IRBLleida incorporates a new researcher who uses the model of the vinegar fly to understand human diseases

The Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida) has incorporated the researcher Andreu Casali into the group of professionals that comprise it. Casali extends the research carried out in the IRBLleida, since, in his case, he uses the vinegar fly (Drosophila melanogaster) as a model to understand human diseases of genetic origin, thanks to the high degree of conservation that exists between the genome of flies and that of humans, which is around 70%.

Andreu Casali Taberner, who is also an associate professor at the University of Lleida, holds a PhD in Biology from the University of Barcelona. In his research career, he has developed a model of colorectal cancer in Drosophila, inducing the same mutations responsible for human colorectal cancer in the adult intestinal stem cells of flies. The investigation allowed to observe that the flies developed tumors very similar to human tumors.

The Diputació de Lleida finances the research.