DLSU Translational Research and Medicine Unit

DLSU College of Science Professorial Chair Lectures on October 8, 2025 (Wednesday) 02:00 pm - 5:30 pm at V207, De La Salle University

"A Messy Talk: The Case of Regulated Necrosis in Colorectal Cancer"

by Dr. Rafael A. Espiritu
Evelyn D. Ang Distinguished Professorial Chair in Medical Biochemistry Chairholder

Cells are hardwired to undergo different cell death pathways as a response to specific stimulus/stimuli, and are critical in normal physiological development/homeostasis, host defense, and disease progression, among others. Regulated necrosis, such as necroptosis, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis, being inherently immunogenic, has been linked to numerous pathophysiological conditions, including in cancer, where it is generally accepted to exhibit both pro- and anti-tumor roles. Deciphering how these pathways are controlled in the context of cancer (or in any other disease) is, therefore, crucial if we are to exploit these for tumor suppression. In this talk, I will be presenting some of our current work in identifying metabolomic and transcriptomic signatures of (1) cell lines induced to undergo regulated necrosis and (2) in clinical colorectal cancer (CRC) resection samples to find putative novel molecular actor/s that can be used against CRC.

Congratulations to Dr. Rafael Espiritu on his recent appointment as a member of the editorial board of Discovery Chemistry, a Springer Nature Journal.

Published undergraduate thesis.

Open access article may be viewed at:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2307410825001166

New publication from a University of Cologne/MPI Biophysics-led team, including Dr. Espiritu (TRaM unit head), reporting on a new regulatory site in MLKL, the terminal executor of necroptotic cell death.

The open access article can be accessed here: https://www.cell.com/molecular-cell/fulltext/S1097-2765(25)00259-X

our group's first MS Chemistry graduate. Congratulations Ionna!🎉

We are also grateful to our collaborators from St. Luke's Medical Center (Biobank, R&B, and Cancer Institute), and to DOST-PCHRD for funding.

[MS Thesis Defense]

Congratulations to Ms. Ionna H. Inquimboy, MSc Chemistry candidate, for successfully defending her master's thesis!

Her research focused on cancer metabolomics, conducted under the guidance of Dr. Rodolfo E. Sumayao Jr. (Adviser), Dr. Rafael A. Espiritu (Co-Adviser), Dr. Anna Karen Laserna (DLSU Central Instrumentation Facility, Collaborator) and in collaboration with St. Lukes Medical Center Human Cancer Biobank.

The thesis panel was chaired by Dr. Mariafe N. Calingacion, with Dr. Raymond S. Malabed as a panel member and Dr. Rhowell N. Tiozon from the International Rice Research Institute serving as external examiner.

new student publication

Molecular docking and dynamics of potential inhibitors of NS5 protein methyltransferase domain of dengue virus serotype 3 derived from marine sponges - Discover Chemistry Dengue, a mosquito-borne disease predominantly transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, is a significant public health concern, affecting nearly half of the global population. Unfortunately, the availability of specific treatment of dengue using antivirals has remained elusive. In this regard, bioactive com...