My scientific interests are closely linked to biochemistry, in particular, to the cell's main recycling system, autophagy. During my PhD, I studied a wide range of effects of autophagy in various models, such as aging and the Harderian gland. I also used the latter to study the relationship between autophagy and lipid metabolism (lipophagy).
I then sought to expand my knowledge of lipophagy, working with the discoverer, Dr. Rajat Singh's lab at Albert Einstein College of Medicine (NY). We discovered how the brain regulates peripheral liver metabolism through lipophagy. Then, to expand my knowledge of the liver, I joined a world-leading laboratory in liver diseases, the Fibrosis Lab (Newcastle). We found a connection between epigenetics and fibrosis. Furthermore, as an expert in cellular metabolism, I helped establish new techniques to study liver disease as a product of altered metabolism. I also developed my own project: “The role of mTOR in lipid droplet biogenesis” to understand fatty liver diseases. Since continuous learning and dissemination are crucial for science, I expanded my network and established a collaboration to lead a Wellcome Trust with a project entitled: Implications of autophagy in cardiac myopathies. Then, I joined the Neuroenergetics and Metabolism laboratory, where I put all the knowledge acquired to understand a rare neurodegenerative disease: Batten disease. This project sums up my scientific vision: a correct balance in the organism, orchestrated by the brain, is key to human health. At this stage, we revealed some of the mechanisms of neuronal death in Batten disease (Nat comms), as well as the role of fatty acids in astrocyte function (Nat Metab). Since January 2023, I created my own laboratory, Macphagy lab (https://ibfg.usal-csic.es/marina-garcia.html ), with the mission of deciphering the relevance of autophagy and lipid metabolism in the immune system. This research has the potential to provide the basis for novel treatments for metabolic diseases, including cancer.