Dr Valderrama obtained his PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology under the supervision of Professor Gustavo Egea studying Intracellular membrane dynamics, where his studies established the presence of actin microfilaments in COP-I vesicles derived from the Golgi complex.

During his postdoctoral training – when he was awarded a European Union-Marie Curie Postdoctoral fellowship - Dr Valderrama first joined the laboratory of Dr Michael Way at the European Molecular Biology Laboratories (EMBL) in Heidelberg (Germany) and later on at the London Research Institute (LRI-CRUK) in London (UK). Of interest, amongst the investigations carried on during that period is the identification of a vaccinia virus (a relative of the smallpox causative virus) protein able to induce migration of the host cells upon infection. Subsequently, Dr Valderrama moved to the laboratory of Professor Anne Ridley first at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and subsequently at the Randall Institute in King’s College London, where he studied the role of the Ezrin-Radixin-Moesin (ERM) family of proteins - involved in the regulation of the interface between the actin cytoskeleton and the plasma membrane - during migration of prostate cancer cells.

Dr Valderrama is a cell biologist with research interest in cell polarity and migration in the physiological context of cancers of epithelial origin (particularly prostate cancer).

His laboratory has been developing 3D cell culture models aiming to recapitulate the early events observed in the glandular structures of the prostate that lead to prostate cancer. Using epifluorescence and confocal microscopy in live and fix specimens we aim to understand how changes in cell polarity and cell migration lead to early disruption of the epithelial organisation of the glands (intraepithelial neoplasia) and subsequent proliferation and migration towards the lumen (intraluminal proliferation).

In this context, his research has identified a molecular pathway in the interface between the plasma membrane and the actin cytoskeleton with therapeutic capacity aiming to reduce tumour growth.

Dr Valderrama lectures Biomedical Science BSc (Hons) students on the cell nucleus, the cytoskeleton, an introduction to microscopy and gives student-based learning tutorials.

Dr Valderrama lectures and is responsible for tutorials on the Pharmacy MPharm (Hons) course (run jointly by Kingston University and St George's) and the Biomedical Science MRes course.

Dr Valderrama is also an undergraduate personal tutor and supervisor.

At postgraduate level as part of the MRes Biomedical Sciences course Dr Valderrama lectures and gives tutorials. He also supervises student projects on this course.