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Dra. Marina Riera Gibernau
Post-doctoral researcher for the Genetics Department of
the Ocular Microsurgery Institute. Master’s Degree in
Genetics and Developmental Biology, Animal Researcher
and Doctor in Genetics from the University of Barcelona.
Forms part of the research team of the IMO Foundation.
Curriculum
Professional Profile
Her speciality is the genetic diagnosis and study of the molecular bases of sight
pathologies.
She obtained a University Staff Training (FPU) grant at the University of Barcelona and
a post-doctoral scholar contract from the Fundació de la Marató de TV3 at the Vall
d’Hebrón Research Institute.
Training
Biology Degree from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, 2007
Master’s Degree in Genetics and Developmental Biology from the University of
Barcelona, 2008
Animal researcher using test animals for the Generalitat de Catalunya, 2010
Doctor in Genetics from the University of Barcelona, 2013
Erasmus grant at the University of St Andrews (Scotland, United Kingdom), 2005-2006
Bidons Egara cooperation grant at the University of Barcelona, 2007-2008
FPU grant at the University of Barcelona, 2008-2013
Post-doctoral scholar contract at the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute, 2013-2014.
Publications
Fathinajafabadi A., Pérez-Jiménez E., Riera M., Knecht E. and González-Duarte R.:
CERKL, a Retinal Disease Gene, Encodes an mRNA-Binding Protein That Localizes in
Compact and Untranslated mRNPs Associated with Microtubules. PLOS ONE 2014;
9(2):1-13.
Riera M., Burguera D., Garcia-Fernàndez J. and Gonzàlez-Duarte R.: CERKL knockdown
causes retinal degeneration in zebrafish. PLOS ONE 2013; 8(5):1-12.
Garanto A., Vicente-Tejedor J., Riera M., de la Villa P., Gonzàlez-Duarte R., Blanco R.
and Marfany G.: Targeted knockdown of Cerkl, a retinal dystrophy gene, causes mild
affectation of the retinal ganglion cell layer. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2012 Aug;
1822(8):1258-69.
Garanto A., Riera M., Pomares E., Permanyer J., de Castro-Miró M., Sava F., Abril J.F.,
Marfany G. and Gonzàlez-Duarte, R.: High transcriptional complexity of the retinitis
pigmentosa CERKL gene in human and mouse. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011 Jul;
52(8):5202-5214.
Pomares E., Riera M., Permanyer J., Méndez P., Castro-Navarro J., Andrés-Gutiérrez A.,
Marfany G., Gonzàlez-Duarte R.: Comprehensive SNP-chip for retinitis pigmentosaLeber congenital amaurosis diagnosis: new mutations and detection of mutational
founder effects. Eur J Hum Genet. 2010 Jan; 18(1):118-24.
Pomares E., Riera M., Castro-Navarro J., Andrés-Gutiérrez A., Gonzàlez-Duarte R.,
Marfany G.: Identification of an intronic single-point mutation in RP2 as the cause of
semidominant X-linked retinitis pigmentosa. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2009 Nov;
50(11):5107-14.
Conferences and courses
Riera M. (2014). Poster. “Differentiation and transplantation of human ESC and iPSCderived RPE cells for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa.” ARVO 2014, Annual
Meeting. Orlando. USA.
Riera M. (2014). Poster. “Retinas from STZ-induced diabetic rats present angiographic
and focal ERG alterations as well as anti-angiogenic factors inhibition.” ARVO 2014,
Annual Meeting. Orlando. USA.
Riera M. (2013). Poster.“Retinal apoptosis is observed in a knockdown zebrafish model
of CERKL, a gene responsible for retinitis pigmentosa and cone-rod
dystrophy.”CIBERER, 7th Annual Meeting. Madrid.
Riera M. (2012). Speaker. “Zebrafish as a model of retina degeneration. Study of CERKL
knockdown.”CIBERER, Neurosensorial Pathology Meeting. Madrid.
Riera M. (2012). Poster. “Design of polyclonal antibodies and production of CERKL
protein involved in retinitis pigmentosa disease.”4th EFIS-EJI South East European
Immunology School. Sarajevo. Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Riera M. (2012). Poster. “CERKL knockdown murine model shows mild affectation of
the retinal ganglion cell layer.” ARVO 2012, Annual Meeting. Fort Lauderdale. USA.
Riera M. (2012). Poster.“Retinal apoptosis is observed in a knockdown zebrafish model
of CERKL, a gene responsible for retinitis pigmentosa and cone-rod
dystrophy.”International Society for Eye Research.Berlin. Germany.
Riera M. (2011). Speaker. “CERKL function studies: construction of a KO model causing
retinitis pigmentosa.”CIBERER, Neurosensorial Pathology Meeting. Madrid.
Riera M. (2011). Poster. “High transcriptional complexity of the retinitis pigmentosa
CERKL gene in human and mouse.” ARVO 2011, Annual Meeting. Fort Lauderdale. USA.
Riera M. (2010). Speaker. “High transcriptional complexity of the retinitis pigmentosa
CERKL gene in human retina.”CIBERER, 4th Annual Meeting. Madrid.
Riera M. (2010). Poster. “CERKL function and contribution to pathogenesis.”14th
International Symposium on Retinal Degeneration. Quebec. Canada.
Riera M. (2008). Attendee. “Challenges in the diagnosis of Retinitis Pigmentosa.”
CIBERER, 2nd Annual Meeting. Valencia.
Research Projects
Identification of new Retina Dystrophy genes and characterisation of genotypephenotype correlations. 2014-2015.
Phase IV clinical trial to evaluate the genetic variants of the VEGF pathway as
biomarkers of efficacy of treatment with aflibercept in patients with neovascular agerelated macular degeneration (AMD). BIOIMAGE study. 2013-2014.