After completing my Bachelor’s in Pharmacy at the University of Miguel Hernández, I decided to deepen my knowledge in biomolecular research by pursuing a Master’s in Molecular Biotechnology at the University of Barcelona. My thesis focused on developing light-activated autophagy inhibitors to target cancer stem cells. Following this, I was awarded a CSIC grant to further develop this work as a research assistant. I focused on the validation of photo-controlled drugs using 2D and 3D cell cultures, which sparked my interest in alternative in vitro models.

In March 2025, I joined the Living Lung Lab at RCSI as a research Assistant under the supervision of Prof. Hurley and Prof. Cryan, as part of the European project POLINA. Here, I will be validating novel biomaterials for scientific and medical applications, which have been developed using advanced lithographic techniques.

Email: sofiaalonsomanresa@rcsi.ie