Measles, rubella, mumps, parvovirus B19 and rabies
Research Lines
Content with Investigacion .
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.

Research projects
Content with Investigacion .
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
LAMP kit for diagnosis of non-falciparum malaria in Plasmodium ovale infected patients
Cuadros J, Martin Ramírez A, González IJ, Ding XC, Perez Tanoira R, Rojo-Marcos G, Gómez-Herruz P, Rubio JM. LAMP kit for diagnosis of non-falciparum malaria in Plasmodium ovale infected patients. Malar J. 2017 Jan 7;16(1):20.
PUBMED DOIPlasmodium species differentiation by non-expert on-line volunteers for remote malaria field diagnosis
Ortiz-Ruiz A, Postigo M, Gil-Casanova S, Cuadrado D, Bautista JM, Rubio JM, Luengo-Oroz M, Linares M. Plasmodium species differentiation by non-expert on-line volunteers for remote malaria field diagnosis. Malar J. 2018 Jan 30;17(1):54.
PUBMED DOIStudy of the diagnostic accuracy of microbiological techniques in the diagnosis of malaria in the immigrant population in Madrid
Martín-Díaz A, Rubio JM, Herrero-Martínez JM, Lizasoain M, Ruiz-Giardin JM, Jaqueti J, Cuadros J, Rojo-Marcos G, Martín-Rabadán P, Calderón M, Campelo C, Velasco M, Pérez-Ayala A. Study of the diagnostic accuracy of microbiological techniques in the diagnosis of malaria in the immigrant population in Madrid. Malar J. 2018 Aug 29;17(1):314.
PUBMED DOIpective comparative multi-centre study on imported Plasmodium ovale wallikeri and Plasmodium ovale curtisi infections.
Rojo-Marcos G, Rubio-Muñoz JM, Angheben A, Jaureguiberry S, García-Bujalance S, Tomasoni LR, Rodríguez-Valero N, Ruiz-Giardín JM, Salas-Coronas J, Cuadros-González J, García-Rodríguez M, Molina-Romero I, López-Vélez R, Gobbi F, Calderón-Moreno M, Martin-Echevarría E, Elía-López M, Llovo-Taboada J; TropNet Plasmodium ovale investigator group. Prospective comparative multi-centre study on imported Plasmodium ovale wallikeri and Plasmodium ovale curtisi infections. Malar J. 2018 Oct 30;17(1):399.
PUBMED DOIContent with Investigacion .
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Maribel Jiménez Alonso
Tenured Scientist
ORCID code: 0000-0002-5615-3087
Doctor in Pharmacy from the Complutense University of Madrid (1994) and Extraordinary Doctorate Award. She started her research activity at ISCIII in 1990 in the field of leishmaniasis. Currently, she is the head of the LEM where she develops her scientific work in the field of entomological surveillance of phlebotomine sandflies in the CM and other studies in the field of molecular biology, mainly applied to the model of Leishmania infantum and its vector Phlebotomus perniciosus. Member of the team of experts of the ISCIII that participates in the elaboration of Rapid Risk Assessments and in the working groups in charge of the elaboration of National Plans of Prevention, Surveillance and Control of Vector-borne Diseases of the CCAES, Ministry of Health. She is currently “Operational Focal Point” for vector-borne diseases at national level for the One Health-Vectornet network (EFSA and ECDC) and coordinator of the VectorNet-Spain network since July 2024. In addition, she is a member of the expert committee of the Network of Surveillance and Control of Vectors with public health interest in the Community of Madrid. In addition, she is part of a research group from CIBER (CIBERINFEC; CB21/13/00110).
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Inés Martín Martín
Tenured Scientist
ORCID code: 0000-0002-0956-7324
Within Medical Entomology, my work focuses on the study of phlebotomine sand flies and culicidae as vectors of leishmaniasis and arbovirosis, respectively. In 2014 I obtained my PhD degree “cum laude” with European mention from the Complutense University of Madrid. My PhD Thesis (developed at the Instituto de Salud Carlos III), focused on the study of phlebotomine sandfly saliva. Subsequently, during my postdoctoral period, I worked on insect gene editing, molecular, biochemical and functional characterization of insect saliva proteins and their role in the infection and transmission of pathogens. Most of my scientific career has been developed at the Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA. Since 2021 I am a Senior Scientist at the Laboratory of Medical Entomology (ISCIII).
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Ricardo Molina Moreno
Doctor Ad Honorem
ORCID code: 0000-0001-6662-173X
Doctor in Biological Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid (1994). In 1979 he began his professional career at the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), where he became a researcher in 1985. He was in charge of the Medical Entomology Laboratory from that year until his retirement in 2023. He is currently a doctor linked “Ad Honorem”. He has extensive experience in medical entomology, advising the Ministry of Health (CCAES) and Health Departments of Autonomous Communities, on surveillance and control of arthropods transmitting vector-borne diseases. In recent years he has been involved in surveillance programs in Spain for leishmaniasis vectors, especially in the Fuenlabrada outbreak, and for viruses causing Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever and dengue. Also in the surveillance of invasive exotic mosquitoes, especially Aedes albopictus, in ports and airports. In his last stage he has been part of the research group within the CIBER (CIBERINFEC; CB21/13/00110).
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Marcos López de Felipe Escudero
Predoctoral contract FPU
ORCID code: 0000-0002-2919-836X
Graduated in Biology from the Autonomous University of Madrid and Master in Tropical Parasitic Diseases from the University of Valencia. He started his professional career in 2019 in surveillance and management of hematophagous diptera of veterinary-medical interest, as well as other urban pests. In 2024 he began his work at the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) within the framework of the project “Evaluation of the anti-leishmanicidal effect of the bacterium Tc1 and its derivatives in the intravectorial cycle of the parasite” directed by Dr. Inés Martín Martín where he continues after the award of a FPU fellowship. He has extensive experience in medical entomology, especially in surveillance and vector control and taxonomic identification. Her career so far has focused mainly on the study of phlebotomine sand flies, simulids and culicidae, with special attention to citizen science.
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Eva Pérez Martínez
Clinical and Biomedical Laboratory Technician
ORCID code: 0000-0002-6553-9969
Graduated in 2019 from the Advanced Vocational Training Program in Clinical and Biomedical Laboratory Sciences. I began my professional career in 2020 at Eurofins Megalab laboratories. In 2024, I started working as a freelance professional on an international project focused on the bioecology of phlebotomine sand flies in urban environments across the Mediterranean Basin, conducting fieldwork in Spain, Italy, Greece, and southern France within the framework of citizen science. Since 2025, I have been part of the Medical Entomology Laboratory at the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), where I work as a laboratory technician on the project “Biochemical and functional characterization of salivary proteins from Phlebotomus perniciosus and their role in Leishmania infantum infection (PERNIPROT)”, led by Dr. Inés Martín Martín.
List of staff
Additional Information
This group, together with the CNM Serology Laboratory (LS), houses the National Reference Laboratories for Rabies (RD 1940/2004) and Measles and Rubella (National Elimination Plan) that are integrated into the corresponding European networks. It has 10 self-developed techniques in its service portfolio (2 accredited by ENAC and 3 by the WHO). In addition, it attends to three CNM microbiological surveillance programs (measles and rubella, mumps and rabies). It is integrated into a CIBERESP group of which Juan E. Echevarría is head and in which other CNM researchers participate.
Research on MMR vaccine diseases is currently financed through an AESI project (PI15CIII/00023) of which Aurora Fernández García is co-PI and in which the LS, the CNE, the CAM (LRSP and the Epidemiology Service) and a network of primary care pediatricians participate. of the CAM.
Research on lisaviruses and other viruses associated with bats is currently funded through the VIROBAT-4 project (MINECO, SAF 2017-89355-P) of which Juan E. Echevarría is PI and in which the CNM Respiratory Viruses Laboratory, the Doñana Biological Station (CSIC) and the University of Alcalá de Henares participate.
This group, together with the CNM Serology Laboratory (LS), houses the National Reference Laboratories for Rabies (RD 1940/2004) and Measles and Rubella (National Elimination Plan) that are integrated into the corresponding European networks. It has 10 self-developed techniques in its service portfolio (2 accredited by ENAC and 3 by the WHO). In addition, it attends to three CNM microbiological surveillance programs (measles and rubella, mumps and rabies). It is integrated into a CIBERESP group of which Juan E. Echevarría is head and in which other CNM researchers participate.
Research on MMR vaccine diseases is currently financed through an AESI project (PI15CIII/00023) of which Aurora Fernández García is co-PI and in which the LS, the CNE, the CAM (LRSP and the Epidemiology Service) and a network of primary care pediatricians participate. of the CAM.
Research on lisaviruses and other viruses associated with bats is currently funded through the VIROBAT-4 project (MINECO, SAF 2017-89355-P) of which Juan E. Echevarría is PI and in which the CNM Respiratory Viruses Laboratory, the Doñana Biological Station (CSIC) and the University of Alcalá de Henares participate.