RESEARCH SUMMARY

The main objectives of our laboratory are geared to understand the molecular basis in the pathogenesis of infectious agents and their interaction with the host, as well as to use this knowledge in the development of vaccines that might be effective against human diseases, like HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, malaria, leishmaniasis and prostate cancer. As a model system of infectious agent and as a delivery vector for expression of genes of interest, we used vaccinia virus (VV) a member of the poxvirus family.

The research areas of our lab are:

a) Structure of vaccinia virus;

b) Mechanism of antiviral and antitumor action of interferons; c) Virus-host cell interaction;

d) Development of vaccines against prevalent human diseases

Main achievements in 2011:

1.Performed the first prophylactic phase I clinical trial in Spain with the HIV/AIDS vaccine candidate MVA-B, developed by our group. The results showed high safety and immunogenicity of the vaccine with 90% recipients responding to the vaccine, proving high activation of memory cells even one year after vaccine administration. A therapeutic phase I clinical trial with MVA-B will begin at the end of 2011.

2. We have developed vaccine candidates based on DNA and vaccinia virus vectors that activate Th1 cell responses and reduce in mice the capacity of different strains of influenza virus to replicate. This proof-of-concept vaccine is intended to serve the basis of a universal T cell vaccine against influenza virus.

3. We have developed DNA and modified vaccinia virus Ankara vectors expressing prostate antigens STEAP and PSCA that when inoculated in mice reduced significantly prostate cancer.

4. We have genetically modified the poxvirus vaccine candidate vectors MVA and NYVAC, which form the basis of vaccines against multiple diseases, and showed stronger immunogenicity than their parental vectors in animal models.

5. Two patents have been applied with the findings obtained .