María Fernández García

María studied Biological Sciences at the Autonomous University of Madrid. She graduated in 2009, developing her undergraduate project at the CNIO on the role of microRNAs in the cell cycle. She then completed a Master's degree in Cell Biology and Genetics in Madrid and started her PhD in the Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies group at CIEMAT. During the development of her thesis, she studied the effect of "mesenchymal stromal cells in the haematopoietic graft in experimental models of autologous transplantation". This work demonstrated the efficacy of mesenchymal stromal cells in improving the graft, both in a model at risk of graft failure and in a mouse model of gene therapy for Fanconi's anaemia, for which she received a prize from the Jiménez Díaz Foundation and the Jiménez Díaz Foundation Health Research Institute in recognition of her research activity. In 2016, she started working as a postdoctoral researcher in the Advanced Therapy Unit and the Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies Division of CIEMAT/ CiberER/ IIS-FJD, focusing on improving the efficacy of mesenchymal stromal cells for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and characterising mesenchymal stromal cells from patients with different bone marrow failure syndromes. She was also involved in the production of advanced therapies at CliniStem's GMP facility until 2023, first as Production Supervisor and later as Cell Therapy Production Manager. In 2023, she joined the biotech company Kiji Therapeutics as a product manager, managing the company's genetically engineered MSC-based projects. After her time in industry, Maria joined the Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies division as a researcher, where she continues to develop new technologies based on genetically modified MSCs for the treatment of haematological and inflammatory diseases. In terms of educational activities and scientific dissemination, since 2016 she has participated as an intern teacher in the Master in Advanced Therapies in Biomedicine (subject: Integrated Laboratory. Stem Cells) at the Francisco de Vitoria University, and she is involved in the various scientific dissemination activities organised by CIEMAT, which aim to bring science closer to the youngest people.

ORCID: 0000-0003-2553-8475
Web of science Researcher ID: AAF-8850-2020
Scopus ID: 56725179800

Publications:

1.- David García-Bernal, Mariano García-Arranz, Rosa M. Yáñez, Rosario Hervás-Salcedo, Alfonso Cortés, María Fernández-García, Miriam Hernando-Rodríguez, Óscar Quintana-Bustamante, Juan A. Bueren, Damián García-Olmo, Jose M. Moraleda, José Carlos Segovia and Agustín G. Zapata (2021). The Current Status of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: Controversies, Unresolved Issues and Some Promising Solutions to Improve Their Therapeutic Efficacy. Frontiers in Cell and Development Biology.

2.- Rosario Hervás-Salcedo, María Fernández-García, Miriam Hernando-Rodríguez, Óscar Quintana-Bustamante, José Carlos Segovia, Marcio Álvarez-Silva, Mariano García-Arranz, Pablo Minguez, Victoria del Pozo, Marta Rodríguez de Alba, Damián García-Olmo, Carmen Ayuso, María Luisa Lamana, Juan Antonio Bueren and Rosa María Yáñez (2021). Enhanced anti-inflammatory effects of mesenchymal stromal cells mediated by the transient ectopic expression of CXCR4 and IL10. Stem Cell Research and Therapy.

3.- Mercedes López-Santalla, Rosario Hervás-Salcedo, María Fernández-García, Juan Antonio Bueren and Marina Inmaculada Garín (2020). Cell therapy with mesenchymal stem cells induces an innate immune memory response that attenuates experimental colitis in the long-term. Journal of Crohn's and Colitis. IF: 9,071. Q1 (Gastroenterology and Hepatology)

4.- María Fernández-García, Cristina Mesa, Elena Almarza, Juan Bueren, and Rosa Yañez (2017). A Short and Efficient Transduction Protocol for Mouse Hematopoietic Stem Cells with Lentiviral Vectors. Human Gene Therapy Methods. IF: 2,3. Q2 (Biotechnology and applied microbiology)

5.- María Fernández-García, María L. Lamana, Miriam Hernando-Rodriguez, Rebeca Sánchez-Domínguez, Juan Bueren, and Rosa Yañez (2017). Improved Hematopoietic Gene Therapy in a Mouse Model of Fanconi Anemia Mediated by Mesenchymal Stromal Cells. Human Gene Therapy. IF: 4,241. Q1 (Medicine, research and experimental)

6.- Jaris Valencia; Belén Blanco, Rosa Yáñez, Miriam Vázquez, Carmen Herrero Sánchez, María Fernández-García, Concepción Rodríguez Serrano, David Pescador, Juan F. Blanco, Miriam Hernando-Rodriguez, Fermín Sánchez-Guijo, María Luisa Lamana, José Carlos Segovia, Ángeles Vicente, Consuelo del Cañizo, Agustín G Zapata (2016). Comparative analysis of the immunomodulatory capacities of human Bone Marrow- and Adipose Tissue-derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from the same donor. Cytotherapy. IF: 3,203. Q2 (Medicine, research and experimental)

7.- María Fernández-García, Rosa M. Yañez, Rebeca Sánchez-Domínguez, Miriam Hernando-Rodriguez, Miguel Peces-Barba, Guadalupe Herrera, Jose E. O’Connor, José C. Segovia, Juan A. Bueren, and María L. Lamana (2015). Mesenchymal stromal cells enhance the engraftment of hematopoietic stem cells in an autologous mouse transplantation model. Stem Cell Research & Therapy. IF: 4,504. Q1 (Medicine, research and experimental)

8.- Diego Leon-Rico, María Fernández-García, Montserrat Aldea, Rebeca Sánchez, Raquel Sánchez, Miguel Peces-Barba, Jesus Martinez-Palacio, Rosa M. Yáñez and Elena Almarza (2015). Comparison of Hematopoietic Stem Cell engraftment through the retro-orbital venous sinus and the lateral vein: alternative routes for Bone Marrow Transplantation in Mice. Laboratory Animals (2015). IF: 1,553. Q1 (Veterinary sciences)