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Investigation
Viral Biology
Research Lines
Content with Investigacion .
Neisseria, Listeria y Bordetella
• Invasive Meningococcal Disease.
o Laboratory surveillance based on whole-genome sequencing and its application in Public Health.
o Study and characterization of antimicrobial resistance mechanisms.
o Study and evaluation of conventional (polysaccharide) and new-generation (protein) vaccines.
• Gonococcal Infection (Gonorrhea).
o Laboratory surveillance based on whole-genome sequencing and its application in Public Health.
o Study and characterization of antimicrobial resistance mechanisms.
• Listeriosis.
o Laboratory surveillance based on whole-genome sequencing and its application in Public Health.
• Pertussis.
o Development and application of molecular techniques for the diagnosis and characterization of Bordetella pertussis, B. parapertussis, B. holmessi, and B. bronchiseptica.
Research projects
Content with Investigacion .
1. Project Title: Determination of the degree of identity of common antigens of N. meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae using genomic and immunological tools.
Principal Investigator: Raquel Abad Torreblanca
Funding Entity: ISCIII. Program: Strategic Action in Intramural Health
Reference: PI23CIII/00040
Period: 2024-2026
Amount Awarded: €68,500
2. Project Title: Meningococcal Disease and Molecular Epidemiology (MEMORY).
Principal Investigator: Raquel Abad Torreblanca and Julio A. Vázquez Moreno
Funding Entity: Pfizer Inc.
Reference: MVP 352/21
Period: 2022-2024
Amount Awarded: €82,834.50
3. Project Title: Modelling Approaches to Guide Intelligent Surveillance for the Sustainable Introduction of Novel Antibiotics. MAGIcIAN.
Principal Investigator: Raquel Abad Torreblanca
Funding Entity: ISCIII / International Joint Action / Joint Programming Initiatives (JPI) Program
Reference: AC19CIII/00002
Period: 2020-2024
Amount Awarded: €46,000
4. Project Title: Epidemiological, Microbiological, and Clinical Analysis of the Listeriosis Outbreak in Andalusia. LISMOAN Study.
Principal Investigator: José Miguel Cisneros Herreros
Funding Entity: FISEVI (Andalusian Public Foundation for Health Research Management)/FPS2020 Call for Proposals
Reference: PI-0001-2020
Period: 2020-2023
Amount Awarded: €114,954
5. Project Title: Population Structure of Neisseria meningitidis Using Massive Sequencing: A Potential Tool for Estimating Vaccine Effectiveness?
Principal Investigator: Raquel Abad Torreblanca
Funding Entity: ISCIII / Strategic Action in Intramural Health
Reference: PI19CIII/00030
Period: 2020-2023
Amount Awarded: €67,153
6. Project Title: Management agreement between the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality (Directorate General of Public Health, Quality and Innovation) and the Carlos III Health Institute, for the laboratory determinations corresponding to the 2nd seroprevalence study in Spain.
Principal Investigator: Fernando de Ory and Julio A. Vázquez
Funding Entity: Directorate General of Public Health, Ministry of Health
Reference: MEG151/17
Period: 2018-2020
Amount Awarded: €565,663
7. Project Title: Effectiveness of the Meningococcal B Vaccine in Immunocompromised Children with Sickle Cell Disease
Principal Investigator: Raquel Abad Torreblanca
Funding Entity: Spanish Society of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Foundation (SEHOP)
Reference: MVP 199/18
Period: 2018-2020
Amount Awarded: €18,285
8. Project Title: Application of Massive Sequencing and Immunological Approaches in the Expression Analysis of New Vaccine Antigens in Meningococcal Populations
Principal Investigator: Raquel Abad Torreblanca
Funding Entity: ISCIII / Strategic Action in Intramural Health
Reference: PI16CIII/00023
Period: 2017-2020
Amount Awarded: €115,084
9. Project Title: fHbp variability over time and potential coverage of the new meningococcal serogroup B vaccine (bivalent rLP2086/fHbp) in Spain.
Principal Investigators: Raquel Abad and Julio A. Vázquez
Funding Entity: Pfizer SLU
Reference: MVP 1273/16
Period: 2017-2020
Amount Awarded: €125,350
10. Project Title: Estimation of protection of a conjugate vaccine against meningococcus serogroup C based on a mathematical model.
Principal Investigator: Julio A. Vázquez and Javier Díez
Funding Entity: Higher Center for Research in Public Health (CSISP)
Reference: MVP 1116/11
Period: 2011-2017
Amount awarded: €143,750
Publications
Programa de Legionelosis. En Echevarría Mayo JE y Oteo Iglesias J (Editores) Programas de Vigilancia Microbiológica Centro Nacional de Microbiología.
Fernando González-Camacho y Almudena Cascajero. Programa de Legionelosis. En Echevarría Mayo JE y Oteo Iglesias J (Editores) Programas de Vigilancia Microbiológica Centro Nacional de Microbiología. Volumen 2:77-89. 2021-2022 Majadahonda (Madrid); Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro Nacional de Microbiología: 2023.
Chikungunya virus infections among travellers returning to Spain, 2008 to 2014
3. Maria Dolores Fernandez Garcia; Mathieu Bangert; Fernando de Ory; Arantxa Potente; Lourdes Hernandez; Fatima Lasala; Laura Herrero; Francisca Molero; Anabel Negredo; Ana Vázquez; Teodora Minguito; Pilar Balfagón; Jesus de la Fuente; Sabino Puente; Eva Ramírez de Arellano; Mar Lago; Miguel Martinez; Joaquim Gascón; Francesca Norman; Rogelio Lopez Velez; Elena Sulleiro; Diana Pou; Nuria Serre; Ricardo Fernández Roblas; Antonio Tenorio; Leticia Franco; Maria Paz Sanchez Seco. Chikungunya virus infections among travellers returning to Spain, 2008 to 2014. Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin. 21 - 36, (Sweden): 08/09/2016. ISSN 1560-7917
PUBMED DOILegionella feeleii: Ubiquitous Pathogen in the Environment and Causative Agent of Pneumonia
Vaccaro L, Gomes TS, Izquierdo F, Magnet A, Llorens Berzosa S, Ollero D, Salso S, Alhambra A, Gómez C, López Cano M, Pelaz C, Bellido Samaniego B, Del Aguila C, Fenoy S, Hurtado-Marcos C. Front Microbiol. 2021;12:707187.
DOIImmunogenicity of a third dose with mRNA-vaccines in the ChAdOx1-S/BNT162b2 vaccination regimen against SARS-CoV-2 variants.
García-Pérez J, Borobia AM, Pérez-Olmeda M, Portolés A, Castaño L, Campins-Artí M, Bertrán MJ, Bermejo M, Arribas JR, López A, Ascaso-Del-Rio A, Arana-Arri E, Fuentes Camps I, Vilella A, Cascajero A, García-Morales MT, Castillo de la Osa M, Pérez Ingidua C, Lora D, Jiménez-Santana P, Pino-Rosa S, Gómez de la Cámara A, De La Torre-Tarazona E, Calonge E, Cruces R, Belda-Iniesta C, Alcamí J, Frías J, Carcas AJ, Díez-Fuertes F. iScience. 2024; 27(9):110728
PUBMED DOILonger intervals between SARS-CoV-2 infection and mRNA-1273 doses improve the neutralization of different variants of concern
García-Pérez J, Bermejo M, Ramírez-García A, De La Torre-Tarazona HE, Cascajero A, Castillo de la Osa M, Jiménez P, Aparicio Gómez M, Calonge E, Sancho-López A, Payares-Herrera C, Layunta Acero R, Vicente-Izquierdo L, Avendaño-Solá C, Alcamí J, Pérez-Olmeda M, Díez-Fuertes F. J Med Virol. 2023; 95(3):e28679
PUBMED DOIImmune response and reactogenicity after immunization with two-doses of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine (CVnCOV) followed by a third-fourth shot with a standard mRNA vaccine (BNT162b2): RescueVacs multicenter cohort study
Ascaso-Del-Rio A, García-Pérez J, Pérez-Olmeda M, Arana-Arri E, Vergara I, Pérez-Ingidua C, Bermejo M, Castillo de la Osa M, Imaz-Ayo N, Riaño Fernández I, Astasio González O, Díez-Fuertes F, Meijide S, Arrizabalaga J, Hernández Gutiérrez L, de la Torre-Tarazona HE, Mariano Lázaro A, Vargas-Castrillón E, Alcamí J, Portolés A; RescueVac study Group. EClinicalMedicine. 2022; 51:101542
PUBMED DOIImmunogenic dynamics and SARS-CoV-2 variant neutralisation of the heterologous ChAdOx1-S/BNT162b2 vaccination: Secondary analysis of the randomised CombiVacS study
García-Pérez J, González-Pérez M, Castillo de la Osa M, Borobia AM, Castaño L, Bertrán MJ, Campins M, Portolés A, Lora D, Bermejo M, Conde P, Hernández-Gutierrez L, Carcas A, Arana-Arri E, Tortajada M, Fuentes I, Ascaso A, García-Morales MT, Erick de la Torre-Tarazona H, Arribas JR, Imaz-Ayo N, Mellado-Pau E, Agustí A, Pérez-Ingidua C, Gómez de la Cámara A, Ochando J, Belda-Iniesta C, Frías J, Alcamí J, Pérez-Olmeda M; CombiVacS study Group. EClinicalMedicine. 2022; 50:101529
PUBMED DOITranscriptomic Evidence of the Immune Response Activation in Individuals With Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Dominant 2 (LGMDD2) Contributes to Resistance to HIV-1 Infection
Diez-Fuertes F, López-Huertas MR, García-Pérez J, Calonge E, Bermejo M, Mateos E, Martí P, Muelas N, Vílchez JJ, Coiras M, Alcamí J, Rodríguez-Mora S. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2022; 10:839813
PUBMED DOIImmunogenicity and reactogenicity of BNT162b2 booster in ChAdOx1-S-primed participants (CombiVacS): a multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 2 trial
Borobia AM, Carcas AJ, Pérez-Olmeda M, Castaño L, Bertran MJ, García-Pérez J, Campins M, Portolés A, González-Pérez M, García Morales MT, Arana-Arri E, Aldea M, Díez-Fuertes F, Fuentes I, Ascaso A, Lora D, Imaz-Ayo N, Barón-Mira LE, Agustí A, Pérez-Ingidua C, Gómez de la Cámara A, Arribas JR, Ochando J, Alcamí J, Belda-Iniesta C, Frías J; CombiVacS Study Group. Lancet. 2021; 398(10295):121-130
PUBMED DOIFirst Insight into the Genome Sequences of Two Linezolid-Resistant Nocardia farcinica Strains Isolated from Patients with Cystic Fibrosis
2: Valdezate S, Monzón S, Garrido N, Zaballos A, Medina-Pascual MJ, Azcona-Gutiérrez JM, Vilar B, Cuesta I. First Insight into the Genome Sequences of Two Linezolid-Resistant Nocardia farcinica Strains Isolated from Patients with Cystic Fibrosis. Genome Announc. 2017 Nov 16;5(46).
PUBMED DOIApoptosis, Toll-like, RIG-I-like and NOD-like Receptors Are Pathways Jointly Induced by Diverse Respiratory Bacterial and Viral Pathogens.
3: Martínez I, Oliveros JC, Cuesta I, de la Barrera J, Ausina V, Casals C, de Lorenzo A, García E, García-Fojeda B, Garmendia J, González-Nicolau M, Lacoma A, Menéndez M, Moranta D, Nieto A, Ortín J, Pérez-González A, Prat C, Ramos-Sevillano E, Regueiro V, Rodriguez-Frandsen A, Solís D, Yuste J, Bengoechea JA, Melero JA. Apoptosis, Toll-like, RIG-I-like and NOD-like Receptors Are Pathways Jointly Induced by Diverse Respiratory Bacterial and Viral Pathogens. Front Microbiol. 2017 Mar 1;8:276
PUBMED DOIMolecular identification, antifungal resistance and virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus deneoformans isolated in Seville, Spain
Gago S, Serrano C, Alastruey-Izquierdo A, Cuesta I, Martín-Mazuelos E, Aller AI, Gómez-López A, Mellado E. Molecular identification, antifungal resistance and virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus deneoformans isolated in Seville, Spain. Mycoses. 2017 Jan;60(1):40-50
PUBMED DOIHigh-Quality Draft Genome Sequence of Babesia divergens, the Etiological Agent of Cattle and Human Babesiosis
7: Cuesta I, González LM, Estrada K, Grande R, Zaballos A, Lobo CA, Barrera J, Sanchez-Flores A, Montero E. High-Quality Draft Genome Sequence of Babesia divergens, the Etiological Agent of Cattle and Human Babesiosis. Genome Announc. 2014 Nov 13;2(6).
PUBMED DOISerum galactomannan-based early detection of invasive aspergillosis in hematology patients receiving effective antimold prophylaxis
8: Duarte RF, Sánchez-Ortega I, Cuesta I, Arnan M, Patiño B, Fernández de Sevilla A, Gudiol C, Ayats J, Cuenca-Estrella M. Serum galactomannan-based early detection of invasive aspergillosis in hematology patients receiving effective antimold prophylaxis. Clin Infect Dis. 2014 Dec 15;59(12):1696-702.
PUBMED DOIAnalysis of the protein domain and domain architecture content in fungi and its application in the search of new antifungal targets.
9: Barrera A, Alastruey-Izquierdo A, Martín MJ, Cuesta I, Vizcaíno JA. Analysis of the protein domain and domain architecture content in fungi and its application in the search of new antifungal targets. PLoS Comput Biol. 2014 Jul 17;10(7):e1003733.
PUBMED DOIAdditional Information
The research activity of the Viral Biology group since its beginnings in the 1980s has focused on respiratory viruses, especially on the study of the mechanisms of virus entry into the cell, evolutionary aspects, antigenic properties and vaccine development.
Currently, the group's objectives are focused on the characterisation of the immune response and the development of vaccines against human pneumoviruses: human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV).
Both viruses are considered to be important respiratory pathogens of high clinical relevance, especially in the paediatric population.
Safe and effective vaccines against these viruses are currently not available. Soluble protein subunits based on the fusion protein (F-protein) of hRSV and hMPV are being developed in the laboratory by protein engineering for use as vaccines against human pneumoviruses.
On the other hand, and thanks to the characterisation of the type of humoral response induced by the F proteins of these viruses, the laboratory is also involved in the isolation of monoclonal antibodies and nanoantibodies for use as treatments against these viruses.
The research activity of the Viral Biology group since its beginnings in the 1980s has focused on respiratory viruses, especially on the study of the mechanisms of virus entry into the cell, evolutionary aspects, antigenic properties and vaccine development.
Currently, the group's objectives are focused on the characterisation of the immune response and the development of vaccines against human pneumoviruses: human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV).
Both viruses are considered to be important respiratory pathogens of high clinical relevance, especially in the paediatric population.
Safe and effective vaccines against these viruses are currently not available. Soluble protein subunits based on the fusion protein (F-protein) of hRSV and hMPV are being developed in the laboratory by protein engineering for use as vaccines against human pneumoviruses.
On the other hand, and thanks to the characterisation of the type of humoral response induced by the F proteins of these viruses, the laboratory is also involved in the isolation of monoclonal antibodies and nanoantibodies for use as treatments against these viruses.