Molecular and Epidemiological Study of Resistant Microorganisms of Clinical Interest

Strategic objectives

  • To enhance national collaborations and promote international ones by joining networks, consortia, and study groups.
  • To promote translational research results in clinical practice for patients and society.
  • To participate in innovation projects with interdisciplinary teams.
  • To advise Health Authorities, Reference Centres, and companies in the sector on the validation and development of new diagnostic techniques, or antimicrobials.
  • To increase the visibility and impact of the group’s results, and for these results to be used as an incentive for the members’ own professional development.
  • To encourage the research activity of new residents and colleagues with related interests, and undergraduate students.

Lines of research

  • Study, monitoring, and evolution of the levels of resistance of the most prevalent pathogenic bacteria, or those with the greatest clinical impact to the antibiotics used for their treatment. Study of the evolution of the type of carbapenemases isolated from enterobacteria in colonised patients. Analysis of samples collected from children with invasive pneumococcal disease to assess effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccine.
  • Study of resistance mechanisms, genes involved, and dissemination capacity among pathogenic bacteria in our environment. Identification and study of clonal clusters endemic to or responsible for outbreaks of infectious diseases, in particular, multi-resistant micro-organisms.
  • Study of the clinical and epidemiological characteristics and therapeutic options of invasive fungal infections, in particular, candidaemia.
  • Control, monitoring, and improvement strategies in the clinical management of patients with imported parasitosis, especially Chagas disease. Effectiveness in reducing mother-to-child transmission of Chagas disease through a screening programme in pregnant women. Reintroduction of benznidazole
  • Clostridioides difficile infection and the importance of diagnostic interpretation and impact of recurrences in clinical practice. Evolution of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) in the area of influence of the HCSC.
  • Study and follow-up of the immunity generated by the different SARS-CoV-2 vaccines available in the Community of Madrid, including nursing home patients.
  • NGS sequencing analysis of emerging pathogens including SARS-CoV-2. The role of the microbiome and resistome in infectious pathology.
  • Study on cell-mediated immunity in people exposed to SARS-Cov2 and after vaccination.

Publications

Projects