María Ángela Nieto
María Ángela Nieto Toledano | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 1, 1960 Madrid, Spain |
| Occupation(s) | Researcher, Biochemist, Molecular Biologist |
| Known for | Research on epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), developmental and cellular biology |
María Ángela Nieto Toledano (born March 1, 1960, in Madrid) is a distinguished Spanish researcher and PhD holder in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, celebrated for her groundbreaking work in the fields of developmental and cellular biology.
She conducts her research at the Institute for Neurosciences CSIC-UMH, a joint institute formed by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH).
Career
Nieto obtained her doctoral degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in 1987, where she specialized in studying interactions between nucleic acids and proteins.
In 1988, she joined the Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas in Madrid to investigate mechanisms of programmed cell death. The next year, she moved to London’s National Institute for Medical Research, working alongside David Wilkinson on isolating genes implicated in nervous system morphogenesis. By 1993, she had become a Staff Scientist at the Cajal Institute in Madrid, spearheading research on cellular dynamics during embryogenesis and adult disease conditions.
In 2000, Nieto was appointed director of the Developmental Neurobiology Department and gained membership in the European Molecular Biology Organization. Four years later, she progressed to research professor and transferred to the Institute for Neurosciences (CSIC-UMH) located in Alicante.
Her scientific focus is on epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a fundamental process where immobile epithelial cells transform into migratory mesenchymal cells. EMT plays a crucial role in developmental biology and significantly impacts cancer metastasis, tissue repair, and various pathological states.
Nieto’s investigations into the SNAI1 gene family have been pivotal in elucidating tissue morphogenesis during embryonic development as well as the gene’s reactivation in diseases such as cancer progression, fibrosis, and skeletal disorders. Her discoveries have been instrumental in defining EMT’s involvement in tumor biology, establishing her as a prominent authority within cancer research.
Although initially met with resistance by oncologists, EMT has become a central theme in oncology studies. Her influential review articles published in 2011 and 2016 have been highly regarded for advancing comprehension of this mechanism.
Memberships
- Since 2020, member of the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences.
- Member of the Academia Europaea.
- Affiliated with the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO).
- President of the International Society for Developmental Biologists (ISDB).
- Serves as Spain’s scientific delegate to EMBO, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), and the European Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC).
- Board member of the International Society of Differentiation.
- Participant on the scientific and technical committee of the State Research Agency (AEI).
- Member of the High Advisory Council for the Generalitat Valenciana.
- Contributor to scientific committees at Institut Curie (Paris), Institut de Genomique Fonctionelle (Lyon), Institut Biologie du Développement (Marseille), University of Dundee (UK), Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), and Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona.
- Full member of Mineco’s Advisory Committee on Singular Infrastructures (CAIS) based in Madrid.
- Editorial board member for journals including EMBO J, EMBO reports, Current Opinion in Genetics and Development, Mechanism of Development, Gene Expression Patterns, and Int. J. Developmental Biology.
- Holds presidency of the Spanish Society for Developmental Biology.
Awards and recognition
- 2004: Recognition granted by the Carmen and Severo Ochoa Foundation.
- 2005: Biomedical Research Award from the Francisco Cobos Foundation.
- 2006: Alberto Sols Prize for Outstanding Research Achievement.
- 2009: Recipient of the Rey Jaime I Award.
- 2015: Scientific Merit Distinction awarded by Premios 9 d'Octubre (Generalitat Valenciana).
- 2015: Included in the Selección Española de la Ciencia (Spanish Science Selection).
- 2016: Nephrology Research Prize from Fundación Renal Española IAT.
- 2017: Honored with the Rotary Club Alicante Award.
- 2017: Awarded the Premio México de Ciencia y Tecnología by the Mexican Government.
- 2018: Lilly Foundation Prize for Preclinical Biomedical Research.
- 2018: Cancer Research Award bestowed by Asociación Española de Investigación sobre el Cáncer.
- 2018: Premio Alberto Sols recognizing Best Research Work (2016–2017).
- 2019: Recipient of the IMPORTANTES Award from Información newspaper.
- 2019: National Research Award 'Santiago Ramón y Cajal' in Biology, granted by the Spanish Government.
- 2021: Honored with the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards for Europe; becoming the second Spanish female laureate of this distinction.