Within the laboratory of Stem Cells in Cancer and Aging we are interested in the use of genetically modified animals for the study of key events in cancer development, and to better understand the mechanisms that control the process of aging.

One of the basic tools in our studies is the cell reprogramming system that allows the induction of pluripotency on differentiated somatic cells. To address these studies in vivo we obtained a transgenic mouse line carrying a polycistronic cassette for the inducible expression of the Yamanaka factors: Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 y c-Myc (Tg(tetO-Pou5f1,-Sox2,-Klf4,-Myc)1Srn).

The gene Sox2, an essential gene for embryonic development that is also expressed on multipotent adult stem cells, playes a key role in many of our research lines. To better understand the involvement of Sox2 positive cells in cancer and aging we have a knockin mouse line for the Thymidine kinase gene from Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-TK) inserted on the Sox2 locus (Sox2tm3(TK)Hoch). These animals have Sox2+ cells that are sensitive to the drug ganciclovir, allowing us the inducible and controlled depletion of these cells.