Pilar Coy

Dr. Maria Jiménez-Movilla

ORCID | Web Of Science

Dr. Maria Jiménez-Movilla is a Professor at the Cell Biology and Histology Deparment of the Medicine Faculty of the University of Murcia.

Research interests: reproduction, oocyte, zona pellucida (ZP), sperm, fertilization, embryo.

mariajm@um.es | +(34) 868 88 94 32

Biography

Education and Career Summary

Degree in Biochemistry University of Murcia 2000
PhD, Doctor in Biochemistry (European PhD Mention) University of Murcia 2001 - 2005
Posdoctoral Fellow NIDDK, NIH, EEUU 2006 - 2010
Juan de La Cierva Fellowship University of Murcia 2010

During the last 20 years my research career focus on the study of the molecules responsible for the interaction between gametes in different species. PhD, with the highest qualification and mention of a European Doctorate from the University of Murcia. My predoctoral experience consists of 9 publications (4T1), 4 as first author and 2 stays in high-performance foreign centers (Imperial Collage, London; Gissen, Germany).

Once I got a doctorate and due to the adequacy of my curriculum, I obtained, through a competitive call, a postdoctoral contract that I enjoyed for 4 years (2006-10) at the Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA. My participation in the laboratory directed by Dr. Jurrien Dean, main researcher in the field of Reproduction, has allowed me to delve into techniques applied to the study of fertilization (molecular biology, genetic engineering, gamete manipulation, IVF) accredited in 5 works (5 Q1). Among these works, it is worth highlighting the publication in the Journal of Cell Science (Jimenez-Movilla and Dean, 2011) where we have characterized the domains of the zona pellucida proteins involved in the formation of the extracellular matrix essential for fertilization. Other works have contributed to generating a new hypothesis about the sperm receptor.

I returned to Spain with a “Juan de la Cierva” Researchers Reincorporation contract (2010), with Dr. Pilar Coy at the Veterinary Faculty of the University of Murcia. This collaboration allowed the publication of 2 articles (2 T1) and the possibility of applying my knowledge of reproductive molecular biology to livestock, mainly bovine and porcine species. Since 2011 as Professor of the University of Murcia I have developed research projects as IP focused in the fertilization event, describing both the molecules responsible for the recognition of gametes, as the oviduct proteins involved in the process of fertilization and embryonic development.

My research during the last years consists in applying molecular biology techniques based on the use of micro and nanospheres in the development of new techniques applied to reproduction. I have published in high impact index scientific journals: Science Translational Medicine (2016), 2 Nature Communication (2017, 2019), 2 Scientific Report (2016, 2019), eLife (2020). I have been principal investigator in 3 projects: 1 national project (MINECO 2016), 2 regional projects (“Young Leaders in Research 2013” and Projects for the development of scientific and technical research by competitive groups, Seneca Foundation, 2019).

Regarding transfer of results, I am the inventor of a patent in the internationalization phase on the development of nanotechnology in reproduction techniques (NanoRep) and I have participated in the “Proof of Concept” project (Seneca Foundation). I collaborate in international networks as a member of the Management Committee of the European project COST Action CA16119 “In vitro 3-D. total cell guidance and fitness”. I teach in the Medicine, Optics and Pharmacy degrees (coordinator) and in the official Master “Biology and Technology of Mammalian Reproduction” where I have been coordinator (2017-2019), University of Murcia. At present I’m coordinator of the Doctorate studies “Reproductive Health Biology and Technology”. I have enjoyed a short-term scientific expedition from Fundación Seneca to visit NIDDK, NIH, (USA) 5 months in 2019.

Publications

Publications included in the Science Citation Index (SCI) of the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI)

  1. García-Vázquez FA, Garrappa G, Luongo C, Hamze JG, Caballero M, Marco-Jiménez F, Vicente JS, Molina-Cuberos G, Jiménez-Movilla M. Magnetic-assisted control of eggs and embryos via zona pellucida-linked nanoparticles. Advanced Science. 06 March 2024. doi.org/10.1002/advs.202306901

  2. Bianchi E, Jiménez-Movilla M, Cots-Rodríguez P, Viola C, Wright GJ. No evidence for a direct extracellular interaction between human Fc receptor-like 3 (MAIA) and the sperm ligand IZUMO1. Sci. Adv. 23 February 2024. doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adk6352 PMID: 38381819. PMCID: PMC10881024.

  3. Bianchi Enrica, Jimenez-Movilla Maria, Krauchunas Amber R. Editorial: Fertilization in the spotlight: Dynamics and mechanisms of sperm-egg interaction. Front. Cell Dev. Biol. 08 September 2022. doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2022.993865

  4. González-Brusi L, Hamzé JG, Lamas-Toranzo I, Jiménez-Movilla M and Bermejo-Álvarez P. The Sperm Olfactory Receptor OLFR601 is Dispensable for Mouse Fertilization. Front. Cell Dev. Biol. 03 June 2022. doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2022.854115

  5. Lauren M Ataman-Millhouse, Pamela Monahan, Rebecca Willingham, Giulia Vigone, Mao Soulakis, Joaquín Gadea, Jiménez-Movilla M, Raquel Romar, Sebastián Cánovas, Teresa K Woodruff, Francesca E Duncan. Broadening the educational pipeline: the global landscape of master of science programs in reproductive science and medicine. Biology of Reproduction. 2022, 00, 1–12. doi.org/10.1093/biolre/ioac113

  6. Muñoz-Baquero M, Marco-Jiménez F, García-Domínguez X, Ros-Santaella JL, Pintus E, Jiménez-Movilla M, García-Párraga D, García-Vazquez FA. Comparative Study of Semen Parameters and Hormone Profile in Small-Spotted Catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula): Aquarium-Housed vs. Wild-Captured. Animals (Basel). 2021 Oct 3; 11(10). doi.org/10.3390/ani11102884

  7. Jiménez-Movilla M, Hamze JG, Romar R. Oolemma Receptors in Mammalian Molecular Fertilization: Function and New Methods of Study. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 May 19; 9:662032. doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2021.662032

  8. Moros-Nicolás C, Chevret P, Jiménez-Movilla M, Algarra B, Cots-Rodríguez P, González-Brusi L,Avilés M, Izquierdo-Rico MJ. New Insights into the Mammalian Egg Zona Pellucida. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Mar 23; 22(6):3276. doi.org/10.3390/ijms22063276

  9. Leopoldo González-Brusi, Blanca Algarra, Carla Moros-Nicolás, Maria José Izquierdo-Rico, Manuel Avilés *, Maria Jiménez-Movilla *. A Comparative View on the Oviductal Environment during the Periconception Period. Biomolecules. 2020 Dec 17;10(12):1690. doi.org/10.3390/biom10121690

  10. Julieta Gabriela Hamze, Maria Jimenez-Movilla*, Raquel Romar*. Sperm-Binding Assay Using an In Vitro 3D Model of the Mammalian Cumulus-Oocyte Complex. Curr Protoc Toxicol. 2020 Dec. 86(1):e100. doi.org/10.1002/cptx.100

  11. Julieta Gabriela Hamze, María Jiménez-Movilla , Raquel Romar. Sperm binding to ZP2-coated beads improve efficiency of porcine in vitro fertilization. Reproduction. (2020) doi.org/10.1530/REP-20-0123

  12. Julieta Gabriela Hamze, Jose María Sanchez, Elena O’Callaghan, Michael McDonald, Pablo Bermejo-Alvarez, Raquel Romar, Patrick Lonergan*, María Jiménez-Movilla*. JUNO protein coated beads: A potential tool to predict bovine sperm fertilizing ability. Theriogenology. (2020) 155:168e175. doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.05.025

  13. Ismael Lamas-Toranzo, Julieta G Hamze, Enrica Bianchi, Beatriz Fernández-Fuertes, Serafín Pérez-Cerezales, Ricardo Laguna-Barraza, Raúl Fernández-González, Pat Lonergan, Alfonso Gutiérrez-Adán, Gavin J Wright, María Jiménez-Movilla*, Pablo Bermejo-Álvarez*. TMEM95 is a sperm membrane protein essential for mammalian fertilization. eLife. (2020) 9:e53913. doi.org/10.7554/eLife.53913

  14. Julieta Gabriela Hamze, Analuce Canha-Gouveia, Blanca Algarra, María José Gómez-Torres, María Concepción Olivares, Raquel Romar* and María Jiménez-Movilla*. Mammalian spermatozoa and cumulus cells bind to a 3D model generated by recombinant zona pellucida protein-coated beads. Scientific Reports. (2019) 9, 17989. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-54501-7

  15. Gadea J, Toledano-Díaz A, Navarro-Serna S, Jiménez-Movilla M, Soriano P, Matás C, Santiago-Moreno J. Assessment and preservation of liquid and frozen-thawed Black crested mangabey (Lophocebus aterrimus) spermatozoa obtained by transrectal ultrasonic-guided massage of the accessory sex glands and electroejaculation. Anim Reprod Sci. (2019) 210:10617. doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2019.106176

  16. Edgar-John Vogt, Keizo Tokuhiro, Min Guo, Ryan Dale, Guanghui Yang, Maria Jiménez Movilla, Hari Shroff and Jurrien Dean. Anchoring cortical granules in the cortex ensures trafficking to the plasma membrane for post-fertilization exocytosis. Nat Commun. (2019) 10(1):2271. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10171-7

  17. Duncan FE, Romar R, Gadea J, Kimelman D, Wallach HD, Woodruff TK, Jiménez-Movilla M. The use of a virtual journal club to promote cross-cultural learning in the reproductive sciences. J Assist Reprod Genet. (2018) 35(12):2141-2147. doi.org/10.1007/s10815-018-1309-z

  18. Algarra B, Maillo V, Avilés M, Gutiérrez-Adán A, Rizos D, Jiménez-Movilla M. Effects of recombinant OVGP1 protein on in vitro bovine embryo development. J Reprod Dev. (2018) 64(5):433-443. doi.org/10.1262/jrd.2018-058

  19. Shin SW, John Vogt E, Jiménez-Movilla M, Baibakov B, Dean J. Cytoplasmic cleavage of DPPA3 is required for intracellular trafficking and cleavage-stage development in mice. Nat Commun. (2017) 8, 1643. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-01387-6

  20. Algarra B , Han L , Soriano-Úbeda C , Avilés M 1, Coy P , Jovine L , Jiménez-Movilla M. C-terminal of OVGP1 modulates remodeling of the zona pellucida and modifies fertility parameters among species. Scientific Reports. (2016) 6, 32556. doi.org/10.1038/srep32556

  21. Matteo A. Avella, Boris A. Baibakov, Maria Jiménez-Movilla, Anna Burkart Sadusky and Jurrien Dean. C-terminal of OVGP1 modulates remodeling of the zona pellucida and modifies fertility parameters among species. Sci Transl Med (2016) 8(336):336ra60. doi.org/scitranslmed.aad9946

  22. Ruei-Shiuan Lin, Maria Jiménez-Movilla and Jurrien Dean. Figla-Cre transgenic mice expressing myristoylated EGFP in germ cells provide a model for investigating perinatal oocyte dynamics. PLoS One. (2014) 6;9(1):e84477. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0084477

  23. María Dolores Saavedra, Irene Mondéjar, Pilar Coy, Miguel Betancourt, Humberto González-6 Márquez, María Jiménez-Movilla, Manuel Avilés, Raquel Romar. Calreticulin from suboolemmal vesicles affects membrane regulation of polyspermy. Reproduction. (2014) doi.org/10.1530/REP-13-0454

  24. Lee G.S., He Y., Dougherty E.J., Jimenez-Movilla M., Avella M., Grullon S., Sharlin D.S., Guo C., Blackford J.A., Awasthi S., Zhang Z., Armstrong S.P., London E.C., Chen W., Dean J., Simons S.S. Disruption of Ttll5/stamp gene (tubulin tyrosine ligase-like protein 5/SRC-1 and TIF2-associated modulatory protein gene) in male mice causes sperm malformation and infertility. J Biol Chem. (2013) 288(21):15167-80. doi.org/10.1074/jbc.m113.453936

  25. Coy P., Jiménez-Movilla M., García-Vázquez F.A., Mondéjar I., Grullón L., Romar R. Oocytes use the plasminogen-plasmin system to remove supernumerary spermatozoa. Human Reproduction. (2012) 27(7):1985-93. doi.org/10.1093/humrep/des146

  26. Burkart A.D., Xiong B., Baibakov B., Jiménez-Movilla M., Dean J. Ovastacin, a cortical granule protease, cleaves ZP2 in the zona pellucida to prevent polyspermy. J Cell Biol. (2012) 197(1): 37–44. doi.org/10.1083jcb.201112094

  27. Jiménez-Movilla M. and Dean J. ZP2 and ZP3 cytoplasmic tails prevent premature interactions and ensure incorporation into the zona pellucida. J Cell Sci. (2011) 124(Pt 6):940-50. doi.org/10.1242/jcs.079988

  28. Hu W., Gauthier L., Baibakov B., Jiménez-Movilla M., Dean J. FIGLA, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, balances sexually dimorphic gene expression in postnatal oocytes. Mol Cell Biol. (2010) 30(14):3661-71. doi.org/10.1128/mcb.00201-10

  29. Izquierdo-Rico M.J., Jiménez-Movilla M., Llop E., Bellest J., Gutierrez-Gallego R., Jiménez-Cervantes C., Aviles M., Perez-Oliva A.B. Hamster zona pellucida is formed by four glycoproteins: ZP1, ZP2, ZP3, and ZP4. J Proteome Res. (2009) 8(2):926-41. doi.org/10.1021/pr800568x

  30. Jiménez-Movilla M., Martinez-Alonso, M.T. Castells, Izquierdo-Rico MJ, Saavedra MD, Gutierrez-Gallego R, Fayrer-Hosken R, Ballesta J, Aviles M. Cytochemical and biochemical evidences for a complex tridimensional structure of the hamster zona pellucida. Histol Histopathol. (2009) 24(5):599-609. doi.org/10.14670/hh-24.599

  31. Velasquez-Penagos J.G., Canovas S., Barajas P., Marcos J., Jiménez-Movilla M., Gutiérrez-Gallego R., Ballesta J., Aviles M., Coy P. Role of sialic acid in bovine sperm–zona pellucida binding. Molecular Reproduction and Development. (2006) doi.org/10.1002/mrd.20619

  32. Hoodbhoy T., Aviles M., Baibakov B., Epifano O., Jiménez-Movilla M., Gauthier L., Dean J. ZP2 and ZP3 traffic independently within oocytes prior to assembly into the extracellular zona pellucida. Mol Cell Biol. (2006) doi.org/10.1128/mcb.00904-06

  33. M. Jiménez-Movilla, M. Avilés, M.J. Gómez-Torres, P.J. Fernández-Colom, MT Castells, J. de Juan, A. Romeu, J. Ballesta. Carbohydrate analysis of the zona pellucida and cortical granules of human oocytes by means of ultrastructural cytochemistry. Human Reproduction. (2004) doi.org/10.1093/humrep/deh311

  34. M. Jiménez-Movilla, F.J. Aranda, J.A. Teruel, A. Ortiz. The chemical toxic benzo[a]pyrene perturbs the physical organization of phosphatidylcholine membranes. Environmental Toxicology. (2002) doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620210415

Research Projects

Research Projects (Principal Investigator)

project1



Approaches to block gamete fusion.


Funding body: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Grant INV-055841.

Duration: Oct 2023 - Nov 2026

PI: Subgrantee Maria Jiménez-Movilla.

Amount granted: 564.000,00 €

project1

Sperm-Egg Recognition Entails New Insight in Developing Assisted Reproduction Techniques (SERENIDART).


Funding body: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. Proyectos de i+d+i» en el marco de los Programas Estatales de Generación de Conocimiento y Fortalecimiento Científico y Tecnológico del Sistema de I+D+i y de I+D+i Orientada a los Retos de la Sociedad. Convocatoria 2020. PID2020-114109GB-I00.

Duration: 2021 - 2024

PI: Maria Jiménez-Movilla

Amount granted: 157.300,00 €

project5

Uso de microesferas y nanopartículas para el desarrollo de nuevos ensayos en reproducción.


Funding body: Fundación Séneca - Agencia Ciencia y Tecnología de la Región de Murcia a través del Programa Ayudas a la Realización de Proyectos Para el Desarrollo de Investigación Científica y Técnica por Grupos Competitivos - 20887/PI/18.

Duration: 2014 - 2017

PI: Maria Jiménez-Movilla

Amount granted: 60.000 €

Researchers involved: 4

project2

Increasing the efficiency of pig in vitro fertilization by attenuating a receptor-ligand interaction essential for sperm-egg recognition.


Funding body: Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK - Ref: S4523.

Duration: 2017 - 2019

PI: Gavin J. Wright and María Jiménez-Movilla

Amount granted: 16.000 £

Researchers involved: 4

project3

Papel de las secreciones del tracto genital femenino en la selección espermática y su posible implicación en la mejora de las técnicas de reproducción asistida.


Funding body: Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. Proyectos de I+D del Programa Estatal de Fomento de la Investigación Científica y Técnica de Excelencia, Subprograma Estatal de Generación del Conocimiento - AGL2015-70159-P.

Duration: 2016 - 2018

PI: Maria Jiménez-Movilla and Manuél Avilés

Amount granted: 122.500 €

Researchers involved: 4

project4

Desarrollo de modelos celulares y moleculares en 3D como alternativa a los estudios convencionales en fecundación.


Funding body: Fundación Séneca - Agencia Ciencia y Tecnología de la Región de Murcia a través del programa “Jóvenes Líderes en Investigación” - 18931/JLI/13.

Duration: 2014 - 2017

PI: Maria Jiménez-Movilla

Amount granted: 60.000 €

Researchers involved: 4

Research Transfer

Research Transfer Projects

Title: Internacionalización de NanoRep® como metodología de mejora en técnicas de reproducción asistida
Institution: Convocatoria Actividades para el fomento de la transferencia de conocimiento y resultados de investigación 2020. Universidad de Murcia.
Duration:
Amount granted: 5.000 €
Title: Nanobiotecnología aplicada a las técnicas de reproducción asistida: una nueva metodología al servicio de la sociedad.
Institution: Universidad de Murcia
Duration: 01/01/2018 - 31/12/2018
Amount granted: 2.510 €
Title: Nanobiotecnología aplicada a las técnicas de reproducción asistida.
Institution: Fundación Seneca - Ayudas a grupos de investigación para la comercialización y explotación de resultados bajo el modelo prueba de concepto - 20532/PDC/18.
Duration: 01/01/2019 - 31/12/2019
Amount granted: 25.000 €

Patents

Title: Procedimiento de preparación de ovocitos y/o embriones magnéticos mediante nanopartículas para técnicas de reproducción asistida y uso en técnicas de reproducción asistida de ovocitos y/o embriones no humanos preparados con dicho procedimiento.
Application number: P201830239
Priority date: 11/03/2018
Priority country: Spain
Inventors: Maria Jiménez-Movilla and Francisco Alberto García Vázquez
Applicant: University of Murcia
Patent number: PCT/ES2019/070108 (PCT extensión)
Publication date: 08/07/2019
USA Extension: Magnetic Nanoparticles for use in Assisted Reproduction
Aplication number: E20209AK59152493
Publication date: 11/09/2020
Europe Extension: Method of preparing magnetic oocytes and/or embryos by means of nanoparticles for assisted reproduction techniques and use in assisted reproduction techniques of non-human oocytes and/or embryos prepared with said method
Aplication number: EP19717959.1
Publication date: 13/07/2020
Exploitation: It generated the creation of a web domain to commercialize the products termed in the invention https://nanorep.tech, as first step for the creation of an EBT.

Contact

Address

Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca - LAIB
Ctra. Madrid-Cartagena s/n
30120 El Palmar-Murcia

Phone

+(34) 868 889432

Email

mariajm@um.es