Yolanda Perez

My scientific interests focus on using NMR in combination with other biophysical techniques to structurally characterise biomolecules and study the molecular recognition processes and non-covalent interactions in which they participate in solution, from intermolecular complex formation to intramolecular interactions. I have therefore built a multidisciplinary research career, drawing on my expertise in fields such as chemical biology, biochemistry and molecular biology, protein NMR and the characterisation of protein-ligand interactions. My major scientific contributions include the structural characterisation of the Src protein kinase using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and computational approaches. I have also been involved in two drug discovery projects targeting the Stat6 and Sema3A proteins. Recently, I have been working on sensors for diagnosing and monitoring certain human diseases, as well as on the use of (supra)molecular systems for therapeutic purposes. My research currently focuses on the application of advanced NMR approaches for enzyme bioengineering and biocatalysts development. I’m the co-IP of a national (Spanish) project titled “Development of a new generation of promiscuous natural and artificial biocatalysts: Cupin domain, (βα)8-barrel and artificial HaloTag metalloenzymes (ARBICAT)", focusing on the discovery and engineering of new-to-nature enzymes for organic synthesis applications. Since October 2023, I have served as secretary and board member of the RSEQ NMR Specialised Group (GERMN-RSEQ). I‘m serving as a reviewer for the Instruct-ERIC (pan-European distributed research infrastructure making high-end technologies and methods in structural biology available to users) and EU COST Actions. Additionally, I have contributed to several innovation projects as a researcher, working in companies or public-private partnerships for a total of six years. As Head of the NMR Facility at IQAC-CSIC, I have provided technological support to private chemical and pharmaceutical companies.