We’re excited to feature an interview with Mar Orzáez, Head of the Laboratory of Targeted Therapies in Cancer and Inflammation at the Príncipe Felipe Research Center (CIPF). Her work focuses on the development of targeted therapeutic approaches in cancer and inflammatory diseases.
How did you get interested in the field of Drug Discovery?
I became interested in drug discovery while studying Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Learning how molecular mechanisms contribute to disease made me excited by the possibility of correcting them: identifying where to intervene and developing molecules that can do so.
Can you share a bit about your professional/scientific trajectory and your current role?
Throughout my career, I’ve been interested in how interactions between proteins shape cell behavior, and how understanding them can open up new therapeutic possibilities. I began exploring this at the molecular level during my Biology studies, specializing in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. For my thesis at the University of Valencia, supervised by Prof. Ismael Mingarro, I studied membrane proteins and their interactions. I then turned to cell-death pathways during my postdoctoral research with Prof. Perez Payá at the Instituto de Investigaciones Citológicas, bringing me closer to translational research. Today, I lead the Targeted Therapies in Cancer and Inflammation group at the Príncipe Felipe Research Center (CIPF), and teach at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Valencia.
What kind of research are you focused on right now?
My current research explores how protein-protein interactions contribute to two key processes in disease: cell death and inflammation. In cancer, we investigate how the transmembrane regions of BCL-2 family proteins shape their interactions and regulate mitochondrial membrane permeabilization, a key step in cell death. In inflammation, we study how to modulate the prion-like oligomerization of ASC, a key inflammasome adaptor whose assembly amplifies inflammatory signals and, when dysregulated, can contribute to inflammatory disease.
Which technical and soft skills are crucial for your position?
Technical expertise is essential, particularly in molecular and cell biology, protein–protein interaction research, drug testing, and cancer and inflammation models. Just as important are the ability to think critically, communicate clearly, and work collaboratively across disciplines. As a group leader, I also rely on mentoring and listening skills to support my team and help people develop their ideas.
What accomplishment/s in your career do you feel most proud of?
I’m especially proud of building a research path that connects fundamental questions about protein interactions with their relevance to disease.
How do you balance work and personal life, especially when research demands are high?
My family is a huge part of how I manage the demands of research. They support me during busy periods, and I try to recognize when it’s time to stop and be present with them. I also genuinely enjoy my work, which I think makes a real difference: long hours are much easier to manage when you find your work meaningful.
What part of your job do you find the most fulfilling or exciting?
One of the most satisfying parts of my career is developing a research hypothesis and seeing the experimental evidence support it-or challenge it in a way that leads to a better question.
What emerging technologies or trends in Drug Discovery are you most excited about?
I’m particularly excited about advances in single-cell and spatial omics, which let us understand how cells interact within tissues in a level of detail that would have been hard to imagine just a few years ago. Advances in AI are also essential to help us make sense of the enormous datasets these technologies generate.
What are your thoughts about the current impact of Drug Discovery in Spain?
I think Spain has excellent scientific talent and a strong track record in preclinical research. The challenge is taking discoveries further along the development pathway.