Research activities
Congress (only invited lectures in international meetings during the last years)
Cannabinoid Function in the CNS. Gordon Research Conference: 2015 in Lucca (Italy)
- IBRO-Kemali School: 2015 in Naples (Italy)
- Sociedad Española de Farmacología - Joint meeting with BPS: 2017 in Barcelona
- Congreso Internacional Médico-Quirúrgico CIMQ17: 2017 in Santiago de Compostela
- Meeting of the Mediterranean Neuroscience Society: 2017 in Malta
- European Workshop on Cannabinoid Research: 2017 in Roehampton (UK)
- Cannabis Symposium: Phytochemical, pharmacological and clinical evidence: 2018 in Vienna (Austria)
- Medical Marijuana in PD: 2019 in Denver (USA)
- VII Congreso Internacional de Investigación e Innovación en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas: 2019 in Valencia
- International Workshop on ALS: new genes, new treatments, new hopes: 2019 in Madrid
- IACM-Conference on Cannabinoids in Medicine: 2019 in Berlin (Germany)
- Medical Cannabis Conference - CannX: 2020 in Lisbon (Portugal)
- Cannabis Europa: 2020 in Madrid
- ICRS Annual Meeting: 2022 in Galway (Ireland) and 2024 in Salamanca (Spain)
Recent Publications (more relevant in the last years over a total of 305)
- Rodríguez-Cueto C, Santos-García I, García-Toscano L, Espejo-Porras F, Bellido ML Fernández-Ruiz J, Muñoz E, de Lago E. Neuroprotective effects of the cannabigerol quinone derivative VCE-003.2 in SOD1G93A transgenic mice, an experimental model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Biochemical Pharmacology 157, 217-226 (2018)
- Aymerich MS, Aso E, Abellanas MA, Tolon RM, Ramos JA, Ferrer I, Romero J, Fernández-Ruiz J. Cannabinoid pharmacology/therapeutics in chronic degenerative disorders affecting the central nervous system. Biochemical Pharmacology 157, 67-84 (2018)
- Fernández-Ruiz, J. The biomedical challenge of neurodegenerative disorders: an opportunity for cannabinoid-based therapies to improve on the poor current therapeutic outcomes. British Journal of Pharmacology 176, 1370-1383 (2019)
- Espejo-Porras F, García-Toscano L, Rodríguez-Cueto C, Santos-García I, de Lago E, Fernandez-Ruiz J. Targeting glial cannabinoid CB2 receptors to delay the progression of the pathological phenotype in TDP-43 (A315T) transgenic mice, a model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. British Journal of Pharmacology 176, 1585-1600 (2019)
- Palomares B, Garrido-Rodriguez M, Gonzalo-Consuegra C, Gómez-Cañas M, Saen-Oon S, Soliva R, Collado JA, Fernández-Ruiz J, Morello G, Calzado MA, Appendino G, Muñoz E. Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid alleviates collagen-induced arthritis: Role of PPARγ and CB1 British Journal of Pharmacology 177, 4034-4054 (2020)
- Espadas I, Keifman E, Palomo-Garo C, Burgaz S, García C, Fernández-Ruiz J, Moratalla R. Beneficial effects of the phytocannabinoid Δ9-THCV in L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia in Parkinson's disease. Neurobiology of Disease 141, 104892 (2020)
- Rodríguez-Cueto C, García-Toscano L, Santos-García I, Gómez-Almería M, Gonzalo-Consuegra C, Espejo-Porras F, Fernández-Ruiz J, de Lago E. Targeting the CB2 receptor and other endocannabinoid elements to delay disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. British Journal of Pharmacology 178, 1373-1387 (2021)
- Rodríguez-Cueto C, Gómez-Almería M, García Toscano L, Romero J, Hillard CJ, de Lago E, Fernández-Ruiz J. Inactivation of the CB2 receptor accelerated the neuropathological deterioration in TDP-43 transgenic mice, a model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain Pathology 13, e12972 (2021)
- Galán-Ganga M, Rodríguez-Cueto C, Merchán-Rubira J, Hernández F, Ávila J, Posada-Ayala M, Lanciego JL, Luengo E, Lopez MG, Rábano A, Fernández-Ruiz J, Lastres-Becker I. Cannabinoid receptor CB2 ablation protects against TAU induced neurodegeneration. Acta Neuropathology Communications 9, 90 (2021)
- Santos-García I, Rodríguez-Cueto C, Villegas P, Piscitelli F, Lauritano A, Shen CKJ, Di Marzo N, Fernández-Ruiz J, de Lago E. Preclinical investigation in FAAH inhibition as a neuroprotective therapy for frontotemporal dementia using TDP-43 transgenic male mice. Journal of Neuroinflammation 20, 108 (2023)
- Gonzalo-Consuegra C, Santos-García I, García-Toscano L, Martín-Baquero R, Rodríguez-Cueto C, Wittwer MB, Dzygiel P, Grether U, de Lago E, Fernández-Ruiz J. Involvement of CB1 and CB2 receptors in neuroprotective effects of cannabinoids in experimental TDP-43 related frontotemporal dementia using male mice. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy 174, 116473 (2024)
Research projects (more relevant in the last years and only as PI)
- Cannabinoid CB2 receptors as a new target for the treatment of disease progression in Parkinson’s disease: studies in LRRK2-transgenic mice. Principal investigators: Javier Fernández-Ruiz and Concepción García. Source: Michael J. Fox Foundation (USA) – Target Validation Fall 2012 Program. Funding: 146.256,33 USD; Period: 2013 – 2015.
- Desarrollo preclínico de nuevos cannabinoides para el tratamiento de la esclerodermia y la esclerosis lateral amiotrófica. Principal investigators: Vivacell Biotechnology Spain (MLuz Bellido); Universidad de Córdoba (Eduardo Muñoz); CIBERNED (Javier Fernández Ruiz). Source: MINECO – Retos-Colaboración 2014 (RTC-2014-1877-1). Funding: 330.212 euros; Period: 2015 – 2017.
- Dianas en el sistema endocannabinoide para el desarrollo de terapias frente a la neurodegeneración: énfasis en la ELA y otras enfermedades neurodegenerativas. Source: Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. Plan Nacional I+D+i – Biomedicina (SAF2015-68580-C2-1-R). Funding: 302.500 euros; Period: 2016-2018.
- Investigación en el sistema endocannabinoide en patologías relacionadas con desregulación de TDP-43 (esclerosis lateral amiotrófica y demencia frontotemporal). Source: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. Plan Nacional I+D+i – Biomedicina (RTI2018-098885-B-100). Funding: 266.200 euros; Period: 2019-2022.
- Potential of the endocannabinoid system against pathogenic mechanisms associated with neurodegeneration: emphasis on glial reactivity and protein aggregation. Source: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. Plan Nacional I+D+i – Biomedicina (PID2021-128906OB-I00). Funding: 296.450 euros; Period: 2022-2025.
- Investigating GPR55 as a novel neuroprotective target in experimental Parkinson’s disease. Source: Michael J. Fox Foundation (USA) (MJFF-022552). Funding: 207.000 USD; Period: 2023-2024.
Contracts, technological or transfer merits (last years as PI)
- Neuroprotective properties of Sativex and related phytocannabinoid medicines in Huntington’s disease. Funded by GW Pharmaceuticals Ltd., UK (2010-2011)
- Evaluation of phytocannabinoids as disease-modifying agents in chronic neurodegenerative disorders. Funded by GW Pharmaceuticals Ltd., UK (2012-2013)
- Studies with phytocannabinoids as disease modifying agents in different neurodegenerative disorders. Funded by GW Pharmaceuticals Ltd., UK (2013-2015)
- Preclinical development of phytocannabinoid-based therapies for the treatment of disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/frontotemporal dementia using TDP-43 transgenic mice. Funded by GW Research Ltd., UK (01/08/2015 – 31/12/2018)
- Investigation in the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties of the phytocannabinoid derivative VCE003.2 in Parkinson’s disease using LPS-lesioned α-synuclein transgenic mice. Funded by VivaCell Biotechnology-Spain (2017-2019).
- Investigation in the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties of the phytocannabinoid derivatives VCE004.8, VCE-003.2 (and its analogs CBG-Q-Salt and CBGA-Q) in Parkinson’s disease using 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned mice. Funded by Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals (2018-2019).
- Investigation in the therapeutic properties of different neuroprotectant synthetic agents in preclinical models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Funded by ANKAR Pharma (2020)
- Investigation in the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties of the phytocannabinoid derivative VCE-003.2 in Parkinson’s disease using adeno-associated viral vector-mediated overexpression of mutant A53T a-synuclein in mice. Funded by Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals (2022)
Patents (last years)
- Cromenopyrazole derivatives as cannabinoid receptor ligands. Jagerovic N, Cumella JM, Goya P, Fernández-Ruiz J, Gómez M, Rodríguez-Valsero P (WO 2010/109050 A1). Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Complutense de Madrid
- Cromenopirazoldionas como derivados cannabinoides de quinonas con actividad antitumoral. Jagerovic N, Morales P, Goya P, Díaz-Laviada I, Vara D, Fernández-Ruiz J, Gómez Ruiz M, Gómez Cañas M (WO 2014/013117). Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad de Alcalá de Henares and Universidad Complutense
- Nuevas cromenoquinonas moduladoras de receptores cannabinoides CB2 con actividad antitumoral. Jagerovic N, Morales P, Goya P, Blasco S, Sánchez C, Gómez Cañas M, Fernández-Ruiz J (WO 2015/140377). Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Complutense
- Use of cannabinoids in the treatment of a neurodegenerative disease or disorder. Gray R, Hind W, Whalley B, de Lago E, Rodríguez-Cueto C, García-Toscano L, Santos-García I, Fernández-Ruiz J (WO2019/012267A1). GW Research Ltd
- Antidyskinetic potential of the phytocannabinoid Δ9-THCV. Whalley B, Fernández-Ruiz J, Moratalla R (WO2021/038219A1). GW Research Ltd