It is highly cited because, together with a review published in 2000 by Tony Ip and colleagues of the Program in Molecular Medicine at UMass Medical School, they are the first reviews on the Snail family of transcription factors. In addition, in 2002, it was already established that this gene family was extremely important, not only for embryonic development but also for tumor progression.

  Does it describe a new discovery, methodology, or synthesis of knowledge?

It is a review that discusses the evolution, functions, and physiological and pathological significance of the Snail gene family.

  Would you summarize the significance of your paper in layman’s terms?

The Snail genes encode proteins that regulate the expression of multiple genes. They trigger a process called epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) that allows a cell to separate from its neighbors and migrate. This change in cell behavior is fundamental both for the formation of many tissues and organs during embryonic development and for the acquisition of invasive properties in epithelial tumors. As such, the EMT constitutes the first step in the metastatic cascade.

  How did you become involved in this research and were any particular problems encountered along the way?

I isolated the first Snail family member from mouse and chick 15 years ago, when I was about to go back to Spain after finishing a postdoc in David Wilkinson’s lab in the Division of Developmental Neurobiology at the National Institute for Medical Research in London. When I saw their expression in migratory cells within the embryo I decided that I wanted to study how they worked.

When back in Madrid, we first described its role in the induction of EMT during embryonic development; we proposed that their pathological activation could be involved in the acquisition of invasive properties during the malignization of epithelial tumors. Although it took us a few years to demonstrate it, now it is well-established that this is the case.

  Where do you see your research leading in the future?

Although the Snail genes are crucial for a normal embryonic development, they must be silent in the adult. Indeed, in addition to tumor progression, we have recently shown that its aberrant activation in the adult or late in development leads to several pathologies, including renal fibrosis and achondroplasia, the latter of which is the most common form of dwarfism in humans.

We are very excited about these new aspects and would like to continue working on this gene family to try and have the whole picture of its capabilities in different cell contexts.

  Are there any social or political implications for your research?

Yes, there are. After the work of many labs during the past few years, Snail proteins can be considered markers of malignancy and tumor recurrence. Thus, they are targets of anti-invasive drugs aimed at fighting one of the most dangerous aspects of cancer, the formation of metastasis. In addition, the implication of the aberrant activation of Snail proteins in the development of other pathologies reinforces the interest in their study.