Aims of the lab

We are interested in four cutting-edge topics on the involvement of the mRNA translation process in cancer: 1) Developing therapeutic mRNA vaccines against prostate cancer. We are assessing the biochemistry of experimental mRNAs expressing tumor-associated antigens to establish a vaccine prototype that could soon be applied to the clinics. 2) The search for new mechanisms conferring resistance to cancer. We rationalized that studying the recently discovered species highly resistant to cancer could shed novel clues on fundamental mechanisms to avoid this disease. Such is the case of the African naked mole-rat Heterocephalus glaber, which possesses a startling high resistance to cancer and ageing. 3) The study of the mRNA cis-elements regulating protein synthesis in cancer, including papillomavirus mRNAs and cellular oncogen mRNAs. 4) The study of different translation factors driving protein synthesis, such as eIF4E, eIF4G, and eEF3 across different eukaryotes. 

Contact:

Email: ghernandezr@incan.edu.mx; greco.hernandez@tec.mx

Phone: +52/55/36935200 ext. 246.

22 San Fernando Ave.

Tlalpan, 14080-Mexico City.

Mexico.

Instagram:  doctorgreek10

Current lab members:

• Noemí Baranda, Research Associate (INCAN).

Email: noemibaranda5@gmail.com

• Dora E. Vélez, Posdoctoral Fellow (CONACyT).

Email: dvelezuriza@gmail.com

• Giovanna Maldonado, PhD Student (UNAM).

Email: giovannamalmon@gmail.com 

• Yeniffer Ayala, MS student (UNAM).

Email: ayala_abrahamy@ciencias.unam.mx

• Galilea G. de Pallares, Bch. Medical doctor (La Salle University).       

Email:galileagutierrezp@hotmail.com

• Mariana Valdés, Bch. Biosciences (Tec. Monterrey).

Email: A01369937@tec.mx

• Patricio Reza, Bch. Engeen. Biotechnology (Tec. Monterrey).

Email: A01611584@tec.mx

•  Rogelio Montiel, Research Associate (INCAN).

Email: rogelio_montiel@hotmail.com

• Irving Leonardo Dumas Soto, MS student (UNAM).

Email: s7.c4d4v37@gmail.com

Publications since 2019:

• Hernández, G., Ramírez, J.L., Pedroza-Torres, A., Herrera, L.A., and Jiménez-Ríos, M.A. (2019). The secret life of translation in prostate cancer. Frontiers in Genetics 10: 14. 

• Velasco, M.X., Kosti, A., Guardia, G.D.A., Santos, M.C., Tegge, A., Qiao, M., Correa, B.R.S., Hernández, G., Kokovay, E., Galante, P.A.F. and Penalva, L.O.F. (2019). Antagonism between the RNA binding protein Musashi1 and miR-137 and its potential impact on neurogenesis and glioblastoma development. RNA 25: 768-782.

• Velasco, M.X., Kosti, A., Penalva, L.O.F. and Hernández, G. (2019). The diverse roles of RNA-binding proteins in glioma development. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 1157: 29-39.

• Kong, J., Han, H., Bergalet, J., Bouvrette, L.P., Hernández, G., Moon, N-S., Vali, H., Lécuyer, E. and Lasko, P. (2019). A ribosomal protein S5 isoform is essential for oogenesis and interacts with distinct RNAs in Drosophila. Scientific Reports 9:13779.

• Hernández, G., Osnaya, V.G. and Pérez-Martínez, X. (2019). Conservation and variability of the AUG initiation codon context in eukaryotes. Trends in Biochemical Sciences 44: 1009-1021.

• Pedroza-Torres, A., Romero-Córdoba, S.L., Justo-Garrido, M., Salido-Guadarrama, I., Rodriguez-Bautista, R., Montaño, S., Canon Arriaga, Fragoso-Ontiveros, V., Álvarez-Gómez, R.M., Hernández, G. and Herrera, L.A. (2019). microRNAs in tumor cell metabolism: Roles and therapeutic opportunities. Frontiers in Oncology 9: 1404

• Acevo-Rodríguez, P.S., Maldonado, G., Castro-Obregón, S. and Hernández, G. (2020). Autophagy regulation by the translation machinery and its implications in cancer. Frontiers in Oncology 10: 322.

• Hernández, G., García, A., Lasko, P. and Sonenberg, N. (2020). Unorthodox mechanisms to initiate translation open novel paths for gene expression. Journal of Molecular Biology 432 (24): 166702. (Cover of the issue).

• Maldonado, G. and Hernández, G. (2021). Translational control in the naked mole-rat as a model highly resistant to cancer. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta Reviews on Cancer 1875 (1): 188455.

• Hernández, G. (2021). The naked translation in cancer. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta Reviews on Cancer 1875 (2): 188504. (Cover of the issue).

• García, A., Maldonado, G., González, J.L., Svitkin, Y., Cantú, D., García-Carrancá, A., Sonenberg, N. and Hernández, G. (2021). High-risk human papillomavirus-18 uses a mRNA sequence to synthesize oncoprotein E6 in tumors. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 118 (41): e2108359118.

• Santalla, M., García, A., Mattiazzi, A., Valverde, C.A., Schiemann, R., Paululat, A., Hernández, G., Meyer, H. and Ferrero, P. (2022). Interplay between SERCA, 4E-BP, and eIF4E in the Drosophila heart. PLoS ONE 17 (5): e0267156.

• Antonio-Véjar, V., Ortíz-Sánchez, E., Rosendo-Chalma, P., Patiño-Morales, C.C., Guido-Jiménez, M.C., Alvarado-Ortiz. E., Hernández, G., and García-Carrancá, A. (2022). New insights into the interactions of HPV-16 E6*I and E6*II with p53 isoforms and induction of apoptosis in cancer-derived cell lines. Pathology Research and Practice 234: 153890.

• Hernández, G. (2022). Schrödinger and the possible existence of different types of life. Frontiers in Microbiology 13: 902212.

• Hernández, G. (2022). The versatile relationships between eIF4E and eIF4E-intercting proteins. Trends in Genetics 38 (8): 801-804.

• Vazquez-Pianzola, P., Beuchle, D., Saro, G., Hernández, G., Maldonado, G., Brunßen, D., Meister, P., and Suter, B. (2022). Female meiosis II and pronuclear fusion require the microtubule transport factor Bicaudal-D. Development 149 (13): dev199944.

• Layana, C., Vilardo, E.S., Corujo, G.H., Hernández, G. and Rivera-Pomar, R. (2023). Drosophila Me31B is a dual eIF4E-interacting protein. Journal of Molecular Biology 435 (5): 167949.

• Shao, L., Fingerhut, J.M., Falk, B.L., Han, H., Maldonado, G., Qiao, Y., Lee, V., Hall, E., Chen, L., Polevoy, G., Hernández, G., Lasko, P. and Brill, J. (2023). Eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF4E-5 is required for spermiogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster. Development 150 (4): dev200477.

• Montiel-Dávalos, A., Ayala, Y. and Hernández, G. (2023). The dark side of mRNA translation and the translation machinery in glioblastoma. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 11: 1086964.

• Hernández, G. and Vazquez-Pianzola, P. (2023). eIF4E as a molecular wildcard in metazoans RNA metabolism. Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society 98 (6): 2284-2306.

• Jejina, A., Ayala, Y., Beuchle, D., Höhener, T., Dörig, R., Vazquez-Pianzola, P., Hernández, G. and Suter, B. (2024). Role of BicDR in bristle shaft construction and support of BicD functions. Journal of Cell Science 137 (2): jcs261408.

• Hernández, G., García, A., Weingarten-Gabbay, S., Hussain, T., Mishra, R.K., Amiri, M., Moreno-Hagelsieb, G., Montiel-Dávalos, A., Lasko, P. and Sonenberg, N. (2024). Functional analysis of the AUG initiator codon context reveals a new conserved motif that disfavors translation in eukaryotes. Nucleic Acid Research 52 (3): 1064-1079.

• García, A., Maldonado, G. and Hernández, G. (2024). Translational control of papillomavirus mRNAs in the spotlight. Trends in Cell Biology 34 (9): 703-706. 

• Maldonado, G., García, A., Castaño, I., Herrero, S., Altmann, M., Fischer, R. and Hernández, G. (2024). The gene YEF3 function encoding translation elongation factor eEF3 is partially conserved across fungi. Frontiers in Microbiology 15: 1438900.

• Hernández, G., Ross-Kaschitza, D., Moreno-Hagelsieb, G., García, A., Vélez, D.E. and Torres, B.L. (2025). Analysis of eIF4E-family members in fungi contributes to their classification in eukaryotes. Journal of Biological Chemistry 301 (2): 108129. 

• Osnaya, V.G., Gómez-Romero, L., Moreno-Hagelsieb, G. and Hernández, G. (2025). AUGcontext DB: A comprehensive catalog of the mRNA AUG initiator codon context across eukaryotes. RNA Biology 22 (1): 1-5.

• Vélez, D.E., Torres, B.L. and Hernández, G. (2025). The bright future of mRNA as a therapeutic molecule. Genes 16 (4): 376.

• Pedroza-Torres, A., Baranda-Ávila, N., Ramírez, J.L., González, M., González, P.A., Torres, B.L., Jiménez-Ríos, M.A., Méndez-Tenorio, A., Álvarez-Gómez, R.M. and Hernández, G. (2025). Deep sequencing reveals novel mutations in Androgen Receptor-related genes in prostate cancer. International Journal of Molecular Science 26 (18): 8758.

• Baranda-Ávila, N., Maldonado, G., Vélez, D.E. and Hernández, G. (2025). Translational regulation of human papillomavirus mRNAs in carcinogenesis: old questions and new insights. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 13: 1676001.

• Vazquez-Pianzola, M.P., Beuchle, D., M’Angale, P.G., Alegre, G., Hernández, G., Bullock, S.L., Thomson, T. and Suter, B. (2025). Imp is a key regulator of transposable elements, cell growth, and differentiation genes during embryogenesis. BioRxiv. 2025.09.30.679481; https://doi.org/101101/2025.09.30.679481. 

• Maldonado, G., García, A., Castro-Obregón, S., García-Becerra, R., García-Carrancá, A., and Hernández, G. (2025). Unorthodox regulation of p53 mRNA translation in the cancer-resistant rodent Heterecephalus glaber. Enviado.

Awards

Hernández, G. 2020. V Premio Internacional de Divulgación de la Ciencia Ruy Pérez Tamayo. Fondo de Cultura Económica.

Books

• Hernández Ramírez, G. (2015). Naturaleza. Una nueva introducción a la biología. Cerezo Editores. Ciudad de México. 149 pp.

• Hernández, G. and Jagus, R. (Eds.). 2016. Evolution of the protein synthesis machinery and its regulation. 564 pp. Springer. Switzerland.

• Hernández Ramírez, G. (2016). El espejo humeante. Ensayos sobre la creatividad científica en biología. Siglo XXI Editores. Mexico City. 108 pp.

• Hernández Ramírez, G. (2017). Homo roboticus. Ensayos sobre la creatividad científica en biología. Siglo XXI Editores. Mexico City. 144 pp.

• Hernández, G. (Ed.). 2017. Biología molecular y genómica del cáncer. Colección “Clínicas Oncológicas de Iberoamérica”. 318 pp. PyDESA – Instituto Nacional de Cancerología. Mexico City.

• Hernández Ramírez, G. (2018). La noche interminable. Tlatelolco, 2/X/68. Siglo XXI Editores. Mexico City. 130 pp.

•  Hernández Ramírez, G. (2021). El acertijo de la vida. Fondo de Cultura Económica. México City. 215 pp. Ganador del V Premio Internacional de Divulgación de la Ciencia Ruy Pérez Tamayo.

•  Hernández Ramírez, G. (2023). El año del murciélago. Fondo de Cultura Económica. Mexico City. 204 pp.

•  Hernández Ramírez, G. (Ed.) (2024). Los rostros del Covid-19. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Mexico City. 136 pp.

•  Hernández Ramírez, G. (Ed.) (2025). Cáncer: el lado oscuro de la célula. Fondo de Cultura Económica. Mexico City. En prensa.

Patents

Patent numb. 419580.

Title: “Inactivación de la proteína eEF3 como un método para combatir las especies de hongo Candida spp.”

Inventors: Greco Hernández and Giovanna Maldonado.

Application num: MX/a/2019/000406.

Granted: 6/dic/2024.