RESEARCH GROUPS

Microbiology

Overview

Team

Publications

Projects

Patents

Dissemination

67

Number of publications

70.15
%

% Q1

34.33
%

% D1

55.22
%

% Leadership

40.54
%

% Female Leadership

1.65

CROWN (2021-2025)

17.30
%

HCP10% (2021-2025)

74.63
%

% Open access

29.85
%

% International Collaboration

8

Highly cited papers / HCP 1% (2021-2025)

3

Publications in high-IF journals with high Altmetric scores

19

Number of Ongoing Projectes (total)

2

International ongoing projects

3

Number of New projects (total)

0

International new projects

1

Number of Active clinical Trials

0

Number of New Clinical Trials

1

Number of Theses

The Microbiology research group of the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) focuses on microbiological aspects in basic, translational and clinical research to improve outcomes in patients with infectious diseases. Our priority research areas are:
  • Surveillance of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases
  • Respiratory viral infections
  • Vaccine-preventable diseases
  • Sexually transmitted infections
  • Antimicrobial resistance
  • Sepsis
  • Development and validation of rapid microbiological diagnostic devices
  • International Health
  • Hepatitis
The group actively collaborates with microbiology laboratories, healthcare services, and national and international institutions, as well as research networks of the Carlos III Health Institute. It also conducts extensive surveillance of the genotypic and phenotypic evolution of microorganisms in the community, analyzing virulence, transmissibility, antigenic escape, and antimicrobial resistance in collaboration with public health authorities.

CORE/MISSIONS

  • AI, Data, Imaging & Digital Health
  • Environmental & Public Health

PROGRAMS

TEAM

Group Leader

Juan José González López

Principal Investigator (PI)

Juan José González López, Andres Antón Pagarolas, Maria Francesca Cortese, Juliana Esperalba Esquerra, Yannick Hoyos Mallecot, Joan Joseph Munné, María Nieves Larrosa Escartín, Ariadna Rando Segura, Elena Sulleiro Igual

Researchers

Cristina Andrés Vergés, Eva Balada Prades, Ester del Barrio Tofiño, Mayli Lung Súarez, María Teresa Martín Gómez, Alba Mir Cros, Albert Moreno Mingorance, Patricia Nadal Barón, Virginia Rodríguez Garrido, Daniel Romero Herrero, Carles Rubio Maturana, Loreto Sangorrin Lapieza, Sol María San José, Narcís Saubí Roca, Aroa Silgado Giménez, María Teresa Tórtola Fernández, Marina Vicente Ciurans, María Belén Viñado Pérez

PhD Students

Maria Arnedo Muñoz, Alejandra González Sánchez, Patricia Martínez Vallejo, Alejandro Mediavilla Pérez, Javier Pérez Garreta, Guillem Puigsech Boixeda, Josep Roca Grande

Lab Technicians

Maria Eugènia Agustí Carol, Alicia Barberán Masegosa, Alisa Davtyan Avetisyan, Manuel Solivella Rodríguez, Rodrigo Vásquez Mercado, Marta Vila Salvador

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Roca-Grande J, Mir-Cros A, Muñoz-Almagro C, Lung M, Bellés-Bellés A, Càmara J, Cercenado E, Galán-Ladero MÁ, Martín-Nalda A, Moreno-Mingorance A, Navarro de la Cruz D, Orellana MÁ, Palop B, Pérez-Argüello A, Puigsech-Boixeda G, Quesada MD, Rivera A, Rodriguez-Fernandez A, Ruiz de Gopegui E, Sarvisé C, Soler-Garcia A, Viñado B, Larrosa N, González-López JJ; GE-EMIE Study Team
Genomic characterization of invasive Neisseria meningitidis in Spain (2011/12-2022/23): expansion of clonal complex 213 and the potential threat to 4CMenB vaccine strain coverage
Emerg Microbes Infect. 2025 Dec;14(1):2482696
DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2025.2482696
IF: 7.5

Saubi N, Andrés C, Prats-Méndez I, González-Sánchez A, Davtyan A, Vásquez-Mercado R, Rando A, Nadal P, Esperalba J, Arnedo M, Vicente M, Balada E, Mendioroz J, Martín MC, García-Camuñas K, Vaz R, Najarro A, Bernalte S, Larrosa N, Antón A; SIVIC Infectious diseases sentinel network.
Expansion of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 NA:S247N viruses with reduced susceptibility to oseltamivir, Catalonia, Spain, and in Europe, July to October 2025
Euro Surveill. 2025 Dec;30(48):2500873
DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.48.2500873
IF: 7.8

Martínez-Vallejo P, Silgado A, Mediavilla A, Rubio Maturana C, Zarzuela F, Muixí M, Goterris L, Rodríguez E, Vázquez S, Salvador F, Oliveira-Souto I, Molina I, Serre-Delcor N, Sotillo J, Sulleiro E
Comparison of three real-time polymerase chain reaction protocols for the diagnosis of imported schistosomiasis in a non-endemic setting
Parasit Vectors. 2025 Dec 29;19(1):57
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-025-07203-1
IF: 3.5

Degasperi E, Scholtes C, Testoni B, Renteria SU, Anolli MP, Charre C, Facchetti F, Plissonnier ML, Sambarino D, Perbellini R, Monico S, Callegaro A, García-Pras E, Lens S, Cortese MF, Forns X, Pérez-Del-Pulgar S, Heil M, Levrero M, Zoulim F, Lampertico P
Differential HBV RNA and HBcrAg patterns in untreated patients with chronic hepatitis delta
J Hepatol. 2025 Jun;82(6):1004-1011
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2024.11.051
IF: 33.0

Joseph-Munné J, Maya-Hoyos M, Saubi N, Perez S, Lopez MAM, Baron E, Soto CY
Recombinant Mycobacterium bovis BCG-Based HIV Vaccine: Failures and Promising Approaches for a Successful Vaccine Strategy
Vaccines (Basel). 2025 Jun 3;13(6):606
DOI: 10.3390/vaccines13060606
IF: 3.4

SELECTED PROJECTS

Impacto del uso profiláctico de la doxiciclina para prevenir las infecciones de transmisión sexual en la selección de resistencias a antimicrobianos
Principal Investigator: Juan José González López
Agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 187,375 €
Period: 2025-2027

Sistema integral para la vigilancia clínica, epidemiológica y microbiológica (SiVEV/BCN) de la enfermedad asociada a enterovirus en Barcelona ciudad
Principal Investigator: Andrés Antón Pagarolas
Agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 214,170 €
Period: 2023-2025

Estudio multicéntrico para la mejora del diagnóstico y la caracterización molecular de las diferentes formas clínicas de leishmaniasis en el área mediterránea
Principal Investigator: Elena Sulleiro Igual
Agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 108,750 €
Period: 2024-2026

Búsqueda de biomarcadores (inmunológicos y/o celulares) predictivos de respuesta virológica o de control de la infección en la hepatitis crónica D
Principal Investigator: Maria Francesca Cortese
Agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 220,000 €
Period: 2024-2026

iDIAGNOSTICS: an innovative AI-powered diagnostic system for malaria, schistosomiasis, and other infectious diseases using a universal low-cost robotized microscope and a smartphone application
Principal Investigator: Joan Joseph Munné
Agency: Fons d'impuls tecnològic
Funding: 15,000 €
Period: 2025

PATENTS

Synthrocyte: Erythrocyte-mimicking reagent and fast methods for pathogen characterization and serology testing
Priority Number: PCT/EP2020/066292
Priority Date: 10/07/2025
Applicants: VHIR

DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES

Course on non-antimicrobial alternatives for tackling multidrug-resistant bacteria
Place: Online
Date: 13/03/2025-13/09/2025
Brief: Webinar organised by the Study Group on Mechanisms of Action and Antimicrobial Resistance (GEMARA) of the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC)

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Update Days on Respiratory Viruses and Others 2025
Place: Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron
Date: 17/12/2025
Brief: Enterovirus: what we know and why its detection and monitoring are important

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XVI Jornades Catalanes de Salut Internacional i Migracions
Place: Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron
Date: 05/06/2025-06/06/2025
Brief: Workshops organised by the Vall d'Hebron-Drassanes Tropical Medicine and International Health Unit, Infectious Diseases Service

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GILEAD-AEEH PODCAST. Interview with Dr Rando Segura
Place: Online
Date: 13/01/2025
Brief: A podcast series organised as part of the joint Gilead-AEEH grants for ‘Micro-elimination Projects for Hepatitis C and Epidemiology of Hepatitis D’, a forum in which various AEEH experts explore the most significant advances in healthcare and the projects that are making a difference in our society

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