Mariana Medina-Sánchez appointed Ikerbasque Research Professor at CIC nanoGUNE

Dr. Mariana Medina-Sánchez, a research group leader at the B CUBE - Center for Molecular Bioengineering at TU Dresden, has been appointed as an Ikerbasque Research Professor at CIC nanoGUNE in the Basque region of Spain. Her research group will use their expertise in developing biomedical microrobots and nanodevices to address health challenges in gynecology and infertility.

The Medina-Sánchez group specializes in developing biocompatible and biodegradable microrobots. These small robots can be engineered to locate specific targets, like cancer cells, and administer medicines exactly where they are needed.

“Our microrobots can assist in the transport and delivery of localized therapies. These microrobots can be loaded with therapeutics in the form of tiny capsules, which they can then deliver autonomously,” said Dr. Medina-Sánchez. Treatment using microrobots has the potential to increase treatment efficiency and bring quality-of-life improvements to patients.

At CIC nanoGUNE, the Medina-Sánchez group will focus on the development of microrobots for gynecological healthcare applications. Her group aims to develop highly sensitive diagnosis platforms based on nanobiosensors and localized, microrobot-based treatment to address life-threatening diseases like cervical cancer.

Microrobots can not only be used to locate cancer cells but also bring hope to patients battling infertility. By developing gamete or embryo-carrying microrobots for intrafallopian transport, Dr. Medina-Sánchez is hoping to help improve the success rate of assisted reproduction techniques.

“This technology highlights the potential of a new generation of controllable drug carriers for precise, less invasive therapies”, says Mariana Medina-Sánchez.

The Medina-Sánchez group will continue to be part of the B CUBE, advancing collaborative research efforts, such as exploring the integration of nanofabricated mechanical actuators with cellular motility systems.

About Dr. Mariana Medina-Sánchez:

Dr. Mariana Medina-Sánchez holds a Master’s degree in Nanotechnology. In 2013, she graduated with a PhD in Biotechnology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain. Her work focused on sperm-carrying micromotors and ultracompact rolled-up biosensors. From 2016 to 2024, she worked as a research group leader at the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW) in Dresden. Her “Micro- and Nano-Biosystems” group at B CUBE, initiated as DRESDEN-concept Research Group in 2022, specializes in medical microrobotics and biosensing microfluidic platforms. In 2020, her research was funded by the competitive European Research Council Starting Grant. In 2023, Dr. Medina-Sánchez was awarded the TUD Young Investigator title at the Faculty of Medicine at TU Dresden. In 2024, she joined CIC nanoGUNE as an Ikerbasque Research Professor and leader of the Nanobiosystems research group.

Read more about the Medina-Sánchez group:
https://tu-dresden.de/cmcb/bcube/forschungsgruppen/medina-sanchez

Read more in the CIC nanoGUNE press release:
https://www.nanogune.eu/en/research/nanobiosystems/news/new-group-address-gynecology-infertility-healthcare-challenges