Serology
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
High SARS-CoV-2 viral load and low CCL5 expression levels in the upper respiratory tract are associated with COVID-19 severity.
Pérez-García F, Martin-Vicente M, Rojas-García RL, Castilla-García L, Muñoz-Gomez MJ, Hervás Fernández I, González Ventosa V, Vidal-Alcántara EJ, Cuadros-González J, Bermejo-Martin JF, Resino S#, Martínez I#. High SARS-CoV-2 viral load and low CCL5 expression levels in the upper respiratory tract are associated with COVID-19 severity. J Infect Dis. 2022 Mar 15;225(6):977-982. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiab604. PMID: 34910814 (A; FI= 7.759; Q1 Microbiology; JCR 2021).
PUBMEDNeighborhood environmental factors linked to hospitalizations of older people for viral lower respiratory tract infections in Spain: a case-crossover study.
Álvaro-Meca A, Sepúlveda-Crespo D#, Resino R, Ryan P, Martínez I#, Resino S#. Neighborhood environmental factors linked to hospitalizations of older people for viral lower respiratory tract infections in Spain: a case-crossover study. Environ Health. 2022 Nov 8;21(1):107. doi: 10.1186/s12940-022-00928-x. PMID: 36348411.
PUBMEDDiagnostic Performance of the HCV Core Antigen Test To Identify Hepatitis C in HIV-Infected Patients: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Sepúlveda-Crespo D, Treviño-Nakoura A, Bellon JM, Jiménez-Sousa MA, Ryan P, Martínez I#, Fernández-Rodríguez A#, Resino S#. Diagnostic Performance of the HCV Core Antigen Test To Identify Hepatitis C in HIV-Infected Patients: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Clin Microbiol. 2023 Jan 26; 61(1):e0133122. doi: 10.1128/jcm.01331-22. PMID: 36537787.
PUBMEDHCV Cure With Direct-Acting Antivirals Improves Liver and Immunological Markers in HIV/HCV-Coinfected Patients.
Brochado-Kith Ó, Martínez I*, Berenguer J, González-García J, Salgüero S, Sepúlveda-Crespo D, Díez C, Hontañón V, Ibañez-Samaniego L, Pérez-Latorre L, Fernández-Rodríguez A, Ángeles Jiménez-Sousa M, Resino S*. HCV Cure With Direct-Acting Antivirals Improves Liver and Immunological Markers in HIV/HCV-Coinfected Patients. Front Immunol. 2021 Aug 23;12:723196. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.723196. eCollection 2021.PMID: 34497613 (A; FI= 8.786; Q1 Immunology; JCR 2021).
PUBMEDHIV screening and retention in care in people who use drugs in Madrid, Spain: a prospective study
Ryan P, Valencia J, Cuevas G; Troya J; Torres-Macho J; Muñoz-Gómez MJ, Muñoz-Rivas N, Canorea I, Vázquez-Morón S (‡), Resino S (‡ *). HIV screening and retention in care in people who use drugs in Madrid, Spain: A prospective study. Infect Dis Poverty. 2021; 10(1): 111. (A; FI= 10.49; D1, Tropical Medicine; JCR 2021). PMID: 34412695. DOI: 10.1186/s40249-021-00894-5.
PUBMEDObesity-related SNPs and weight gain following first-line antiretroviral therapy.
Berenguer J (*), Jarrín I, Bellón JM, Díez C, Jiménez-Sousa MA, Roca C, González-García J, Dalmau D, Olalla J, Herrero C, Villarroya F, Domingo P, Resino S. Obesity-related SNPs and weight gain following first-line antiretroviral therapy. Clin Inf Dis. 2023; In press. (A; FI= 20.99; D1, Infectious Diseases; JCR 2021).
PUBMED DOIMild profile improvement of immune biomarkers in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients who removed hepatitis C after HCV treatment: a prospective study.
García-Broncano P, Medrano LM, Berenguer J, Brochado O, González-García J, Jiménez-Sousa MA, Quereda C, Sanz J, Téllez MJ, Díaz L, Jiménez JL, Muñoz-Fernández MA, Resino S (*). Mild profile improvement of immune biomarkers in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients who removed hepatitis C after HCV treatment: a prospective study. J Infect 2020; 80(1):99-110. (A; FI= 6.07; Q1, Infectious Diseases; JCR 2020). PMID: 31585189. DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2019.09.020.
PUBMEDEvaluation of the possible influence of trailing and paradoxical effects on the clinical outcome of patients with candidemia
Rueda C, Puig-Asensio M, Guinea J, Almirante B, Cuenca-Estrella M, Zaragoza O; CANDIPOP Project from GEIH-GEMICOMED (SEIMC) and REIPI. Evaluation of the possible influence of trailing and paradoxical effects on the clinical outcome of patients with candidemia. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2017 Jan;23(1):49.e1-49.e8.
PUBMED DOIIdentification of Off-Patent Drugs That Show Synergism with Amphotericin B or That Present Antifungal Action against Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida spp
Rossi SA, de Oliveira HC, Agreda-Mellon D, Lucio J, Mendes-Giannini MJS, García-Cambero JP, Zaragoza O. Identification of Off-Patent Drugs That Show Synergism with Amphotericin B or That Present Antifungal Action against Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida spp. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2020 Mar 24;64(4):e01921-19. PMCID: PMC7179310.
PUBMED DOIParadoxical Growth of Candida albicans in the Presence of Caspofungin Is Associated with Multiple Cell Wall Rearrangements and Decreased Virulence
Rueda C, Cuenca-Estrella M, Zaragoza O. Paradoxical growth of Candida albicans in the presence of caspofungin is associated with multiple cell wall rearrangements and decreased virulence. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2014;58(2):1071-83. PMCID: PMC3910852.
PUBMED DOIHCV cure with direct-acting antivirals improves liver and immunological markers in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients.
Brochado-Kith O, Martínez I, Berenguer J, González-García J, Salgüero S, Sepúlveda-Crespo D, Díez C, Hontañón V, Ibañez-Samaniego L, Pérez-Latorre L, Fernández-Rodríguez A (‡), Jiménez-Sousa MA (‡), Resino S (‡ *). HCV cure with direct-acting antivirals improves liver and immunological markers in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients. Front immunol. 2021; 12:723196. (A; FI= 8.79; Q1, Immunology; JCR 2021). PMID: 34497613. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.723196.
PUBMEDCryptococcus neoformans induces antimicrobial responses and behaves as a facultative intracellular pathogen in the non mammalian model Galleria mellonella
Trevijano-Contador N, Herrero-Fernández I, García-Barbazán I, Scorzoni L, Rueda C, Rossi SA, García-Rodas R, Zaragoza O. Cryptococcus neoformans induces antimicrobial responses and behaves as a facultative intracellular pathogen in the non mammalian model Galleria mellonella. Virulence. 2015;6(1):66-74. PMCID: PMC4603429.
PUBMED DOIThe formation of titan cells in Cryptococcus neoformans depends on the mouse strain and correlates with induction of Th2-type responses
García-Barbazán I, Trevijano-Contador N, Rueda C, de Andrés B, Pérez-Tavárez R, Herrero-Fernández I, Gaspar ML, Zaragoza O. The formation of titan cells in Cryptococcus neoformans depends on the mouse strain and correlates with induction of Th2-type responses. Cell Microbiol. 2016 Jan;18(1):111-24.
PUBMED DOIPrevalence and undiagnosed fraction of hepatitis C infection in 2018 in Spain: results from a national population-based survey.
• Estirado Gómez A, Justo-Gil S, Limia A, Avellón A, Arce-Arnáez A, González-Rubio R, Diaz A, Del Amo J; Prevalence and undiagnosed fraction of hepatitis C infection in 2018 in Spain: results from a national population-based survey. Sci Rep. 2018 Jan 30;8(1):1858.
PUBMED DOIComparative Analysis of Aspergillus fumigatus Strains: The Reference Genome as a Matter of Concern.
Buitrago MJ, Martín-Gómez T. Timely Diagnosis of Histoplasmosis in Non-endemic Countries: A Laboratory Challenge. Front Microbiol. 2020 Mar 24; 11:467. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00467. eCollection 2020. PMID: 32269555.
PUBMED DOIIdentification of Novel Short C-Terminal Transcripts of Human SERPINA1 Gene.
Matamala N, Aggarwal N, Iadarola P, Fumagalli M, Gomez-Mariano G, Lara B, Martinez MT, Cuesta I, Stolk J, Janciauskiene S, Martinez-Delgado B. Identification of Novel Short C-Terminal Transcripts of Human SERPINA1 Gene. PLoS One. 2017 Jan 20;12(1):e0170533.
PUBMED DOIA case of respiratory toxigenic diphtheria: Contact tracing results and considerations following a 30-year disease-free interval, Catalonia, Spain, 2015.
Jané, M., Vidal, M.J., Camps, N., Campins, M., Martínez, A., Balcells, J., Martin-Gomez, M.T., Bassets, G., Herrera-Leon, S., Foguet, A., Maresma, M., Follia, N., Uriona, S., Pumarola, T. A case of respiratory toxigenic diphtheria: Contact tracing results and considerations following a 30-year disease-free interval, Catalonia, Spain, 2015. (2018) Eurosurveillance, 23 (13).
PUBMED DOIDevelopment of three multiplex PCR assays targeting the 21 most clinically relevant serogroups associated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infection in humans
Sánchez, S., Llorente, M.T., Echeita, M.A., Herrera-León, S. Development of three multiplex PCR assays targeting the 21 most clinically relevant serogroups associated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infection in humans (2015) PLoS ONE, 10 (1).
PUBMED DOIShiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and atypical enteropathogenic E. coli infection in a Spanish household
Sánchez, S., Cenoz, M.G., Martín, C., Beristain, X., Llorente, M.T., Herrera-León, S. Cluster investigation of mixed O76:H19 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and atypical enteropathogenic E. coli infection in a Spanish household (2014) Epidemiology and Infection, 142 (5), pp. 1029-1033.
PUBMED DOIContent with Investigacion .
-

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.
-

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.
-

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.
-

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.
-

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.
-
Pilar Portolés Pérez
Científico Titular de OPIs. Jefa de Unidad
-
Begoña Galocha Iragüen
Científico Titular
-
Jordi Cano Ochando
Investigador principal
-
Patricia Conde Sanromán
Postdoctoral
-
Haisul Chang
Postdoctoral
-
María González Gómez
Estudiante de doctorado
-
Ana Belén Martin Ezquerra
Técnico especializada de OPIs
-
Soledad Crespo Carrasco
Técnico Contratada
-
Pilar Lauzurica Gómez
Investigador Principal
-
Daniel López Rodríguez
Investigador Principal
-
Elena Lorente Galán
Técnico Especializado de OPIS
-
Almudena Albentosa Cocho
Ayudante de Investigación
-
Carmen Mir Guerrero
Técnico de Laboratorio
-
Miguel Gómez Fontela
Contrato Predoctoral
List of staff
Additional Information
The main objective of the Serology Laboratory is to provide services to centers of the National Health System, through the offer in the service portfolio of the National Microbiology Center, in carrying out diagnosis and reference through the detection of antibodies, both for primary diagnosis and for reference activities.
For this, it has the appropriate serological methodologies, many of them accredited by ENAC in accordance with the ISO15189 standard. Conducts test validation studies through collaboration agreements with private entities.
Participates in seroprevalence studies, carried out through management assignments with the Ministry of Health and with the Public Health authorities of different autonomous communities.
On the other hand, it participates in research projects in relation to infectious diseases, in recent years on neurological diseases, on emerging diseases and on the viruses included in the MMR vaccine.
The main objective of the Serology Laboratory is to provide services to centers of the National Health System, through the offer in the service portfolio of the National Microbiology Center, in carrying out diagnosis and reference through the detection of antibodies, both for primary diagnosis and for reference activities.
For this, it has the appropriate serological methodologies, many of them accredited by ENAC in accordance with the ISO15189 standard. Conducts test validation studies through collaboration agreements with private entities.
Participates in seroprevalence studies, carried out through management assignments with the Ministry of Health and with the Public Health authorities of different autonomous communities.
On the other hand, it participates in research projects in relation to infectious diseases, in recent years on neurological diseases, on emerging diseases and on the viruses included in the MMR vaccine.