011) European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST).
• Marina García-Macia; Ignacio Vega Naredo; David de Gonzalo Calvo; Susana Mª Rodríguez González; Pedro J Camello; Cristina Camello Almaraz; Francisco E Martín Cano; Mª Josefa Rodríguez Colunga; Mª José Pozo, Ana Mª Coto Montes. International Courses on Toxicology 2010: "Survival or Death as a Matter of Fat". Lipid peroxides activate NFKB pathway in old mice under redox balance disruption. Oral communication. Coimbra, Portugal (2010). Center for Neuroscience (University of Coimbra). Portuguese Society of Biochemistry.

Patents and Intellectual Property

• Title registered industrial property: Indice Traslacional Predictivo de mortalidad al año en ancianos (ITM), basado en un modelo institucionalizado (Translational index Predictive year mortality in elderly (ITM) based on an institutionalized model). Inventors/authors/obtainers: David de Gonzalo Calvo; Ana María Coto Montes; Pablo Martínez Camblor; Francisco Manuel Suárez García; Beatriz de Luxán Delgado; Marina García-Macia; Susana María Rodríguez González; María Josefa Rodríguez González. Country of inscription: Spain, Principality of Asturias. Date of register: 13/05/2011 Conferral date: 12/07/2011
• Title registered industrial property: Índice Traslacional Predictivo de Ingreso Hospitalario (ITI) al año en ancianos, mediante un modelo institucionalizado (Translational hospitalization Predictive Index (ITI) a year in elderly, through an institutionalized model). Inventors/authors/obtainers: David de Gonzalo Calvo; Ana Mª Coto Montes; Pablo Martínez Camblor; Fancisco Manuel Suarez García; Beatriz de Luxán Delgado; Marina Garcia-Macia; Susana María Rodríguez González; María Josefa Rodríguez Colunga; Juan José Solano Jaurrieta. Country of inscription: Spain, Principality of Asturias. Date of register: 13/05/2011 Conferral date: 12/07/2011