Académicos del Departamento
Facultad de Medicina, UNAM

Dra. Martha Robles Flores
Lab. de Biología Molecular, Torre de investigación 2º piso, Facultad de Medicina.
Tel. +52 (55) 5623 2258
AREA DE ESPECIALIDAD: Transducción de señales en cáncer: base molecular de la carcinogénesis del colon.
Experiencia Profesional
Líneas de Investigación
- Caracterización de células troncales cancerosas.
- Estudio de la interacción entre la proteína cinasa C y la ruta de señalización Wnt en la carcinogénesis de colon.
- Estudio de los mecanismos moleculares implicados en la generación de resistencia a tratamientos anti-cáncer.
- Estudio del papel que juegan los factores inducibles por hipoxia en el establecimiento de autofagia en células malignas de colon.
- Caracterización de microvesículas secretadas por células malignas y estudio de las vías de señalización implicadas en la regulación de su biogénesis.
Trayectoria profesional
- Investigador Titular “C” TC, SNI 2 , PRIDE D
- Facultad de Medicina, UNAM (desde 1992)
- Miembro Numerario de la Sociedad Mexicana de Bioquímica A.C. de mayo de 1992 hasta la fecha.
- Miembro de la American Association for the Advancement of Science desde septiembre de 1994 hasta la fecha.
- Miembro de la American Society for Cell Biology desde 1999.
- Miembro Fundador de la rama de Transducción de Señales de la SMB (en 2007), hasta la fecha.
- Miembro de la Internacional Society for Stem Cell Research desde Marzo de 2009.
- Miembro de la American Society for Microbiology desde octubre de 2015.
- Miembro de la Academia Mexicana de Ciencias desde noviembre de 2015.
- Actividad como Revisor en revistas internacionales:
- Revisora de las revistas The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, ISRN Cell Biology, Clinical Cancer Research, Cancer Research, British Journal of Pharmacology, Scientific Reports, Carcinogenesis, Cancer Research Frontiers y PLOS One.
Formación académica
- Doctorado en Ciencias Bioquímicas (1988-1991), Facultad de Química, UNAM, México. Obtención del grado: 25/Febrero/1992.
- Maestría en Ciencias Bioquímicas (1985-1987), Facultad de Química, UNAM.
- Licenciatura en Biología (1975-1980), Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM, México
Premios y distinciones
- Diploma de aprovechamiento otorgado por la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México por haberse distinguido entre los tres primeros lugares de Maestría en C. Químicas (Bioquímica) durante el periodo de 1981-1987.
- Medalla Gabino Barreda por tener promedio de 10 en estudios de Doctorado.
- Estímulo de Iniciación a la Investigación concedido por la Dirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico, del 1o. de abril de 1992 al 30 de septiembre de 1993.
- Diploma otorgado en noviembre de 1999 por la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México por 10 años de servicios académicos en esta Institución.
- Premio al mejor trabajo libre presentado en el área de Bioquímica en el XVI Congreso Nacional de Parasitología, 2004.
- Premio al mejor trabajo presentado en la modalidad “Poster” en el 4th International Giardia Conference and First Combined Giardia/Cryptosporidium Meeting, en Amsterdam, 2004.
- Diploma otorgado por La Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México por 15 años de servicios académicos en esta Institución. Noviembre de 2004.
- Diploma otorgado por La Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México por 20 años de servicios académicos en esta Institución. Noviembre de 2009.
- Mención Honorífica en Investigación Básica, Premio Canifarma 2009, mayo de 2010.
- El trabajo “Leishmania mexicana LPG differentially regulates PKCα-induced oxidative burst and modulates disease outcome in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice” (publicado en Parasite Immunology 2010; 32: 440-449) recibió el premio Parasite Immunology Woods Hole Immunoparasitology Prize (otorgado por los editores Eleanor Riley and Richard Grencis de la revista Parasite Immunology), en febrero de 2011.
- El trabajo “Characterization of the role of HIF 1 and HIF2 in the maintenance of stemness in transcriptionally active b-catenin colon cancer stem cells” presentado en el Congreso internacional Cell Signaling Networks 2011, recibió el Premio Tabor otorgado por The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology en octubre de 2011.
- Nominación al premio internacional Gagna A & Ch. Van Heck Prize 2015 que otorga “Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS) de Bélgica en reconocimiento al trabajo científico que ha contribuido al tratamiento o a dar esperanza de cura de una enfermedad incurable.
- Ingreso a la Academia Mexicana de Ciencias, en noviembre de 2015.
Integrantes del laboratorio
- Técnico Académico Dra. Cristina Castañeda Patlán
Alumnos

Yenisey Martínez Figueredo
Tesis de Maestría

José Osman Franco Gallardo
Tesis de Doctorad

Gabriela Fuentes García
Tesis de Doctorado

Abril Saint Martin Castellanos
Estancia Posdoctoral

Ismael Manuel Urrutia Ortega
Estancia Posdoctoral
Publicaciones
Hypoxia inducible factor 3-alpha promotes a malignant phenotype in colorectal cancer cells.
(2025) IUBMB Life. 77, e70007
Pubmed
IUBMB Life
PMC Article
Inhibition of Multifunctional Protein p32/C1QBP Promotes Cytostatic Effects in Colon Cancer Cells by Altering Mitogenic Signaling Pathways and Promoting Mitochondrial Damage.
(2024) Int J Mol Sci. 25,
Pubmed
Int J Mol Sci
PMC Article
WNT Signaling in Stem Cells: A Look into the Non-Canonical Pathway.
(2024) Stem Cell Rev Rep. 20, 52-66
Pubmed
Stem Cell Rev Rep
PMC Article
Functional Roles of CD133: More than Stemness Associated Factor Regulated by the Microenvironment.
(2024) Stem Cell Rev Rep. 20, 25-51
Pubmed
Stem Cell Rev Rep
PMC Article
Mutant p53 gain-of-function stimulates canonical Wnt signaling via PI3K/AKT pathway in colon cancer.
(2023) J Cell Commun Signal. 17, 1389-1403
Pubmed
J Cell Commun Signal
PMC Article
Canonical Wnt Pathway Is Involved in Chemoresistance and Cell Cycle Arrest Induction in Colon Cancer Cell Line Spheroids.
(2023) Int J Mol Sci. 24,
Pubmed
Int J Mol Sci
PMC Article
Hypoxia-inducible factors, mTOR, and astrin constitute an integrative regulatory network in colon cancer cells.
(2022) Biochem Biophys Rep. 32, 101336
Pubmed
Biochem Biophys Rep
PMC Article
An approach to p32/gC1qR/HABP1: a multifunctional protein with an essential role in cancer.
(2022) J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 148, 1831-1854
Pubmed
J Cancer Res Clin Oncol
Increased O-GlcNAcylation promotes IGF-1 receptor/PhosphatidyI Inositol-3 kinase/Akt pathway in cervical cancer cells.
(2022) Sci Rep. 12, 4464
Pubmed
Sci Rep
PMC Article
Canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling are simultaneously activated by Wnts in colon cancer cells.
(2020) Cell Signal. 72, 109636
Pubmed
Cell Signal
Functional Interaction of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 2-Alpha and Autophagy Mediates Drug Resistance in Colon Cancer Cells.
(2019) Cancers (Basel). 11,
Pubmed
Cancers (Basel)
PMC Article
Dishevelled stability is positively regulated by PKCζ-mediated phosphorylation induced by Wnt agonists.
(2017) Cell Signal. 35, 107-117
Pubmed
Cell Signal
Data on chemical activation of Wnt/β-catenin during axolotl limb regeneration.
(2017) Data Brief. 11, 562-566
Pubmed
Data Brief
PMC Article
Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β Is Positively Regulated by Protein Kinase Cζ-Mediated Phosphorylation Induced by Wnt Agonists.
(2015) Mol Cell Biol. 36, 731-41
Pubmed
Mol Cell Biol
PMC Article
Glycogen synthase kinase 3 in Wnt signaling pathway and cancer.
(2015) IUBMB Life. 67, 914-22
Pubmed
IUBMB Life
Protein phosphatase 2A is essential to maintain active Wnt signaling and its Aβ tumor suppressor subunit is not expressed in colon cancer cells.
(2015) Mol Carcinog. 54, 1430-41
Pubmed
Mol Carcinog
A functional study of nucleocytoplasmic transport signals of the EhNCABP166 protein from Entamoeba histolytica.
(2012) Parasitology. 139, 1697-710
Pubmed
Parasitology
PKC signaling is involved in the regulation of progranulin (acrogranin/PC-cell-derived growth factor/granulin-epithelin precursor) protein expression in human ovarian cancer cell lines.
(2012) Int J Gynecol Cancer. 22, 945-50
Pubmed
Int J Gynecol Cancer
Protein kinase C ζ is a positive modulator of canonical Wnt signaling pathway in tumoral colon cell lines.
(2011) Carcinogenesis. 32, 1615-24
Pubmed
Carcinogenesis
Protein kinase C in Wnt signaling: implications in cancer initiation and progression.
(2011) IUBMB Life. 63, 915-21
Pubmed
IUBMB Life
Leishmania mexicana lipophosphoglycan differentially regulates PKCalpha-induced oxidative burst in macrophages of BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice.
(2010) Parasite Immunol. 32, 440-9
Pubmed
Parasite Immunol
Protein kinase C is involved in the regulation of several calreticulin posttranslational modifications.
(2010) Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 42, 120-31
Pubmed
Int J Biochem Cell Biol
Phosphorylation of zona occludens-2 by protein kinase C epsilon regulates its nuclear exportation.
(2009) Mol Biol Cell. 20, 4120-9
Pubmed
Mol Biol Cell
PMC Article
Posttranslational modifications on protein kinase c isozymes. Effects of epinephrine and phorbol esters.
(2008) Biochim Biophys Acta. 1783, 695-712
Pubmed
Biochim Biophys Acta
EhGEF2, a Dbl-RhoGEF from Entamoeba histolytica has atypical biochemical properties and participates in essential cellular processes.
(2007) Mol Biochem Parasitol. 151, 70-80
Pubmed
Mol Biochem Parasitol
Protein kinase C isoforms from Giardia duodenalis: identification and functional characterization of a beta-like molecule during encystment.
(2007) Arch Microbiol. 187, 55-66
Pubmed
Arch Microbiol
Entamoeba histolytica: inhibition of cellular functions by overexpression of EhGEF1, a novel Rho/Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factor.
(2005) Exp Parasitol. 109, 150-62
Pubmed
Exp Parasitol
p32 (gC1qBP) is a general protein kinase C (PKC)-binding protein; interaction and cellular localization of P32-PKC complexes in ray hepatocytes.
(2002) J Biol Chem. 277, 5247-55
Pubmed
J Biol Chem
Tight-junction protein zonula occludens 2 is a target of phosphorylation by protein kinase C.
(2001) Biochem J. 360, 295-304
Pubmed
Biochem J
PMC Article
Characterization of calreticulin as a protein interacting with protein kinase C.
(1999) Biochem J. 344 Pt 2, 469-75
Pubmed
Biochem J
PMC Article
Purification and characterization of receptors for activated protein kinase C from rat hepatocytes.
(1997) Protein Expr Purif. 10, 32-7
Pubmed
Protein Expr Purif
Cross-talk between glucagon- and adenosine-mediated signalling systems in rat hepatocytes: effects on cyclic AMP-phosphodiesterase activity.
(1995) Biochem J. 312 ( Pt 3), 763-7
Pubmed
Biochem J
PMC Article
Immunological crossreactivity of G-protein beta subunit and receptors for activated C-kinase.
(1994) Biochem Mol Biol Int. 34, 465-73
Pubmed
Biochem Mol Biol Int
Activated protein kinase C binds to intracellular receptors in rat hepatocytes.
(1993) Biochem J. 296 ( Pt 2), 467-72
Pubmed
Biochem J
PMC Article
Staurosporine and calphostin-C inhibit the phorbol ester-induced decrease of protein kinase C activity in rat hepatocytes.
(1992) Biochem Int. 28, 761-6
Pubmed
Biochem Int
Modulation by protein kinase C of the hormonal responsiveness of hepatocytes from lean (Fa/fa?) and obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats.
(1992) Biochim Biophys Acta. 1135, 221-5
Pubmed
Biochim Biophys Acta
Differences in phorbol ester-induced decrease of the activity of protein kinase C isozymes in rat hepatocytes.
(1991) Biochim Biophys Acta. 1094, 77-84
Pubmed
Biochim Biophys Acta
Signaling Pathways Involved in Nutrient Sensing Control in Cancer Stem Cells: An Overview.
(2021) Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 12, 627745
Pubmed
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne)
PMC Article
-GlcNAcylation Is Involved in the Regulation of Stem Cell Markers Expression in Colon Cancer Cells.
(2019) Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 10, 289
Pubmed
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne)
PMC Article
Overexpression of Multifunctional Protein p32 Promotes a Malignant Phenotype in Colorectal Cancer Cells.
(2021) Front Oncol. 11, 642940
Pubmed
Front Oncol
PMC Article
Hypoxia-inducible factors modulate the stemness and malignancy of colon cancer cells by playing opposite roles in canonical Wnt signaling.
(2014) PLoS One. 9, e112580
Pubmed
PLoS One
PMC Article
Non-canonical Wnt/Ca2+ signaling is essential to promote self-renewal and proliferation in colon cancer stem cells.
(2023) Front Oncol. 13, 1121787
Pubmed
Front Oncol
PMC Article
Protein kinase C delta negatively modulates canonical Wnt pathway and cell proliferation in colon tumor cell lines.
(2013) PLoS One. 8, e58540
Pubmed
PLoS One
PMC Article
Fighting Cancer Resistance: An Overview.
(2021) Methods Mol Biol. 2174, 3-12
Pubmed
Methods Mol Biol