Vicente Pelechano Garcia

Vicente Pelechano Garcia

Principal Researcher | Docent
Visiting address: Tomtebodavägen 23A (Gamma5), 17165 Solna
Postal address: C1 Mikrobiologi, tumör- och cellbiologi, C1 SciLife Pelechano, 171 77 Stockholm
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About me

  • 2003 Biochemistry Graduate. University of Valencia [1], Spain.
    2009 PhD in Molecular Biology.University of Valencia [2], Spain.
    2009-2012 Postdoctoral training at EMBL Genome Biology Unit [3]. Heidelberg.
    Germany
    2012-2015 Staff Scientist at EMBL Genome Biology Unit [4]. Heidelberg.
    Germany
    2016-2020 Assistant Professor and Group Leader. Karolinska Institutet.
    Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC)
    [1] https://www.uv.es
    [2] https://www.uv.es
    [3] https://www.embl.org
    [4] https://www.embl.org

Research

  • *Genomic dissection of non-genetic cellular heterogeneity*
    One of the biggest challenges in biology is to understand how apparently
    identical cells respond differently to the same stimulus. In some cases, this
    differential behaviour can be explained by alterations of their genetic
    material, however in other cases identical (clonal) cells can also display
    phenotypically heterogeneous responses. We use state of the art genomic
    technologies to study the regulatory mechanism leading to the appearance of
    divergent gene expression programs in clonal population.
    In the last decades, the biomedical field has suffered a revolution thanks to
    the development of the massive parallel sequencing technologies. Now we can
    obtain the complete genetic information of a person and analyse how this
    information is being used in a few days and with a limited cost. This
    technology makes possible a kind of research that was unthinkable a few years
    back. Our group, combining experimental and computational work, aims to
    develop and apply novel genome-wide techniques to address fundamental
    biological questions with medical implications. We are especially interested
    in how subtle variations in gene expression can lead to differential cellular
    phenotypes in humans and microorganism. Specifically, we investigate:
    *1. Molecular bases of non-genetic cellular heterogeneity:* We focus on
    understanding how single-cell variability, cellular plasticity and
    transcriptional memory contribute to the appearance of drug-tolerant cancer
    persister cells (i.e. those cells that, although genetically sensitive to a
    drug, do not respond to it). To reach that goal we combine the dissection of
    genetic factors controlling non-genetic heterogeneity with the development of
    novel genome-wide technologies to study this process.
    *2. Crosstalk between ribosome dynamics and mRNA degradation.* We have
    previously shown how the existence of widespread co-translational mRNA
    degradation allows to study ribosome dynamics by sequencing mRNA degradation
    intermediates (5P-Seq). Using that work as staring point, we to dissect the
    molecular crosstalk between mRNA degradation and ribosome dynamics in
    multiple organisms. We are characterizing how alterations in the translation
    process modulates mRNA stability and explore the utility of mRNA degradation
    signatures as reporters for cellular fitness in multiple organisms (from
    bacteria to cancer cells). We are particularly interested to use this
    technology as a new molecular reporter to investigate antibiotic response in
    complex bacterial samples.
    *3. Novel tools for molecular diagnosis.* We are using our genomics expertise
    to improve and develop new molecular diagnosis and clinical genomic tools. We
    develop sequencing-based approaches to improve cancer-patient stratification
    and to accelerate the diagnosis of antimicrobial resistant infections.
    Our group is affiliated to MTC and the Science for Life Laboratory
    (http://scilifelab.se/ [1]) where our lab is located. External group
    homepage: http://pelechanolab.com [2]
    Photo credit of my portrait: /Magnus Bergström/
    [1] http://scilifelab.se/
    [2] http://pelechanolab.com/

Teaching

  • Since 2018 I co-direct the Karolinska PhD course “Genomics for Biomedical
    scientist: Handle your gene expression data (3230)”, co-directed with my
    MTC/SciLifeLab colleague Dr. Claudia Kutter [1].
    In addition, I teach in multiple Master and PhD courses in the field of
    Genomics, Gene Expression and Epigenetics.
    [1] https://ki.se/en/mtc/kutter-group-regulatory-transcriptions

Articles

All other publications

Employments

  • Principal Researcher, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 2022-

Degrees and Education

  • Docent, Karolinska Institutet, 2023

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