Integrantes

Breve descripción del grupo

Our research group is devoted to the study of human intestinal mucosal immunology, both in resting conditions as well as under inflammatory processes like coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel disease. To that end, we have established a close interaction with several gastrointestinal units which provide us with biological material (blood and intestinal tissues) from patients and controls. We pay particular attention to both the intraepithelial lymphocytes, as well as to the study of the ontogeny, phenotype and function of human mucosal dendritic cell and macrophage subsets and their circulating precursors in health and under inflammatory conditions. To that end, we have several models of mucosal immunology with human primary samples and access to a top-of-the-art spectral cytometer.

Recently, we have also expanded our interest to study of COVID-19 immune response. In particular, we are interested in the development of novel biomarkers to predict disease outcome, assess the evolution of the immune response, characterize the similarities and differences of the cellular and humoral immune memory in naturally (infected) and artificially (vaccinated) individuals and to unravel the basis underlaying the long-COVID syndrome.

Last, but not least, David Bernardo is also a member of the Executive Committee of the CSIC's Global Health Thematic Interdisciplinary Platform (PTI Global Health, https://pti-saludglobal-covid19.corp.csic.es) which agglutinates over than 200 research groups to fight Global Health problems as this one. Indeed, the PI is also the coordinator (together with Dr. María Montoya) of the WP5: IMMUNE where they supervise the work of 25 independent research groups with a budget over 5 million euros.