Our work is focused on the study of the role of the fibrillins (FBNs) in the protection of photosystems against abiotic stresses. FBNs are a family of chloroplastic proteins of unknown function. Some of these proteins are localized in the plastoglobules (PGs, lipo-protein bodies originated from thylakoid membranes and that remain attached to them). We aim to determine the function of those FBNs associated to PGs in different metabolic processes in the chloroplast, and specially in the defense of the photosystems against light and chilling stresses.

R&D of new drugs for the treatment of neurological diseases, with high traslatational contens. Multidisciplinary group (chemistry, pharmacy and biology) with experience in chemoinformatics, organic synthesis, biological screening, ADMETox properties optimization and technology transfer. Our projects offer new candidates for medicines and knowledge on innovative targets with clear therapeutic potential for unmet diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), depression, stroke, etc.

Theoretical study of physico-chemical properties of molecules with biological interes

Our work is aimed at identifying and characterizing the global regulatory networks that allow bacteria to modulate the expression of their genes in response to physiological and environmental signals, thereby helping to coordinate the metabolism of the cell. We seek to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying these regulatory processes.

Our group is interested in deciphering at a molecular and cellular level the mechanisms involved in infectious processes caused by intracellular bacterial pathogens as Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes. We put special emphasis in the study of non-productive infection models in which both the pathogen and the host coexist. These models can provide insights into teh basis of asymptomatic or peristent infections as well as chronic pathologies linked to microbial infections.

Our laboratory is committed to understanding how bacteria that inhabit natural niches sense and process multiple environmental signals into distinct responses –both at the level of single cells and as a community. Unlike laboratory settings, in which growth conditions can be controlled and changed one at a time, bacteria in the environment must perpetually make decisions between activating metabolic genes for available, frequently mixed C-sources and those for escaping or adapting to physicochemical stress.

Our group is interested in different aspects of Bioinformatics, Computational Biology and Systems Biology. Our goal is to obtain new biological knowledge with an "in-silico" approach which complements the "in-vivo" and "in-vitro" methodologies of Biology. This mainly involves mining the massive amounts of information stored in biological databases. Besides our lines of scientific research, we also collaborate with experimental groups providing them with bioinformatics support for their specific needs, and participate in different teaching projects.

Our laboratory is focused on the study of pathogenic human viral infections. Our studies are centered at understanding the molecular basis of viral pathogenesis as well as on identifying novel molecular targets for antiviral therapy. The final aim of our studies is to propose new therapeutic approaches for antiviral treatment as well as for reversion of virus-induced pathogenesis. We believe that determining the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which the virus replicates will provide new opportunities in the fight for clinically relevant human pathogens.

Conventional CD4+ T cells contribute to early immune responses by capturing bacteria by transphagocytosis. Surprisingly, transphagocytic CD4+ T cells destroy internalized bacteria. Exposure to bacteria “trains” CD4+ T cells that overexpress MHC-I and coestimulatory molecules and become hyperinflammatory secreting locally inflammatory cytokines that could block the immunosuppressive environment generated by solid tumor.

The aim of our research is to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms that direct embryonic development in vertebrates. We use mouse and chicken embryos as models for the study of the role of new genes on organogenesis and their possible function on tissue homeostasis, pathology and regeneration in the adult. Our focus is on limb development, analysing digit morphogenesis and heart development, studying the role of Arid3b in cellular motility and cardiogenesis.