Research and Development

Doctor Alexis Díaz
Doctor

Alexis Díaz, PhD

Dr. Alexis Díaz is the director of the Research and Development Department of LifEscozul Group.

With 17 years of experience and author of more than 25 scientific articles on blue scorpion venom, he is considered the highest scientific authority on the subject. Currently, the Research and Development Department is in charge of the development of scientific research in coordination with several universities attached to the Project with the aim of achieving the corresponding sanitary registration, as well as the patent of the LifEscozul™ formulation, the most advanced and effective formulation made with blue scorpion venom.

Another project is the development of a synthetic formulation of blue scorpion venom, through the identification of the fundamental components of the active ingredient.

STUDIES

2019-2020

Postdoctorate; Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Sgto. de Chile, Chile.

2019-2020

Doctor in Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Havana, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food. Havana, Cuba.

2007-2008

Master in Experimental Pharmacology, University of Havana, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food. Havana, Cuba.

1996-2001

Degree in Microbiology, University of Havana, Faculty of Biology.

Work Experience

2019 - Current

LifEscozul Chile SpA. Stgo de Chile, Chile.

2001-2018

Laboratorios Biológico-Farmacéuticos (LABIOFAM), La Habana, Cuba.

Doctor Alexis Díaz
Doctor Alexis Díaz

Technical Expertise

Cell toxicity assays: MTT, LDH, ALAMAR BLUE, CRISTAL VIOLET.

Cell biology methods: PCR, RT-PCR.

Isolation and purification of DNA, RNA and proteins.

ELISA methods for detection of cytokines and other immune mediators in cell cultures, serum and plasma.

DNA and protein electrophoresis and Western blot.

Experimental models of cancer.

Scientific Experience

Basic research in the prospecting and evaluation of natural products against cancer.

Investigation of the pharmacological properties of venoms of poisonous animals.

Investigation of the characteristics of ion channels present in tumor cells and their relationship with tumor progression.

Study of the effect of natural products on the immune system in vitro and in vivo.

Study of the molecular mechanisms of action of active principles and natural products on tumor cells.

Writing and reviewing scientific articles.

Communication of research results in national and international scientific congresses.

Design, writing and execution of research projects.

SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS

2019

Díaz-García A, Yglesias-Rivera A, Ruiz-Fuentes JL, Ochoa-Cardentey R, Torres Viltres JR, Rodríguez-Sánchez H, Gómez Peña T. Effect of frequency of Rhopalurus junceus scorpion venom collection on protein content and biological activity. Trends Med; 19:1-5. doi: 10.15761/TiM.1000216.

2019

Díaz-García A, Pimentel González G, Basaco Bernabeu T, Rodríguez Aurrecochea JC, Rodríguez Sánchez H, Sánchez Monzón I, Hernández Gómez M, Rodríguez Torres C, Regla Rodríguez Capote M, Guevara Orellanes I. Pharmacokinetics and Biodistribution of Rhopalurus junceus Scorpion Venom in Tumor-Bearing Mice ater Intravenous and Oral Administration. Iran Biomed J.23(4):287-296.

2019

Díaz-García, A., Ruiz-Fuentes, J., Frión-Herrera, Y., Yglesias-Rivera, A., Riquenez Garlobo, Y., Rodríguez Sánchez, H., Rodríguez Aurrecochea, J., López Fuentes, L. Rhopalurus junceus scorpion venom induces antitumor efect in vitro and in vivo against a murine mammary adenocarcinoma model. Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences; 22(7): 759-765. doi: 10.22038/ijbms.2019.33308.7956.

2019

Frión-Herrera Y, Gabbia D, Díaz-García A, Cuesta-Rubio O, Carrara M. Chemosensitizing activity of Cuban propolis and nemorosone resistant human colon carcinoma cells. Fitoterapia; 136:104173.

2019

Yglesias-Rivera Arianna, Díaz-García Alexis, Rodríguez-Sánchez Hermis. Synergistic effect of Rhopalurus junceus scorpion venom combined with conventional cytostatics in cervical cancer cell line HeLa. J Pharm Pharmacogn Res; 7(1): 67-76.

2018

Yglesias-Rivera A, Díaz-García A. Effect of Rhopalurus junceus Scorpion Venom on Inflammation-Related Cytokines in Healthy BALB/C Mice. Ann Microbiol Immunol; 1(2):1007.

2018

Díaz-Hung ML, Ruiz-Fuentes JL, Díaz-García A, León-Martínez R, Alberti-Amador E, Pavón-Fuentes N, Blanco-Lezcano L. Impairment in exploratory behavior is associated with arc gene overexpression in the dorsolateral striatum of rats with nigral injection of l-buthionine sulfoximine. Neurosci Lett; 687:26-30.

2018

Valdés-Martínez Jany, Valdés-Hernández Iliana, Echemendía-Font Miguel, Rodríguez-Sánchez Hermis, Yglesias-Rivera Arianna, Díaz-García Alexis, Mycobacterium “habana” TMC 5135 as a vaccine candidate against tuberculosis: In vitro studies. Int J Mycobacteriol; 7(4):343-346.

2018

Frión-Herrera Y, Díaz-García A, Ruiz-Fuentes J, Rodríguez- Sánchez H, Sforcin JM. The cytotoxic effects of propolis on breast cancer cells involve PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 pathways, mitochondrial membrane potential, and reactive oxygen species generation Inflammopharmacology.; doi: 10.1007/s10787-018-0492-y.

2018

Cos P, Janssens J, Piñón A, Cuesta-Rubio O, Yglesias-Rivera A, Díaz-García A, Vilegas W, Monzote L. Efficacy of Four Solanum spp. Extracts in an Animal Model of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. Medicines (Basel).; 5(2). pii: E49.

2018

Valdés-Hernández Iliana, Valdés-Martínez Jany, Rodríguez-Sánchez Hermis, Yglesias-Rivera Arianna, Díaz-García Alexis, Echemendía-Font Miguel. Diferencias en la fagocitosis de Mycobacterium "habana" TMC 5135 en cultivos celulares de macrófagos murinos. Vaccimonitor; 27( 1 ): 1-7.

2017

Frión-Herrera Y, Díaz-García A, Ruiz-Fuentes J, Rodríguez-Sánchez H, Maurício Sforcin J. Mechanisms underlying the cytotoxic effect of propolis on human laryngeal epidermoid carcinoma cells. Nat Prod Res.; 8:1-7.

2017

Alexis Díaz-García, Jenny Laura Ruiz-Fuentes, Hermis Rodríguez- Sánchez, José A Fraga Castro. Rhopalurus junceus scorpion venom induces apoptosis in the triple negative human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. J Venom Res.; 8:9-13

2016

Alexis Díaz-García, Jenny Laura Ruiz-Fuentes, Hermis Rodríguez- Sánchez, José A Fraga Castro. Rhopalurus junceus scorpion venom induces apoptosis in the triple negative human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. J Venom Res.; 8:9-13

2016

Hermis Rodríguez-Sánchez, Alexis Díaz-García, Yahima Frión-Herrera, Lianet Monzote Fidalgo Evaluación de la citotoxicidad de extractos marinos sobre un panel de líneas celulares. Rev Cub Farm; 50(1).

2016

Marian Hernández-Colina, Alberto Martín Cermeño, Alexis Díaz García. Selective cytotoxic effect of 1-O-undecylglycerol in human melanoma cells. J Pharm Pharmacogn Res; 4(2):84-94.

2015

Jenny Laura Ruiz-Fuentes, Alexis Diaz-Garcia, Odelaisy Suárez Moreno, Pedro Torres, Lucrecia Acosta. Evaluación de diferentes muestras para la detección molecular de Mycobacterium leprae en Cuba. Rev Cub Med Trop; 67(2).

2015

JL Ruiz-Fuentes, A Díaz, A Entenza, Y Frión, O Suárez, P Torres, de Armas Y, L Acosta. Comparison of four DNA extraction methods for the detection of Mycobacterium leprae from Ziehl–Neelsen-stained microscopic slides. Int J Mycobacteriol; 4(4):284-289.

2015

Alexis Díaz-García, Jenny Laura Ruiz-Fuentes, Arianna Yglesias-Rivera, Hermis Rodríguez-Sánchez, Yanelis Riquenes Garlobo, Osmel Fleitas Martinez, José A Fraga Castro. Enzymatic analysis of venom from Cuban scorpion Rhopalurus junceus. J Venom Res; 6:11-18.

2015

Yahima Frión-Herrera, Alexis Díaz-García, Jenny Ruiz-Fuentes, Hermis Rodríguez-Sánchez, José Maurício Sforcin. Brazilian green propolis induced apoptosis in human lung cancer A549 cells through mitochondrial-mediated pathway. J Pharm Pharmacol. 67(10):1448-1456.

2014

Yahima Frión-Herrera, Alexis Díaz-García, Hermis Rodríguez-Sánchez, Jenny L. Ruiz-Fuentes, Lianet Monzote Fidalgo and William N. Setzer. Cytotoxic effect of cuban propolis extracts on normal cells and in-vitro basal toxicity assay to estimate acute oral toxicity. Am J Essential Oils Nat Prod; 2(1):19-23.

2013

Judith Mendiola, Erik L. Regalado, Alexis Díaz-García, Olivier P. Thomas, Aymé Fernández-Calienes, Hermis Rodríguez, Abilio Laguna & Olga Valdés.: In vitro antiplasmodial activity, cytotoxicity and chemical profiles of sponge species of Cuban coasts. Nat Prod Res.

2013

Yahima Frión-Herrera, Alexis Díaz-García, Hermis Rodríguez-Sánchez, Jenny Ruiz-Fuentes, Lianet Monzote-Fidalgo, Luis Morier-Díaz, and William N. Setzer. Cytotoxic Effect of Cuban Propolis Extracts Against Tumor Cells Lines. Am J Essential Oils Nat Prod; 1(1): 112-117.

2013

E Hernández, B González, A Díaz, M González, HJ Morris, L Delgado, CE Martínez. Ethnopharmacological evaluation of Trichilia hirta L. as anticancer source in traditional medicine of Santiago de Cuba. Bol Latinoam Caribe Plant Med Aromat; 12(2): 176–185.

2008

Díaz G.A., Rodríguez S.H., Scull L.R. Citotoxicidad de extractos de plantas medicinales sobre la línea celular de carcinoma de pulmón humano A549. Rev Cub Farm 2011; 45 (1).

2008

Sariego I., Monzote L., Scull R., Díaz A., Caballero Y. Activity of essential oils from Cuban plants against Leishmania donovani and Trichomonas vaginalis. Int J Essential Oil Ther; 2:1-3.

2007

Yzquierdo S. S. L., Mederos C. L., Díaz G. A. Echemendia F. M. y Montoro C. E., 2007. Aplicación de RCP-PLFR en el diagnóstico de Micobacterias no tuberculosas. Rev Chil Infect; 24 (5):391-396.

2006

P.R. Casanova, R. Cox, M. Rodriguez, A. Díaz Presentación liofilizada de antígeno de Toxoplasma gondii para estudios serológicos. Rev Bioingeniería y Fisica Médica Cubana; 6:25-30.

PARTICIPATION IN SCIENTIFIC EVENTS

28 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONGRESSES

2017

CONGRESS 80 ANNIVERSARY OF TROPICAL MEDICINE INSTITUE PEDRO KOURI, XI NATIONAL CONGRESS OF MICROBIOLOGY AND PARASITOLOGY, VI NATIONAL CONGRESO OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND VI WORKSHOP OF HIV-AIDS (Cuba).

- BLOOD CIRCULATING CYTOKINES IN CUBAN PATIENTS INFECTED BY Helicobacter pylori. Onelkis Feliciano; Yglesias, Arianna; Diaz, Alexis; Gutierrez, Oderay; Llanes, Rafael. (POSTER).

- PHENOTIPIC Y GENOTIPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF TOXINOGENIC VIRULENCE FACTORS IN PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA STRAINS ISOLATES FROM PATIENTS WITH QUISTIC FIBROSIS AND HIV-AIDS. Daniel Salazar; Ruíz, Jenny Laura; Díaz, Alexis; Aleaga, Yamilé; Espinosa, Taimí. (poster, coathor).

- DIFFERENCES IN PHAGOCITOSIS OF Mycobacterium ́habana ́ TMC 5135 ON PERITONEAL MACROPHAGES IN CELL CULTURE. Iliana del C. Valdés; Jany Valdés; Hermis Rodríguez; Arianna Yglesias; Alexis Díaz; Miguel Echemendía. (poster, coathor).

- IN VITRO EVALUATION OF Mycobacterium „habana TMC 5135 AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS. Jany Valdés; Valdés, Iliana; Echemendía, Miguel; Rodríguez, Hermis; Yglesias, Arianna; Díaz, Alexis. (poster, coathor)

- SCORPION VENOM AS NATURAL SOURCE FOR ANTIVIRAL DRUGS. Alexis Díaz García, Maritza Pupo-Antúnez. (conference).

2017

CIASEM. Cuba. APOPTOSIS IN CERVICAL CANCER CELL HELA INDUCED BY RHOPALURUS JUNCEUS SCORPION VENOM INDUCES TROUGH MITOCHONDRIAL PATHWAY. Alexis Díaz-García, Jenny Laura Ruiz-Fuentes, Hermis Rodríguez-Sánchez. (conference).

2017

ECFA 2017. Cuba. EVALUACIÓN DEL EFECTO ANTIPROLIFERATIVO DE LA COMBINACIÓN DEL VENENO DEL ESCORPIÓN R. JUNCEUS CON CITOSTÁTICOS CONVENCIONALES. Arianna Yglesias Rivera, Alexis Díaz García, Hermis Rodríguez Sánchez. (poster, coauthor).

2014

IXth Academician NICOLAE CAJAL Symposium & FEAM Spring Conference, Rumania. "Potentiality of RjLB-14 for cancer treatment" (conference).

2014

IXth Academician NICOLAE CAJAL Symposium & FEAM Spring Conference, Rumania. "Potentiality of RjLB-14 for cancer treatment" (conference).

2014

III International Congress Health science CICS-UDABOL, Bolivia. "Potentialities of RjLB-14 peptide for anticancer treatment." (conference).

2013

LATINFARMA. RjLB-14 PEPTIDE: EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCES AND POTENTIAL IN CANCER TREATMENT Cuba. (conference).

2013

Workshop of Toxins application in Biomedicine: Development toxin-based products Cuba. Rhopalurus junceus scorpion venom: Natural source of antitumor natural peptides. (conference).

2013

5th International Workshop of Chemistry Cuba. Cytotoxic effect of Cuban propolis extract against tumor cells lines (poster, coauthor).

2013

ACADEMICIAN NICOLAE CAJAL SYMPOSIUM, Rumania. Venom from the scorpion Rhopalurus junceus, a potential alternative for anticancer therapy. (Conference).

2012

IX Congress Sea Science: MarCuba Cuba. Antiplasmodial and Antitumoral activities of sponge species from Cuban coast. (coauthor).

2012

II International Congress LABIOFAM II Workshop of natural products for anticancer therapy. Havana, Cuba. Natural compounds from cuban sponges with bioactivities in in vitro e in vivo murine models of malaria and Hela cancer cell line (Poster, coauthor).

2012

II International Congress LABIOFAM II Workshop of natural products for anticancer therapy. Havana, Cuba. Citotoxic effect from cuban propolis against cancer cell lines. (Poster, coautor).

2012

II International Congress LABIOFAM II Workshop of natural products for anticancer therapy. Havana, Cuba. Stability of natural extract from cuban scorpion venom Rhopalurus junceus. (Poster, coauthor).

2012

II International Congress LABIOFAM II Workshop of natural products for anticancer therapy. Havana, Cuba. In vitro effect against cancer cell lines of different homeopathic formulations from scorpion venom Rhopalurus junceus. (conference).

2012

II International Congress LABIOFAM II Workshop of natural products for anticancer therapy. Havana, Cuba. Venom from cuban scorpion Rhopalurus junceus: coctel of antitumoral natural peptides. (conference).

2012

3rd International workshop of pharmacology of natural products. FAPRONATURA . Cuba. Potentiality of use of scorpion Rophalurus junceus venom in the treatment of cancer. (conference).

2012

XI Congress of Pharmaceutical Science. CUBAFARMACIA. Havana, Cuba. VIDATOX: An alternative for anticancer treatment. (conference).

2012

EVENTO NOVEDADES MÉDICAS. CIMEQ Habana 2012 Cuba. Uso de péptidos antitumorales en el complemento de la terapia del cáncer. (conference).

2011

I Jornada Provincial Farmacéutica. II Taller Provincial Farmacia Hospitalaria. Holguín, Cuba. (conference).

2011

VII International Congress of Veterinary Science. Havana, Cuba. Rhopalurus junceus cuban venom: from empirical knowledge to science. (conference).

2011

SCIENTIFIC MEETING LABIOFAM-BIOVIETNAM. Hanoi, Viet Nam. Genomic and Proteomic identification of components of venom from Cuban scorpion Rhopalurus junceus. (coauthor).

2011

SCIENTIFIC MEETING LABIOFAM-BIOVIETNAM. Hanoi, Viet Nam. Rhopalurus junceus cuban venom: from empirical knowledge to science. (conference).

2011

4th International Congress of Pharmacology and Therapy. Havana Pharmacology, Cuba. 2nd Workshop of natural products pharmacology. Rhopalurus junceus cuban venom: from empirical knowledge to science./Veneno del escorpión cubano Rhopalurus junceus: del conocimiento empírico a la ciencia (conference).

2010

I International Congress LABIOFAM . 1st Workshop of natural products for anticancer therapy. Cuba. Rhopalurus junceus cuban venom: from empirical knowledge to science (conference).

2005

II National Workshop of scorpion venom. I International Workshop of Toxinology. I International meeting of Clinical treatment. Guantánamo. Cuba. “Characterization and comparison of Rhopalurus junceus y Centruroides gracilis scorpion venoms belonging to Buthidae Family.” (conference).

2005

VI Congreso Nacional de Bioingeniería y Física Médica. Havana Cuba. “Nueva presentación de antígeno de Toxoplasma gondii para estudios serológicos" (Poster, coauthor).

2003

Biotechnology 2003. Havana, Cuba. Use of PRA for rapid identification of Mycobacterias in clinic laboratories. (Poster, coauthor).

2003

Biotechnology 2003. Cuba. Partial Biochemical characterization and evaluation of biological activity of Rhopalurus junceus scorpion venom in three cancer cell lines and lung normal fibroblast (Poster, coauthor).

Doctor Alexis Díaz

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

2015

Standardization of a qPCR for Leprosy diagnosis. Cuba (Undergraduate thesis tutor).
Study of the antitumor potentialities of Brazilian and Cuban propolis. (Co-Director of PhD Thesis).

2011

Training in cell culture techniques and cytotoxicity studies. "Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK) Cuba. (Professor).
Biodistribution and Pharmacokinetics of the venom of the scorpion Rhopalurus junceus (Thesis Tutor).
Biodistribution and Pharmacokinetics of Rhopalurus junceus scorpion venom administered subcutaneously. (Thesis Tutor).
In vitro toxicological evaluation of Cuban propolis extracts. (Master's Thesis Tutor).

2007

Partial purification of protein fractions from scorpion venom Rhopalurus junceus scorpion venom and evaluation in normal and tumor cell lines. Cuba (Graduate Thesis Tutor).

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

2008 - 2019

Proyecto de colaboración Cuba-Venezuela. “Estudio de las toxinas y antitoxinas de escorpiones“. Venezuela. Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC).

2016

Proyecto de colaboración en la evaluación de los mecanismos de acción moleculares de péptidos citotóxicos en células de cáncer epitelial. Universidad Miguel Hernández, España.

REVIEWER OF SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS

2017

European Journal of Biological Research

2016

Journal of Venom Research

2015 - 2018

Revista Cubana de Medicina Tropical

2014

Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology

2013

Revista Colombiana de Biotecnología

LANGUAGES

Spanish - Native
English - Intermediate