Since 2000, and before his appointment at St George’s, Dr Miralles pursued postdoctoral training at the Transcription Laboratory at the London Research Institute (Cancer Research UK) where he studied the molecular mechanisms that link actin dynamics to transcriptional regulation. During that period, he was awarded an EU Marie Curie postdoctoral fellowship.

In 1998, he obtained his PhD from the University of Barcelona. His research focussed on the molecular mechanisms underlying extracellular protease gene expression during skeletal muscle differentiation and in response to genotoxic agents. He was subsequently awarded a highly competitive EMBO long term postdoctoral fellowship to pursue further interests in post-transcriptional gene regulation at the Karolinska Institute and Stockholm University. Whilst there, he characterised novel nucleoplasmic proteins involved in the intranuclear transport of Messenger RNAs (mRNAs) to the nuclear pores, and became interested in the role of actin in gene expression.

Dr Miralles' research involves understanding the molecular biology mechanisms that regulate the expression of genes under normal and how their deregulation may lead to cancer. Understanding this process is essential for the development of potential therapeutic targets. In particular, Dr Miralles is interested in understanding how deregulation of the MRTF-actin signalling pathway may lead to the development of tumours of the fat tissue (chondroid lipomas).

• Mortoglou M, Miralles F, Mould RR, Sengupta D, Uysal-Onganer P. (2023). Inhibiting CDK4/6 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma via microRNA-21. Eur J Cell Biol. Jun;102(2):151318.
• Rimmer E, Rashid S, Kraev I, Miralles F, Elia A. (2022). Extracellular Vesicles Inhibit the Response of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Cells to Gemcitabine and TRAIL Treatment. Int J Mol Sci. Jul 15;23(14):7810. doi: 10.3390/ijms23147810.
• Mortoglou M, Miralles F, Arisan ED, Dart A, Jurcevic S, Lange S, Uysal-Onganer P. (2022). microRNA-21 Regulates Stemness in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Cells. Int J Mol Sci. Jan 24;23(3):1275.
• Damla Arisan E, Ozge R, Cieza-Borrella C, Miralles F, Miriam D, Sigrun L 5, Uysal-Onganer P. (2021). MiR-21 Is Required for the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells. J Mol Sci. Feb 4;22(4):1557.
• Doan H, Parsons A, Devkumar S, Selvarajah J, Miralles F, Carroll VA. (2019). HIF-mediated Suppression of DEPTOR Confers Resistance to mTOR Kinase Inhibition in Renal Cancer. iScience. 2019 Nov 22;21:509-520.
• Kim YJ, Osborn DP, Lee JY, Araki M, Araki K, Mohun T, Känsäkoski J, Brandstack N, Kim HT, Miralles F, Kim CH, Brown NA, Kim HG, Martinez-Barbera JP, Ataliotis P, Raivio T, Layman LC, Kim SH (2018). WDR11-mediated Hedgehog signalling defects underlie a new ciliopathy related to Kallmann syndrome. EMBO Rep. 2018 Feb;19(2):269-289.
• Shi J, Miralles F, Kinet JP, Birnbaumer L, Large WA, Albert AP. (2017). Evidence that Orai1 does not contribute to store-operated TRPC1 channels in vascular smooth muscle cells. Channels (Austin). Jul 4;11(4):329-339.
• Shi J, Miralles F, Birnbaumer L, Large WA, Albert AP. (2017). Store-operated interactions between plasmalemmal STIM1 and TRPC1 proteins stimulate PLCβ1 to induce TRPC1 channel activation in vascular smooth muscle cells. (2017). J Physiol. 2017 Feb 15;595(4):1039-1058.
• Mylona, A., Theillet, FX., Foster, C., Cheng, TM., Miralles, F., 4, Bates, PA., Selenko, P., Treisman, R. (2016). Opposing effects of Elk-1 multisite phosphorylation shape its response to ERK activation. Science. 354(6309):233-237.
• Spencer, N., Shilling, T., Miralles, F., Eder C. (2016). Mechanisms underlying priming of microglial reactive oxygen species production. PLOS One. 2016. Sep 6;11(9):e0162497.
• Panayiotou R, Miralles F, Pawlowski R, Diring J, Flynn HR, Skehel M, Treisman R. (2016). Phosphorylation acts positively and negatively to regulate MRTF-A subcellular localisation and activity. Elife. 2016 Jun 15;5. pii: e15460. doi: 10.7554/eLife.15460.
• Shi J, Miralles F, Birnbaumer L, Large WA, Albert AP. (2016). Store depletion induces Gαq-mediated PLCβ1 activity to stimulate TRPC1 channels in vascular smooth muscle cells. FASEB J. 30(2):702-15.
• Schilling T, Miralles F, Eder C. (2014). TRPM7 regulates proliferation and polarisation of macrophages. J Cell Sci. 127:4561-6.
• Guettler, S., Vartiainen, MK., Miralles, F., Larijani, B., Treisman, R. (2008). RPEL motifs link the serum response factor cofactor MAL but not myocardin to Rho signaling via actin binding. Mol Cell Biol. 2008. 28, 732-42.
• Miralles, F., Visa N. (2006). Actin in transcription and transcription regulation. Current Opinion in Cell Biology. 18, 261-266.
• Zaromytidou, A.I., Miralles, F., Treisman, R. (2006). The SRF cofactors MAL and TCF differentially exploit DNA bending to bind overlapping surfaces on the SRF-DNA binding domain. Molecular and Cellular Biology. 11, 4134-4148.
• Posern, G., Miralles, F., Guettler, S., Treisman, R. (2004). Mutant actins which stabilise F-actin use distinct mechanisms to activate the SRF coactivator MAL. EMBO Journal. 23, 3973-3983.
• Miralles, F., Posern, G., Zaromytidou, A.I., Treisman, R. (2003). Actin dynamics control SRF activity by regulation of its coactivator MAL. Cell. 113, 329-342.
• Kiesler, E., Miralles, F., Ostlund-Farrants, A, Visa, N. (2003). The Hrp65 self-interaction domain is evolutionarily conserved and is required for nuclear import of Hrp65 isoforms that lack a nuclear localization signal. Journal of Cell Science. 116, 3949-3956.
• Percipalle, P., Fomproix, N., Kylberg, K., Miralles, F., Bjorkroth, B., Daneholt, B., Visa, N. (2003). A specific actin-ribonucleoprotein interaction required for transcription by RNA polymerase II. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A. 100, 6475-6480.
• Kiesler, E., Miralles, F., Visa, N. (2002). HEL/UAP56 binds cotranscriptionally to the Balbiani Ring Pre- mRNA in an intron-independent manner and accompanies the BR mRNP to the nuclear pore. Current Biology. 12, 859-862.
• Miralles, F., Visa, N. (2001). Molecular characterization of Ct-hrp65: identification of two novel isoforms originated by alternative splicing. Experimental Cell Research. 264, 284-295.
• Miralles, F., Ofverstedt, L.G., Sabri, N., Aissouni, Y., Hellman, U., Skoglund, U., Visa, N. (2000). Electron tomography reveals post-transcriptional binding of pre-mRNPs to specific fibers in the nucleoplasm. The Journal of Cell Biology. 148, 271-282.
• Parra, M., Lluis, F., Miralles, F., Caelles, C., Munoz-Canoves, P. (2000). The cJun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway mediates induction of the proteolytic enzyme uPA by the alkylating agent MNNG. Blood. 15, 96, 1415-1424.
• Miralles F, Ibáñez-Tallon I, Parra M, Crippa M, Blasi F, Besser D, Nagamine Y, Muñoz-Cánoves P. (1999). Transcriptional regulation of the murine urokinase-type plasminogen activator gene in skeletal myoblasts. Thromb Haemost. 81(5):767-74.
• Miralles F, Parra M, Caelles C, Nagamine Y, Félez J, Muñoz-Cánoves P. (1998). UV irradiation induces the murine urokinase-type plasminogen activator gene via the c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling pathway: requirement of an AP1 enhancer element. Mol Cell Biol. 18, 4537-47.
• Miralles F, Ron D, Baiget M, Félez J, Muñoz-Cánoves P. (1998). Differential regulation of urokinase-type plasminogen activator expression by basic fibroblast growth factor and serum in myogenesis. Requirement of a common mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. J Biol Chem. 273(4):2052-8.
• Muñoz-Cánoves P, Miralles F, Baiget M, Félez J. (1997) Inhibition of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) abrogates myogenesis in vitro. Thromb Haemost. 177(3):526-34.
• Enriquez, J., Torras, X., Miralles, F., Martinez-Cerezo, F.J., Sancho-Poch, F.J., Buenestado, J., Madoz, P., Howe, I., Vilardell, F. (1995). Comparative study of two high doses of lymphoblastoid interferon in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C: influence on the levels of ALT, viraemia and histologic activity. Journal of Viral Hepatitis, 2, 181-187.
• Boadas, J., Rodriguez-Espinosa, J., Enriquez, J., Miralles, F., Martinez-Cerezo, F.J., Gonzalez, P., Madoz, P., Vilardell, F. (1995). Prevalence of thyroid autoantibodies is not increased in blood donors with hepatitis C virus infection. Journal of Hepatology, 22, 611-615.

Dr Miralles is the module lead for Genes and Gene Expression, a module offered to year 3 Biomedical Science BSc students and intercalated BSc students. He also contributes specialised lectures to medical, biomedical, pharmacology and master students. His lectures relate to gene expression, cell signalling, cell death and its relation to cancer.

Dr Miralles delivers small group tutorials and offers library-based projects. In year 2, he is the organiser for the year 1 tutorials, and supervises year 3 students during their research projects as well as Master's degree students. He has also experience at supervising both PhD students and visiting Erasmus students. Dr MIralles is the Chief examiner for year 1 Biomedical SCience students as well as the small group teaching coordinator.