The Unidad de Biofísica is a joint center of the University of the Basque Country "Universidad del País Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea" (UPV/EHU) and the Spanish Science Research council, "Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas" (CSIC).
The Unidad was created in 1999 and had its origin at the "Biomembrane Group", created in 1976 within the Department of Biochemistry of the UPV/EHU. In 1996 this group became a CSIC-Associated Unit, and its integration within the CSIC was completed in 1999.
The Unidad de Biofísica has two main objectives: to carry out high-quality research studies, mainly in the field of biological membranes, and to educate young scientists according to international quality standards. These activities could not be performed without the long-standing support of the European Union (Directorate-General XII), the Spanish Government (Ministry of Science and Technology), the Basque Government (Departments of Education and Industry), The Provincial Bizkaia Government, and The University of the Basque Country, to whom we are deeply indebted.
Our laboratory has a long tradition of collaboration with other institutions, public and private, and we are always open to new joint projects. From this point of view, we are delighted to welcome our visitors. Please, feel at home and, if you wish, visit us in our virtual location or at our lab in the University Campus of Leioa Bilbao, Spain).
Some of our recent publications
-García-Pacios M, Collado MI, Busto JV, Sot J, Alonso A, Arrondo JL, Goñi FM. Sphingosine-1-phosphate as an amphipathic metabolite: its properties in aqueous and membrane environments. Biophys J. 2009 Sep 2;97(5):1398-407.
-Ahyayauch H, Collado MI, Goñi FM, Lichtenberg D. Cholesterol reverts Triton X-100 preferential solubilization of sphingomyelin over phosphatidylcholine: a 31P-NMR study. FEBS Lett. 2009 Sep 3;583(17):2859-64.
-Busto JV, Del Canto-Jañez E, Goñi FM, Mollinedo F, Alonso A. Combination of the anti-tumour cell ether lipid edelfosine with sterols abolishes haemolytic side effects of the drug. J Chem Biol. 2008 Nov;1(1-4):89-94.
- Urbina P, Flores-Díaz M, Alape-Girón A, Alonso A, Goñi FM. Phospholipase C and sphingomyelinase activities of the Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin. Chem Phys Lipids. 2009 May;159(1):51-7.
- González-Rioja R, Asturias JA, Martínez A, Goñi FM, Viguera AR. Par j 1 and Par j 2, the two major allergens in Parietaria judaica, bind preferentially to monoacylated negative lipids. FEBS J. 2009 Mar;276(6):1762-75.
- Contreras FX, Villar AV, Alonso A, Goñi FM.Ceramide-induced transbilayer (flip-flop) lipid movement in membranes. Methods Mol Biol. 2009;462:155-65.
-Ahyayauch H, Arana G, Sot J, Alonso A, Goñi FM. Calcium inhibits diacylglycerol uptake by serum albumin. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2009 1788(3):701-7.
- Goñi FM, Alonso A, Bagatolli LA, Brown RE, Marsh D, Prieto M, Thewalt JL. Phase diagrams of lipid mixtures relevant to the study of membrane rafts. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2008 Nov-Dec;1781(11-12):665-84.
- Goñi FM, Alonso A. Effects of ceramide and other simple sphingolipids on membrane lateral structure. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2009 Jan;1788(1):169-77.
Link: http://www.csic.es/index.do
