Francisca Alcayaga-Miranda holds a Veterinary Medicine degree from Universidad Mayor and a PhD in Veterinary Science from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, where she graduated with honors (Cum Laude). Since 2011, she has served as Assistant Professor at Universidad de los Andes, actively teaching in undergraduate and postgraduate programs, particularly in the PhD Program in Biomedicine.

Her scientific career focuses on translational research in oncology and regenerative medicine, with emphasis on advanced therapies involving extracellular vesicles and mitochondria. She has led several nationally funded FONDECYT and FONDEF projects, generating impactful evidence on the molecular mechanisms of tumor progression, inflammation, and tissue regeneration. Additionally, she has participated in three first-in-human clinical trials based on these developments.

She has promoted the establishment of strategic research infrastructure, including a SPF animal facility and a GMP-compliant production suite. She has led efforts to connect basic research with clinical application through teaching innovations and scientific dissemination, including the creation of a doctoral-level course in Oncology Research. She has supervised numerous undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral theses across various institutions, fostering the development of new researchers in biomedicine.

Her academic contributions include over 26 scientific publications, two granted patents, the organization of international congresses, active involvement in academic and ethics committees, and an H-index of 18.

Dr. Francisca Alcayaga-Miranda focuses her scientific work on the development of innovative therapies in oncology and regenerative medicine, with a translational approach that bridges basic research and clinical application. Her primary research line centers on extracellular mitochondria and extracellular vesicles (EVs) as modulators of the tumor microenvironment and as therapeutic platforms.

In oncology, she investigates how mitochondria released by tumor cells contribute to pre-metastatic niche formation, impair immune cell function, and undermine the efficacy of cell-based immunotherapies. This research includes studies in immunocompetent murine models, functional analyses of circulating mitochondria, and validation in clinical samples, aiming to elucidate their role in tumor progression and therapeutic resistance.

In the field of regenerative medicine, she has worked on the development of small EVs derived from mesenchymal stem cells as immunomodulatory and pro-regenerative agents. She has led their functional characterization and preclinical validation in osteoarthritis models and has participated in human interventional clinical trials.

Her interests also encompass the standardization of GMP-compliant production processes, the elucidation of molecular mechanisms underlying EV and mitochondrial function, and the development of safe, effective, and customizable biotherapeutics. 

Dr. Francisca Alcayaga -Miranda has built a distinguished academic career in university teaching, both at Universidad de los Andes and at other prestigious academic institutions in Chile. Since 2011, she has served as a faculty member in undergraduate and graduate programs within the Faculty of Medicine at Universidad de los Andes, with a strong focus on the PhD Program in Biomedicine. There, she has taught core and elective courses in biotechnology, regenerative medicine, and oncology research. Beginning in 2025, the elective course "Oncology Research," designed by Dr. Alcayaga, will be incorporated into the program to strengthen translational training at the doctoral level.

She has also supervised undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral theses at several institutions across the country, including Universidad del Desarrollo, Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello, and Universidad de Chile, among others. Her teaching approach is marked by interdisciplinarity, academic rigor, and a strong integration between teaching and research.

Dr. Alcayaga has actively promoted early-stage scientific training for undergraduate students and participated in biomedical research immersion programs, thereby contributing to the development of advanced human capital.