Pere Fontova (Fontova P) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics at the University of Barcelona and a young researcher within the Cancer Cell Biology Research Group at the same institution.
He was part of the first graduating cohort of the Biomedical Sciences degree at the University of Barcelona, where he later obtained a Master’s degree in Biomedicine. During his formative years, he carried out research training in the Biochemistry Group led by Dr. Bartrons and Dr. Manzano, acquiring solid expertise in molecular biology techniques with a particular focus on glucose metabolism in cancer. This early exposure to translational research shaped his interest in the molecular mechanisms underlying disease and therapeutic intervention.
In 2019, he obtained his PhD at the University of Barcelona within the Nephrology Research Group, under the supervision of Dr. Lloberas and Dr. Grinyó. His doctoral work, entitled “Pharmacodynamic innovations of Tacrolimus and Mycophenolic Acid in renal transplantation,” allowed him to integrate molecular biology with clinical pharmacology and immunology. During this period, he gained extensive experience in advanced analytical methodologies, including mass spectrometry, as well as pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic analyses aimed at understanding the molecular mechanisms of immunosuppressive drugs.
In 2021, he joined the Organic Chemistry Group at the University of Burgos as a postdoctoral researcher, where his research focused on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of experimental compounds with anion-transporting properties and their potential application in cancer therapy. This work resulted in several scientific publications and patent contributions. In parallel, he initiated a close collaboration with the Cancer Cell Biology Research Group at the University of Barcelona to evaluate the efficacy and mechanisms of action of these compounds across different cancer models.
Since 2023, Dr. Fontova has held a faculty position at the University of Barcelona, where he actively contributes to the research activities of the Cancer Cell Biology Research Group. As a member of the team, he has participated in research projects led by Dr. Vanessa Soto focused on mechanisms of resistance to cancer therapies, particularly those involving autophagy and anti-apoptotic signaling pathways. In parallel, he is progressively assuming responsibility for a research line on drug discovery and ion-mediated regulation of cellular homeostasis originally initiated by Dr. Ricardo Pérez-Tomás, ensuring continuity and consolidation of expertise within the group.
More specifically, his current research interests are centered on understanding the role of cellular homeostasis—particularly intracellular and tumor microenvironment pH regulation—in cancer progression, cell death, invasion, and resistance to therapy. By integrating molecular, cellular, and pharmacological approaches, his work aims to identify and develop novel therapeutic strategies and drug candidates that, either as monotherapies or in combination regimens, may enhance the effectiveness of current cancer treatments.
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-1352-3084; Scopus ID: 57191738451
Research Line-Related Publications
- Deregulation of lactate permeability using a small-molecule transporter (Lactrans-1) disturbs intracellular pH and triggers cancer cell death. Arias-Betancur A, Fontova P, Alonso-Carrillo D, Carreira-Barral I, Duis J, García-Valverde M, Soto-Cerrato V, Quesada R, Pérez-Tomás R. Biochem Pharmacol, 2024.
- Small molecule anion carriers facilitate lactate transport in model liposomes and cells. Alonso-Carrillo D, Arias-Betancur A, Carreira-Barral I, Fontova P, Soto-Cerrato V, García-Valverde M, Pérez-Tomás R, Quesada R. iScience, 2023.
- Antimetastatic Properties of Prodigiosin and the BH3-Mimetic Obatoclax (GX15-070) in Melanoma. Espona-Fiedler M, Manuel-Manresa P, Benítez-García C, Fontova P, Quesada R, Soto-Cerrato V, Pérez-Tomás R. Pharmaceutics, 2022.
- A Novel Late-Stage Autophagy Inhibitor That Efficiently Targets Lysosomes Inducing Potent Cytotoxic and Sensitizing Effects in Lung Cancer. Molero-Valenzuela A, Fontova P, Alonso-Carrillo D, Carreira-Barral I, Torres AA, García-Valverde M, Benítez-García C, Pérez-Tomás R, Quesada R, Soto-Cerrato V. Cancers, 2022.
Other Relevant Publications
- Identification of the atypical antipsychotic Asenapine as a direct survivin inhibitor with anticancer properties and sensitizing effects to conventional therapies. Benítez-García C, Martínez-García D, Kotev M, Pérez-Hernández M, Westermaier Y, Díaz L, Korrodi-Gregório L, Fontova P, Torres AA, Pérez-Tomás R, García-Valverde M, Quesada R, Soliva R, Soto-Cerrato V. Biomed Pharmacother, 2025.
- A prospective controlled, randomized clinical trial of kidney transplant recipients developed personalized tacrolimus dosing using model-based Bayesian Prediction. Lloberas N, Grinyó JM, Colom H, Vidal-Alabró A, Fontova P, Rigo-Bonnin R, Padró A, Bestard O, Melilli E, Montero N, Coloma A, Manonelles A, Meneghini M, Favà A, Torras J, Cruzado JM. Kidney Int, 2023.
- Cytotoxicity of osmium(II) and cycloosmated half-sandwich complexes from 1-pyrenyl-containing phosphane ligands. Josa D, Aguilà D, Fontova P, Soto-Cerrato V, Herrera-Ramírez P, Rafols L, Grabulosa A, Gamez P. Dalton Trans, 2023.
- The Effect of Intracellular Tacrolimus Exposure on Calcineurin Inhibition in Immediate- and Extended-Release Tacrolimus Formulations. Fontova P, van Merendonk LN, Vidal-Alabró A, Rigo-Bonnin R, Cerezo G, van Oevelen S, Bestard O, Melilli E, Montero N, Coloma A, Manonelles A, Torras J, Cruzado JM, Grinyó JM, Colom H, Lloberas N. Pharmaceutics, 2023.
- TP53-Induced Glycolysis and Apoptosis Regulator (TIGAR) Is Upregulated in Lymphocytes Stimulated with Concanavalin A. Simon-Molas H, Vallvé-Martínez X, Caldera-Quevedo I, Fontova P, Arnedo-Pac C, Vidal-Alabró A, Castaño E, Navarro-Sabaté À, Lloberas N, Bartrons R, Manzano A. Int J Mol Sci, 2021.
- Influence of the Circadian Timing System on Tacrolimus Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics After Kidney Transplantation. Fontova P, Colom H, Rigo-Bonnin R, van Merendonk LN, Vidal-Alabró A, Montero N, Melilli E, Meneghini M, Manonelles A, Cruzado JM, Torras J, Grinyó JM, Bestard O, Lloberas N. Front Pharmacol, 2021.
- Sustained Inhibition of Calcineurin Activity With a Melt-Dose Once-daily Tacrolimus Formulation in Renal Transplant Recipients. Fontova P, Colom H, Rigo-Bonnin R, Bestard O, Vidal-Alabró A, van Merendonk LN, Cerezo G, Polo C, Montero N, Melilli E, Manonelles A, Meneghini M, Coloma A, Cruzado JM, Torras J, Grinyó JM, Lloberas N. Clin Phamacol Ther, 2021.
- Mycophenolic acid interferes the transcriptional regulation and protein trafficking of maturation surface markers in dendritic cells. Fontova P, Rama I, Llaudó I, Vidal-Alabró A, Cerezo G, Manzano A, Bestard O, Cruzado JM, Torras J, Grinyó JM, Lloberas N. Int Immunopharmacol, 2021.
- Measurement of calcineurin activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Renal transplant recipients application (pharmacodynamic monitoring). Fontova P, Rigo-Bonnin R, Vidal-Alabró A, Cerezo G, Bestard O, Cruzado JM, Torras J, Grinyó JM, Lloberas N. Clin Chimica Acta, 2019.
- TGF-β1 targets Smad, p38 MAPK, and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways to induce PFKFB3 gene expression and glycolysis in glioblastoma cells. Rodríguez-García A, Samsó P, Fontova P, Simon-Molas H, Manzano A, Castaño E, Rosa JL, Martinez-Outshoorn U, Ventura F, Navarro-Sabaté À, Bartrons R. FEBS J, 2017.
