Contact

• workRoom A216 Centre for Biomolecular Sciences
  University Park
  Nottingham
  NG7 2RD
  UK
• work0115 82(31233)
• Sara.CuevasOcana@nottingham.ac.uk
• www.linkedin.com/in/sara-cuevas-ocaña-9b6067115

Biography

Originally from Spain, I completed my undergraduate degree in biology at the University of Granada. As part of that degree, I spent a year learning about genetics and laboratory animal science at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. During my time in Leuven, I obtained by first laboratory job under the guidance of Prof. Jan Geuns, developing sugar-reduced fillings for pralines and chocolate using Stevia. I returned to Granada to complete my Master's degree in Cellular and Molecular Immunology, and I got experience in mesenchymal stem cell culture and gene manipulation under Dr. Per Anderson's and Dr. Francisco Martin's supervision.

I then moved to the UK as a PhD candidate at Newcastle University developing genetic models for cystic fibrosis under Dr. Mike Gray's supervision. My PhD project was focused on the use of pluripotent stem cells and directed differentiation into lung cells for the study of cystic fibrosis. A DMM Travel Fellowship also gave me the opportunity to be trained on stem cells and lung differentiation by Dr. Amy Wong and Prof. Janet Rossant at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.

Following the award of my PhD, I accepted a position as a Research Fellow at Dr. Nick Hannan lab at the University of Nottingham to pursue an academic career in respiratory diseases.

Expertise Summary

Disease modelling. Stem cell culture. Genome-editing technologies.

Research Summary

The role of genetics in respiratory diseases. Our current research involves the use of pluripotent stem cells and 3D culture platforms for disease modelling.

Selected Publications

• BELEN CARRILLO-GALVEZ, ANA, COBO, MARIEN, CUEVAS-OCANA, SARA, GUTIERREZ-GUERRERO, ALEJANDRA, SANCHEZ-GILABERT, ALMUDENA, BONGARZONE, PIERPAOLO, GARCIA-PEREZ, ANGELICA, MUNOZ, PILAR, BENABDELLAH, KARIM, TOSCANO, MIGUEL G., MARTIN, FRANCISCO and ANDERSON, PER, 2015. Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Express GARP/LRRC32 on Their Surface: Effects on Their Biology and Immunomodulatory Capacity STEM CELLS. 33(1), 183-195
• CUEVAS-OCANA, SARA, LASELVA, ONOFRIO, AVOLIO, JULIE and NENNA, RAFFAELLA, 2020. The era of CFTR modulators: improvements made and remaining challenges BREATHE. 16(2),
• ARDURA-GARCIA, CRISTINA, ABELLAN, ALICIA, CUEVAS-OCANA, SARA, FREITAG, NADINE, LAM, YIN TING, MAKRINIOTI, HEIDI, SLAATS, MONIQUE, STORTI, MATTEO, WILLIAMS, EMMA E., DASSIOS, THEODORE, DUIJTS, LIESBETH, ERSU, REFIKA H., FUSTIK, STOJKA, MORTY, RORY E., PROESMANS, MARIJKE, SCHRAMM, DIRK, SAGLANI, SEJAL, MOELLER, ALEXANDER and PIJNENBURG, MARIELLE W., 2022. ERS International Congress 2021: highlights from the Paediatric Assembly ERJ OPEN RESEARCH. 8(2),
• OCANA, SARA CUEVAS, WONG, AMY, AUSHEV, MAGOMET, YANG, JIN YE, PERKINS, NEIL, BEAR, CHRISTINE, ROSSANT, JANET and GRAY, MICHAEL, 2019. How can gene-editing of human pluripotent stem cells help cystic fibrosis? EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY JOURNAL. 54,

• View all publications

• ARDURA-GARCIA, CRISTINA, ABELLAN, ALICIA, CUEVAS-OCANA, SARA, FREITAG, NADINE, LAM, YIN TING, MAKRINIOTI, HEIDI, SLAATS, MONIQUE, STORTI, MATTEO, WILLIAMS, EMMA E., DASSIOS, THEODORE, DUIJTS, LIESBETH, ERSU, REFIKA H., FUSTIK, STOJKA, MORTY, RORY E., PROESMANS, MARIJKE, SCHRAMM, DIRK, SAGLANI, SEJAL, MOELLER, ALEXANDER and PIJNENBURG, MARIELLE W., 2022. ERS International Congress 2021: highlights from the Paediatric Assembly ERJ OPEN RESEARCH. 8(2),
• GULER, SABINA A., CUEVAS-OCANA, SARA, NASSER, MOUHAMAD, WUYTS, WIM A., WIJSENBEEK, MARLIES S., FROIDURE, ANTOINE, BARGAGLI, ELENA, RENZONI, ELISABETTA A., VELTKAMP, MARCEL, SPAGNOLO, PAOLO, NUNES, HILARIO, MCCARTHY, CORMAC, MOLINA-MOLINA, MARIA, BONELLA, FRANCESCO, POLETTI, VENERINO, KREUTER, MICHAEL, ANTONIOU, KATERINA M. and MOOR, CATHARINA C., 2022. ERS International Congress 2021: highlights from the Interstitial Lung Diseases Assembly ERJ OPEN RESEARCH. 8(2),
• ARDURA-GARCIA, CRISTINA, CUEVAS-OCANA, SARA, FREITAG, NADINE, KAMPOURAS, ASTERIOS, KING, JOHN A., KOUIS, PANAYIOTIS, MENSINK-BOUT, SARA M., WHITEHOUSE, ABIGAIL L., WILLIAMS, EMMA, DASSIOS, THEODORE, DUIJTS, LIESBETH, ERSU, REFIKA H., GAILLARD, EROL A., HORSLEY, ALEX R., PROESMANS, MARIJKE, ROTTIER, ROBBERT, SCHRAMM, DIRK, MOELLER, ALEXANDER and PIJNENBURG, MARIELLE W., 2021. ERS International Congress 2020: highlights from the Paediatric Assembly ERJ OPEN RESEARCH. 7(1),
• LAHOUSSE L, BAHMER T, CUEVAS-OCAÑA S, FLAJOLET P, MATHIOUDAKIS AG, MCDONNELL M, ULLER L, SCHLEICH F, DORTAS JUNIOR S, IDZKO M, SINGH D, RICCIARDOLO FLM, ADCOCK IM, USMANI O, SPANEVELLO A and BONVINI SJ, 2020. ERS International Congress, Madrid, 2019: highlights from the Airway Diseases, Asthma and COPD Assembly. ERJ open research. 6(1),
• CUEVAS-OCANA, SARA, LASELVA, ONOFRIO, AVOLIO, JULIE and NENNA, RAFFAELLA, 2020. The era of CFTR modulators: improvements made and remaining challenges BREATHE. 16(2),
• OCANA, SARA CUEVAS, WONG, AMY, AUSHEV, MAGOMET, YANG, JIN YE, PERKINS, NEIL, BEAR, CHRISTINE, ROSSANT, JANET and GRAY, MICHAEL, 2019. How can gene-editing of human pluripotent stem cells help cystic fibrosis? EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY JOURNAL. 54,
• OCANA, CUEVAS S., WONG, A. P., AUSHEV, M., YANG, J., PERKINS, N. D., BEAR, C. E., ROSSANT, J. and GRAY, M. A., 2018. ROBUST PROTOCOL FOR GENE EDITING HUMAN PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY. 53, 214-214
• CARRILLO-GALVEZ, A. B., GALVEZ-PEISL, S., AYLLON, V., DE ARAUJO FARIAS, V., CUEVAS-OCANA, S., DE HARO CARRILLO, M., CARMONA, P., RAMOS-MEJIA, V., MARTIN, F. and ANDERSON, P., 2017. Glycoprotein A repetitions predominant (GARP) is a key molecule for the proliferation and survival of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC): A potential role in the DNA damage response HUMAN GENE THERAPY. 28(12), A98-A99
• CARRILLO-GALVEZ, A. B., CUEVAS-OCANA, S., DE HARO-CARRILLO, M., BONGARZONE, P., MARTIN, F. and ANDERSON, P., 2016. Glycoprotein A repetitions predominant (GARP) regulates the proliferation of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells HUMAN GENE THERAPY. 27(11), A66-A67
• BELEN CARRILLO-GALVEZ, ANA, COBO, MARIEN, CUEVAS-OCANA, SARA, GUTIERREZ-GUERRERO, ALEJANDRA, SANCHEZ-GILABERT, ALMUDENA, BONGARZONE, PIERPAOLO, GARCIA-PEREZ, ANGELICA, MUNOZ, PILAR, BENABDELLAH, KARIM, TOSCANO, MIGUEL G., MARTIN, FRANCISCO and ANDERSON, PER, 2015. Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Express GARP/LRRC32 on Their Surface: Effects on Their Biology and Immunomodulatory Capacity STEM CELLS. 33(1), 183-195