Tel. +34 913303000 (Ext. 484742)
San Carlos Clinical Hospital
Profesor Martín Lagos s/n 28040 Madrid
The research group focuses its activity in the field of paediatric infectious diseases, with particular emphasis on the study of the natural history of paediatric HIV infection and mother-to-child transmission of HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV). In 2000, a follow-up cohort of HIV-infected pregnant women was created in the Community of Madrid (CAM), which currently follows more than 1500 mother-child pairs, in order to learn about vertical transmission of HIV and HCV, and the safety and effectiveness of the antiretroviral drugs used in pregnant women and children. A cohort of children and adolescents with HIV infection in the CAM, mostly through vertical transmission, was created in 2003, involving 9 public hospitals with the aim of learning about the natural history of the disease, the impact and safety of antiretroviral treatment, as well as the transition to adult units, with long-term follow-up of morbidity and mortality associated with chronic infection and inflammation. These cohorts were initially funded by the Fundación para Investigación de la Prevención de SIDA en España (FIPSE), with subsequent collaboration from FIS projects and funding from European cohorts.
These cohorts are centralised in their research at the Hospital Clínico San Carlos de Madrid (HCSC), and since 2014 the project has been managed by the Fundación para la Investigación Biomédica. They are integrated in the Spanish network for monitoring children with HIV infection (CORISPE) and adult networks (CORIS, infectious diseases CIBER), of which they form the core, and are part of European networks for children and pregnant women (EPPICC, European Pregnancy and Paediatric HIV Cohort Collaboration) that aim to answer many questions about the natural history of the disease and its evolution in adulthood.
The PI of the group has been a member of the PENTA Steering Committee since 1998 and is Associate Investigator of most of the studies carried out to date, and Principal Investigator of a trial currently underway (PENTA 17). The PENTA Network is funded by the European Economic Community, 7th Framework Programme, and involves many European countries, Brazil, Argentina and Thailand. The PENTA Network also develops a very important training activity around the world with the implementation of training courses in developing countries and in Europe since 2005.
In addition, the activity includes consultancy and membership in different international research groups, including the European Network of Excellence TEDDY. The main objective is the elaboration of guidelines, clinical trials, databases, elaboration of ethical documents related to paediatrics and mainly in the development of drugs in children.
In addition, the PI of the group has been PI of more than 20 national and international research projects, and participates from the HCSC in numerous clinical trials of antimicrobials in children.
All this research work generates a series of results that translate into more than 300 publications, including book chapters and scientific articles published in scientific journals of medium-high impact factor both internationally and nationally, more than 500 communications to high-level scientific congresses both internationally and nationally, and scientific awards, which value the high scientific level and innovation in paediatric research.
