Professor Ramon Martinez Máñez, IDM Director, has been appointed Scientific Director of the CIBER-BBN and replaces Dr. Pablo Laguna, who occupied this position since February 2011.

Ramon Martinez Mañez is the Principal Investigator of CIBER-BBN in the Group of Applied Molecular Chemistry from the Center for  Molecular Recognition and Technological Development of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV-IQMA-IDM).

"Some of the challenges and objectives in this new stage will be the promotion of competitiveness and quality of research, promote collaboration between groups both in the CIBER-BBN as with other CIBER groups and promoting translational research, especially for clinical applications", says Ramon Martinez Mañez.

CIBER-BBN consists of 46 research groups, selected on the basis of scientific excellence, working mainly in three scientific programs: bioengineering and medical imaging; biomaterials and advanced therapies; and nanomedicine.

Martinez Mañez is the  coordinator of Intramural project BIOGATES from CIBER-BBN, investigating new nanoparticles for diagnostics and drug delivery. The research lines of his group also fall within the Scientific Nanomedicine Program of CIBER-BBN.

This research group works with other CIBER-BBN groups in the development of nanoscale devices "molecular gates" for controlled drug release. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles with which they work are able to hold a charge in its pore system and deliver it when they applied a chemical, physical or biochemical stimulus. These nanoparticles have also been used for the selective delivery of cytotoxic for cancer cells and removal of bacteria or the release of certain drugs in senescent cells. Another research line is the development of probes for the detection of molecules of biological interest.