Water-borne and Food-borne Bacterial Diseases
Research Lines
Content with Investigacion .
Trasplante de órganos
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Presentación y Regulación Inmunes
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Inmunología Microbiana e Inmunogenética
1. Análisis de la respuesta innata de mamíferos en la infección por Leishmania.
2. Caracterización inmunoproteómica en :
a. Streptococcus suis
b. Lactococcus garviae
c. Mycobacterium spp
3. Desarrollo de inmunoensayos analíticos basados en anticuerpos monoclonales (AcM) para detectar y cuantificar antígenos de origen animal, vegetal y microbiano.
4. Desarrollo y caracterización de AcM frente a los componentes del sistema del Complemento. Aplicación diagnóstica.
5. Desarrollo de reactivos de referencia y diseño de inmunoensayos para la evaluación cualitativa y cuantitativa de toxinas clostridiales.
6. Oferta tecnológica de producción de AcM y policlonales frente a substancias de interés industrial y biomédico.
El grupo está interesado en el estudio de la respuesta inmune desde una perspectiva multidisciplinar que incluye aproximaciones bioquímicas, biotecnológicas, genómicas, inmunoinformáticas y proteómicas, que junto con el uso adicional de modelos in vivo se encaminan al diseño de estrategias terapéuticas frente a diversas enfermedades crónicas, infecciosas y raras que poseen un claro componente inmunológico en su etiología.
Las principales líneas de investigación que está desarrollando el grupo en la actualidad son:
- * Análisis de las respuestas inmunes celulares frente a patógenos virales y bacterianos, mediante técnicas inmunoproteómicas, modelos in vivo con animales transgénicos y muestras humanas.

- * Caracterización de CD69: regulación génica, función reguladora inmune en homeostasis e infección y su uso como diana terapéutica, edición génica por CRISPR en modelos animales y celulares, etc.

* Desarrollo de herramientas inmunoinformáticas que permitan analizar la respuesta inmune celular frente a diversos virus de interés sanitario y determinar la eficacia de sus vacunas a nivel de población mundial.
* Estudio de las respuestas inmunes celulares frente a enfermedades raras (artritis reactiva y síndrome del linfocito desnudo) y crónicas (espondiloartropatías).
* Inclusión de componentes del sistema inmune en la fabricación de tejidos humanos, especialmente piel, para uso clínico, farmacéutico y cosmético.
- * Generación de virus recombinantes como vectores vacunales.

Inmunología Celular
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The Immunobiology group has been working for years on the following lines of research:
1) The mechanisms of haematopoietic cell generation throughout ontogeny and the influence that the first haematopoietic cells exert on the innate and adaptive immune system present in the adults. We have identified and characterised a new population of B lymphocytes called B1-Rel (B220lo), which produce high levels of natural IgG/IgA antibodies. We sought to understand their role in the immune response in animal models of infection, analysing their impact on immune cell populations and on the production of soluble mediators (cytokines and immunoglobulins). In this regard, we have evaluated the generation of embryonic megakaryocytes (and their differentiation niches), their functionality and that of platelets, and their influence on haematopoietic development. For lymphoid populations, we have carried out extensive characterisation by flow cytometry and single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) methodology. To carry out these cellomic studies, we have designed complex panels for use in multiparametric phenotypic analysis, and single cell cytometry and RNAseq omics technologies on purified cell populations.
In parallel, we are interested in understanding local immune responses in respiratory infections at times of particular susceptibility due to the fragility of the immune system (childhood and old age), both in mouse animal models, which allow their manipulation, and in humans.
2) Mouse models studied during neonatal life, in which we evaluated the effect of antibiotic (AB) treatment and addressed the role of TLR receptors in innate, pseudo-innate and adaptive immune cell populations. In these models, we observed that AB administration was able to modulate B-lymphoid populations, as well as their ability to secrete proinflammatory cytokines in culture and their differentiation into plasma cells, with differentiated immunoglobulin repertoires. Furthermore. These effects were mediated through the Toll-like receptor-2 (TLR2).
3) Mouse models with accelerated senescence (SAMP8) and senescent animals (over 20 months of age) to map lymphoid populations and soluble mediators of the immune response (immunoglobulins and cytokines). In these models, the B lymphoid populations (B1Rel and marginal zone B lymphocytes) are observed to be altered, accompanied by an increase in IgG1 with great restriction of their VDJ repertoires.
4) Role of the B1Rel population in animal models of local or systemic infection. We analysed the response to Streptoccoccus pneumoniae (SPN) locally in the lung and systemically in the spleen, as well as the role of TLR4 in these responses.
5) In humans, we are studying immune responses in children with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) viral primo-infection. In this case we studied the immune response that occurs locally in the nasal mucosa (by analysis of nasal washings, NW) in a cohort of infected children versus healthy controls, stratified by age. We found that lymphomyeloid cells accumulate in these nasal washings in patients with diverse lymphocyte populations, as well as cytokines and immunoglobulins.
6) Analysis and characterisation of extracellular vesicles produced during respiratory infection both in lung supernatants from models of SPN infection and in LN in the case of children with RSV infection.
7) In parallel, we carry out studies of the genetic rearrangements of immunoglobulins and their use in the generation of chimeric receptors for possible use in immunotherapy.
Research projects
Content with Investigacion .
Los proyectos del grupo de los últimos años son los siguientes:
Proyecto “Enfoques inmunoinformaticos e inmunoproteomicos para identificar epitopos bacterianos implicados en la REA: diagnostico temprano y diseño de farmacos” financiado por el Plan Nacional de I+D+i del Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Investigador principal. Año: 2024-2026. Presupuesto Concedido: 225.000 euros. Proyecto PID2023-148729OB-100 financiado por MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 y por FEDER, UE.
Proyecto “La interrelación de CD69 y el procesamiento antigénico en enfermedades infecciosas y autoinmunes" financiado por la Acción Estratégica en Salud del Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. Año: 2023-2025.
Proyecto “Interacciones génicas y proteicas de CD69 y sus regiones génicas reguladoras con moléculas" inanciado por el Plan Nacional de I+D+i del Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Proyecto PID2021-125757OB-100 financiado por MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 y por FEDER, UE.
Proyecto “Nuevas tecnologías de fabricación y optimización de tejidos: la piel como sistema modelo” financiado por el Programa de Actividades de I+D entre grupos de investigación de la Comunidad de Madrid en tecnologías 2018. Año: 2020-2023. Proyecto Coordinado por el Dr. Pablo Acedo de la Universidad Carlos III.
Proyecto “Estudio de CD69 como diana para mejorar el tratamiento de la leucopania y la movilización de células T de memoria de médula ósea" financiado por la Acción Estratégica en Salud del Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. Año:2020-2024.
Proyecto “Diseño racional de una vacuna contra el virus respiratorio sincitial humano” financiado por la Acción Estratégica en Salud del Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. Año: 2019-2022
Proyecto “Función de CD69 y sus elementos reguladores" financiado por la Acción Estratégica en Salud del Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. Año: 2017-2022.
Proyecto “Diseño de vacunas recombinantes poliepitópicas para generar respuestas CD8+ contra virus emergentes” financiado por el Plan Nacional de I+D+i del Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. Año: 2015-2017.
Proyecto “Análisis de los efectos de CD69 dependientes de S1P1 en modelos de infección e inflamación y estudio de su regulación” financiado por el FIS. Año: 2014-2017.
Proyecto “ADELVAC: Adenovirus con delecciones epitópicas para vacunación” financiado por el programa INNPACTO del Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Año: 2012-2014. Proyecto Coordinado por el Dr. Manel Cascallo de VCN BIOSCIENCES SL.
Proyecto “Diseño de vacunas multiepitópicas recombinantes para aumentar la respuesta inmune celular contra el VRSH” financiado por el Plan Nacional de I+D+i del Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. Año: 2012-2014.
-Project “Induction, differentiation and modulation of resident B lymphocytes in the lung in response to pneumococcus (NEUBLUNG)”. Ministry of Science and Innovation, PID2022-141754OB-I00 Call 2022 "Knowledge Generation Projects". 09/01/2023-08/31/2026. Financed by MICIU/AEI /10.13039/501100011033 and by ERDF, EU. PI: Belén by Andrés Muguruza. CoPI: María Luisa Gaspar Alonso-Vega.
-Project." Immune response of the nasal mucosa in childhood bronchiolitis” Instituto de Salud Carlos III-AESI. AESI-PI22CIII/00030 PI: Belén by Andrés Muguruza. CoPI Maria Luisa Gaspar Alonso-Vega. 01/01/2023-12/31/2025..
-Project. BenBedPhar. CA20121, European Union. Antonio Cuadrado. (CNM-ISCIII).10/19/2021-10/18/2025.
-Spanish Association Against Cancer Project “Novel comprehensive immunotherapy to specifically target the malignant clone in Sézary syndrome, an ultra-rare cancer of mature T lymphocytes”, number PROYE20084REGU. PI: José Ramón Regueiro, PI group Maria Luisa Gaspar. 01/01/2021-12/31/2023.
Project “The pulmonary immune system in homeostasis and infection: characterization and function of immature and pseudoinnate lymphoid populations.” MINECO-RETOS RTI2018-099114-B-100. PI: Maria Luisa Gaspar, CoPI: Belén de Andrés 01/01/2019-12/31/2022. Financed by MICIU/AEI /10.13039/501100011033/ and by FEDER A way of making Europe.
-Project “New B lymphoid populations: B1-rel pseudoinnate cells, homeostatic maintenance and their response under infection conditions.” MINECO-RETOS SAF2015-70880-R. PI: Maria Luisa Gaspar. 01/01/2016-12/31/2019.
-Project “Role of CD19+CD45R lymphocytes- in perinatal immune responses. Implications related to respiratory diseases in neonates. AESI PI14CIII/00049; PI Belén de Andrés. 2015-2018.
-Project “Study of the pseudo-innate population of CD19+CD45R- B lymphocytes in TLR-dependent infection models”. AESI PI11/01733FIS. PI Belén de Andrés. 2012-2015.
-Project." Cellular interactions in the establishment of B lymphoid differentiation niches: role of megakaryocytes and their implications in pathology. MINECO; SAF2012-33916. Maria Luisa Gaspar. 01/01/2013-12/31/2015.
-ISCIII Platforms Project to support R&D&I in Biomedicine and Health Sciences. PT23CIII/00006. 2023. Participating researcher: Isabel Cortegano.
-Research contracts between the Carlos III Health Institute and Inmunotek S.L. for the development of the Bactek-mv130 and Uromune-MV140 study in protection against S. pneumoniae infections. Immunotek. IP: Belen de Andrés 2019-2021.
-Research contract between the Carlos III Health Institute and Inmunotek S.L. “MV130 as a vaccine model based on trained immunity against respiratory infections due to pneumococcus and respiratory syncytial virus”, CAM Call. Industrial Doctorates. IND2023/BMD-27071. PI: Belén by Andrés Muguruza. 12/01/2023-11/30/2026.
- Titulo: “Inmunidad entrenada en trasplante de órganos”.
Entidad financiadora. Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades
Referencia: Proyecto PID2019-110015RB-I00 financiado por MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033
IP: Jordi Cano Ochando
Fechas de ejecución: 01/06/2020-31/05/2024
Presupuesto: 205.700 €
Los proyectos del grupo de los últimos años son los siguientes:
Proyecto “La interrelación de CD69 y el procesamiento antigénico en enfermedades infecciosas y autoinmunes" financiado por la Acción Estratégica en Salud del Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. Año: 2023-2025.
Proyecto “Interacciones génicas y proteicas de CD69 y sus regiones génicas reguladoras con moléculas" financiado por la AEI. Año: 2022-2024.
Proyecto “Nuevas tecnologías de fabricación y optimización de tejidos: la piel como sistema modelo” financiado por el Programa de Actividades de I+D entre grupos de investigación de la Comunidad de Madrid en tecnologías 2018. Año: 2020-2023. Proyecto Coordinado por el Dr. Pablo Acedo de la Universidad Carlos III.
Proyecto “Estudio de CD69 como diana para mejorar el tratamiento de la leucopania y la movilización de células T de memoria de médula ósea" financiado por la Acción Estratégica en Salud del Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. Año:2020-2024.
Proyecto “Diseño racional de una vacuna contra el virus respiratorio sincitial humano” financiado por la Acción Estratégica en Salud del Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. Año: 2019-2022
Proyecto “Función de CD69 y sus elementos reguladores" financiado por la Acción Estratégica en Salud del Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. Año: 2017-2022.
Proyecto “Diseño de vacunas recombinantes poliepitópicas para generar respuestas CD8+ contra virus emergentes” financiado por el Plan Nacional de I+D+i del Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. Año: 2015-2017.
Proyecto “Análisis de los efectos de CD69 dependientes de S1P1 en modelos de infección e inflamación y estudio de su regulación” financiado por el FIS. Año: 2014-2017.
Proyecto “ADELVAC: Adenovirus con delecciones epitópicas para vacunación” financiado por el programa INNPACTO del Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Año: 2012-2014. Proyecto Coordinado por el Dr. Manel Cascallo de VCN BIOSCIENCES SL.
Proyecto “Diseño de vacunas multiepitópicas recombinantes para aumentar la respuesta inmune celular contra el VRSH” financiado por el Plan Nacional de I+D+i del Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. Año: 2012-2014.
Publications
Alastruey-Izquierdo A, Alcazar-Fuoli L, Rivero-Menéndez O, Ayats J, Castro C, García-Rodríguez J, Goterris-Bonet L, Ibáñez-Martínez E, Linares-Sicilia MJ, Martin-Gomez MT, Martín-Mazuelos E, Pelaez T, Peman J, Rezusta A, Rojo S, Tejero R, Anza DV, Viñuelas J, Zapico MS, Cuenca-Estrella M; the FILPOP2 Project from GEMICOMED (SEIMC) and REIPI. Molecular Identification and Susceptibility Testing of Molds Isolated in a Prospective Surveillance of Triazole Resistance in Spain (FILPOP2 Study). Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2018 Aug 27;62(9):e00358-18. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00358-18. PMID: 29941643; PMCID: PMC6125503.
Alastruey-Izquierdo A, Alcazar-Fuoli L, Rivero-Menéndez O, Ayats J, Castro C, García-Rodríguez J, Goterris-Bonet L, Ibáñez-Martínez E, Linares-Sicilia MJ, Martin-Gomez MT, Martín-Mazuelos E, Pelaez T, Peman J, Rezusta A, Rojo S, Tejero R, Anza DV, Viñuelas J, Zapico MS, Cuenca-Estrella M; the FILPOP2 Project from GEMICOMED (SEIMC) and REIPI. Molecular Identification and Susceptibility Testing of Molds Isolated in a Prospective Surveillance of Triazole Resistance in Spain (FILPOP2 Study). Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2018 Aug 27;62(9):e00358-18. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00358-18. PMID: 29941643; PMCID: PMC6125503.
PUBMED DOIGonçalves SM, Lagrou K, Rodrigues CS, Campos CF, Bernal-Martínez L, Rodrigues F, Silvestre R, Alcazar-Fuoli L, Maertens JA, Cunha C, Carvalho A. Evaluation of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Cytokines as Biomarkers for Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in At-Risk Patients. Front Microbiol. 2017 Nov 29;8:2362. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2017.02362. PMID: 29238334; PMCID: PMC5712575.
Gonçalves SM, Lagrou K, Rodrigues CS, Campos CF, Bernal-Martínez L, Rodrigues F, Silvestre R, Alcazar-Fuoli L, Maertens JA, Cunha C, Carvalho A. Evaluation of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Cytokines as Biomarkers for Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in At-Risk Patients. Front Microbiol. 2017 Nov 29;8:2362. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2017.02362. PMID: 29238334; PMCID: PMC5712575.
PUBMED DOIAlcazar-Fuoli L, Buitrago M, Gomez-Lopez A, Mellado E. An alternative host model of a mixed fungal infection by azole susceptible and resistant Aspergillus spp strains. Virulence. 2015;6(4):376-84. doi: 10.1080/21505594.2015.1025192. PMID: 26065322; PMCID: PMC4601236.
Alcazar-Fuoli L, Buitrago M, Gomez-Lopez A, Mellado E. An alternative host model of a mixed fungal infection by azole susceptible and resistant Aspergillus spp strains. Virulence. 2015;6(4):376-84. doi: 10.1080/21505594.2015.1025192. PMID: 26065322; PMCID: PMC4601236.
PUBMED DOIAlcazar-Fuoli L, Cairns T, Lopez JF, Zonja B, Pérez S, Barceló D, Igarashi Y, Bowyer P, Bignell E. A modified recombineering protocol for the genetic manipulation of gene clusters in Aspergillus fumigatus. PLoS One. 2014 Nov 5;9(11):e111875. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111875. PMID: 25372385; PMCID:PMC4221250.
Alcazar-Fuoli L, Cairns T, Lopez JF, Zonja B, Pérez S, Barceló D, Igarashi Y, Bowyer P, Bignell E. A modified recombineering protocol for the genetic manipulation of gene clusters in Aspergillus fumigatus. PLoS One. 2014 Nov 5;9(11):e111875. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111875. PMID: 25372385; PMCID:PMC4221250.
PUBMED DOIBertuzzi M, Schrettl M, Alcazar-Fuoli L, Cairns TC, Muñoz A, Walker LA, Herbst S, Safari M, Cheverton AM, Chen D, Liu H, Saijo S, Fedorova ND, Armstrong-James D, Munro CA, Read ND, Filler SG, Espeso EA, Nierman WC, Haas H, Bignell EM. The pH-responsive PacC transcription factor of Aspergillus fumigatus governs epithelial entry and tissue invasion during pulmonary aspergillosis. PLoS Pathog. 2014 Oct 16;10(10):e1004413. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004413.
Bertuzzi M, Schrettl M, Alcazar-Fuoli L, Cairns TC, Muñoz A, Walker LA, Herbst S, Safari M, Cheverton AM, Chen D, Liu H, Saijo S, Fedorova ND, Armstrong-James D, Munro CA, Read ND, Filler SG, Espeso EA, Nierman WC, Haas H, Bignell EM. The pH-responsive PacC transcription factor of Aspergillus fumigatus governs epithelial entry and tissue invasion during pulmonary aspergillosis. PLoS Pathog. 2014 Oct 16;10(10):e1004413. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004413.
DOIYasmin S, Alcazar-Fuoli L, Gründlinger M, Puempel T, Cairns T, Blatzer M, Lopez JF, Grimalt JO, Bignell E, Haas H. Mevalonate governs interdependency of ergosterol and siderophore biosyntheses in the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Feb 21;109(8):E497-504. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1106399108. Epub 2011 Nov 21. PMID: 22106303; PMCID: PMC3286978.
Yasmin S, Alcazar-Fuoli L, Gründlinger M, Puempel T, Cairns T, Blatzer M, Lopez JF, Grimalt JO, Bignell E, Haas H. Mevalonate governs interdependency of ergosterol and siderophore biosyntheses in the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Feb 21;109(8):E497-504. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1106399108. Epub 2011 Nov 21. PMID: 22106303; PMCID: PMC3286978.
PUBMED DOIImpaired Cytotoxic Response in PBMCs From Patients With COVID-19 Admitted to the ICU: Biomarkers to Predict Disease Severity.
Impaired Cytotoxic Response in PBMCs From Patients With COVID-19 Admitted to the ICU: Biomarkers to Predict Disease Severity. Vigón L, Fuertes D, García-Pérez J, Torres M, Rodríguez-Mora S, Mateos E, Corona M, Saez-Marín AJ, Malo R, Navarro C, Murciano-Antón MA, Cervero M, Alcamí J, García-Gutiérrez V, Planelles V, López-Huertas MR, Coiras M (AC). Front Immunol. 2021 May 26;12:665329. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.665329. eCollection 2021. PMID: 34122423.
PUBMED DOIIdentification of Immunological Parameters as Predictive Biomarkers of Relapse in Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia on Treatment-Free Remission
Identification of Immunological Parameters as Predictive Biomarkers of Relapse in Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia on Treatment-Free Remission. Vigón L, Luna A, Galán M, Rodríguez-Mora S, Fuertes D, Mateos E, Piris-Villaespesa M, Bautista G, San José E, Rivera-Torres J, Steegmann JL, de Ory F, Pérez-Olmeda M, Alcamí J, Planelles V, López-Huertas MR, García-Gutiérrez V, Coiras M (AC). J Clin Med. 2020 Dec 25;10(1):42. doi: 10.3390/jcm10010042. PMID: 33375572.
PUBMED DOIContent with Investigacion .
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María Luisa Gaspar Alonso-Vega
Research Professor
ORCID code: 0000-0001-9858-3862
Dr. María Luis Gaspar Alons-Vega graduated in 1980 and obtained her PhD in 1985 in Medicine and Surgery from the Autonomous University of Madrid. She completed the specialty of Immunology (1981-1985), and her doctoral thesis under the direction of Dr. Carmen Gutierrez, in the Immunology laboratory of the Puerta de Hierro Clinic directed by Dr. Miguel Kreisler. She completed a predoctoral stay in the Cytogenetics Laboratory of the National Institute of Autoimmune, Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK, NIH), under the supervision of Dr. JH Tjio and Dr. E. Raveché. She joined the Immunology Service of the National Center for Health Microbiology, Virology and Immunology (CNMVIS, AISNA and later ISCIII) as a Physician-Specialist in 1986, in the Immunology Laboratory directed by Dr. Alfredo Toraño. She completed a postdoctoral stay (1989-1991) at the Immunogenetics Unit of the Pasteur Institute (Paris) directed by Dr. T. Meo. From 1991 to 2006 she was Head of the Immunology Section successively at the CNMVIS, at the National Center for Fundamental Biology (CNBF-ISCIII) and at the National Center for Microbiology (CNM-ISCIII). From 2006 to 2016 she has been a Senior Researcher and Senior Scientist of OPIs, in the Immunobiology laboratory of the CNM-ISCIII. From 2016 to 2018 she was a Scientific Researcher at OPIs and since 2018, she is a Research Professor at OPIs at the CNM.
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Belén de Andrés Muguruza
Research Scientist
ORCID code: 0000-0002-7391-2823
Graduated in Biology in 1987 and PhD in 1992 from the Autonomous University of Madrid. He completed his doctoral thesis in the laboratory of Dr. Carlos Lahoz in the Immunology department of the Jiménez Díaz Foundation with a pre-doctoral stay at the Institute Curie in Paris, in the laboratory of Dr. Wolf H. Fridman. Subsequently, he completed a two-year postdoctoral stay in the Department of Pathology of the College of Medicine at the University of Iowa, USA, in the laboratory of Dr. Richard G. Lynch. After a year as an Adjunct in the Immunology department of the Jiménez Diaz Foundation, she worked for 2 years with a reinstatement contract from the Ministry of Science in the Immunobiology department of the CNM/ISCIII in the laboratory of Dr. Mª Luisa Gaspar and later with a Ramón y Cajal contract. In 2006 she obtained a position as Staff Senior Scientist.
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Isabel Cortegano Jimeno
Research Scientist
ORCID code: 0000-0002-6504-6347
Graduated in Biology in 1995 (Specialty in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) and PhD in 1999 from the Autonomous University of Madrid. He completed his doctoral thesis at the Jiménez Díaz Foundation in the Immunology laboratory directed by Dr. Carlos Lahoz. Later he obtained a postdoctoral fellowship in the Immunobiology laboratory of Dr. Mª Luisa Gaspar at the National Center of Microbiology (CNM) of the Carlos IIII Health Institute (ISCIII) (2002-2006). He then enjoyed an I3P contract from the CSIC in the laboratory of Professor Miguel Ángel Rodríguez-Marcos (2007-2009). She has been a researcher associated with research projects in the ISCIII Immunobiology laboratory during the years 2010-2018. Since 2018 she has been an associate professor in the Department of Cell Biology of the UCM Faculty of Medicine. He coordinates the scientific dissemination group of the Spanish Society of Immunology (GESEI), is part of the editorial committee of the SEI magazine and is a member of the board of the CAM Immunology Society. She is a Senior Scientist of the ISCIII at the National Center for Microbiology since 2020.
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Carolina Ruiz Sánchez
Specialized Technician
ORCID code: 0000-0002-2177-8132
Graduated in Chemical Sciences (biochemistry specialty) in 1998 and PhD in 2022 from the Complutense University of Madrid. In 2008 he joined the OPIS Assistant in the Immunobiology laboratory of the National Center for Microbiology of the ISCIII, specializing in flow cytometry the first year and subsequently becoming part of the laboratory's technical team. In 2012 he was promoted to Intermediate Level Technician and in 2018 to Higher Specialized Technician of the OPIS, currently occupying this position in the same laboratory.
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Mercedes Rodríguez García
Specialized Higher Technician
Graduated in Biology from the Complutense University of Madrid in 2003, she began her doctoral studies in the Bone Metabolism laboratory of the La Paz University Hospital.
In 2007 he joined as a Research Assistant at the Carlos III Health Institute, at the CNM, in the Transplant Immunology laboratory. After 5 years, he began working in the Immunobilology laboratory where he was promoted in 2018 to Specialized Technician, in 2024 to Senior Specialized Technician and where he currently continues to develop his professional career. -

Alejandro Arrabal Sierra
Predoctoral Contract (Industrial Doctorate from CAM / Inmunotek).
ORCID code: 0000-0002-9354-9224
Graduated in Biotechnology in 2021 from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, carrying out his final degree project in the Immunobiology laboratory of the National Microbiology Center of the ISCIII. In 2021, he completed a Master's Degree in Research in Immunology at the Complutense University of Madrid and completed his master's thesis in the same CNM laboratory. Subsequently, he worked for a year as a Research Assistant in the laboratory of Dr. Elena Fernández Ruiz at the Hospital Universitario de la Princesa. Since the end of 2023, he has been a predoctoral fellow in the CNM Immunobiology laboratory with an Industrial Doctorate scholarship from the Community of Madrid in collaboration with the company Inmunotek.
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Pilar Portolés Pérez
Científico Titular de OPIs. Jefa de Unidad
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Begoña Galocha Iragüen
Científico Titular
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Jordi Cano Ochando
Investigador principal
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Patricia Conde Sanromán
Postdoctoral
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Haisul Chang
Postdoctoral
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María González Gómez
Estudiante de doctorado
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Ana Belén Martin Ezquerra
Técnico especializada de OPIs
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Soledad Crespo Carrasco
Técnico Contratada
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Pilar Lauzurica Gómez
Investigador Principal
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Daniel López Rodríguez
Investigador Principal
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Elena Lorente Galán
Técnico Especializado de OPIS
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Almudena Albentosa Cocho
Ayudante de Investigación
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Carmen Mir Guerrero
Técnico de Laboratorio
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Miguel Gómez Fontela
Contrato Predoctoral
List of staff
Additional Information
The Reference and Research Laboratory for Water-borne an Food-borne Bacterial Diseases (LRIEBTAA) is recognized as a national reference laboratory for the zoonotic agents Salmonella, verotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Yersinia., Campylobacter. and Vibrio (RD 1940/2004 of September 27, Order APA/1808/2007 of June 13). In this sense, its main activity is to ensure adequate surveillance of these zoonoses, zoonotic agents and associated antibiotic resistance, as well as proper investigation of outbreaks caused by these microorganisms. In addition, the LRIEBTAA acts as a reference laboratory for Shigella, other diarrheagenic groups of E. coli, Legionella and toxigenic Corynebacterium species. Added to its reference activity is its applied research activity, among which those mentioned above stand out.
The members of the group carry out an important training activity. Every year, 3-5 students who develop their final Master's or Degree projects, laboratory technicians in training and rotating students of the specialty of Clinical Microbiology from different national origins are welcomed in the laboratory. In addition, it actively participates in the Public Health microbiologist training program funded by the ECDC through its supervision at the national level and coordination/supervision at the international level.
The Reference and Research Laboratory for Water-borne an Food-borne Bacterial Diseases (LRIEBTAA) is recognized as a national reference laboratory for the zoonotic agents Salmonella, verotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Yersinia., Campylobacter. and Vibrio (RD 1940/2004 of September 27, Order APA/1808/2007 of June 13). In this sense, its main activity is to ensure adequate surveillance of these zoonoses, zoonotic agents and associated antibiotic resistance, as well as proper investigation of outbreaks caused by these microorganisms. In addition, the LRIEBTAA acts as a reference laboratory for Shigella, other diarrheagenic groups of E. coli, Legionella and toxigenic Corynebacterium species. Added to its reference activity is its applied research activity, among which those mentioned above stand out.
The members of the group carry out an important training activity. Every year, 3-5 students who develop their final Master's or Degree projects, laboratory technicians in training and rotating students of the specialty of Clinical Microbiology from different national origins are welcomed in the laboratory. In addition, it actively participates in the Public Health microbiologist training program funded by the ECDC through its supervision at the national level and coordination/supervision at the international level.
The current director of CNM is Dr. José Miguel Rubio Muñoz.
Dr. José Miguel Rubio has a degree in Biological Sciences from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (1986) and a PhD in Biological Sciences from the same university (1992). He carried out his doctoral thesis at the Department of Genetics of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, as Associate Professor (1988-1989), and at the School of Biology of the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK, as Senior Research Assistant (1989-1992).
During his postdoctoral period he obtained a grant from the European Commission within the Human Capital and Mobility Program to be carried out at the University of “La Sapienza” in Rome, Italy and the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology in Crete, Greece (1993-1994). Subsequently, he made a further stay funded by the WHO and the university itself at the Department of Entomology, Wageningen University, The Netherlands (1994-1996).
Since 1997 he has been a member of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), where he joined the Department of Parasitology of the National Center of Microbiology, as an EU-INCO postdoctoral fellow and later with a grant from the Autonomous Community of Madrid (CAM). She was part of the founding group of the National Center for Tropical Medicine (2003-2006) and of the 24/7 Alerts and Emergencies Unit (2006-2018) and is currently Head of the Malaria and Emerging Parasitosis Unit of the National Microbiology Center and is part, as research staff, of the Center for Biomedical Research Network on Infectious Diseases (CIBERINFEC/ISCIII).
During his scientific career he has been Visiting Scientist at the Leonidas e Marie Dean Center (FIOCRUZ-AMAZONAS, Manaus, Brazil) and is an External Consultant of the Parasitology Departments of Cairo University (Egypt) and the Medical Research Center (MRC) of Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). He also belongs or has belonged to different national and international committees: Member of the expert group for malaria control of the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) since 2011; Expert-Evaluator for health programs of the European Commission since 2004; Spanish Representative (commissioned by ISCIII and MSC) in the Technical Scientific Committee of the TDR (WHO) 2007-2008; Spanish Deputy Focal Point for microbiology at the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) from 2012 to 2020; and, member of the Research Ethics Committee of ISCIII until 2019.
In this period he has published more than 100 articles in international indexed journals, 10 book chapters and has been co-editor of two books in the area of malaria, tropical medicine and neglected diseases. He has participated in 58 competitively funded research projects, 20 of them international, having been the principal investigator in 8 national and 11 international projects as PI of the project or WP leader. In addition, he has led five agreements with companies. Currently he has been awarded four sexenios of research, being presented this year 2025 to the fifth. In the teaching field, he participates in different postgraduate programs in the areas of microbiology and parasitology, having directed seven doctoral theses and more than 20 Master's or Degree final projects, both nationally and internationally.
El laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Resistencia a Antibióticos ofrece una amplia cartera de servicios al Sistema Nacional de Salud, las cuales pueden solicitarse en cnm-laboratorios.isciii.es. Jefe del Laboratorio: Jesús Oteo Iglesias (Punto focal Nacional de Resistencia antibiótica).
Dispone de dos programas de Vigilancia oficiales y gratuitos que engloban los ensayos ofertados ya sea como aislamientos individuales o mediante estudio de brotes. El Laboratorio utiliza asimismo técnicas de PCR en tiempo real para la detección de genes de resistencia, estas técnicas se han adaptado a un formato multiplex que permite detectar varios genes en la misma reacción. En los últimos años se han incluido metodologías basadas en la secuenciación de genomas completos para el análisis de bacterias multiresistentes (WGS).
Programa de vigilancia de Haemophilus influenzae. Responsables: María Pérez Vázquez (Punto focal Nacional de Haemophilus influenzae) y Belén Aracil. Laboratorio encargado de la identificación, estudio de sensibilidad y análisis genotípico de aislados de Haemophilus influenzae, centrándose esencialmente en la patología invasiva debida este patógeno.
Programa de vigilancia de Resistencia a Antibióticos. Responsables: María Pérez Vázquez y Belén Aracil (Punto focal Nacional de Resistencia antibiótica). Laboratorio encargado de la identificación, el estudio de sensibilidad antibiótica, y el diagnóstico fenotípico y genotípico de los diferentes mecanismos de resistencia a antibióticos fundamentalmente en enterobacterias y gram-negativos no fermentadores y Enterococcus spp.
Estudio de brotes. Responsables: Belén Aracil y María Pérez Vázquez. El programa incluye la caracterización de brotes nosocomiales y clones emergentes de alto riesgo mediante diferentes técnicas moleculares (tabla resumen). Éstas, nos permiten realizar estudios filogenéticos con el fin de obtener una información detallada acerca la relación entre los diferentes aislados y su trazabilidad. El objetivo final es generar datos que se transfieren a los hospitales como ayuda para la prevención o control de la propagación del brote.
Acreditación y Calidad. Responsable: Belén Aracil. El laboratorio Referencia e Investigación en Resistencia a Antibióticos ha sido de los primeros en el ISCIII en la utilización de técnicas acreditadas por la Entidad Nacional de Acreditaciones (ENAC). Este laboratorio consiguió la primera acreditación homologada de técnicas diagnósticas en 2012, programa que ha sido ampliado, de manera que en la actualidad más de la mitad de las técnicas ofrecidas al Sistema Nacional de Salud están debidamente acreditadas por ENAC.
Técnicos responsables de las técnicas realizadas en el Laboratorio: Noelia Lara Fuella y Verónica Bautista Sánchez.
En la siguiente imagen se resumen las técnicas ofrecidas al Sistema Nacional de Salud.
| PROGRAMAS | NOMBRE CARTERA SERVICIO | PATÓGENO | DETERMINACIÓN, DETECCIÓN, ANÁLISIS | MÉTODOS |
|
Programa de vigilancia de Haemophilus Programa de vigilancia de resistencia a antibióticos. |
Identificación bacteriana |
Haemophilus sp. Enterobacterias, gram-negativos no fermentadores, Enterococcus spp |
Identificación bacteriana |
Bioquímicos MALDI TOF Secuenciación de RNAr |
| | Identificación capsular |
Haemophilus influenzae
|
Identificación capsular fenotípica y genotípica |
Aglutinación serológica en latex PCR ind/multiplex |
| | Determinación de Sensibilidad |
Haemophilus sp. Enterobacterias, gram-negativos no fermentadores, Enterococcus
|
Determinación de Sensibilidad |
Microdilución Tiras epsilon Kirby Bauer |
| | Métodos fenotípicos de detección de mecanismos de resistencia |
Enterobacterias, gram-negativos no fermentadores,
|
Métodos fenotípicos de detección de mecanismos de resistencia |
Discos y tabletas combinados con inhibidores Tiras combinadas Test de Hodge modificado CabaNP Inmunocromatografía CBP |
| | Métodos genotípicos de detección de mecanismos de resistencia |
Haemophilus sp. Enterobacterias, gram-negativos no fermentadores, Enterococcus
|
ADN, PCR y secuenciación |
PCR ind/multiplex Análisis comparativo de las secuencias |
| | Tipificación molecular/análisis filogenéticos |
Haemophilus sp. Enterobacterias, gram-negativos no fermentadores, Enterococcus
|
Corte enzimas de restricción, electroforesis ADN, PCR y secuenciación Preparación de librerías y secuenciación y análisis de genomas completos |
PFGE
MLST
WGS |