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Investigation
AIDS Immunopathology
Research Lines
Content with Investigacion .
B) Study of the distribution and dynamics of HPV infections in risk groups. There are some particularly vulnerable groups, some of them difficult to access (sex workers, transgender groups, etc.), in which HPV infections deserve special attention. The prevalence of HPV infection is especially high in people living with HIV and/or among men who have sex with men. Knowledge of the distribution and dynamics of infections is especially interesting in these groups, as they may help to improve current algorithms for the prevention of anogenital cancer.
C) Study of infection by HPV genotypes and their relationship with progression to neoplastic processes. The oncogenic capacity of some HPV genotypes and their involvement in the production of anogenital cancer is well known. In addition, there are other oncological processes, such as non-melanoma skin cancer, in which HPV could be implicated. Thus, members of the gamma-24 HPV species have recently been associated with skin cancer. It is to be hoped that the appearance of new genotypes and the performance of more extensive studies may lead to the identification of new associations between HPV and neoplastic processes.
D) Study of co-infections by different HPV genotypes. The presence of co-infections of different HPV genotypes is a very frequent finding, both in skin samples and in different mucous membranes. The great genetic diversity of HPV limits the ability of classical molecular methods to perform a comprehensive detection and study of the genotypes present. However, the use of massive sequencing makes it possible to eliminate some of these biases and to obtain more detailed information on the existing HPV populations, as well as to analyze interactions between the different genotypes.
E) Description of new HPV genotypes/variants. Currently at the International HPV Reference Center (Karolinska Institute, Sweden) more than 220 HPV genotypes are described, distributed in 5 different genera. However, improved molecular detection techniques, as well as the use of massive sequencing, are allowing this number to increase rapidly. The study of new genotypes and variants is essential for the validation and quality control of available diagnostic methods. Similarly, their characterization and the study of possible associations of HPV with pathologies other than those already known is a field of great interest for research.
Research projects
Content with Investigacion .
Projects with public funding
TITLE: Virulence factors of pathogenic yeasts and their influence on the host.
FUNDING ENTITY: Ministry of Education and Science.
POSITION HELD: Principal Investigator, Contracted “Ramón y Cajal”.
START/FINISH: 2006-2007
AMOUNT: 15,000 EUROS
TITLE: Characterization of fungal giant cells and their role during infection in mammals.
FINANCING ENTITY: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
POSITION HELD: Principal Investigator, Contracted “Ramón y Cajal”.
START/FINISH: 2006-2007
AMOUNT: 55,000 EUROS
TITLE: Search and identification of genes involved in the resistance to antifungal agents in
Cryptococcus neoformans
FUNDING ENTITY: Ministry of Science and Innovation.
POSITION HELD: Principal Investigator, Contracted “Ramón y Cajal”.
START/FINISH: 2008-2010
AMOUNT: 25,000 EUROS
COLLABORATORS: Juan Luis Rodríguez Tudela (National Center of Microbiology, ISCIII. Madrid); Manuel Cuenca Estrella (National Center of Microbiology, ISCIII. Madrid); Maria Jose Gianinni (Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas-UNESP). Brazil
TITLE: Role of morphological changes of the pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans during host infection.
FUNDING ENTITY: Ministry of Science and Innovation. National Plan Program “Non-oriented Fundamental Research”, area of Biomedicine, SAF2008-03761.
POSITION HELD: Principal Investigator, Contracted “Ramón y Cajal”.
START/END: 2009-2011
AMOUNT: 46,000 EUROS
PROJECT TITLE: Identification of the molecular mechanisms involved in the morphogenesis of Cryptococcus neoformans and study of their function during infection.
FUNDING ENTITY: Ministry of Science and Innovation, National Plan for Non-Oriented Fundamental Research, Biomedicine Area, Referencia: SAF2011-25140
DURATION FROM: January 2012 UNTIL: December 2014
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Oscar Zaragoza Hernández
This project has an FPI grantee granted.
SUBSIDY: 90.000 euros
TITLE: Importance of morphogenesis in the virulence of pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans and improvement of amphotericin B-based cryptococcosis therapy. Reference: SAF2014-25140
FUNDING ENTITY: MINECO (Call for R+D+I Projects “RETOS INVESTIGACION)
POSITION HELD: Principal Investigator
START/FINISH: 2015-2017
Funding: 100.000 €.
TITLE: Study of the molecular basis and factors inducing morphological changes in Cryptococcus neoformans and characterization of new therapeutic strategies. Reference: SAF2017-86912-R
FUNDING ENTITY: MINECO (Call for R+D+I Projects “RETOS INVESTIGACION)
POSITION HELD: Principal Investigator
START/END: 2018-2020
Funding: 106.000 €.
TITLE: Mechanisms of adaptation of the pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans to the lung. Reference: PID2020-114546RB
FUNDING ENTITY: Ministry of Science and Innovation, State Research Agency (Call “Proyectos I+D+I” 2020 - Modalities “Research Challenges” and “Knowledge Generation”).
POSITION HELD: Principal Researcher
START/END: 01/09/2021-31/05/2025
Funding: 143,990 €.
TITLE: Precision medicine against antimicrobial resistance. MePRAM Project.
FUNDING ENTITY: Research Projects on Precision Personalized Medicine of the Strategic Action in Health 2021-2023, under the PERTE for Vanguard Health and charged to the European funds of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.
POSITION: Collaborator (Principal Investigator: Jesús Oteo Iglesias)
START/FINISH: 2023-2025
Funding: 4.339.500 €.
TITLE: Centre for Biomedical Research in Network. Infectious Diseases Area (CIBERINFEC)
Funding Agency: Insituto de Salud Carlos III. Reference: CB21/13/00105
Dates: 2022-2026 Funding: 85.000 € (first year)
PI: Emilia Mellado Terrado / CoPI: Óscar Zaragoza Hernández
TITLE: Study of the genetic, metabolic and cellular determinants that influence titan cell formation in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans and correlation with antifungal exposure.
CALL FOR PROJECTS: Knowledge Generation Projects.
FUNDING ENTITY. State Research Agency. Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
REFERENCE: Project PID2023-148686OB-I00 Project funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by FEDER, EU.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Oscar Zaragoza Hernández
START/END: 2024-2027
FUNDING: 180.000 €.
TITLE: Characterization of azole-resistant Candida parapsilosis isolates associated with hospital outbreaks: New strategies for their detection and treatment.
CALL: Strategic Action in Intramural Health.
FUNDING ENTITY. Carlos III Health Institute.
REFERENCE: AESI-2024 PI24CIII/00051
PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER: Oscar Zaragoza Hernández / Laura Alcázar Fuoli
START/FINISH: /01/012025-31/12/2027
FUNDING: 70.000 €.
Projects financed by biotechnology companies
PROJECT TITLE: Amphores. Evaluation of the induction of oxidative damage by Amphoterin B in susceptible and resistant yeast species.
FUNDING ENTITY: Gilead
DURATION FROM: 2011 TO: 2012
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Oscar Zaragoza Hernández
GRANT: 55,000 euros
TITLE: Fungomics. Evaluation of the activity of amphotericin B and other antifungals against human pathogenic fungi.
FINANCING ENTITY: Gilead
POSITION HELD: Principal Investigator
START/END: 2019-2020
TITLE: Antifungal susceptibility testing of a set of Candida spp to CD101 and anidulafungin in five microdilution plates.
FUNDING ENTITY: Cidara
POSITION HELD: Principal Investigator
START/END: 2018
TITLE: Cidara MultiCentre EUCAST study
FUNDING ENTITY: Cidara
POSITION HELD: Principal Investigator
START/END: 2016
TITLE: Characterization of triazole-resistant Candida parapsilosis isolates from Spanish hospitals
FUNDING ENTITY: Gilead Science
POSITION HELD: Principal Investigator
START/END: 2022-2023
TITLE: EUCAST multicentre MIC testing of manogepix meeting EUCAST ECOFF setting criteria
FUNDING ENTITY: Pfizer
POSITION HELD: Principal Investigator
START/END: 2023
Publications
Polymorphisms in Host Immunity-Modulating Genes and Risk of Invasive Aspergillosis: Results from the AspBIOmics Consortium
7. Lupiañez CB, Canet LM, Carvalho A, Alcazar-Fuoli L, Springer J, Lackner M, Segura-Catena J, Comino A, Olmedo C, Ríos R, Fernández-Montoya A, Cuenca-Estrella M, Solano C, López-Nevot MÁ, Cunha C, Oliveira-Coelho A, Villaescusa T, Fianchi L, Aguado JM, Pagano L, López-Fernández E, Potenza L, Luppi M, Lass-Flörl C, Loeffler J, Einsele H, Vazquez L; PCRAGA Study Group, Jurado M, Sainz J. Polymorphisms in Host Immunity-Modulating Genes and Risk of Invasive Aspergillosis: Results from the AspBIOmics Consortium. Infect Immun. 2015 Dec 14;84(3):643-57.
PUBMED DOICell Wall Changes in Amphotericin B-Resistant Strains from Candida tropicalis and Relationship with the Immune Responses Elicited by the Host.
9. Mesa-Arango AC, Rueda C, Román E, Quintin J, Terrón MC, Luque D, Netea MG, Pla J and Zaragoza O. Cell Wall Changes in Amphotericin B-Resistant Strains from Candida tropicalis and Relationship with the Immune Responses Elicited by the Host. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 2016. 60(4):2326-35.
PUBMED DOIThe role of respiratory viruses in children with humoral immunodeficiency on immunoglobulin replacement therapy
Benavides-Nieto M, Méndez-Echevarría A, Del Rosal T, García-García ML, Casas I, Pozo F, de la Serna O, Lopez-Granados E, Rodriguez-Pena R, Calvo C. The role of respiratory viruses in children with humoral immunodeficiency on immunoglobulin replacement therapy. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2019 Feb;54(2):194-199. Indice Impacto: 3,157. Revista en Q1.
PUBMED DOISeasonality and geographical spread of respiratory syncytial virus epidemics in 15 European countries, 2010 to 2016.
Broberg EK, Waris M, Johansen K, Snacken R, Penttinen P; European Influenza Surveillance Network. Seasonality and geographical spread of respiratory syncytial virus epidemics in 15 European countries, 2010 to 2016. Euro Surveill. 2018 Feb;23(5). Indice Impacto: 5,983. Revista en Decil 1
PUBMED DOIHuman Metapneumovirus infections in hospitalized children and comparison with other respiratory viruses in 2005-2014 prospective study.
García-García ML, Calvo C, Rey C, Díaz B, Molinero MD, Pozo F, Casas I. Human Metapneumovirus infections in hospitalized children and comparison with other respiratory viruses in 2005-2014 prospective study. PLoS One. 2017 Mar 16;12(3):e0173504. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173504. eCollection 2017. Indice Impacto: 2,766. Revista en Q1.
PUBMED DOIRespiratory Infections by Enterovirus D68 in Outpatients and Inpatients Spanish Children
Calvo C, Cuevas MT, Pozo F, García-García ML, Molinero M, Calderón A, Gonzalez-Esguevillas M, Pérez-Sautu U, Casas I. Respiratory Infections by Enterovirus D68 in Outpatients and Inpatients Spanish Children. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2016 Jan;35(1):45-9.
PUBMED DOIClinical and Virologic Characteristics of Early and Moderate Preterm Infants Readmitted with Viral Respiratory Infections.
García-Garcia ML, González-Carrasco E, Quevedo S, Muñoz C, Sánchez-Escudero V, Pozo F, Casas I, Calvo C. Clinical and Virologic Characteristics of Early and Moderate Preterm Infants Readmitted with Viral Respiratory Infections. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2015 Jul;34(7):693-9. Indice Impacto: 2,587. Revista en Q1
PUBMED DOIEight Year Prospective Study of Adenoviruses Infections in Hospitalized Children. Comparison with Other Respiratory Viruses.
Calvo C, García-García ML, Sanchez-Dehesa R, Román C, Tabares A, Pozo F, Casas I. Eight Year Prospective Study of Adenoviruses Infections in Hospitalized Children. Comparison with Other Respiratory Viruses. PLoS One. 2015 Jul 6;10(7):e0132162. eCollection 2015. Indice Impacto: 3,057. Revista en Q1
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 AIDS Immunopathology Unit has been coordinated since 2000 by Dr. José Alcamí, bringing together during its history more than 20 independent researchers who collaboratively study different aspects of HIV infection. During this years, more than 30 visiting researchers and more than 50 national and international students have passed through the unit. From the beginning of the year 2025, Javier García Pérez and Francisco Díez Fuertes assumed the coordination of the AIDS Immunopathology Unit, with the aim of projecting its scientific competitiveness following multidisciplinary approaches and through the maintenance of the current close collaborations, as well as the promotion of participation in new national and international research networks.
Historically, the current members of the unit have focused on different lines of basic research that include the study of antibodies and the development of vaccines against HIV-1, the study of viral entry and tropism of the virus or the study of the host through the genomic characterization of populations with an extreme phenotype. Currently, the activity of our unit in the field of HIV-1 is focused on three main lines:
1. Mecanismos moleculares asociados a la protección de la infección por VIH-1 en pacientes con distrofia muscular de cinturas dominante D2 (LGMDD2).
2. Generación de anticuerpos neutralizantes de uso terapéutico basados en la respuesta neutralizante de amplio espectro frente a virus fundadores.
3. Cribado y caracterización de nuevos fármacos anti-latencia frente al VIH-1.
A partir del año 2020, nuestra unidad se vuelca con la investigación sobre COVID-19, participando y liderando diferentes proyectos de investigación aplicada y clínica. Fruto de esta fuerte implicación en el campo, en la actualidad se mantienen diferentes estudios sobre la caracterización de la respuesta inmune frente a SARS-CoV-2, integrando diferentes técnicas de virología molecular, estrategias de inteligencia epidemiológica y tecnologías de célula única.
We also participate in different research consortiums and networks, such as the Spanish AIDS Research Network or the Center for Biomedical Research in Infectious Diseases Network (CIBER-INFEC), in which we participate as researchers in different lines and work packages within the research programs “Global Health, emerging and re-emerging infections” as well as “HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections”.
Supervised doctoral theses
1. GENOMIC AND FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF HIV-1 PROTECTION PARAMETERS IN PATIENTS WITH SLOW PROGRESSION OF INFECTION.
Student: Erick de la Torre Tarazona.
Supervisors: José Alcamí and Francisco Díez Fuertes.
Academic entity: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
Defense date: July 14th, 2020.
2. ANALYSIS OF MIARN EXPRESSION PROFILES AND FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION IN HIV-POSITIVE INDIVIDUALS WITH DIFFERENT PROGRESSION TO AIDS.
Student: Rubén Ayala Suárez.
Supervisors: José Alcamí and Francisco Díez Fuertes.
Academic entity: Universidad de Alcalá.
Defense date: June 12nd, 2023.
The AIDS Immunopathology Unit has been coordinated since 2000 by Dr. José Alcamí, bringing together during its history more than 20 independent researchers who collaboratively study different aspects of HIV infection. During this years, more than 30 visiting researchers and more than 50 national and international students have passed through the unit. From the beginning of the year 2025, Javier García Pérez and Francisco Díez Fuertes assumed the coordination of the AIDS Immunopathology Unit, with the aim of projecting its scientific competitiveness following multidisciplinary approaches and through the maintenance of the current close collaborations, as well as the promotion of participation in new national and international research networks.
Historically, the current members of the unit have focused on different lines of basic research that include the study of antibodies and the development of vaccines against HIV-1, the study of viral entry and tropism of the virus or the study of the host through the genomic characterization of populations with an extreme phenotype. Currently, the activity of our unit in the field of HIV-1 is focused on three main lines:
1. Mecanismos moleculares asociados a la protección de la infección por VIH-1 en pacientes con distrofia muscular de cinturas dominante D2 (LGMDD2).
2. Generación de anticuerpos neutralizantes de uso terapéutico basados en la respuesta neutralizante de amplio espectro frente a virus fundadores.
3. Cribado y caracterización de nuevos fármacos anti-latencia frente al VIH-1.
A partir del año 2020, nuestra unidad se vuelca con la investigación sobre COVID-19, participando y liderando diferentes proyectos de investigación aplicada y clínica. Fruto de esta fuerte implicación en el campo, en la actualidad se mantienen diferentes estudios sobre la caracterización de la respuesta inmune frente a SARS-CoV-2, integrando diferentes técnicas de virología molecular, estrategias de inteligencia epidemiológica y tecnologías de célula única.
We also participate in different research consortiums and networks, such as the Spanish AIDS Research Network or the Center for Biomedical Research in Infectious Diseases Network (CIBER-INFEC), in which we participate as researchers in different lines and work packages within the research programs “Global Health, emerging and re-emerging infections” as well as “HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections”.
Supervised doctoral theses
1. GENOMIC AND FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF HIV-1 PROTECTION PARAMETERS IN PATIENTS WITH SLOW PROGRESSION OF INFECTION.
Student: Erick de la Torre Tarazona.
Supervisors: José Alcamí and Francisco Díez Fuertes.
Academic entity: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
Defense date: July 14th, 2020.
2. ANALYSIS OF MIARN EXPRESSION PROFILES AND FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION IN HIV-POSITIVE INDIVIDUALS WITH DIFFERENT PROGRESSION TO AIDS.
Student: Rubén Ayala Suárez.
Supervisors: José Alcamí and Francisco Díez Fuertes.
Academic entity: Universidad de Alcalá.
Defense date: June 12nd, 2023.