De La Cruz Montserrat

Biography

His career revolves around the application of bioinformatics tools to biological problems. His Ph.D. was about the study of the protein structure principles underlying function, a work that I extended during his stay at the NIH (1993-1997) and the UCL (1997-2000). This topic is at the core of his subsequent activities as ICREA researcher (PCB, 2001-2009; IBMB-CSIC, 2009-2012), although it has gradually evolved towards the study of pathological mutations. In 2012, he joined the Institute of Research at the Vall d'Hebron Hospital (VHIR), to increase the applicability of our work, and bring it closer to healthcare professionals and patients. As part of this effort, they are trying to involve all stakeholders in the health system, including companies.

Research Interest

Since he joined the Institute of Research of the Vall d'Hebron Hospital, their first goal has been the understanding of the molecular-level processes underlying disease, focusing on the impact that sequence variants have on protein structure and function. Their approach is computational and aims at the obtention of predictive models that summarize large amounts of biological information. They are making a real effort to translate their results into actual improvements in patient care, working together with hospital teams involved in molecular medicine. This last year we have started an original approach to assessing the applicability of bioinformatics tools in the hospital scenario, by developing cost models that will allow a better assessment of their value.