Páginas personales

  1. Portada
  2. Research activities

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 320)

  • 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)
  • García-Toscano L, Rodríguez-Cueto C, Furiano A, Hind W, de Lago E, Fernández-Ruiz J. Preclinical evaluation of cannabidiolic acid as a neuroprotective agent in TDP-43 transgenic mice, an experimental model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy 189, 118288 (2025)
  • Gómez-Almería M, Gonzalo-Consuegra C, Rodríguez-Cueto C, Cabañas-Cotillas M, Jiménez-Amor A, Machín-Díaz I, Wittwer MB, Dzygiel P, Clemente D, Grether U, Fernández-Ruiz J, de Lago E. Relevance of a peripheral site of action outside the brain-blood barrier for the beneficial effects of CB2 receptor activation in experimental ALS in male mice. Cell Communication and Signaling 23, 427 (2025)

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