Marc Güell

Group website


Research Outline

Our group aims to leverage synthetic biology and gene editing to generate technologies with therapeutic potential. We have lines of research in directed evolution, microbiome engineering, and precise tools for gene therapy.

 

Engineering biological components enables us to explore unique opportunities, to learn biology by rebuilding biology, and to provide solutions to current challenges. Biological systems are uniquely precise and specific. We expect that the interface between systems observation and modeling, with synthetic biology, will grow in importance, and translate into an extremely high impact in society.

 

Research Lines

The main research lines of our group and the projects funded for each one are the following:  

 

  • Mammalian genome editing and gene therapy:

 

-Development of intein based gene therapies. Retos Colaboración. Spanish Government.

-UNI-LARGE: Advanced gene-editing platform. Industria del Coneixement. Catalan Government. 

-UNI-LARGE: Precision gene delivery. Innovalora. UPF

-Precise delivery of the LAMA2 gene for the treatment of MDC1A. Contract with company (Roche).

-UNI-LARGE: Programmable gene delivery. Caixa Impulse Consolidate.

-Precise genome engineering approaches for MDC1A. Fundación Ramón Areces.

-UPGRADE consortium for gene therapy. H2020 program, EU.

-Innovadors. Precise gene editing technologies for advanced therapies. Catalan Government. 

-CRISPR Screen to Identify Drug-Repurposing Host Targets for SARS-CoV-2 Infection. CRUE-Santader. 

  • Human microbiome engineering:

-Engineered Biofilms with Modular Functionality for Persistent and Survivable Naval Platforms. Office Of Naval Research-US NAVY.

-Synflora advanced skin therapeutics. Industria del Coneixement. Catalan Government. 

-Developing technologies on skin microbiome engineering. Office of Naval Research-US NAVY.

-S-biomedic & Translational Synthetich Biology Lab (UFP) agreement. Contract with company (S-biomedic). 

 

Team during 2019-20

PhD students: María Pallarès, Nastassia Knödlseder, Dimitrie Ivancic, Guillermo Nevot, Núria Rafel, Miquel Rozas, Marta Sanvicente

 

Postdocs: Avencia Sánchez-Mejías, Javier Santos Moreno, María José Fábregas, Laura Aguilera

 

Technicians: Jessica Jaraba, Júlia Mir, Laura Agúndez , Lorena Toloza

 

Senior scientist: Amal Rahmeh

Project manager: Lourdes González Bermúdez 

Lab manager: María Marín

Researcher: Nil Campamà

 

Selected publications 

  • Pätzold B, Willis J, Lima J, Knödlseder N, Brüggemann H, Quist S, Gabaldón T, Güell M (2019). Skin microbiome modulation induced by probiotic solutions. Microbiome 7, 95. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-019-0709-3

 

  • Karoglan A, Paetzold B, Lima J, Brüggemann H, Tüting T, Schanze D, Güell M,  Gollnick H (2019). Safety and Efficacy of Topically Applied Selected Cutibacterium acnes Strains over Five Weeks in Patients with Acne Vulgaris: An Open-label, Pilot Study. Acta Dermato-Venereologica 99,1253-1257. https://doi.org/10.2340/00015555-3323

 

  • Smith C, Castanon O, Said K, Volf V, Khoshakhlagh P, Hornick A, Ferreira R, Wu C, Güell M, Garg S, Ng A, Myllykallio H, Church G (2020). Enabling large-scale genome editing at repetitive elements by reducing DNA nicking, Nucleic Acids Research, 48, 5183–5195, https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkaa239.

 

Other relevant information 

Patents:
Avencia Sánchez-Mejías, Marc Güell, Dimitrie Ivancic, Maria Pallarès. Targeted gene editing constructs and methods of using the same - US Patent App. 62/860,186 (Licensed to Integra Tx). 

 

Foundation of Integra Therapeutics

At Integra Therapeutics we have combined the precision of CRISPR systems with the gene transfer efficiency of viral integrases and transposases.

 

Personal Awards (Dr. Marc Güell):

• 2020 – Elected EMBO Young Investigator, European Molecular Biology Organization

• 2019 – National Research Award to young talent received from President the la Generalitat,

Government of Catalonia, Barcelona

• 2019 – Highly cited researcher of the Web of Science (top 1%)

• 2019 – Premi Consell Social UPF to Teaching Initiative, Barcelona

 

Keynote speaker

IRB Lleida. Feb-2020.

 

 

Transfected hek293T cells with Programmable Transposase targeting aavs1 safe harbour genomic location and RFP encoding transposon. Red fluorescent cells have a targeted integration of the transposon. DAPI (blue) stains the nucleus.
 

Luciferase activity measured after FiCAT treatment.