Immunobiology

After graduating in Biology (National Prize), David Sancho specialized in Immunology as a resident at Hospital La Princesa (Madrid). While there, he led projects analyzing kinase polarization during the formation of the immune synapse and the immunoregulatory role of the C-type lectin CD69 in animal models of inflammation and autoimmunity. After obtaining his PhD from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Molecular Biology department), he took a postdoctoral position at the London Research Institute (Cancer Research UK), where he found a new C-type lectin (DNGR-1/CLEC9A) that selectively marks the population of human and mouse dendritic cells that cross-present antigens in MHC-I. His work established the function of DNGR-1/CLEC9A in cross-priming in vivo. On his return to Spain, he established his laboratory at the CNIC, where he has continued to analyze the basis of innate sensing by dendritic cells, the role of different dendritic cell subsets in pathophysiological models, and possible applications in new immunotherapy strategies. He secured a European Research Council Starting Grant (2010) and participates as a partner in a Horizon2020 consortium (2015).