Microbial Immunology and Immunogenetics
Research Lines
Content with Investigacion .
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 .
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
What’s in a name? Species-wide whole-genome sequencing resolves invasive and noninvasive lineages of Salmonella enterica serotype Paratyphi B
7. Connor, T.R., Owen, S.V., Langridge, G., Connell, S., Nair, S., Reuter, S., Dallman, T.J., Corander, J., Tabing, K.C., Le Hello, S., Fookes, M., Doublet, B., Zhou, Z., Feltwell, T., Ellington, M.J., Herrera, S., Gilmour, M., Cloeckaert, A., Achtman, M., Parkhill, J., Wain, J., De Pinna, E., Weill, F.-X., Peters, T., Thomson, N. What’s in a name? Species-wide whole-genome sequencing resolves invasive and noninvasive lineages of Salmonella enterica serotype Paratyphi B (2016) mBio, 7 (4).
PUBMED DOIInvasive salmonella infections among children from Rural Mozambique, 2001-2014
9. Mandomando, I., Bassat, Q., Sigaúque, B., Massora, S., Quintó, L., Ácacio, S., Nhampossa, T., Vubil, D., Garrine, M., Macete, E., Aide, P., Sacoor, C., Herrera-León, S., Ruiz, J., Tennant, S.M., Menéndez, C., Alonso, P.L. Invasive salmonella infections among children from Rural Mozambique, 2001-2014 (2015) Clinical Infectious Diseases, 61, pp. S339-S345.
PUBMED DOIFrecuencia de sustituciones relevantes asociadas a resistencia en la región NS5A a elbasvir en el virus de la hepatitis C en pacientes con genotipo 1a en España
2. Palladino C, Esteban-Cartelle B, Mate-Cano I, Sánchez-Carrillo M, Resino S, Briz V. Frecuencia de sustituciones relevantes asociadas a resistencia en la región NS5A a elbasvir en el virus de la hepatitis C en pacientes con genotipo 1a en España Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin. 2018; 36 (5): 262-267. (A; FI= 1.707; Q2 Microbiology).
PUBMED DOIDevelopment of water-soluble polyanionic carbosilane dendrimers as novel and highly potent topical anti-HIV-2 microbicides.
4. Briz V, Sepulveda-Crespo D, Diniz AR; Borrego P, Rodes B; Javier de la Mata F, Gomez R, Taveira N, Muñoz-Fernandez MA. Development of water-soluble polyanionic carbosilane dendrimers as novel and highly potent topical anti-HIV-2 microbicides. Nanoscale 2015, 7(35): 14669-14683. (A; FI= 7.76; D1 Materials Science, Multidisciplinary).
PUBMED DOIHepatitis A outbreak disproportionately affecting men who have sex with men (MSM) in the European Union and European Economic Area, June 2016 to May 2017.
6. Hepatitis A outbreak disproportionately affecting men who have sex with men (MSM) in the European Union and European Economic Area, June 2016 to May 2017. Ndumbi P, Freidl GS, Williams CJ, Mårdh O, Varela C, Avellón A, …. Severi E; Members Of The European Hepatitis A Outbreak Investigation Team. Euro Surveill. 2018 Aug;23(33). doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2018.23.33.1700641.
PUBMED DOIDetection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core-specific antibody suggests occult HCV infection among blood donors
7. Detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core-specific antibody suggests occult HCV infection among blood donors. Quiroga JA, Avellón A, Bartolomé J, Andréu M, Flores E, González MI, González R, Pérez S, Richart LA, Castillo I, Alcover J, Palacios R, Carreño V, Echevarría JM. Transfusion. 2016 Jul;56(7):1883-90. Epub 2016 May 17.
PUBMED DOIHepatitis E virus: Assessment of the epidemiological situation in humans in Europe, 2014/15.
8. Hepatitis E virus: Assessment of the epidemiological situation in humans in Europe, 2014/15. Adlhoch C, Avellon A, Baylis SA, Ciccaglione AR, Couturier E, de Sousa R, Epštein J, Ethelberg S, Faber M, Fehér Á, Ijaz S, Lange H, Manďáková Z, Mellou K, Mozalevskis A, Rimhanen-Finne R, Rizzi V, Said B, Sundqvist L, Thornton L, Tosti ME, van Pelt W, Aspinall E, Domanovic D, Severi E, Takkinen J, Dalton HR. J Clin Virol. 2016 Sep;82:9-16. Epub 2016 Jun 23.
PUBMED DOIFull coding hepatitis E virus genotype 3 genome amplification method
9. Full coding hepatitis E virus genotype 3 genome amplification method. Muñoz-Chimeno M, Forero JE, Echevarría JM, Muñoz-Bellido JL, Vázquez-López L, Morago L, García-Galera MC, Avellón A. J Virol Methods. 2016 Apr;230:18-23. Epub 2016 Jan 16.
PUBMED DOIAntigenicity of Leishmania-Activated C-Kinase Antigen (LACK) in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells, and Protective Effect of Prime-Boost Vaccination With pCI-neo-LACK Plus Attenuated LACK-Expressing Vaccinia Viruses in Hamsters
2. Fernández L, Carrillo E, Sánchez-Sampedro L, Sánchez C, Ibarra-Meneses AV, Jimenez MA, Almeida VDA, Esteban M, Moreno J. Antigenicity of Leishmania-Activated C-Kinase Antigen (LACK) in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells, and Protective Effect of Prime-Boost Vaccination With pCI-neo-LACK Plus Attenuated LACK-Expressing Vaccinia Viruses in Hamsters. Front Immunol. 2018 Apr 23;9:843.
PUBMED DOIInterleukin-2 as a marker for detecting asymptomatic individuals in areas where Leishmania infantum is endemic.
5. Ibarra-Meneses AV, Carrillo E, Sánchez C, García-Martínez J, López Lacomba D, San Martin JV, Alves F, Alvar J, Moreno J. Interleukin-2 as a marker for detecting asymptomatic individuals in areas where Leishmania infantum is endemic. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2016 Aug;22(8):739.e1-4.
PUBMED DOIProtein malnutrition impairs the immune response and influences the severity of infection in a hamster model of chronic visceral leishmaniasis.
7. Carrillo E, Jimenez MA, Sanchez C, Cunha J, Martins CM, da Paixão Sevá A, Moreno J. Protein malnutrition impairs the immune response and influences the severity of infection in a hamster model of chronic visceral leishmaniasis. PLoS One. 2014 Feb 25;9(2):e89412.
PUBMED DOIMolecular typing of Leishmania infantum isolates from a leishmaniasis outbreak in Madrid, Spain, 2009 to 2012
9. Chicharro C, Llanes-Acevedo IP, García E, Nieto J, Moreno J, Cruz I. Molecular typing of Leishmania infantum isolates from a leishmaniasis outbreak in Madrid, Spain, 2009 to 2012. Euro Surveill. 2013 Jul 25;18(30):20545.
PUBMED DOIHigh levels of anti-Phlebotomus perniciosus saliva antibodies in different reservoirs from the re-emerging leishmaniasis focus in Madrid, Spain.
2. Martín-Martín I, Molina R, Rohoušová I, Drahota J., Volf P, Jiménez M. High levels of anti-Phlebotomus perniciosus saliva antibodies in different reservoirs from the re-emerging leishmaniasis focus in Madrid, Spain. Vet Parasitol 2014, 202: 207–216.
PUBMED DOICould wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) be reservoirs for Leishmania infantum in the focus of Madrid, Spain?
3. Jiménez M, González E, Martín-Martín I, Hernández S, Molina R. Could wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) be reservoirs for Leishmania infantum in the focus of Madrid, Spain?. Vet Parasitol 2014, 202: 296–300.
PUBMED DOIReview of ten-years presence of Aedes albopictus in Spain 2004–2014: known distribution and public health concerns.
5. Collantes F, Delacour S, Alarcón-Elbal PM, Ruiz-Arrondo I, Delgado JA, Torrell-Sorio A, Bengoa M, Eritja R, Miranda MA, Molina R, Lucientes J. Review of ten-years presence of Aedes albopictus in Spain 2004–2014: known distribution and public health concerns. Parasit Vectors. 2015 Dec 23;8:655.
PUBMED DOIPhleboviruses detection in Phlebotomus perniciosus from a human leishmaniasis focus in South-West Madrid region, Spain.
6. Remoli ME, Jiménez M, Fortuna C, Benedetti E, Marchi A, Genovese D, Gramiccia M, Molina R, Ciufolini MG. Phleboviruses detection in Phlebotomus perniciosus from a human leishmaniasis focus in South-West Madrid region, Spain. Parasit Vectors 2016, 9:205.
PUBMED DOIInfectivity of Post-Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis patients to sand flies: revisiting a proof of concept in the context of the Kala-azar Elimination Program in the Indian subcontinent.
7. Molina R, Ghosh D, Carrillo E, Monnerat S, Bern C, Mondal D, Alvar J. Infectivity of Post-Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis patients to sand flies: revisiting a proof of concept in the context of the Kala-azar Elimination Program in the Indian subcontinent. Clin Infect Dis 2017, 65:
PUBMED DOIPrevalence and molecular characterization of Strongyloides stercoralis, Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp., and Blastocystis spp. isolates in schoolchildren in Cubal, Central Angola
2. Dacal E, Saugar JM, de Lucio A, Hernández de Mingo M, Robinson E, Aznar Ruiz de Alegría ML, Espasa M, Ninda A, Gandasegui J, Sulleiro E, Moreno M, Salvador F, Molina I, Rodríguez E, Carmena D. 2018. Prevalence and molecular characterization of Strongyloides stercoralis, Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp., and Blastocystis spp. isolates in schoolchildren in Cubal, Central Angola. Parasites and Vectors, 11: 67.
PUBMED DOIMolecular diversity and frequency of the diarrheagenic enteric protozoan Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in a hospital setting in Northern Spain.
3. Azcona-Gutiérrez JM, de Lucio A, Hernández-de-Mingo M, García-García C, Soria-Blanco LM, Morales L, Aguilera M, Fuentes I, Carmena D. 2017. Molecular diversity and frequency of the diarrheagenic enteric protozoan Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in a hospital setting in Northern Spain. PLoS One, 12: e0178575.
PUBMED DOIDetection of zoonotic protozoa Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis suihominis in wild boars from Spain. Zoonoses Public Health
4. Calero-Bernal, R., Pérez-Martín, J.E., Reina, D., Serrano, F.J., Frontera, E., Fuentes, I, Dubey, J.P., 2016. Detection of zoonotic protozoa Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis suihominis in wild boars from Spain. Zoonoses Public Health. 63:346-50
PUBMED DOIContent with Investigacion .
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Sara Vázquez Ávila
Técnico de Laboratorio
Obtuve mi título como Técnico de Laboratorio Clínico y Biomédico en el año 2020 y en el 2021obtuve el Grado Superior de Anatomía Patológica y Citodiagnóstico. Trabajé en el Centro Andaluz de Biología Molecular y Medicina Regenerativa (Sevilla) y en el Departamento de Farmacología de la Facultad de Medicina (Universidad Complutense de Madrid). Actualmente soy Técnico de Laboratorio en el Laboratorio de Helmintos del CNM (ISCIII).
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Maria Jesús Perteguer Prieto
Investigadora Titular, Jefa de grupo
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Javier Sotillo Gallego
Científico Titular
ORCID code: 0000-0002-1443-7233
En el año 2011 obtuve mi título de doctor “cum laude” por la Universidad de Valencia. Durante mi etapa postdoctoral en la James Cook University en Australia (2012-2019) me especialicé en estudiar las interacciones parásito-hospedador usando diferentes técnicas ómicas. En 2019 volví España y comencé a trabajar en el Laboratorio de Helmintos del CNM (ISCIII) primero como Investigador Miguel Servet y más adelante como Investigador Ramón y Cajal. Actualmente soy Científico Titular en el mismo laboratorio.
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Ana Hernández González
Laboral Fijo Doctor
ORCID code: 0000-0001-6762-8175
Licenciada en Biología y doctora en Enfermedades Tropicales por la Universidad de Salamanca. Puestos ocupados con anterioridad: investigadora predoctoral en el IRNASA-CSIC (contrato JAE predoc), investigadora postdoctoral en el CNM (contrato Sara Borrell) e investigadora contratada como técnico superior en el CNM (RICET). Actualmente, personal Laboral Fijo Doctor en el laboratorio de Helmintos del CNM.
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Esther Rodríguez Pérez
Técnico de Laboratorio
ORCID code: 0000-0002-3680-7733
Obtuve mi título como Graduada en Biología Sanitaria en el año 2015 y en el año 2019 obtuve el Grado Superior de Laboratorio de Diagnóstico Clínico. De 2019 a 2022 trabajé en el Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), en el Departamento de Biogeoquímica y Ecología Microbiana. Actualmente trabajo como Técnico de Laboratorio en el Laboratorio de Helmintos del CNM (ISCIII).
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Lourdes Castro Companioni
Ayudante de Investigación
ORCID code: 0009-0003-2746-4067
Bióloga sanitaria graduada en la Universidad de Alcalá de Henares (UAH), con master de Microbiología y Salud pública en la UAH en colaboración con el ISCIII.
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