Our group started originally over forty years ago. A major founding milestone was the postgraduate study of Dr Jose Viña with the late Sir Hans Krebs at the University of Oxford. This has led the whole Group to a "metabolic-oriented approach to problems" as it could not be otherwise stemming from Sir Hans Krebs. Upon his return to Spain, Dr Viña started a small group in the University of Valencia that has been working, on and off, for the last thirty-five years. Sometimes Dr Viña was away from the University of Valencia, but the seed of the Group had been sown. Very seriously established scientists like Dr Federico Pallardo, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine - University of Valencia, Dr Juan Sastre, Dr Jose Estrella, Dr Guillermo Saez, all of them professors of biochemistry or physiology at the University of Valencia, the late Dr Navarro, University of Cadiz and Dr Juan Llopis, University of Albacete started their scientific work in this group and latar established their own successful independent groups.Some twenty years ago the major hard-core members of the Group in its present form came to the laboratory and these include Dr Ana Lloret, Dr Carmen Gomez-Cabrera and Dr Consuelo Borras. All the three are now very well established scientists and form the backbone of the Group. Other permanent members include Dr Juan Gambini, Dr Marta Ingles, and Dr Gloria Olaso. For over twenty years we have been blessed by the help of Marilyn Noyes; she has been integrated in the Group for all these years and we hope for many more to come.
Our collaborations with many colleagues, indeed friends, in Spain are so frequent that we would not like to highlight any of them. We are delighted to have all these friends around the country.
We have established close connections with other labs around the world. Some examples include the labs of Dr Giovanni E Mann and of Dr Malcolm Jackson in the UK, Dr Giuseppe Poli in Italy, Dr Helmut Sies and Dr Tilman Grune in Germany, Drs Delamarche in France, Drs Boveris and Dr Fraga in Argentina and Dr Bruce Ames, Dr Packer, Dr Orr and Dr Li Li Ji in the US.
There is a continuous renewal of our Group and we are happy to have had temporary members in the team from Spain, not only from Valencia, but also from France, Italy, Portugal, Morocco, Argentina, Sahara, or Japan. The names of Dr Frédéric Derbré, Dr Gaetano Serviddio, Dr Diana Rus, Dr Jelena Marcovic, Dr Nancy Mora and Dr Mika Jikamaru are just a few examples of this international collaboration. These have been indeed very interesting people who have come to us and have contributed to the pleasant spirit of this team. We consider ourselves as a "scientific family" and hope we will continue contributing to biomedical research and enjoying life at our laboratory.
Our research group is dedicated to a multi-scale study of evolutionary processes and the application of acquired knowledge to improve the health status of human collectives. This description is necessarily generic and ambiguous, and it focuses on a series of research activities that are detailed below:
- Epidemiology and evolution of pathogenic microorganisms. We take advantage of the research capability granting us access to genetic information (gene sequences and genomes) on recent history and evolutionary processes that act and have acted on microorganisms, normally bacteria and viruses, and enable follow-up and monitoring as a way to track the origin of transmission paths, the introduction and expansion of genes and drug-resistant variants, etc.
- Evolutionary systems biology. The recent developments in massive sequencing techniques and bioinformatics allow a rebuild of the evolutionary history of organisms, their genes and genomes, as well as that of components formed by all the various systems. The implementation of these methodologies in pathogenic organisms and their hosts makes us reach a better understanding on pathogenesis as well as alternatives and possibilities to act against them.
- Mutation and viral evolution (VIRMUT). A mutation represents the ultimate source for genetic variation and, as such, a key factor that clarifies the great variability and rapid evolution of ARN viruses. In this field, we estimated the virus mutation rate in animals, plants and bacteriophages (RNA as well as DNA ones). As of today, we are working on an in vitro and in vivo mutation rates estimate of different, biomedically relevant human viruses, such as HIV-1 or hepatitis C. With the use of different experimental approximations, we count on being able to detect mechanisms yet unknown in the creation of RNA diversity.
- Biologic complexity and robustness. The organisms’ capacity to withstand mutations (genetic or mutational robustness) determines the strength of natural selection and plays an important role in evolution. With the directed mutagenesis technique, we characterised the distribution of mutational effects based on the biological efficacy of various RNA viruses. This allowed us to observe notoriously low robustness levels. Moreover, our group pointed out the existence of a correlation between epistasis (interaction between genes or loci) and genomic complexity. The Systems Biology currently offers tools that allow to test these predictions.
- Experimental evolution of oncolytic viruses. Different RNA viruses show a certain degree of spontaneous selectiveness towards cancer cells, which is convenient in potential candidates for the development of therapeutic applications. The vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is a RNA virus with natural oncolytic activity and it’s usually used in our laboratory for studies on experimental evolution. The VSV adaptation to different cancer cell lines by experimental evolution will enable the obtainment of potential oncolytics, provided it results in a relevant decrease of its efficacy in primary cells. The virus candidates will be tested in vivo through infections in mice.
Main research lines:
- Symbiosis evolution: The Symbiosis is an important factor for the promotion of evolutionary novelties. Studying it requires a joint analysis of the eukaryote host and its closely associated microorganisms by employing genomics and metagenomics. Moreover, the symbiosis of insects and humans is studied in a fundamental manner.
- Synthetic biology. The study of genomes of a microorganism variety offers clues for the comprehension and synthesis of minimal cells with applications in biomedicine, bioremediation and biotechnology.
- Genetic study of aphids: Taxonomy and reproductive polyphenism. Identification of genes and regulating channels for aphid reproduction (parthenogenesis vs sexuality).
The Gastrointestinal Infection Research Group of the Department of Microbiology and Ecology works in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry and is linked to the Clinical Microbiology Service of the Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia.
Our main objective is to investigate the pathogenic mechanisms of infectious agents that produce gastrointestinal pathology, mainly viruses (rotavirus and norovirus), as well as the immune response caused by these infections. Rotavirus and norovirus produce gastroenteritis that affect children, although noroviruses can also infect people of any age, often causing epidemic outbreaks. We study the immunological mechanisms of protection against these infections, as well as the molecular determinants that condition susceptibility to them.
We are the "Excellence PROMETHEUS PHASE II Group" of the GVA, G24 member of the Networked Biomedical Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM-ISCIII). Since 2013 we are active partners in Europe within the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (Acción 3) Cognitive Decline Group of the European Innovation Partnership for Active and Healthy Ageing (EIPAHA) Programme; we actively participate in defining a clinically useful position on Mild Cognitive Decline. We direct and coordinate the Assessment Unit for Personal Autonomy, Dependency and Mental Disorders (TMAP) located at the Faculty of Medicine UCIM-INCLIVA, with a service offer including biomechanical and neurocognitive assessments as part of the prevention of fragility signs in populations at risk. The TMAP Unit is the pioneer in carrying out and implementing assessments for patients with mental disorders and / or cognitive and functional deterioration in a comprehensive and personalised manner. These assessments are necessary to determine how people cope with everyday activities in case of disease or deterioration, and to provide them with useful information in order to apply measures allowing for an healthy and independent life.
From the group's formation in 2001 to its consolidation in 2007, work was carried out to contribute to the knowledge of cognitive and functional deficits of serious mental illnesses, with a special focus on schizophrenic and bipolar patients and their first-degree relatives. Currently, our knowledge is also focused on direct and inverse Multimorbidity in patients with complex diseases such as CNS disorders, cancer or metabolic diseases. The group can also be found in research areas such as: studies on disease burden (Global Burden of Disease studies), systematic review and networked meta-analysis, neurogenetics and cell therapy (stem cells,) and, finally, Nutritional Psychiatry.
The fundamentally basic research activity of the ParaSalut group covers different aspects of the relationship between health and parasites, in both humans and animals carrying parasitic diseases or their models. The group presents lines of work on parasitic diseases caused by Protozoa, as well as Helminths and Arthropods. All the lines are already in progress and have numerous publications, as shown on the group members’ resumes.
Protozoa: One of the group’s research lines focuses on the influence of intestinal parasites (mainly protozoa) on human nutrition, given that said parasites interfere directly or indirectly with the nutrient absorption processes, maldigestion and / or malabsorption. Therefore, this line consists of two main objectives: 1) study on the relationship between intestinal parasites and food intolerances to carbohydrates, and 2) studies on the relationship between intestinal parasites and mother-child nutrition, as well as the analysis of the nutritional status of mothers and children and the effect of parasitosis on child development.
Helminths: Different aspects of helminthic diseases are addressed with a focus on epidemiology, ecology and parasite-host relationships.
Epidemiology / ecology: There are two lines addressing aspects on epidemiology and ecology of diseases caused by helminths. One of them analyses the study on biological cycles, transmission and population dynamic of helminths in murine models that have shown to be good bio-indicators of the parasite-host relationship. These studies are complemented by the line working on the creation of Geographical Information Systems with the use of satellite images and thematic maps for epidemiology modelling and the transmission of human and animal parasites, and the influence of climate change on them. Likewise, studies on food-transmitted parasitic diseases are addressed in another line in which the study of anisakiasis in fish for human consumption represents its basic pillar.
Parasite-host relationships: the establishment of a parasitic disease results from the parasite succeeding over the host. The analysis for the established relationships between both are fundamental to know the factors said establishment depends on, thus enabling the implementation of adequate preventive measures. Likewise, the specificity of this relationship is a tool for the improvement of current diagnostic methods. In these parasite-host relationships, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have lately proved to be a valuable instrument for these purposes.
The ParaSalud group develops a line on the study of EVs in different helminths of human and veterinary interest. Said EVs are isolated and characterised by their composition (proteins, miRNAs) and their use as target molecules for diagnosis, treatment and / or vaccination is experimentally evaluated. This previously undertaken research line is reinforced by other lines from the group working on the study of parasite-host relationships by techniques generally referred to as “omics”, including genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics.
The line on human Taeniasis / Cisticerosis is part of both aspects: epidemiological studies of materials from different countries, and ultrastructural as well as secretomics studies of the infective form of human cisticerosis, the egg.
Arthropods: Equally important are ectoparasite arthropods, considering that in addition to being vectors of parasitic diseases, they have their own pathogenic potential. The Medical Entomology line carries out the diagnosis and epidemiologic analysis of mosquitos populations, lice, bedbugs and myisis cases.
The group has a double mission: on the one hand, to contribute to research into the Rare Respiratory Diseases-RRD area in order to improve diagnosis, prognosis and access to new therapies in the RRD treatment, as well as contributing to a higher care quality for patients with these pathologies.
On the other hand, the group's mission is to raise social awareness of RRD through the scientific spreading of biomedical advances and socio-health policies aimed at improving the patients' quality of life in all its aspects. Therefore, the group's raison d'être is to generate as much knowledge as possible about the rare respiratory diseases that are a priority for the group, with the ultimate aim of helping to improve the RRD patients' quality of life.
The group is focused on studying molecular and cellular bases of RRD in depth, which will contribute to boost knowledge of the physiopathological mechanisms of these diseases. This approach will open up a field of possibilities for defining molecular targets that will be the basis for their subsequent translation into new methods of RRD diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.
Likewise, as part of the group's mission, and being aware of the importance of both patients and their families are well informed, the members are committed to collaborating, organising and spreading the characteristics and possible biomedical advances related to RRD.
The RRD research group is led by Dr Amparo Escribano, and is made up of 5 regular members: 1 Doctor of Molecular Biology and Genetics, 2 specialists in Paediatric Pneumology (1 Doctor of Paediatric Pneumology and 1 pre-doctoral fellow), 2 graduates in Biology, who are doing the Doctoral Programme with excellence mention in Physiology at the Faculty of Medicine of the UV, and a journalist.
Since 2011, the laboratory has a training welcome programme to select future members of the group. Over the next 5 years, it is expected to increase its size and modify its composition thanks to the training of three postdoctoral researchers and the incorporation of three pre-doctoral fellows.
The group is characterised by its extensive experience in basic research and RRD clinical management. It is in fact one of the few groups with these characteristics within the UV.
The members of the research group have experience in handling different techniques for biomolecular studies that not all researchers at UV may be familiar with (cell immortalization, gene therapy, etc.)
However, the greatest strength of the group is the synergy obtained from its multidisciplinary nature: on the one hand, the main researcher (Dr Escribano) brings to the group a great deal of clinical medical knowledge of respiratory pathologies, and she is renowned for her work in paediatric pneumology. On the other hand, the group's researcher (Dr Dasí) has extensive technical experience and training in basic sciences, which are essential for managing the laboratory and implementing techniques, protocols, etc. Likewise, the IP has proved to be competent to develop projects and research hypotheses, which has led to place the group above the average quality in scientific publications produced at the UV.
As for the pre-doctoral members of the group, most of them are starting their doctoral training. It is therefore a young and motivated team with a great capacity for learning and a commitment to continuity in the short and medium term. The characteristics provided by the group members are essential to guarantee the success of the objectives set by the group in a minimum period of three years.
