About
The Immunopathology Research Group is framed within the Immunology Service of Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital. It is made up of an experienced interdisciplinary team that is highly motivated to conduct translational research and give support to clinical teams who are developing their own research projects to examine the mechanisms of the immune response in different diseases.
In the laboratory, the group has advanced immunopathology diagnostics services including: autoimmunity, allergies, immunochemistry, cellular immunology, immunodeficiencies, histocompatibility and various panels for immune monitoring of immune-mediated illnesses and immunological treatments (immune-modulating drugs, monoclonal antibodies, cellular therapies and other immunotherapeutic procedures). Their clinical laboratory belongs to the Clinical Laboratory of the North Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (LCMN), and is a certified (ISO 9001:2015) and advanced laboratory in the implementation of the accreditation of UNE-EN ISO 15189 standards. Since 2008, the group has been developing new immune tolerance-inducing therapies.
The team is made up of staff immunologists, postdoctoral researchers, pre-doctoral researchers and technicians who conduct prestigious national and international research projects. The laboratory is one of 25 centres of European excellence recognized by the Federation of Clinical Immunological Societies (FOCIS). Since 2009, it is a Consolidated Group as recognised by the Agency for Management of University and Research Grants of the Catalan Government. The leader of the group was also the coordinator of a COST European network consisting of the most important groups in the field of tolerogenic cellular therapies for autoimmunity, severe allergies and transplants (European Action COST BM1305-AFACTT).
Group leader
- Eva Mª Martínez Cáceres
Eva Mª Martínez Cáceres
Principal investigator and Head of the Immunology Department.
Contact: emmartinez.germanstrias(ELIMINAR)@gencat.cat
ORCID: 0000-0002-6762-8025
Team
Principal investigator
Cristina M Ramo-Tello(ELIMINAR)
Postdoctoral researchers
Luis Soria, PhD(ELIMINAR)
Federico Fondelli, PhD(ELIMINAR)
PhD students
Jana Willemyns(ELIMINAR)
Hendrik Veltman(ELIMINAR)
Alex Agúndez-Moreno(ELIMINAR)
Lab manager
Berta Arcos Ribas(ELIMINAR)
Technician
Maria Corredera Garcia(ELIMINAR)
Research lines
Innovation and diagnostic immunology
Modern clinical immunology has to translate the new possibilities for therapies into an optimised personal treatment. This requires knowledge of the immunological status of healthy controls, and of patients in different pathological situations for selection of the best treatment and monitoring of its efficiency. The aim of this research line is to identify new biomarkers for diagnostics or monitoring response to treatment and to implement functional immune-phenotypic panels for patients with immune-mediated illnesses and/or in treatment with therapies that target the immune system.
Different research lines are currently ongoing:
- Normal values of immunological parameters (Dr A. Teniente Serra)
- Immunological follow-up of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients (Dr B. Quirant Sánchez)
- Follow up immune responses of SARS-CoV-2 and Long COVID patients (Dr B Quirant Sánchez)
- Immunology of Transplantation (Dr M Iglesias-Escudero)
- Immunooncology (Dr J Climent Martí)
- Neuroimmunology (Prof E. Martínez-Cáceres and Dr C Ramo Tello)
- Mechanisms of immunological tolerance (E Martínez-Cáceres)
Clinical epidemiology research
The objective is to understand the immunopathology of immuno-mediated illnesses, the predictive value and pathogenicity, diagnostic and/or prognostic values of serological and genetic cellular markers available.
Immune therapies inducing tolerance
The objective is to develop therapeutic strategies to re-establish immunological tolerance to autoantigens (in autoimmune diseases), to allergens (in severe allergies) and to alloantigen (in transplantation). Currently, the group is concentrating on innovative therapies for autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system (multiple sclerosis) and kidney transplantation.
Neuroimmunology: cellular tolerance therapy in multiple sclerosis
Codirection by Dr C. Ramo Tello, Head of the Multiple Sclerosis Unit in the Department of Neuroscience, and E. Martínez-Cáceres
From in vitro studies in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis) the group has developed a autologous tolerogenic cell product consisting of VitD3 monocyte-derived dendritic cells from multiple sclerosis patients. This therapy was approved by the Spanish Regulatory Agency (AEMPS) and a Phase I dose-scalation clinical trial was developed, showing safety, tolerability and feasibility. Currently, the group is set to start a Phase II trial (already approved by the AEMPS).
Active projects
El sistema immunitari al llarg de la vida: Base per a una medicina personalitzada
PI: Aina Teniente Serra
Funding agency: JMC Legacy Research Fund of Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital
Agency code: 2022_51
Duration: 2.5 years
Inmunomonitorización de los biomarcadores CD64 y HLA-DR para el estudio de sepsis en el paciente crítico
PI: Fernando Arméstar. Collaborator: B Quirant
Funding agency: JMC Legacy Research Fund of Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital
Agency code: 2022_58
Duration: 2.5 years
Selección de la mejor terapia en melanoma BRAF mutado: impacto de la heterogeneidad tumoral en la validación de marcadores y de la plasticidad celular en la adquisición de resistencia a terapia dirigida
PI: Anna Martínez Cardus. Collaborator: Joan Climent Martí
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Agency code: PI23/00421
Novel approaches to dissect mechanisms of immune tolerance and develop novel biomarkers in multiple sclerosis
PI: Eva Martínez Cáceres
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Agency code: PI23/00158
HORIZON-HLTH-2022-DISEASE-06-02-two-stage. Advanced Antigen-Specific Dendritic Cell-Based Therapy to Re-establish Tolerance in Immune-Mediated Diseases (IMMUTOL)
WP leader: Eva Martínez Cáceres
Funding agency: EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation
Duration: 2023 - 2026
H2020 -MSCA-ITN-2023. Innovative applications of extracorporeal photopheresis in solid organ transplantation
PIs: Maria Iglesias Escudero, Eva Martinez-Caceres
Funding agency: EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation
FWO-TBM. Treatment of multiple sclerosis patients with VitD3 tolerogenic dendritic cells. Phase II trial
PIs: Nathalie Cools, C Ramo Tello, E Martinez Caceres
Funding agency: EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation
Agency code: T002523N
Manipulation of inflammation as a strategy to induce immunological tolerance: towards personalized immunotherapy in chronic autoimmune diseases
IP: Cristina Ramo Tello
Funding Agency: ISCIII
Agency code: PI21/00944
Duration: 2022 – 2025
Identificación y validación de biomarcadores de diagnóstico, pronóstico o manejo terapéutico
IP: Cristina Ramo Tello
Funding Agency: ISCIII
Agency code: RD21/0002/0021
Duration: 2022 - 2025
Immunomonitorització del Transplantament Renal
PI: María Iglesias Escudero
Funding agency: JMC Legacy Research Fund of Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital
Agency code: LE207
Duration: 2025 - 2028
Past projects
Immunoterapia con células dendríticas tolerogénicas en esclerosis múltiple. Estudios preclínicos e immunomonitorización
PI: Eva Martínez Cáceres
Agency code: FIS21000
Duration: 2015 – 2018
Inducción de TOLERancia con células dendríticas tratadas con VITamina D3 y cargadas con péptidos de mielina, en pacientes con Esclerosis Múltiple: TolerVit-MS
PI: Cristina Ramo
Agency code: PI16/01737
Duration: 01/01/2017 – 30/06/2021
Neuronal self-renewal by antigen-specific tolerization in multiple sclerosis reinstalling the balance between inflammation and regeneration
PI: Eva Martínez Cáceres
Agency code: EUR44500
Duration: 2018 – 2022
Caracterización molecular de células dendríticas tolerogénicas en condiciones de inflamación crónica. Del laboratorio a la clínica, y vuelta al laboratorio
PI: Eva Martínez Cáceres
Funding Agency: ISCIII
Agency code: Pl20/01313
Duration: 2021 – 2024
INnovative Training in Myeloid Regulatory Cell Therapy (INsTRuCT)
IP: Eva Martínez Cáceres
Funding Agency: European Commission. H2020-MSCA-ITN-2018. Health, demographic change and well-being
Agency code: ITN00l00.PI (Spain)
Duration: 01/01/2020 - 31/08/2024
Inducción de Tolerancia: Nuevas vías y dianas terapéuticas
PI: Eva Martínez Cáceres
Agency code: FIS36400
Duration: 2018 - 2020
A negative dendritic-cell based vaccine for the treatment of multiple sclerosis: a first-in-man multicenter trial
PI: Eva Martínez Cáceres
Agency code: IWT17400
Duration: 2015 - 2019
Use of spectral flow cytometry for the deep characterization of innate immune cells in progressive MS
PI: Aina Teniente Serra
Funding Agency: Spanish Network of Multiple Sclerosis
Agency Code: REEM
Duration: 2020 – 2021
Immunological profile of risk in COVID19
PI: Aina Teniente Serra
Funding Agency: ISCIII
Agency code: COV20_00388
Duration: 2021 – 2022
Neuronal Self-Renewal By Antigen-Specific Tolerization In Multiple Sclerosis Reinstalling The Balance Between Inflammation And Regeneration (RESTORE)
PIs: Eva Martínez Cáceres, Cristina Ramo Tello
Agency code: 779316
Duration: 01/01/2018 - 31/12/2022
More information
Scientific publications
Highlighted 2024 publications
Fondelli F, Willemyns J, Domenech-Garcia R, Mansilla MJ, Godoy-Tena G, Ferreté-Bonastre AG, Agúndez-Moreno A, Presas-Rodriguez S, Ramo-Tello C, Ballestar E, Martínez-Cáceres E. Targeting aryl hydrocarbon receptor functionally restores tolerogenic dendritic cells derived from patients with multiple sclerosis. J Clin Invest. 2024 Nov 1;134(21):e178949. DOI: 10.1172/JCI178949.
López C, Depreux N, Bielsa I, Roger A, Quirant-Sanchez B, Basagaña M, Jurgens Y, Padró C, Miquel S, Martinez-Caceres E, Teniente-Serra A. Peripheral blood T-cell modulation by omalizumab in chronic urticaria patients. Front Immunol. 2024 Aug 20;15:1413233. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1413233.
Torán-Monserrat P, Lamonja-Vicente N, Costa-Garrido A, Carrasco-Ribelles LA, Quirant B, Boigues M, Molina X, Chacón C, Dacosta-Aguayo R, Arméstar F, Martínez Cáceres EM, Prado JG, Violán C; ProHEpiC-19 study group. SARS-CoV-2 Infection Risk by Vaccine Doses and Prior Infections Over 24 Months: ProHEpiC-19 Longitudinal Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2024 Nov 22;10:e56926. DOI: 10.2196/56926.
Additional information
Collaborative networks
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INSTRUCT Consortium: A network of European scientists from academic and industry focused on developing innovative myeloid regulatory cell (MRC)-based immunotherapies. The consortium recevies funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 860003. More information
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IMMUTOL Consortium: It gathers experts and institutions from different sectors, from research institutions and academia, patients' association to hospitals and corporate SME to fast-track cell development of a 2nd generation VitD3DC product for clinical application. The research group brings to IMMUTOL expertise in translational Research, (from basic in vitro and in vivo experimental autoimmune encephalomyelits preclinical studies to clinical application), in the field of multiple sclerosis. More information
- RICORS (RD21/0002): A multidisciplinary network of clinical and basic researchers created with the aim of promoting personalized and precise medicine in the area of inflammatory diseases through the clinical validation of molecular and imaging biomarkers. The Neuroimmonology subgroup from Immunopathology group focuses on new therapeutic strategies for MS patients, Immunomonitoring and research for biomarkers of response to treatment for MS patients, the study of outbreaks in MS patients. More information
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EXTRA-HORIZON: exTra is a Doctoral Network funded by the European Union Horizon Europe Programme dedicated to establishing new indications for ECP in organ transplantation through a deeper understanding of its immunological, pharmacological and pharmaceutical basis. More information
Doctoral theses
Title: Toward Second-Generation Cell Immunotherapies for Multiple Sclerosis: Combining Antigen Specific Approaches with Immunomodulation
Author: Federico Fondelli
Supervisor: Eva Martinez Caceres & Esteban Ballestar
University: UAB
Date of defence: 26/09/2024
Title: Dynamics of Peripheral Blood T Lymphocyte Subpopulations in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients and Their Relationship with Tumor Characteristics and RECIST Response in Treatment with Anti-PD1/PDL1 Antibodies
Author: Joan Climent Martí
Supervisor: Eva Martínez Cáceres & Teresa Morán Bueno
University: UAB
Date of defence: 24/03/2025
News
IGTP’s podcast launches a new episode dedicated to multiple sclerosis
The episode features Eva Martínez-Cáceres and Cristina Ramo. Together, they explain the basics of multiple sclerosis and the research they are conducting. The episode also includes the testimony of a patient, who shares what it is like to live with the disease.
Can Ruti welcomes students from Badalona for the Science Week
Nearly 200 baccalaureate and vocational training students from the Badalona institutes visited the centres at the Can Ruti Campus. The event "Open House, get to know the Can Ruti Campus up close", organised by the Badalona Education Service and IGTP, in coordination with other institutions on the Campus, has become a flagship initiative of the Science Week.
Contact
(+34) 93 497 8666 / (+34) 93 497 8656
More links
COST Project: Action to Focus and Accelerate Cell-based Tolerance-inducing Therapies · Follow @Inmunocanruti on X · Donate via Amics de Can Ruti