Anna Bigas holds a PhD in Cell Biology from the University of Barcelona (1993). She has a long-standing interest in hematopoietic stem cells and leukemogenesis. Her work as a post-doctoral fellow (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle 1993-1997) was pioneering in identifying a role of Notch in the regulating hematopoietic differentiation, a highly influential contribution to the field of hematopoiesis (PNAS 1996, Mol. Cell. Biol 1998). Since starting her independent research group in Barcelona, Spain (IRO and IDIBELL, 1998-2008 and IMIM (from 2009 on); she has sought to decipher the molecular mechanisms that regulate stem cell commitment, maintenance, differentiation and oncogenic transformation, mainly focused in the hematopoietic system.
Through refined genetic studies the group has demonstrated crucial roles for Notch and Wnt in the generation of hematopoietic stem cells in the mouse embryo (Development, 2005, EMBO J 2008, JEM 2012, 2013, 2014, Nat Comm 2015, EMBO J 2020) and the contribution of Notch and Wnt to T-ALL and CTCL (Leukemia 2016, Leukemia 2018). Recently, work on mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance in T-ALL has been one of the focus of the lab (Genome Biology 2020, EMBO Mol Med, 2023).
The long-standing scientific association with Dr. Lluis Espinosa’s group also helped identify NFkB as a new therapeutic target for the treatment of T-ALL (Cancer Cell 2010 and Cell Cycle 2011), as well as discovering novel functions for specific NFkB elements in colorectal and skin cancer (PNAS 2004, 2007; Cell Reports 2012, Cancer Cell 2013, Science Signaling 2015, Molecular Cell 2019, EMBO reports 2020). These studies have provided important information on how leukemic and cancer cells function. Both groups Bigas’ and Espinosa’ share most of resources (including lab technicians), co-supervise students and work in collaboration in most of the projects.
The group has participated in many international collaborations that have resulted in publications in top journals (Science 2013, Dev Cell 2013, G&D 2014, Nature Comm 2015, Cancer Cell 2017) or important reviews in hematopoietic development (CSC 2018) or Notch function (Cur.op.Cell Biol. 2018).
In 2020, Anna Bigas became the Scientific Director of CIBERONC, a collaborative program for Cancer Research from Instituto de Salud Carlos III. CIBERONC participates in IMPACT initiatives with two different multicenter projects to implement genomics in the clinical management of lung cancer and to monitor immunotherapy treatments in different tumors. As scientific director of CIBERONC, she is participating in the organization of workshop symposiums to determine research priorities for the ‘Cancer Mission’ in Horizon Europe program.
Education and Training the next generation of scientist is another important activity. She has supervised 13 PhD students (obtaining highest qualification), more than 40 undergraduate and Master students, also mentored several postdoctoral scientists. PhD students and postdocs are all now in science related positions, including four group leaders in Academia. She is the lecturer for Cancer Biology subject at UIC.