Research
Immunology and Inflammation

Immunopathology

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).

GII3_Grup Martinez_Caceres

Group leader

Team

Principal investigator; Medical neurologist collaborator from Hospital Universitario 12 de Octuber (Madrid)
Cristina M Ramo-Tello(ELIMINAR)

Postdoctoral researcher; project leader
Federico Fondelli, PhD(ELIMINAR)

Postdoctoral researcher
Luis Soria, PhD(ELIMINAR)

PhD students
Jana Willemyns(ELIMINAR)
Hendrik Veltman(ELIMINAR)
Alex Agúndez-Moreno(ELIMINAR)

Lab manager
Berta Arcos Ribas(ELIMINAR)

Technicians
Maria Corredera Garcia(ELIMINAR)
Joaquim Alex Mendez Sanchez(ELIMINAR)

Clinical immunologist
Maria Iglesias Escudero(ELIMINAR)
Bibiana Quirant Sánchez, PhD(ELIMINAR)
Joan Climent Martí, PhD(ELIMINAR)
Aina Teniente Serra(ELIMINAR)

Medical neurologists
Silvia Presas Rodriguez(ELIMINAR)
Javier Villacieros Alvarez(ELIMINAR)

Medical neurologist collaborator from Switzerland lab
Antonio Manuel Gonzalez 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.

There are currently several ongoing lines of research:

  • Normal values of immunological parameters (Aina Teniente)
  • Immunological monitoring of patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (Bibiana Quirant)
  • Monitoring immune responses in patients with SARS-CoV-2 and Long COVID (Bibiana Quirant)
  • Transplant immunology (Maria Iglesias)
  • Immuno-oncology (Joan Climent)
  • Mechanisms of immune tolerance (Eva Martínez-Cáceres)
  • Study of immunological changes occurring in patients with major depression (Psychiatry and Immunology Unit, HUGTiP; Maria Iglesias, Eva Martínez Cáceres)
  • Diagnostic markers and treatment response markers in autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system (Multiple Sclerosis Unit - Immunology Service; Javier Villacieros, Federico Fondelli, Eva Martínez Cáceres)
  • Early diagnosis of autoimmune diseases: Type 1 diabetes (Bibiana Quirant, Concepció Violan)

Research in clinical epidemiology

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.

Therapy with tolerogenic dendritic cells

Cristina Ramo, Silvia Presas, Eva Martínez-Cáceres

Based on in vitro studies in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis), the group has developed an autologous tolerogenic cell product consisting of VitD3-derived monocyte dendritic cells from patients with multiple sclerosis. This therapy was approved by the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS), and a phase I dose-escalation clinical trial was carried out, demonstrating safety, tolerability and feasibility. The group is currently preparing to initiate a phase II trial in collaboration with the University of Antwerp (Dr Nathalie Cools, Dr Barbara Willekens).

Cellular immunotherapy with antigen-specific regulatory T cells (Tregs)

Federico Fondelli, Eva Martínez Cáceres

Development of preclinical studies.

Active projects

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
Duration: 01/01/2024 - 31/12/2026

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

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

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
Duration: 01/09/2023 – 31/08/2027

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, Federico Fondelli
Funding Agency: ISCIII
Agency code: PI21/00944
Duration: 2022 – 2026

Past 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

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

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

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 publications

Quirant-Sánchez B, Herraiz Ruiz A, Plans Galván O, Roig Pineda R, Catalán Eraso B, Mota Montané D, Lucas Varas E, Martínez Gonzalez M, Martínez Cáceres EM, Arméstar Rodríguez F. Role of severity and inflammation on the decrease of monocyte HLA-DR (MHLA-DR) in critically ill patients. Med Clin (Barc). 2026 Mar;166(3):107236. English, Spanish. DOI: 10.1016/j.medcli.2025.107236.

Sanchez-Haro E, Hernández Leon L, Troya J, Vela S, Tapiolas I, Martínez-Cáceres E, Fernandez PL, Parés D. Histological features and inflammatory cytokine profiles in anal fistula: A prospective cohort study. Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2025 Nov;48(9):502465. English, Spanish. DOI: 10.1016/j.gastrohep.2025.502465.

Boutitah-Benyaich I, Eixarch H, Villacieros-Álvarez J, Hervera A, Cobo-Calvo Á, Montalban X, Espejo C. Multiple sclerosis: molecular pathogenesis and therapeutic intervention. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2025 Oct 2;10(1):324. DOI: 10.1038/s41392-025-02415-4.

Villacieros-Álvarez J, Sepulveda M, Valls-Carbó A, Fissolo N, Dinoto A, Fernández V, Vilaseca A, Arrambide G, Gutierrez L, Castillo M, Bollo L, Espejo C, Llufriu S, Blanco Y, Armangue T, Álvarez Bravo G, Quiroga-Varela A, Ramió Torrentà L, Cobo-Calvo A, Tintore M, Lünemann JD, Saiz A, Mariotto S, Montalban X, Comabella M. Cerebrospinal 14-3-3 Protein Levels as a Neuroaxonal Biomarker in Aquaporin-4 Antibody-Positive Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm. 2025 Sep;12(5):e200432. DOI: 10.1212/NXI.0000000000200432.

Marignier R, Villacieros-Álvarez J, Espejo C, Arrambide G, Fissolo N, Gutiérrez L, Dinoto A, Mulero P, Rubio-Flores L, Nieto P, Alcalá C, Meca-Lallana JE, Martínez-Garcia P, Millán J, Bernard-Valnet R, González I, Orvíz García A, Tellez R, Navarro L, Presas-Rodríguez S, Romero-Pinel L, Martínez-Yélamos S, Cuello JP, Alonso Torres AM, Piñar R, Álvarez Bravo G, Benyahya L, Trouillet-Assant S, Dyon-Tafani V, Froment Tilikete C, Ruet A, Bourre B, Deschamps R, Papeix C, Maillart E, Kerschen P, Ayrignac X, Rovira A, Auger C, Audoin B, Montalban X, Tintore M, Mariotto S, Cobo-Calvo A. Assessment of neuronal and glial serum biomarkers in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease: the MULTIMOGAD study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2025 Aug 14;96(9):884-892. DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2024-335137.

Vilaseca A, Vidal-Jordana A, Sceppacuercia S, Calderon W, Arrambide G, Rio J, Tur C, Rodriguez-Acevedo B, Ariño H, Zabalza A, Cobo-Calvo A, Mongay-Ochoa N, Carbonell-Mirabent P, Pappolla A, Carvajal R, Castilló J, Galan I, Midaglia L, Bollo L, Villacieros-Álvarez J, Auger C, Sastre-Garriga J, Tintoré M, Comabella M, Rovira À, Montalban X. Radiologically isolated syndrome: How could we accurately diagnose a subclinical period of multiple sclerosis? Mult Scler. 2025 Jun;31(7):771-781. DOI: 10.1177/13524585251332115.

Alvarez-Sierra D, Martínez-Gallo M, Sánchez-Montalvá A, Fernández-Sanmartín M, Colobran R, Espinosa-Pereiro J, Poyatos-Canton E, Zurera-Egea C, Sánchez-Pla A, Violan C, Parra R, Alzayat H, Vivancos A, Morandeira-Rego F, Urban-Vargas B, Martínez-Cáceres E, Hernández-González M, Bas-Minguet J, Katsikis PD, Teniente-Serra A, Pujol-Borrell R. The immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 as a recall response susceptible to immune imprinting: A prospective cohort study. Clin Immunol. 2025 Mar;272:110429. DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2025.110429.

Comabella M, Pappolla A, Monreal E, Fissolo N, Sao-Avilés AC, Arrambide G, Carbonell-Mirabent P, Gutierrez L, Cobo-Calvo Á, Tur C, Villacieros-Álvarez J, Vidal-Jordana Á, Castilló J, Galán I, Espiño M, Ariño H, Bollo L, Rodríguez Barranco M, Midaglia LS, Carvajal R, Villarrubia N, Fernández Velasco JI, Rodríguez Acevedo B, Costa Frossard LF, Vilaseca A, Auger C, Zabalza A, Sainz De La Maza S, Mongay-Ochoa N, Río J, Sastre-Garriga J, Rovira À, Tintoré M, Villar LM, Montalban X. Contribution of Blood Biomarkers to Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm. 2025 Mar;12(2):e200370. DOI: 10.1212/NXI.0000000000200370.

Villacieros-Álvarez J, Espejo C, Arrambide G, Dinoto A, Mulero P, Rubio-Flores L, Nieto P, Alcalá C, Meca-Lallana JE, Millan-Pascual J, Martínez-García P, Bernard-Valnet R, González-Suárez I, Orviz A, Téllez R, Navarro Cantó L, Presas-Rodríguez S, Martínez-Yélamos S, Cuello JP, Alonso A, Piñar Morales R, Álvarez Bravo G, Benyahya L, Trouillet-Assant S, Dyon-Tafan V, Froment Tilikete C, Ruet A, Bourre B, Deschamps R, Papeix C, Maillart E, Kerschen P, Ayrignac X, Rovira À, Auger C, Audoin B, Montalban X, Tintore M, Mariotto S, Cobo-Calvo A, Marignier R. Profile and Usefulness of Serum Cytokines to Predict Prognosis in Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody-Associated Disease. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm. 2025 Mar;12(2):e200362. DOI: 10.1212/NXI.0000000000200362.

Cobo-Calvo A, Carbonell-Mirabent P, Tur C, Otero-Romero S, Carvajal R, Arrambide G, Ariño H, Auger C, Villacieros-Álvarez J, Bollo L, Castilló J, Comabella M, Espejo C, Fernández V, Guio-Sánchez C, Galan I, La Puma D, Midaglia LS, Mongay-Ochoa N, Vilaseca A, Arevalo Navines MJ, Nos C, Pappolla A, Rio J, Rodriguez Acevedo B, Zabalza A, Vidal-Jordana A, Pareto D, Sastre-Garriga J, Rovira À, Montalban X, Tintore M. Age-Related Disability Outcomes After a First Demyelinating Event. Neurology. 2025 Feb 25;104(4):e210305. DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000210305.

España-Cueto S, Loste C, Lladós G, López C, Santos JR, Dulsat G, García A, Carmezim J, Carabia J, Ancochea Á, Fernández-Prendres C, Morales-Indiano C, Quirant B, Martínez-Cáceres E, Sanchez A, Parraga IG, Chamorro A, San José A, Abad E, Muñoz-Moreno JA, Prats A, Fumaz CR, Coll-Fernández R, Estany C, Torrano P, Puig J, Clotet B, Tebé C, Massanella M, Paredes R, Mateu L. Plasma exchange therapy for the post COVID-19 condition: a phase II, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. Nat Commun. 2025 Feb 24;16(1):1929. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57198-7.

Villacieros-Álvarez J, Lunemann JD, Sepulveda M, Valls-Carbó A, Dinoto A, Fernández V, Vilaseca A, Castillo M, Arrambide G, Bollo L, Espejo C, Llufriu S, Blanco Y, Armangue T, Álvarez Bravo G, Quiroga-Varela A, Ramió Torrentà L, Cobo-Calvo A, Tintore M, Mariotto S, Montalban X, Comabella M. Complement Activation Profiles Predict Clinical Outcomes in Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody-Associated Disease. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm. 2025 Jan;12(1):e200340. DOI: 10.1212/NXI.0000000000200340.

ALL PUBLICATIONS

Additional information

Collaborative networks

  • 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 (RD24/0007): A multidisciplinary network of clinical and basic researchers, established in 2022 under the RICORS framework (RD21/002) and currently consolidated within the RD24/007 call, aimed at promoting personalized and precision medicine in the field of inflammatory diseases through the clinical validation of molecular and imaging biomarkers. The network builds on an already established collaborative structure, strengthening translational research and facilitating the integration of validated biomarkers into clinical practice. Within this network, the Neuroimmunology subgroup of the Immunopathology group focuses on the development and evaluation of new therapeutic strategies for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), including advanced immunomonitoring approaches, the identification and validation of biomarkers predictive of treatment response, and the investigation of immunopathogenic mechanisms underlying MS relapses, with the ultimate goal of improving disease monitoring and personalized therapeutic decision-making. More information

                   

  • EXTRA-HORIZON: exTra is a doctoral network funded by the European Union's 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: The effect of anti-IgE treatment in immune-mediated diseases
Author: Cristina A. López Rodríguez
Supervisor: Eva Martínez Cáceres & Aina Teniente Serra
University: UAB
Date of defence: 09/03/2026

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
Distinction: Excellent

Title: Deciphering clinical features and pathogenesis of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-associated disease
Author: Javier Villacieros Álvarez
Supervisors: Álvaro Cobo Calvo, Carmen Espejo Ruiz
University: UAB
Date of defence: 24/04/2025
Distinction: Cum Laude

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

Outreach highlights in 2025

  • The headquarters of the multiple sclerosis association ADEMTO awarded the IV National Hope Award in recognition of the study as a piece of outstanding scientific research (10.1172/JCI178949).
  • Federico Fondelli received the Catalan Society of Immunology award for the best publication by an early-career researcher (2025 edition). Following the award, he recorded a short video explaining the study and its implications for a general audience (10.1172/JCI178949).
  • The group produced a science communication video aimed at a general, non-specialist audience to bring biomedical research closer to society and highlight its direct impact on clinical practice.
  • Participation in a podcast on multiple sclerosis featuring Cristina Ramo and Eva Martínez-Cáceres.

News

- Campus Can Ruti, Innovation

Banc de Sang i Teixits hosts an Innomed meeting to share capabilities in advanced therapies

The Innomed community visited the Banc de Sang i Teixits (BST) yesterday as part of a new meeting organised within the framework of the Innomed programme, led by the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), with the aim of strengthening connections between research institutions, hospitals and organisations within the biomedical ecosystem, and exploring new opportunities for collaboration in the field of advanced therapies and health innovation.

- Campus Can Ruti, Innovation, Conferences, Projects

IGTP takes part in the innovation ecosystem of the Mobile World Congress 2026

IGTP took part in the 2026 edition of MWC and 4YFN with professionals and spin-offs from the institute, showcasing projects in health innovation and strengthening its role in connecting biomedical research with companies, investors and institutions to advance technologies with potential clinical and societal impact.

+ News