We protect your health through science

Investigation

Immunobiology

Research Lines

Content with Investigacion Entomología Médica .

The Laboratory of Medical Entomology (LME) develops an intense reference and research activity, focused on the field of disease vectors of interest in Public Health. The LME has an insectary where biological cycles of insect vectors are currently maintained, allowing the performance, among others, of vector competence and xenodiagnostic studies. The LME supports the national health system by offering techniques available in the portfolio of services for the taxonomic identification of arthropods of health interest. In addition, it performs entomological surveillance of outbreaks, supporting Surveillance Plans. In particular, the LME plays a leading role in the Entomological Surveillance Plan for Leishmaniasis in the Community of Madrid. On the other hand, the LME offers scientific advice to the CCAES (Centro de Coordinación de Alertas y Emergencias Sanitarias, Ministerio de Sanidad, Consumo y Bienestar Social), and participates in the elaboration of reports and rapid risk assessments.


 

The main research lines of the Laboratory of Medical Entomology are:

1. Maintenance of insect vector colonies: phlebotomine sand flies (Phlebotomus perniciosus, Phlebotomus papatasi and Phlebotomus argentipes, vectors of Leishmania infantum, Leishmania major and Leishmania donovani, respectively), Culex and Aedes mosquitoes (vectors of various arboviruses) and Rhodnius prolixus (vector of Trypanosoma cruzi). 
2. Biology of disease vectors of public health interest: biology, vector competence, experimental infections. The CNM has a BSL3 safety laboratory to carry out vector competence studies with culicidae and phlebotomine sand flies.
3. Entomological sampling, infectivity of potential reservoirs of leishmaniasis.
4. Insecticides and repellents: evaluation of their efficacy. 
5. Characterization of saliva proteins of hematophagous Diptera: genomics, proteomics, biochemistry and gene editing. Study of salivary proteins as markers of bite exposure, virulence factors and/or vaccines.
6. Xenodiagnosis of leishmaniasis.
7. Molecular biology and taxonomy of phlebotomine sand flies. Molecular detection of Leishmania infantum in phlebotomine sand flies and characterization of Leishmania spp. Molecular identification of blood ingested by vectors.

Research projects

Content with Investigacion Entomología Médica .

CURRENT PROJECTS

Project title: "Biochemical and functional characterisation of salivary proteins of Phlebotomus perniciosus and their role in infection by Leishmania infantum (PERNIPROT)"
Reference: Project PID2023-147773NA-I00 funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by FEDER, EU.
Start date: 01/09/2024
End date: 31/08/2028
Funding: €175,000
Principal investigator: Inés Elena Martín Martín. 
Funding agency: Agencia Estatal de Investigación (Proyecto de Generación del Conocimiento 2023).


 

Project title: "Surveillance of leishmaniasis in the Community of Madrid from a “One Health” perspective: study of the infectious capacity of patients with visceral leishmaniasis and their role as reservoirs"
Reference: PI24CIII/00026
Start date: 01/01/2025
End date: 31/12/2027
Funding: €60,000.00
Principal investigator: Inés Elena Martín Martín. 
Co-principal investigator: Maribel Jiménez Alonso
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Strategic Action in Intramural Health, AESI). 

Service Contract: "Analysis for the surveillance of the vector and wild reservoirs that transmit leishmaniasis in the Community of Madrid"
Reference: file no. 17/2024 (A/SER-008455/2024).
Start date: 26/06/2024
End date: 10/12/25, extendable to 2026
Total funding: €171,084
Principal Investigator: Maribel Jiménez Alonso
Funding agency: Service Contract between the Instituto de Salud Carlos III and the Directorate-General for Public Health, Regional Ministry of Health of the Community of Madrid 

Project Title: CIBERINFEC Research Group (CB21/13/00110)
Start date: 2021
End date: currently active
Principal Investigator: Dr. Mª Paz Sánchez-Seco, Arbovirus and Imported Viral Diseases Unit. 
Researchers from the Medical Entomology Laboratory: Maribel Jiménez (member), Inés Martín Martín (collaborator).
Funding: €108,134. File number: CB21/13/00110.
Funding agency: Consortium Centre for Biomedical Research in NETWORK (CIBER)


 

PAST PROJECTS

Service Contract: "Evaluation of the anti-leishmania effect of the bacteria Tc1 and its derivatives in the intravectorial cycle"
Reference: ISCIII-06896
Start date: 15/12/2022
End date: 15/04/2025
Funding: €71,265.67
Principal Investigator: Inés Elena Martín Martín
Funding agency: Service Contract between the company GlaxoSmithKline R&D (GSK) and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III

Service Contract: "Analysis for the surveillance of the vector and wild reservoirs that transmit leishmaniasis in the Community of Madrid"
Reference: 59/2020 (A/SER-040739/2020)
Start date: 10/12/2021
End date: 10/12/2023.   
Funding: €42,612.17 per year   Total 2021-2023: €127,836.51
Principal Investigators: Ricardo Molina /Maribel Jiménez Alonso
Funding agency: Service contract between the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and the Directorate-General for Public Health, Regional Ministry of Health of the Community of Madrid

Project title: "Research and Integrated Surveillance of Emerging Arboviruses West Nile, Toscana and Dengue in some areas of Spain"
Reference: PI19CIII/00014
Start date: 2020
End date: 2022
Principal Investigator: Ana Vázquez González
Co-Principal Investigator: Ricardo Molina
Funding: €60,000.00
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Strategic Action in Intramural Health, AESI).

Project title: "Characterisation of the concept of ‘asymptomatic carrier’ in leishmaniasis: implications for treatment".
Start date: 01/01/2015
End date: 31/12/2017
Principal investigators: Javier Moreno and Javier García
Funding: €159,940
Funding agency: Study Agreement between Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), the Spanish Foundation for International Cooperation, Health and Social Policy (FCSAI) and Fuenlabrada Hospital. Subcontractor: ISCIII Medical Entomology Unit (Maribel Jiménez and Ricardo Molina).

Project title: "Biology and control of vector-borne infections in Europe (EDENext Collaborative Project): Sandfly-borne diseases".  
Reference: Subproject (PBD) (EU, FP7-HEALTH-2010-single-stage, contract No. 261504).
Start date: 2011
End date: 2014
Principal investigator: Ricardo Molina     General coordinator: Petr Volf
Funding: €140,000
Funding agency: EU-FP7

Project Title: "Phlebotomus perniciosus saliva as a source in the search for potential targets for the development of vaccines against Leishmania infantum"
Reference: AGL2008-01592/GAN (MICINN)
Start date: 2009
End date: 2011
Principal investigator: Ricardo Molina
Funding: €70,180
Funding agency: Ministry of Science and Innovation

Publications

Sort
Category

ANISERP: a new serpin from the parasite Anisakis simplex.

Valdivieso E, Perteguer MJ, Hurtado C, Campioli P, Rodríguez E, Saborido A, Martínez-Sernández V, Gómez-Puertas P, Ubeira FM, Gárate T. ANISERP: a new serpin from the parasite Anisakis simplex.Parasit Vectors. 2015 Jul 28;8:399.

PUBMED DOI

Absence of tmRNA has a protective effect against fluoroquinolones in Streptococcus pneumoniae

Brito L, Wilton J, Ferrándiz MJ, Gómez-Sanz A, de la Campa AG, Amblar M. Front. Microbiol. 7:2164 (2017).

PUBMED DOI

ICOS deficiency hampers the homeostasis, development and activity of NK cell

Montes-Casado M, Ojeda G, Aragoneses-Fenoll L, López D, de Andrés B, Gaspar ML, Dianzani U, Rojo JM, Portolés P. PLoS One 2019 Jul 8;14(7):e0219449.

PUBMED DOI

Genomic analysis of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) causing infections in children-a Spanish multicenter study.

10. Genomic analysis of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) causing infections in children-a Spanish multicenter study. Autores: García-Cobos S, Seco Alberca N, Bravo-Queipo-de-Llano B, Casquero-García V, Ramírez de Arellano E, Calvo C, Ruíz-Carrascoso G, Falces-Romero I, Larrosa Escartín N, Viñado-Perez B, Martínez-López MÁ, Melendo Pérez S, Ruíz de Gopegui E, Pérez Vázquez S, Carrasco-Colom J, Aracil García B, Pérez-Vázquez M, Méndez-Echevarría A, Oteo Iglesias Revista: J. Front Microbiol. 2025 May 9;16:1534840.

PUBMED DOI

Content with Investigacion Entomología Médica .

List of staff

Additional Information

Our group is interested in the mechanisms of generation of hematopoietic cells throughout ontogeny and the influence that the first hematopoietic cells, belonging to the innate/pseudoinnate immune system, exert on the adaptive immune system in the adult individual. Our lines of research include the analysis of pseudoinnate lymphoid populations, which connect the innate and adaptive immune systems, and whose origin is in progenitors of early ontogeny. We are trying to understand its role in the immune response through TLR receptors (“Toll-like receptors”) throughout life, particularly in animal models of bacterial infection, with the aim of designing new vaccine therapies. We analyze immune diversity in animal models and in human samples of children and elderly people diagnosed with respiratory disease, by: a) analyzing the lymphoid subpopulations of the local response. b) the study of the genetic rearrangements of the immunoglobulins that are produced. c) the systemic effector response and in peripheral organs. These approaches, carried out both in the mouse model and in human samples, will facilitate the design of more effective therapies and the characterization of biomarkers, adapted to the pediatric and elderly population, useful for the health field and technological innovation.rupo está interesado en los mecanismos de generación de células hematopoyéticas a lo largo de la ontogenia y la influencia que las primeras células hematopoyéticas, pertenecientes al sistema inmune innato/pseudoinnato, ejercen sobre el sistema inmune adaptativo en el individuo adulto. Nuestras líneas de investigación incluyen el análisis de poblaciones linfoides pseudoinnatas, que conectan el sistema inmune innato y adaptativo, y cuyo origen está en progenitores de la ontogenia temprana. Intentamos entender su papel en la respuesta inmune a través de receptores TLR (“Toll-like receptors”) a lo largo de la vida, en particular en modelos animales de infección bacteriana, con objeto de diseñar nuevas terapias vacunales. Analizamos la diversidad inmune en modelos animales y en muestras humanas de niños y ancianos diagnosticados de enfermedad respiratoria, mediante: a) el análisis de las subpoblaciones linfoides de la respuesta local. b) el estudio de los reordenamientos genéticos de las inmunoglobulinas que se producen. c) la respuesta efectora sistémica y en órganos periféricos. Estas aproximaciones, realizadas tanto en el modelo de ratón como en muestras humanas, facilitarán el diseño de terapias más eficaces y la caracterización de biomarcadores, adaptados a la población infantil y envejecida, de utilidad para el ámbito sanitario y de innovación tecnológica.

Doctoral theses

“Expression and functionality of tlr2 and tlr4 in lymphomyeloid populations present in the lung and lymphoid organs during embryonic and neonatal life in mouse models.”  Carolina Ruiz Sánchez. Complutense University of Madrid, 2022

Master's thesis

Detection and characterization of extracellular vesicles of platelet origin in lung supernatants from SPN-infected animals. Marta Paris, Alcalá University, 2024

Study of TLR-dependent activation in the RAW 264.7 macrophage line. Iñigo Merino de Saracho, Alcalá University, 2023

Study of the functionality of TLR receptors in the lung and other lymphoid organs in B cell populations using the neonatal mouse model. Yolanda Campanero, Alcalá University, 2023

Exploratory study of T lymphoid progenitors in the neonatal mouse lung. Alejandro Arrabal, Complutense University of Madrid, 2022

Study of B lymphoid differentiation in mice deficient for CD5 and CD6 molecules. Cristina Martín, Alcalá University, 2022

Role of platelets and their progenitor cells in two animal models of infection: SPN and RSV. Ana de Lucas Rius, Alcalá University, 2020

Pilot study of RSV infection in the mouse model: cellular phenotype of myeloid and lymphoid populations in the lung in two animal models of infection: SPN and RSV. Juan Antonio Martín Quesada, Alcalá University, 2020

B cell response during Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. Eva Castro, 2020

Study of the hematopoietic potential of neonatal lung cells in the mouse model. Ana Cogollo García, Alcalá University, 2018

Innate immune response to S. pneumoniae in the lung. Rodrigo Sánchez, Complutense University of Madrid, 2018

Neonatal immunity in the mouse model: localization and function of the innate and adaptive response. Alba Ezequiel Fernández, Alcalá University, 2017

Characterization of immunoglobulin gene diversity in the mouse model of TLR4 homeostasis and activation by bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Cristina García Caballero, Alcalá University, 2017

Altered lymphopoiesis and splenic B cell subsets on Telomerase Activity Deficient Mice (TERC-/-). Juliana Manosalva, Complutense University of Madrid, 2017

Study of the Immune Response in Nasopharyngeal Washings of Infants with Bronchiolitis. Isabel Martín Barrios, Complutense University of Madrid, 2016

Dynamics of B1-REL lymphocytes in the in vivo immunization model with DNP-LPS. Inmaculada Sanz Ramos University Alcalá, 2015

Megakaryocyte differentiation pathways in the mouse model. Marta Cobos Briz, Alcalá University, 2015

Role of megakaryocytes in infectious processes. Melania Guerrero Hue, Complutense University of Madrid, 2015

 

Final degree projects

Study of new bacterial vaccines in the mouse (Mus musculus) infection model due to Streptococcus pneumoniae. Alejandro Arrabal, Polytechnic University of Madrid, 2021

Megakaryocytes and platelets in SPN respiratory infection: Role of TLR4. Óscar González Hervás, Complutense University of Madrid, 2021

Study of the immune response mediated by pseudo-innate B lymphocytes against TLR4-dependent immunization models. Rodrigo Sánchez, Complutense University of Madrid, 2017.

Study of the diversity in the immunoglobulin repertoire in healthy individuals. Isabel Martín, Francisco de Vitoria University, 2015.

Dynamics of hematopoietic populations in the perinatal spleen. Inmaculada Sanz, Alcalá University, 2014

Teaching in training courses

Training course: Introduction to Flow Cytometry (from 2015 to present)
Training Course: Flow Cytometry Data Analysis (2018 to present)

Outreach / Citizen Science

• Collaboration in the 4th+Company CAM program.

• Collaboration with the ISCIII Scientific Culture Unit in Science Week at the ISCIII

• Scientific Dissemination Project "Talking about Science", carried out in Majadahonda primary, secondary and high school schools, since 2015 in collaboration with the Department of Education and Youth of the Majadahonda City Council: “How your Immune System works and healthy lifestyle habits to take care of it”

Doctoral theses

“Expression and functionality of tlr2 and tlr4 in lymphomyeloid populations present in the lung and lymphoid organs during embryonic and neonatal life in mouse models.”  Carolina Ruiz Sánchez. Complutense University of Madrid, 2022

Master's thesis

Detection and characterization of extracellular vesicles of platelet origin in lung supernatants from SPN-infected animals. Marta Paris, Alcalá University, 2024

Study of TLR-dependent activation in the RAW 264.7 macrophage line. Iñigo Merino de Saracho, Alcalá University, 2023

Study of the functionality of TLR receptors in the lung and other lymphoid organs in B cell populations using the neonatal mouse model. Yolanda Campanero, Alcalá University, 2023

Exploratory study of T lymphoid progenitors in the neonatal mouse lung. Alejandro Arrabal, Complutense University of Madrid, 2022

Study of B lymphoid differentiation in mice deficient for CD5 and CD6 molecules. Cristina Martín, Alcalá University, 2022

Role of platelets and their progenitor cells in two animal models of infection: SPN and RSV. Ana de Lucas Rius, Alcalá University, 2020

Pilot study of RSV infection in the mouse model: cellular phenotype of myeloid and lymphoid populations in the lung in two animal models of infection: SPN and RSV. Juan Antonio Martín Quesada, Alcalá University, 2020

B cell response during Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. Eva Castro, 2020

Study of the hematopoietic potential of neonatal lung cells in the mouse model. Ana Cogollo García, Alcalá University, 2018

Innate immune response to S. pneumoniae in the lung. Rodrigo Sánchez, Complutense University of Madrid, 2018

Neonatal immunity in the mouse model: localization and function of the innate and adaptive response. Alba Ezequiel Fernández, Alcalá University, 2017

Characterization of immunoglobulin gene diversity in the mouse model of TLR4 homeostasis and activation by bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Cristina García Caballero, Alcalá University, 2017

Altered lymphopoiesis and splenic B cell subsets on Telomerase Activity Deficient Mice (TERC-/-). Juliana Manosalva, Complutense University of Madrid, 2017

Study of the Immune Response in Nasopharyngeal Washings of Infants with Bronchiolitis. Isabel Martín Barrios, Complutense University of Madrid, 2016

Dynamics of B1-REL lymphocytes in the in vivo immunization model with DNP-LPS. Inmaculada Sanz Ramos University Alcalá, 2015

Megakaryocyte differentiation pathways in the mouse model. Marta Cobos Briz, Alcalá University, 2015

Role of megakaryocytes in infectious processes. Melania Guerrero Hue, Complutense University of Madrid, 2015

 

Final degree projects

Study of new bacterial vaccines in the mouse (Mus musculus) infection model due to Streptococcus pneumoniae. Alejandro Arrabal, Polytechnic University of Madrid, 2021

Megakaryocytes and platelets in SPN respiratory infection: Role of TLR4. Óscar González Hervás, Complutense University of Madrid, 2021

Study of the immune response mediated by pseudo-innate B lymphocytes against TLR4-dependent immunization models. Rodrigo Sánchez, Complutense University of Madrid, 2017.

Study of the diversity in the immunoglobulin repertoire in healthy individuals. Isabel Martín, Francisco de Vitoria University, 2015.

Dynamics of hematopoietic populations in the perinatal spleen. Inmaculada Sanz, Alcalá University, 2014

Teaching in training courses

Training course: Introduction to Flow Cytometry (from 2015 to present)
Training Course: Flow Cytometry Data Analysis (2018 to present)

Outreach / Citizen Science

• Collaboration in the 4th+Company CAM program.

• Collaboration with the ISCIII Scientific Culture Unit in Science Week at the ISCIII

• Scientific Dissemination Project "Talking about Science", carried out in Majadahonda primary, secondary and high school schools, since 2015 in collaboration with the Department of Education and Youth of the Majadahonda City Council: “How your Immune System works and healthy lifestyle habits to take care of it”

Content with Investigacion Entomología Médica .