Diego Alem

I hold a degree in Biochemistry (Faculty of Sciences, UdelaR), a master’s degree in Biotechnology (Faculty of Sciences, UdelaR), and a doctorate in Biotechnology (Faculty of Sciences, UdelaR). I completed my postdoctoral fellowship at the Moffitt Cancer Center (Tampa, USA) and work as a researcher in the Genetics Department of the Clemente Estable Institute for Biological Research (IIBCE).

My primary interest lies in studying the role of amyloids in proteinopathies, with a focus on elucidating their role in tumor development. Amyloids can be described, in very brief terms, as a specific folding pattern of proteins. We recently described the presence of aberrant amyloids in bladder cancer, raising new questions about their role in carcinogenesis and other proteinopathies such as Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), cardiac amyloidosis, and diabetes. In addition, I am interested in the search for compounds with biomedical applications, with an emphasis on antitumor and anti-amyloid compounds. Furthermore, I believe it is essential to develop a platform for evaluating antitumor drugs based on patient-derived organoids. Organoids can be considered mini-tumors that are representative of the original tumor, allowing us to evaluate the effect of different antitumor therapies; they serve as a tool for personalized medicine that contributes to better therapeutic selection.