Immune Presentation and Regulation
Research projects
Content with Investigacion .
PROYECTOS VIGENTES
Título del proyecto: "Vesículas extracelulares y otras moléculas de parásitos para el tratamiento de la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal: PARATREAT-IBD"
Referencia: Proyecto PID2022-137661OB-I00 (MPY 341/23) financiado por MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033/ y por FEDER Una manera de hacer Europa
Fecha Inicio: 01/12/2023
Fecha Fin: 31/08/2026
Financiación: 162.500 Euros
Investigador principal: Javier Sotillo
Agencia Financiadora: Agencia Estatal de Investigación. MICINN.
Título del proyecto: "Desarrollo de nuevos métodos diagnósticos y de seguimiento de la infección por schistosoma haematobium"
Referencia: PI23CIII00034 / MPY 386/23
Fecha Inicio: 01/01/2024
Fecha Fin: 31/12/2026
Financiación: 131.500 Euros
Investigador principal: Javier Sotillo
Agencia Financiadora: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII/AESI)
Título del proyecto: "Desarrollo de herramientas para el control de la teniosis / cisticercosis en zonas endémicas y vigilancia de las helmintosis humanas emergentes en España"
Referencia: PI22CIII/00010
Fecha Inicio: 01/01/2023
Fecha Fin: 31/12/2025
Financiación: 80.000 Euros
Investigador principal: María Jesús Perteguer
Agencia Financiadora: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII/AESI)
PROYECTOS PASADOS
Título del proyecto: "PERITAS: Molecular epidemiological studies on pathways of transmission and longlasting capacity building to prevent cystic echinococcosis infection."
Coordinador: Adriano Casulli. IP of ISCIII: Maria J. Perteguer.
Entidad financiadora: EULAC Health JOINT CALL on Research and Innovation 016-2017
Periodo: 01/03/2019-31/12/2022.
Cuantía total: 1.083.580 €.
Título del proyecto: "Producción de antígenos y controles positivos recombinantes para el desarrollo y la estandarización de nuevos ensayos serológicos aplicados al diagnóstico y control de helmintosis olvidadas. "
Investigador principal: María Jesús Perteguer.
Entidad financiadora: ISCIII-AESI. Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Periodo: 02/11/2018 - 31/06/2022.
Cuantía total: 78.050 €.
Título del proyecto: "Diagnóstico serológico diferencial de helmintiasis asociadas a eosinofilia: desarrollo de ensayos multianalito (xMAP) con antígenos recombinantes de especies de interés clínico"
Investigador principal: María Jesús Perteguer.
Entidad financiadora: ISCIII-AESI. Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Periodo: 01/01/2015 - 31/12/2018 .
Cuantía total: 91.000 €.
Publications
Cryo-EM near-atomic structure of a dsRNA fungal virus shows ancient structural motifs preserved in the dsRNA viral lineage.
Luque D., Gómez-Blanco J., Garriga D., Brilot A.F., González J.M., Havens W.M., Carrascosa J.L., Trus B.L., Verdaguer N., Ghabrial S.A., Castón J.R. 2014. Cryo-EM near-atomic structure of a dsRNA fungal virus shows ancient structural motifs preserved in the dsRNA viral lineage. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 111(21):7641-7646. IF: 9.674, D1
PUBMED DOINew insights into rotavirus entry machinery: stabilization of rotavirus spike conformation is independent of trypsin cleavage
Rodríguez J.M., Chichón F.J., Martín-Forero E., González-Camacho F., Carrascosa J.L., Castón J.R., Luque D*. 2014. New insights into rotavirus entry machinery: stabilization of rotavirus spike conformation is independent of trypsin cleavage. PLoS Pathog. 10(5):e1004157. IF: 7.562, D1. * Corresponding autor.
PUBMED DOIEfficacy and safety assessment of a TRAF6-targeted nanoimmunotherapy in atherosclerotic mice and non-human primates.
3. Lameijer M, Binderup T, van Leent M, Senders M, Fay F. Seijkens T, Kroon J, Stroes E, Kjaer A, Ochando J, Reiner T, Pérez-Medina C, Calcagno C, Fischer E, Zhang B, Temel R, Swirski F, Nahrendorf M, Fayad Z, Lutgens E, Mulder W and Duivenvoorden R. Efficacy and safety assessment of a TRAF6-targeted nanoimmunotherapy in atherosclerotic mice and non-human primates. Nature Biomedical Engineering. 2018. 2: 279–292.
PUBMED DOINeutrophil derived CSF1 induces macrophage polarization and promotes transplantation tolerance.
4. Braza MS, Conde P, Garcia MR, Cortegano I, Brahmachary M, Pothula V, Fay F, Boros P, Werner SW, Ginhoux F, Mulder WJ, and Ochando J. Neutrophil derived CSF1 induces macrophage polarization and promotes transplantation tolerance. Am J Transplant. 2018.
PUBMED DOIDC-SIGN(+) Macrophages Control the Induction of Transplantation Tolerance
9. Conde P, Rodriguez M, van der Touw W, Jimenez A, Burns M, Miller J, Brahmachary M, Chen HM, Boros P, Rausell-Palamos F, Yun TJ, Riquelme P, Rastrojo A, Aguado B, Stein-Streilein J, Tanaka M, Zhou L, Zhang J, Lowary TL, Ginhoux F, Park CG, Cheong C, Brody J, Turley SJ, Lira SA, Bronte V, Gordon S, Heeger PS, Merad M, Hutchinson J, Chen SH, Ochando J. 2015. DC-SIGN(+) Macrophages Control the Induction of Transplantation Tolerance. Immunity. 16;42(6):1143-58.
PUBMED DOIProteomic characterisation of bovine and avian purified protein derivatives and identification of specific antigens for serodiagnosis of bovine tuberculosis
2.- Proteomic characterisation of bovine and avian purified protein derivatives and identification of specific antigens for serodiagnosis of bovine tuberculosis. Antonio Infantes-Lorenzo, Jose; Moreno, Inmaculada; Angeles Risalde, Maria; et ál. CLINICAL PROTEOMICS Volumen: 14 Número de artículo: 36 Fecha de publicación: NOV 2 2017
PUBMED DOIFunctional and structural characterization of four mouse monoclonal antibodies to complement C3 with potential therapeutic and diagnostic applications.
3.- Functional and structural characterization of four mouse monoclonal antibodies to complement C3 with potential therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Subias Hidalgo, Marta; Yebenes, Hugo; Rodriguez-Gallego, Cesar; et ál..EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY Volumen: 47 Número: 3 Páginas: 504-515 Fecha de publicación: MAR 2017
PUBMED DOIImmunoproteomic characterisation of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies capri by mass spectrometry analysis of two- dimensional electrophoresis spots and western blot
5.- Immunoproteomic characterisation of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies capri by mass spectrometry analysis of two- dimensional electrophoresis spots and western blot. Churchward, Colin P.; Rosales, Ruben S.; Gielbert, Adriana; et ál..JOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY Volumen: 67 Número: 3 Número especial: SI Páginas: 364-371 Fecha de publicación: MAR 2015
PUBMED DOIEfficacy of low doses of amphotericin B plus allicin against experimental visceral leishmaniasis.
6.- Efficacy of low doses of amphotericin B plus allicin against experimental visceral leishmaniasis. Corral, M. Jesus; Serrano, Dolores R.; Moreno, Inmaculada; et ál..JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY Volumen: 69 Número: 12 Páginas: 3268-3274 Fecha de publicación: DEC 2014
PUBMED DOIA Novel Antibody against Human Factor B that Blocks Formation of the C3bB Proconvertase and Inhibits Complement Activation in Disease Models
7.- A Novel Antibody against Human Factor B that Blocks Formation of the C3bB Proconvertase and Inhibits Complement Activation in Disease Models. Subias, Marta; Tortajada, Agustin; Gastoldi, Sara; et ál..JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY Volumen: 193 Número: 11 Páginas: 5567-5575 Fecha de publicación: DEC 2014
PUBMED DOIDetection of anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies in sylvatic lagomorphs from an epidemic area of Madrid using the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test
8.- Detection of anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies in sylvatic lagomorphs from an epidemic area of Madrid using the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test. Moreno, Inmaculada; Alvarez, Julio; Garcia, Nerea; et ál..VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY Volumen: 199 Número: 3-4 Páginas: 264-267 Fecha de publicación: 2014
PUBMED DOIEvidence of Leishmania infantum Infection in Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in a Natural Area in Madrid, Spain.
9.- Evidence of Leishmania infantum Infection in Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in a Natural Area in Madrid, Spain. Garcia, Nerea; Moreno, Inmaculada; Alvarez, Julio; et ál..BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL Número de artículo: 318254 Fecha de publicación: 2014
PUBMED DOIMucus-Activatable Shiga Toxin Genotype stx2d in Escherichia coli O157:H7
2. Sánchez, S., Llorente, M.T., Herrera-León, L., Ramiro, R., Nebreda, S., Remacha, M.A., Herrera-León, S. Mucus-activatable shiga toxin genotype stx2d in Escherichia coli O157:H7. (2017) Emerging Infectious Diseases, 23 (8), pp. 1431-1433.
PUBMED DOIMultinational outbreak of travel-related Salmonella Chester infections in europe, summers 2014 and 2015
3. Fonteneau, L., Da Silva, N.J., Fabre, L., Ashton, P., Torpdahl, M., Müller, L., Bouchrif, B., El Boulani, A., Valkanou, E., Mattheus, W., Friesema, I., Herrera Leon, S., Varela Martínez, C., Mossong, J., Severi, E., Grant, K., Weill, F., Gossner, C.M., Bertrand, S., Dallman, T., Le Hello, S. Multinational outbreak of travel-related Salmonella Chester infections in europe, summers 2014 and 2015. (2017) Eurosurveillance, 22 (7).
PUBMED DOIProspective use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) detected a multi-country outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis
4. Inns, T., Ashton, P.M., Herrera-Leon, S., Lighthill, J., Foulkes, S., Jombart, T., Rehman, Y., Fox, A., Dallman, T., De Pinna, E., Browning, L., Coia, J.E., Edeghere, O., Vivancos, R. Prospective use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) detected a multi-country outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis (2017) Epidemiology and Infection, 145 (2), pp. 289-298.
PUBMED DOIPlasmid-mediated quinolone resistance in different diarrheagenic Escherichia coli pathotypes responsible for complicated, noncomplicated, and traveler's diarrhea cases.
5. Herrera-Leon, S., Llorente, M.T., Sanchez, S. Plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance in different diarrheagenic Escherichia coli pathotypes responsible for complicated, noncomplicated, and traveler's diarrhea cases. (2016) Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 60 (3), pp. 1950-1951.
PUBMED DOIMolecular Epidemiology and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Vibrio cholerae Associated with a Large Cholera Outbreak in Ghana in 2014.
6. Eibach, D., Herrera-León, S., Gil, H., Hogan, B., Ehlkes, L., Adjabeng, M., Kreuels, B., Nagel, M., Opare, D., Fobil, J.N., May, J. Molecular Epidemiology and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Vibrio cholerae Associated with a Large Cholera Outbreak in Ghana in 2014. (2016) PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 10 (5).
PUBMED DOIContent with Investigacion .
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Óscar Zaragoza Hernández
Research Professor
ORCID code: 0000-0002-1581-0845
Dr. Oscar Zaragoza graduated in Biology from the Complutense University of Madrid in 1995 and obtained his PhD from the Autonomous University of Madrid. He completed his doctoral thesis (2000) at the CSIC under the direction of Dr. Juana María Gancedo on the topic of glucose catabolite repression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. During this period, he was also tutored by Dr. Carlos Gancedo in collaborative projects, that allowed him to start working with the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans.
After a brief postdoctoral stay in the same laboratory, in 2001, he joined the laboratory of Dr. Arturo Casadevall (Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York), where he specialized in research into virulence mechanisms of pathogenic fungi, mainly Cryptococcus neoformans. In 2006 he joined the National Center for Microbiology of the ISCIII thanks to a “Ramón y Cajal” contract and he became staff scientist in 2009. Currently, he occupies the rank of Research Professor of the OPIs.
During his career, he has published more than 140 articles, 4 book chapters and a popular book ("Microscopic fungi: Friends or Enemies?"). He has obtained public and private projects, and participates as CoIP of a CIBERINFEC group. He has supervised seven doctoral theses, and numerous master's thesis projects.
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Alba Torres Cano
PhD student (FPI contract)
ORCID code: 0009-0008-3151-1803
Alba Torres Cano has a degree in Health Biology from the University of Alcalá de Henares (UAH), and completed the master's degree "Microbiology Applied to Public Health and Infectious Diseases" from the UAH. He completed his master's thesis at the CNM under the direction of Dr. Zaragoza in 2022, focusing on pathogenic yeasts. In that year, he joined the ISCIII with an FPI predoctoral contract under the direction of Dr. Óscar Zaragoza.
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Alejandra Lora Plaza
PhD student (FPI contract)
ORCID code: 0009-0004-4344-1583
Alejandra Lora Plaza graduated in Health Biology and completed the Master in Applied Microbiology in Public Health and Infectious Diseases Research (2021) at the University of Alcalá in both cases. She joined the Department of Microbiology of the Faculty of Biology of the University of Barcelona to carry out her internship and her final degree work. Subsequently, she did her Master's thesis at the Microbiology Laboratory of the Hospital Universitario Príncipe de Asturias. In 2022 she joined the Public Health and Epidemiology group at the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL), Santander, as a research support technician. In 2024 he joined Dr. Concha Gil's group in the Department of Microbiology and Parasitology at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Complutense University of Madrid focusing on yeasts.
In 2025 she joined ISCIII with a predoctoral FPI fellowship under the direction of Dr. Óscar Zaragoza.
List of staff

Additional Information
The group is interested in the study of the immune response from a multidisciplinary perspective that includes genomic, biochemical, proteomic, in vivo and biotechnological models aimed at the design of therapeutic strategies against various chronic, infectious and rare diseases that have a clear immunological component in their etiology.
The current specific objectives focus on:
- Antigenic presentation: Identification of antigenic presentation rules for their application in the design of therapeutic treatments including vaccines.
- Study of CD69 function and its regulation; its use as a therapeutic target in the mobilization of hematopoietic precursors and in the potentiation of the immune response mediated by CD69 with the potentiation of vaccines using the vaccinia virus as a vector.
The group is interested in the study of the immune response from a multidisciplinary perspective that includes genomic, biochemical, proteomic, in vivo and biotechnological models aimed at the design of therapeutic strategies against various chronic, infectious and rare diseases that have a clear immunological component in their etiology.
The current specific objectives focus on:
- Antigenic presentation: Identification of antigenic presentation rules for their application in the design of therapeutic treatments including vaccines.
- Study of CD69 function and its regulation; its use as a therapeutic target in the mobilization of hematopoietic precursors and in the potentiation of the immune response mediated by CD69 with the potentiation of vaccines using the vaccinia virus as a vector.