Researcher of the Month

August 2026

From Biotechnology in Spain to Cancer Research in Finland

Pink Ribbon Cancer Researcher Matías Marín Falco is a Spanish computational biologist with a background in biotechnology and bioinformatics. He completed a BSc in Biotechnology at the Universitat Politècnica de València, followed by an MSc in Bioinformatics at the University of Valencia. He later earned a PhD in Biotechnology, focusing on regulatory heterogeneity in cancer and its implications for precision medicine.

Matías began his research career in Spain, working at the Príncipe Felipe Research Centre and later at Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, where he developed computational approaches for analyzing genomic and transcriptomic data in cancer and rare diseases. In 2019, Matías joined the Research Program in Systems Oncology (ONCOSYS) at the University of Helsinki as a visiting researcher. He subsequently returned to Helsinki as a postdoctoral researcher and was awarded a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship. Today, he works as a Senior Researcher in the ONCOSYS.

Understanding Why Ovarian Cancer Becomes Resistant to Treatment

Matías’s research focuses on understanding why cancers respond differently to treatment, both between patients and among individual tumor cells within the same patient. His particular interest lies in identifying the mechanisms that allow some cancer cells to survive chemotherapy and eventually cause the disease to recur.

Matías is especially interested in ovarian cancer, a highly complex disease in which long-term treatment success remains difficult to achieve. Although many patients initially respond well to chemotherapy, resistance frequently develops and the cancer relapses. Understanding the biological mechanisms behind this resistance is therefore essential for improving patient outcomes.

To investigate these questions, Matías combines single-cell genomics, spatial transcriptomics and computational modelling. These technologies make it possible to study the cellular diversity of tumors in great detail and to identify why some cells are already primed to survive treatment or are able to adapt once chemotherapy begins.

Matías’s interest in this field originated during his early training in computational genomics and later grew during his doctoral research. A research visit to Helsinki in 2019 introduced him to single-cell datasets from ovarian cancer patients, opening new possibilities to study treatment resistance directly in patient samples and connect molecular insights with clinically relevant questions.

Identifying the Cellular Mechanisms Behind Chemotherapy Resistance

Matías’s current research aims on uncovering and predicting the cellular mechanisms that drive chemotherapy resistance in high-grade serous ovarian cancer. His work seeks to distinguish between cancer cells that are inherently resistant before treatment begins and those that acquire resistance by activating stress-responses during therapy. Determining whether these mechanisms can be detected before or during treatment is a key objective.

To achieve this, Matías analyses single-cell datasets that combine information on each cell’s gene expression, family history and previous exposure to cellular stress. He is also developing computational pipelines and predictive models capable of identifying resistant cell states and the biological mechanisms associated with survival after chemotherapy. The long-term goal is to generate robust molecular signatures that could help clinicians identify tumors at greater risk of resistance and select more effective treatment strategies.

In future studies, these resistance signatures will be applied to patient samples collected before and after chemotherapy. Using spatial transcriptomics, Matías and his colleagues aim to determine where resistant cells are located within tumors and how interactions with immune and stromal cells may support their survival. Ultimately, the focus remains on understanding the mechanisms that enable cancer cells to resist treatment and finding ways to prevent this process.

Revealing How Chemotherapy Can Weaken the Immune Response Against Ovarian Cancer

One of Matías’s recent publications, “Chemotherapy induces myeloid-driven spatially confined T cell exhaustion in ovarian cancer,” published in Cancer Cell, explored how chemotherapy affects the immune environment surrounding ovarian tumors. His contribution focused particularly on the analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing data.

The study demonstrated that chemotherapy not only kills cancer cells but can also profoundly alter the tumor microenvironment. By analyzing ovarian cancer samples collected before and after treatment, the researchers discovered that chemotherapy can promote the formation of networks of myeloid cells, which they termed “Myelonets.”

These myeloid cells interact with CD8 T cells, the immune cells responsible for recognizing and destroying cancer cells. In some regions of the tumors, these interactions drive T cells into an exhausted state, leaving them less capable of mounting an effective anti-cancer response. Importantly, this immune exhaustion was associated with a poorer response to chemotherapy.

The study also identified a key communication pathway between myeloid cells and T cells, involving the proteins NECTIN2 and TIGIT. Experimental models derived from patient samples showed that tumors with strong activity in this pathway were more responsive to immune checkpoint inhibitors, therapies designed to restore the immune system’s ability to fight cancer.

The findings suggest that chemotherapy may contribute not only to the selection of resistant cancer cells but also to the formation of local immune environments that help protect tumors. Understanding these processes could improve the identification of patients most likely to benefit from immunotherapy and support the development of more personalized treatment approaches for ovarian cancer.

Finding Balance Through Family Life and the Finnish Outdoors

Outside his research, Matías enjoys climbing and spending time in nature. Living in Finland has provided many opportunities to experience the outdoors, although his priorities have evolved since becoming a father.

Matías’s son was born in Finland, and much of his free time is now devoted to family life. He particularly enjoys spending time with his son and watching him grow. While fatherhood has changed how he spends his time outside work, it has also added a deeply rewarding and meaningful dimension to his life.