Rafael Franco

I am a Molecular Neuropharmacologist with a background in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. I did a first postdoc stay in the lab of Prof. Geoffrey Burnstock in UCL (Univ College London) where I get acquainted with purinergic nerves and purinergic actions. Back in Spain I founded one of the first labs in Europe devoted to the work from a molecular point of view of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Other stays abroad were: in Max Planck Institute Dortmund with Prof. Rolf Kinne, in Harvard Medical School with Prof. Cox Terhorst and in Pasteur Institute with Prof. Ara Hovanessian. In the latter I worked with HIV-1 in research on coreceptors, CD26/DPPIV among them. This protein shares with ACE2, the receptor for SARS-CoV-2, being a peptidase, a type I membrane enzyme and susceptible of shedding. My laboratory is internationally known for the discovery of GPCR heteromers and for research on their physiological relevance. We now have taken a translational approach for which we collaborate with Medicinal Chemistry laboratories in different Countries. GPCRs in our portfolio include, among other, those for adenosine, angiotensin, cannabinoids, epinephrine, orexin, dopamine and ghrelin. I have > 400 papers mainly in international journals and h index, as of August 2020, is: 75. Number of citations is circa 20,000.





Education:



Degree in Chemistry (Biochemistry specialization): Universitat de Barcelona, 1978.



Ph.D. (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology): Universitat de Barcelona, 1982.



Postdoctoral training: Center for Neuroscience. University College of London. Laboratory of Prof. Geoffrey Burnstock (Head). 1985.



Invited Research fellow: Max Planck Institut für Molekularephysiologie. Dortmund. Laboratory of Prof. Rolk Kinne (Direktor). 1988.



Sabbatical: Beth Israel Hospital. Harvard Medical School. Laboratory of Dr. Cox Terhorst (Head of the Immunology Division). 1991-1992.



Invited Professor: Pasteur Institute. Unité d´Immunologie Cellulaire. Dept. SIDA/Retrovirus. Laboratory of Dr. Ara G. Hovanessian (Head of Unit). 1996.





Appointments:





Assistant Professor. Department of Biochemistry of the Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Barcelona . October 1st, 1978- February 28, 1983.



Adjunct Professor at the University. Department of Biochemistry of the Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Barcelona . March 1, 1983-November 21, 1986.



Full Professor at the University. Department of Biochemistry and Physiology of the Division of Experimental and Mathematical Sciences of the University of Barcelona . November 22, 1986- January 23, 1996.



Secretary of the Department of Biochemistry and Physiology of the Division of Experimental and Mathematical Sciences of the University of Barcelona . July 30, 1987- February 27, 1990.



Consultant of the President of the Division of Experimental and Mathematical Sciences of the University of Barcelona . February 1, 1991- November 23, 1996.



Member of the Committee for International Relations of the University of Barcelona since it was constituted on May 27, 1994 until February 3, 1997.



Member of the Editorial Council of the Universitat de Barcelona since it was constituted on February 1, 1991 until May 27, 1994.



Delegate of the Government Council of the Faculty of Chemistry of the Universitat de Barcelona since February 1994.



CURRENT POSITION : University Professor (equivalent to full professor). Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the Division of Experimental and Mathematical Sciences of the University of Barcelona . From January 24, 1996.





Professional memberships:



Biochemical Society (United Kingdom)



Spanish Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Member of the European Federation)



Purine Club International



Spanish Society of Cell Biology (Member of the European Federation)



Spanish Society of Immunology (Member of the European Federation)



Catalan Society of Biology





Most cited publications:



Presynaptic control of striatal glutamatergic neurotransmission by adenosine A(1)-A(2A) receptor heteromers

Authors:  F. Ciruela 

Published: Feb 2006 in The Journal of Neuroscience

DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3574-05.2006



Coaggregation, cointernalization, and codesensitization of adenosine A(2A) receptors and dopamine D-2 receptors



Authors:  Hillion, J; Canals, M; Torvinen, M; ...  Fuxe, K

Published: May 2002 in Journal of Biological Chemistry

DOI: 10.1074/JBC.M107731200



Adenosine A 2A -Dopamine D 2 Receptor-Receptor Heteromerization

Published: Aug 2003 in Journal of Biological Chemistry

DOI: 10.1074/JBC.M306451200



Dopamine D-1 and adenosine A(1) receptors form functionally interacting heteromeric complexes

Authors:  Gines, S; Hillion, J; Torvinen, M; ...  Franco, R

Published: Jul 2000 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI: 10.1073/PNAS.150241097



Alternatively activated microglia and macrophages in the central nervous system

Published: Aug 2015 in Progress in Neurobiology

DOI: 10.1016/J.PNEUROBIO.2015.05.003