We protect your health through science
Investigation
Arbovirus and imported viral diseases
Research Lines
Content with Investigacion .
Research Lines:
1. Molecular mechanisms associated to the protection of HIV-1 infection in limb-girdle muscular dystrophy dominant D2 (LGMDD2) patients.
2. Generation of neutralizing antibodies for therapeutic use based on the broad-spectrum neutralizing response against founder viruses.
3. Characterization of the immune memory against SARS-CoV-2 in a population over 65 years of age.
4. Screening and characterization of new anti-latency drugs against HIV-1.
5. Study of viral entry and HIV tropism in viruses of special epidemiological relevance in Spain.
6. Genetic mechanisms of protection and control of HIV-1 infection in populations with extreme phenotypes.
Clinical studies:
1. Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of HIV-1 envelope-based 763SIP8/MPLA-5 vaccine as a preventive vaccine in healthy uninfected adults.
2. ENE-COVID-Senior: Prospective observational study in a cohort of elderly nursing home residents to establish their immune status after receiving a complete vaccination regimen.
Implementation of new technologies:
1. Identification of HIV-1 integration sites by deep sequencing.
2. Single cell transcriptomics with simultaneous TCR/BCR sequencing.
3. Epidemiological intelligence for prediction of SARS-CoV-2 variants likely to emerge in different vaccination settings.
Research projects
Content with Investigacion .
1. Immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection: effect in naïve vaccinees and seropositives against the most transmissible variants and relevance of host genetics.
Principal Investigator: Javier García Pérez.
Funding Agency: Acción Estratégica en Salud Intramural 2021(ISCIII)
Funding: 135.000 €
Duration: 2022-2025.
Project Reference: PI21CIII/00025.
2. Design and generation of viral stocks of new SARS-CoV-2 variants (omicron subvariants) and analysis of their susceptibility to antibodies neutralization.
Principal Investigator: Javier García Pérez.
Funding Agency: Hipra Scientific S.L.U.
Funding: 103.771 €
Duration: 2023-2025.
Project Reference: MVP 198/23.
3. Characterization of a mutation in transportin 3 that protects against HIV infection: molecular mechanisms and discovery of new drugs.
Principal Investigator: José Alcamí y Javier García Pérez.
Funding Agency: Proyectos de I+D+I, Generación de Conocimiento y Retos Investigación de la Agencia Estatal de Investigación.
Funding: 240.000 €
Duration: 2022-2026.
Project Reference: PID2021-125978OB-C21 funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by FEDER, UE
4. Generation of immunogens based on HIV-1 envelopes from acutely infected individuals with a broad neutralizing response against founder viruses.
Principal investigator: Nuria González Fernández.
Funding Agency: Acción Estratégica en Salud Intramural 2023 (ISCIII)
Funding: 82.000 €
Duration: 2024-2026.
Project Reference: PI23CIII/00039.
5. Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of HIV-1 envelope-based 763SIP8/MPLA-5 vaccine.
Principal Investigator: Josep Mallolas Masferrer.
Funding Agency: Proyectos de Investigación Clínica Independiente, Acción Estratégica en Salud 2021-2023 (ISCIII).
Funding: 173.200 €
Duration: 2024-2026.
Project Reference: ICI23/00025.
6. Service of immunological determinations of the ENE-COVID SENIOR II protocol.
Principal Investigator: Mayte Pérez Olmeda y Javier García Pérez.
Funding Agency: Fundación para la investigación biomédica del Hospital Universitario La Paz
Funding: 185.037 €
Duration: 2024-2025.
Project Reference: MOTR 219/24.
7. Characterization of the immune memory against SARS-CoV-2 in a population over 65 years of age using single cell transcriptomics.
Principal Investigator: Javier García Pérez y Francisco Díez Fuertes.
Funding Agency: Acción Estratégica en Salud Intramural 2021(ISCIII)
Funding: 152.000 €
Duration: 2025-2027.
Project Reference: PI24CIII/00058
8. Evaluation of rimonabant and cannbinooid analogues in HIV infection and viral latency.
Principal Investigator: Luis Miguel Bedoya del Olmo.
Funding Agency: Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Funding: 12.000 €
Duration: 2024-2025.
Project Reference: PR12/24-31553.
9. Discovery of new inhibitors of HIV-1 RNA biogenesis based on blocking the ribonucleoprotein RRE-Rev.
Principal Investigator: José Gallego Sala. Associate Researcher: Luis Miguel Bedoya del Olmo
Funding Agency: Department of Innovation, Universities, Science and Digital Society. Generalitat Valenciana.
Funding: 543,683.84 €
Duration: 2025-2027.
Project Reference: PROMETEO/2021/036.
Publications
What’s in a name? Species-wide whole-genome sequencing resolves invasive and noninvasive lineages of Salmonella enterica serotype Paratyphi B
7. Connor, T.R., Owen, S.V., Langridge, G., Connell, S., Nair, S., Reuter, S., Dallman, T.J., Corander, J., Tabing, K.C., Le Hello, S., Fookes, M., Doublet, B., Zhou, Z., Feltwell, T., Ellington, M.J., Herrera, S., Gilmour, M., Cloeckaert, A., Achtman, M., Parkhill, J., Wain, J., De Pinna, E., Weill, F.-X., Peters, T., Thomson, N. What’s in a name? Species-wide whole-genome sequencing resolves invasive and noninvasive lineages of Salmonella enterica serotype Paratyphi B (2016) mBio, 7 (4).
PUBMED DOIInvasive salmonella infections among children from Rural Mozambique, 2001-2014
9. Mandomando, I., Bassat, Q., Sigaúque, B., Massora, S., Quintó, L., Ácacio, S., Nhampossa, T., Vubil, D., Garrine, M., Macete, E., Aide, P., Sacoor, C., Herrera-León, S., Ruiz, J., Tennant, S.M., Menéndez, C., Alonso, P.L. Invasive salmonella infections among children from Rural Mozambique, 2001-2014 (2015) Clinical Infectious Diseases, 61, pp. S339-S345.
PUBMED DOIFrecuencia de sustituciones relevantes asociadas a resistencia en la región NS5A a elbasvir en el virus de la hepatitis C en pacientes con genotipo 1a en España
2. Palladino C, Esteban-Cartelle B, Mate-Cano I, Sánchez-Carrillo M, Resino S, Briz V. Frecuencia de sustituciones relevantes asociadas a resistencia en la región NS5A a elbasvir en el virus de la hepatitis C en pacientes con genotipo 1a en España Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin. 2018; 36 (5): 262-267. (A; FI= 1.707; Q2 Microbiology).
PUBMED DOIDevelopment of water-soluble polyanionic carbosilane dendrimers as novel and highly potent topical anti-HIV-2 microbicides.
4. Briz V, Sepulveda-Crespo D, Diniz AR; Borrego P, Rodes B; Javier de la Mata F, Gomez R, Taveira N, Muñoz-Fernandez MA. Development of water-soluble polyanionic carbosilane dendrimers as novel and highly potent topical anti-HIV-2 microbicides. Nanoscale 2015, 7(35): 14669-14683. (A; FI= 7.76; D1 Materials Science, Multidisciplinary).
PUBMED DOIHepatitis A outbreak disproportionately affecting men who have sex with men (MSM) in the European Union and European Economic Area, June 2016 to May 2017.
6. Hepatitis A outbreak disproportionately affecting men who have sex with men (MSM) in the European Union and European Economic Area, June 2016 to May 2017. Ndumbi P, Freidl GS, Williams CJ, Mårdh O, Varela C, Avellón A, …. Severi E; Members Of The European Hepatitis A Outbreak Investigation Team. Euro Surveill. 2018 Aug;23(33). doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2018.23.33.1700641.
PUBMED DOIDetection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core-specific antibody suggests occult HCV infection among blood donors
7. Detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core-specific antibody suggests occult HCV infection among blood donors. Quiroga JA, Avellón A, Bartolomé J, Andréu M, Flores E, González MI, González R, Pérez S, Richart LA, Castillo I, Alcover J, Palacios R, Carreño V, Echevarría JM. Transfusion. 2016 Jul;56(7):1883-90. Epub 2016 May 17.
PUBMED DOIHepatitis E virus: Assessment of the epidemiological situation in humans in Europe, 2014/15.
8. Hepatitis E virus: Assessment of the epidemiological situation in humans in Europe, 2014/15. Adlhoch C, Avellon A, Baylis SA, Ciccaglione AR, Couturier E, de Sousa R, Epštein J, Ethelberg S, Faber M, Fehér Á, Ijaz S, Lange H, Manďáková Z, Mellou K, Mozalevskis A, Rimhanen-Finne R, Rizzi V, Said B, Sundqvist L, Thornton L, Tosti ME, van Pelt W, Aspinall E, Domanovic D, Severi E, Takkinen J, Dalton HR. J Clin Virol. 2016 Sep;82:9-16. Epub 2016 Jun 23.
PUBMED DOIFull coding hepatitis E virus genotype 3 genome amplification method
9. Full coding hepatitis E virus genotype 3 genome amplification method. Muñoz-Chimeno M, Forero JE, Echevarría JM, Muñoz-Bellido JL, Vázquez-López L, Morago L, García-Galera MC, Avellón A. J Virol Methods. 2016 Apr;230:18-23. Epub 2016 Jan 16.
PUBMED DOIAntigenicity of Leishmania-Activated C-Kinase Antigen (LACK) in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells, and Protective Effect of Prime-Boost Vaccination With pCI-neo-LACK Plus Attenuated LACK-Expressing Vaccinia Viruses in Hamsters
2. Fernández L, Carrillo E, Sánchez-Sampedro L, Sánchez C, Ibarra-Meneses AV, Jimenez MA, Almeida VDA, Esteban M, Moreno J. Antigenicity of Leishmania-Activated C-Kinase Antigen (LACK) in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells, and Protective Effect of Prime-Boost Vaccination With pCI-neo-LACK Plus Attenuated LACK-Expressing Vaccinia Viruses in Hamsters. Front Immunol. 2018 Apr 23;9:843.
PUBMED DOIInterleukin-2 as a marker for detecting asymptomatic individuals in areas where Leishmania infantum is endemic.
5. Ibarra-Meneses AV, Carrillo E, Sánchez C, García-Martínez J, López Lacomba D, San Martin JV, Alves F, Alvar J, Moreno J. Interleukin-2 as a marker for detecting asymptomatic individuals in areas where Leishmania infantum is endemic. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2016 Aug;22(8):739.e1-4.
PUBMED DOIProtein malnutrition impairs the immune response and influences the severity of infection in a hamster model of chronic visceral leishmaniasis.
7. Carrillo E, Jimenez MA, Sanchez C, Cunha J, Martins CM, da Paixão Sevá A, Moreno J. Protein malnutrition impairs the immune response and influences the severity of infection in a hamster model of chronic visceral leishmaniasis. PLoS One. 2014 Feb 25;9(2):e89412.
PUBMED DOIMolecular typing of Leishmania infantum isolates from a leishmaniasis outbreak in Madrid, Spain, 2009 to 2012
9. Chicharro C, Llanes-Acevedo IP, García E, Nieto J, Moreno J, Cruz I. Molecular typing of Leishmania infantum isolates from a leishmaniasis outbreak in Madrid, Spain, 2009 to 2012. Euro Surveill. 2013 Jul 25;18(30):20545.
PUBMED DOIHigh levels of anti-Phlebotomus perniciosus saliva antibodies in different reservoirs from the re-emerging leishmaniasis focus in Madrid, Spain.
2. Martín-Martín I, Molina R, Rohoušová I, Drahota J., Volf P, Jiménez M. High levels of anti-Phlebotomus perniciosus saliva antibodies in different reservoirs from the re-emerging leishmaniasis focus in Madrid, Spain. Vet Parasitol 2014, 202: 207–216.
PUBMED DOICould wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) be reservoirs for Leishmania infantum in the focus of Madrid, Spain?
3. Jiménez M, González E, Martín-Martín I, Hernández S, Molina R. Could wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) be reservoirs for Leishmania infantum in the focus of Madrid, Spain?. Vet Parasitol 2014, 202: 296–300.
PUBMED DOIReview of ten-years presence of Aedes albopictus in Spain 2004–2014: known distribution and public health concerns.
5. Collantes F, Delacour S, Alarcón-Elbal PM, Ruiz-Arrondo I, Delgado JA, Torrell-Sorio A, Bengoa M, Eritja R, Miranda MA, Molina R, Lucientes J. Review of ten-years presence of Aedes albopictus in Spain 2004–2014: known distribution and public health concerns. Parasit Vectors. 2015 Dec 23;8:655.
PUBMED DOIPhleboviruses detection in Phlebotomus perniciosus from a human leishmaniasis focus in South-West Madrid region, Spain.
6. Remoli ME, Jiménez M, Fortuna C, Benedetti E, Marchi A, Genovese D, Gramiccia M, Molina R, Ciufolini MG. Phleboviruses detection in Phlebotomus perniciosus from a human leishmaniasis focus in South-West Madrid region, Spain. Parasit Vectors 2016, 9:205.
PUBMED DOIInfectivity of Post-Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis patients to sand flies: revisiting a proof of concept in the context of the Kala-azar Elimination Program in the Indian subcontinent.
7. Molina R, Ghosh D, Carrillo E, Monnerat S, Bern C, Mondal D, Alvar J. Infectivity of Post-Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis patients to sand flies: revisiting a proof of concept in the context of the Kala-azar Elimination Program in the Indian subcontinent. Clin Infect Dis 2017, 65:
PUBMED DOIPrevalence and molecular characterization of Strongyloides stercoralis, Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp., and Blastocystis spp. isolates in schoolchildren in Cubal, Central Angola
2. Dacal E, Saugar JM, de Lucio A, Hernández de Mingo M, Robinson E, Aznar Ruiz de Alegría ML, Espasa M, Ninda A, Gandasegui J, Sulleiro E, Moreno M, Salvador F, Molina I, Rodríguez E, Carmena D. 2018. Prevalence and molecular characterization of Strongyloides stercoralis, Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp., and Blastocystis spp. isolates in schoolchildren in Cubal, Central Angola. Parasites and Vectors, 11: 67.
PUBMED DOIMolecular diversity and frequency of the diarrheagenic enteric protozoan Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in a hospital setting in Northern Spain.
3. Azcona-Gutiérrez JM, de Lucio A, Hernández-de-Mingo M, García-García C, Soria-Blanco LM, Morales L, Aguilera M, Fuentes I, Carmena D. 2017. Molecular diversity and frequency of the diarrheagenic enteric protozoan Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in a hospital setting in Northern Spain. PLoS One, 12: e0178575.
PUBMED DOIDetection of zoonotic protozoa Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis suihominis in wild boars from Spain. Zoonoses Public Health
4. Calero-Bernal, R., Pérez-Martín, J.E., Reina, D., Serrano, F.J., Frontera, E., Fuentes, I, Dubey, J.P., 2016. Detection of zoonotic protozoa Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis suihominis in wild boars from Spain. Zoonoses Public Health. 63:346-50
PUBMED DOIAdditional Information
Our objectives are research into well-established autochthonous viruses (Toscana, West Nile and Lymphocoriomeningitis), imported viruses with a vector in Spain (mainly Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya), and viruses that cause haemorrhagic fevers (such as Ebola, Lassa or Crimea Congo, which despite being autochthonous, we include in this category) without forgetting other viruses that, at any time, may become emerging viruses and cause public health alerts.
The group's main research objective is to identify and characterise the aforementioned viruses that cause disease and those circulating in our environment with pathogenic potential.
One of the cross-cutting objectives of the laboratory is to optimise methods for the detection of these viruses and their application to determine the incidence, prevalence and/or presence of the viruses in our environment.
However, in addition to methodological development, it is important to know the origin of the circulating viruses, their antigenic relationships with related viruses, the pathogenicity of the different isolates or the interactions of the agents with their host both in cell culture and in arthropod vectors when this is possible. The aim is to strengthen our role as a National Reference Laboratory for zoonoses through research.
Our objectives are research into well-established autochthonous viruses (Toscana, West Nile and Lymphocoriomeningitis), imported viruses with a vector in Spain (mainly Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya), and viruses that cause haemorrhagic fevers (such as Ebola, Lassa or Crimea Congo, which despite being autochthonous, we include in this category) without forgetting other viruses that, at any time, may become emerging viruses and cause public health alerts.
The group's main research objective is to identify and characterise the aforementioned viruses that cause disease and those circulating in our environment with pathogenic potential.
One of the cross-cutting objectives of the laboratory is to optimise methods for the detection of these viruses and their application to determine the incidence, prevalence and/or presence of the viruses in our environment.
However, in addition to methodological development, it is important to know the origin of the circulating viruses, their antigenic relationships with related viruses, the pathogenicity of the different isolates or the interactions of the agents with their host both in cell culture and in arthropod vectors when this is possible. The aim is to strengthen our role as a National Reference Laboratory for zoonoses through research.