Lourdes Cruz-Garcia started her research career at the University of Barcelona (Spain) where she received her MSc and PhD. After her postdoctoral studies at the department of human genetics at the University of Utah (USA), she was recruited at UKHSA's RCE in Cancer Mechanisms and Biomarkers group. Currently, she is co-leading the group with Dr Christophe Badie. Lourdes is a biologist with a profound background in cell and molecular biology with experience in different research fields from lipid metabolism to metabolic disorders, biomarkers of ionizing radiation (IR) exposure and IR-induced leukemogenesis. During her postdoctoral studies, she developed animal models to study lipid metabolism and obesity. At UKHSA, she has participated in projects focused on the identification and validation of new gene expression biomarkers of IR exposure by using high-throughput techniques for gene expression analyses, nanopore sequencing and multiplex qPCR. She is involved in projects focused on the role of IR in leukemogenesis, mouse and human variation in IR sensitivity, genetics of radiation cancer susceptibility, the identification of new biomarkers of IR exposure and toxicity, extracellular vesicles as mediators of IR-induced bystander effect and IR-induced epigenetic effects. She is currently focusing on studying how different cell types and tissues interact in response to IR during medical radiation exposures and how these interactions contribute to IR toxicity. This research intends to provide tools to tailor radiotherapy treatment in patients to reduce or prevent normal skin toxicities.