Clara Cieza-Borrella graduated from University of Salamanca (Spain) with BSc in Biology and carried out her master's studies in Biology and Clinic of Cancer (Cancer Research Institute of Salamanca CSIC-USAL University). In 2014, she obtained her PhD in Medicine at the same University and immediately incorporated to work at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR, London, UK) where she carried out her postdoctoral studies in prostate cancer genetics and functional studies.

Clara Cieza-Borrella is Lecturer in Molecular Biology at St. George's-University of London (SGUL) and associated member of the Cell Biology and Genetics Research Centre (SGUL). She is Deputy Course Director of the MSc Genomics Medicine (SGUL-King's College), leader of the Personalised Medicine module of the BSc Year 3 and MSc Translational Medicine, and leader of the new Molecular Basis of Disease module of the BSc Year 2.

Professional memberships and affiliations

• Honorary contract holder at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
• Associated member of the Cell Biology and Genetics Research Centre. St George’s, University of London, UK.
• Emerging satellite group lead at the Prostate Cancer Association Group to Investigate Cancer Associated Alterations in the Genome (PRACTICAL) Consortium.
• Ambassador member of the European Association of Cancer Research (EACR).
• Member of The British Society for Cell Biology (BSCB).

Dr Cieza-Borrella's research is focusing on the characterisation of novel genes and genetic variants associated with prostate cancer risk. She carries out functional studies involving the application of novel technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9, 3D cell cultures (spheroids and organoids), liquid biopsies and chromatin conformation capture. Clara is also topic editor of the Frontiers in Genetics journal and reviewer of the European Journal of Cell Biology

Projects

• Integracion de datos omicos en familias multicaso con cancer de prostata para su aplicacion en biopsia liquida. Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (PID2019-110512RA-I00). Role: Project team member. Principal investigators: Dr Maria Jesus Alvarez Cubero / Dr Luis Javier Martinez Gonzalez
• Generation of 3D organoids to model prostate cancer disease. Molecular and Clinical Sciences Institute. Role: Principal Investigator. Other principal investigators: Dr Ferran Valderrama/ Dr Tom Carter

Team

- Prostate Cancer Research Team together with Dr Ferran Valderrama (SGUL), Dr Hiten Patel (SGUH, NHS Trust), Ms Pirruntha Sivaharan (SGUL) and Mr Gregory Perry (SGUL).

Collaborations

- "Functional validation of novel genes and variants associated with prostate cancer risk" in collaboration with Prof Ros Eeles and Dr Zsofia Kote-Jarai (Institute of Cancer Research, UK).

- "Characterisation of microRNAs in prostate cancer metastasis" and other projects with Dr Pinar Uysal-Onganer (Westminster University, UK).

- "Omics data integration in multi-case prostate cancer families and its application in liquid biopsy" in collaboration with Dr Maria Jesus Cubero and Dr Luis Javier Martinez Gonzalez (GENYO-University of Granada, Spain).

- "Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) as prognosis biomarkers for heart failure" in collaboration with Dr Veronica Carroll (SGUL) and Dr Jose Angel Perez Rivera (University Hospital of Burgos, Spain).

- Teaching Roles:

• Deputy Course Director: MSc Genomic Medicine. SGUL, London
• Module Lead: Personalised Medicine module delivered to the MSc Translational Medicine. SGUL, London.
• Module Lead: Personalised Medicine (GEN604) module delivered to the BSc Biomedical Sciences Year 3 course. SGUL, London.
• Module Lead: Molecular Basis of Disease (PTH502) module delivered to the BSc Biomedical Sciences Year 2 course (new module). SGUL, London.

- Other teaching activities:

• Provision of lectures on the Molecular Pathology of Cancer and Application in Cancer Diagnosis, Screening and Treatment module of MSc Genomics Medicine.
• Provision of lectures across years one, two and three of BSc Biomedical Science.Provision of lectures on second year of BSc Clinical Pharmacology.
• Provision of lectures on first and second year of MBBS4 and MBBS5 respectively.Supervision of BSc Biomedical Sciences undergraduate projects (2 students/year).
• Supervision of postgraduate projects.
• Supervisor of BSc Biomedical Sciences undergraduate Summer students.
• Mentor of postgraduate student.
• Small group tutor on first year BSc Biomedical Sciences students.
• Supervision of Structured Research Project (SRP) on third year of BSc Biomedical Sciences students.
• Supervision of Independent Study Projects (ISP) on second year of BSc Biomedical Science students.
• Personal tutor of BSc Biomedical Sciences and MSc Genomic Medicine students.

- Current external teaching activities

• Provision of lectures and member of the teaching staff of the Molecular Pathology of Cancer and Application in Cancer Diagnosis, Screening, and Treatment module of the MSc Genomic Medicine. Imperial College University, London, UK. (2017-Present).
• Provision of lectures on Medical Molecular Biology, Principles of Molecular Medicine module delivered to the MSc Biomedical Sciences. University of Westminster, London, UK. (2017-Present).