The work that our group has been conducting during the last decade has focused on the understanding of myeloid cell responses to microorganisms. Since our initial focus on inflammation induced by infection with the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, our interest has broadened to the general mechanisms that drive both short and long-term monocyte/macrophage responses to diverse microorganisms, including pathogenic (systemic – Borrelia burgdorferi, Mycobacterium tuberculosis; or intestinal – Fusobacterium nucleatum, enteropathogenic E. coli) as well as symbiotic bacteria (Lactoplantibacillus plantarum, Akkermansia municipila).
Our goal is to identify general trends of innate immune memory responses and delineate specific regulatory networks that are associated with the overall activity of these cells. We have focused our efforts on live microorganisms and the specific responses that arise from the complex engagement of pattern recognition receptors and secondary responses resulting from metabolic changes, addressing the full functionality of innate immune cells, including internalization events (i.e. phagocytosis), transcriptional changes (mRNAseq, ATACseq, microRNAseq), their metabolic status, and the induction of soluble factors.
On the other hand, we have had a long interest on the mechanisms that drive inflammatory responses during murine Lyme borreliosis as well as the identification of therapeutic (vaccine candidates, small anti-inflammatory molecules, etc.) interventions against the bacterium and its arthropod vector (Ixodes spp. ticks).
Research line 1: Trained immune responses to pathogens and symbionts of diverse ecologies
Research line 2: Mechanisms of action and efficacy of novel vaccine adjuvants
Research line 3: Tick immunity and tick-specific vaccine formulations
Research line 4: Infection in the context of colorectal cancer
Research line 5: Microbiota and its associated metabolome in homeostasis and disease
Collaborations
Utpal Pal (University of Maryland College Park), Erol Fikrig (University of Yale School of Medicine), Francesco Peri & Siobhán McClean (BactiVax), Joppe Hovius & Boris Klempa (AntiDotE).
Links
BactiVax (https://www.bactivax.eu)
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Group Leader
Juan Anguita
Ikerbasque Research Professor POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER -
Aize Pellón Rodríguez
MSCA-PF TECHNICIANS / DOCTORAL CANDIDATES -
Naiara Gutiez García
AECC Predoctoral Felow -
Eneko Santos Fernández
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Iratxe Seoane Alvarez
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Sarai Araujo Aris
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Itziar Martín Ruíz
Members
Latest Publications
Generation, establishment and characterization of three pluripotent stem cell lines (CVTTHi002-A, CVTTHi003-A and CVTTHi004-A) from primary testicular somatic cells isolated from two prepuberal and one peripuberal Klinefelter Syndrome (47 XXY) patients
Martin-Inaraja, M; Romayor, I; de Cámara, AS; Herrera, L; Palacios, A; Villaverde, M; Santos, S; Vesga, MA; Barreña, B; Aransay, AM; Anguita, J; Solorzano, E; Prieto, MB; Matorras, R; Eguizabal, ...
STEM CELL RESEARCH
2025-03-01
Mitochondrial Dysfunction: Unraveling the Elusive Biology Behind Anti-TNF Response During Ulcerative Colitis
Kioroglou, D; Peña-Cearra, A; Corraliza, AM; Seoane, I; Castelo, J; Panés, J; Gómez-Irwin, L; Rodríguez-Lago, I; de Zarate, JO; Fuertes, M; Martín-Ruiz, I; Gonzalez, M; Aransay, AM; Salas, A; ...
INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES
2025-02-13
The microbiota metabolite, phloroglucinol, confers long-term protection against inflammation
Castelo, J; Araujo-Aris, S; Barriales, D; Pasco, ST; Seoane, I; Peña-Cearra, A; Palacios, A; Simó, C; Garcia-Cañas, V; Khamwong, M; Martín-Ruiz, I; Gonzalez-Lopez, M; Barcena, L; Rodríguez, ...
GUT MICROBES
2024-12-31
Development of a New Vaccine Adjuvant System Based on the Combination of the Synthetic TLR4 Agonist FP20 and a Synthetic QS-21 Variant
Shaik, MM; Pasco, S; Romerio, A; Pifferi, C; Sesana, S; Re, F; Bezuidenhout, CX; Bracco, S; Fernandez-Tejada, A; Anguita, J; Peri, F;
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
2024-12-08
The Therapeutic Potential of Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Secretome in Osteoarthritis: A Comprehensive Study
González-Cubero, E; González-Fernández, ML; Esteban-Blanco, M; Perez-Castrillo, S; Pérez-Fernández, E; Navasa, N; Aransay, AM; Anguita, J; Villar-Suárez, V;
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
2024-10-01
Vibrational spectroscopy coupled with machine learning sheds light on the cellular effects induced by rationally designed TLR4 agonists
Ami, D; Franco, AR; Artusa, V; Romerio, A; Shaik, MM; Italia, A; Anguita, J; Pasco, S; Mereghetti, P; Peri, F; Natalello, A;
TALANTA
2024-08-01
An in vitro analysis of the interaction between infliximab and granulocyte-monocyte apheresis
Rodríguez-Lago, I; Abecia, L; Seoane, I; Anguita, J; Cabriada, JL;
GASTROENTEROLOGIA Y HEPATOLOGIA
2024-04-01
Novel TLR4-Activating Vaccine Adjuvant Enhances the Production of Enterococcus faecium-binding Antibodies
Franco, AR; Sadones, O; Romerio, A; Artusa, V; Shaik, MM; Pasco, ST; Italia, A; DAmato, S; Anguita, J; Huebner, J; Romero-Saavedra, F; Peri, F;
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
2024-03-21
Akkermansia muciniphila-induced trained immune phenotype increases bacterial intracellular survival and attenuates inflammation
Peña-Cearra, A; Palacios, A; Pellon, A; Castelo, J; Pasco, ST; Seoane, I; Barriales, D; Martin, JE; Pascual-Itoiz, MA; Gonzalez-Lopez, M; Martín-Ruiz, I; Macías-Cámara, N; Gutiez, N; Araujo-Aris, ...
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
2024-02-16
IFNAR(-/-) Mice Constitute a Suitable Animal Model for Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Study and Vaccine Evaluation
Jiménez-Cabello, L; Utrilla-Trigo, S; Benavides-Silván, J; Anguita, J; Calvo-Pinilla, E; Ortego, J;
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
2024-01-01
Mitochondrial dysfunction-associated microbiota establishes a transmissible refractory response to anti-TNF therapy during ulcerative colitis
Peña-Cearra, A; Castelo, J; Lavín, JL; Gonzalez-Lopez, M; Pascual-Itoiz, MA; Fuertes, M; de Juan, VG; Bárcena, L; Martín-Ruiz, I; Pellón, A; Seoane, I; Barriales, D; Palacios, A; Fullaondo, ...
GUT MICROBES
2023-12-18
Mitochondrial dysfunction promotes microbial composition that negatively impacts on ulcerative colitis development and progression
Pena-Cearra, A; Song, DG; Castelo, J; Palacios, A; Lavin, JL; Azkargorta, M; Elortza, F; Fuertes, M; Pascual-Itoiz, MA; Barriales, D; Martin-Ruiz, I; Fullaondo, A; Aransay, AM; Rodriguez, H; ...
NPJ BIOFILMS AND MICROBIOMES
2023-10-07
Immunization with a small fragment of the Schmallenberg virus nucleoprotein highly conserved across the Orthobunyaviruses of the Simbu serogroup reduces viremia in SBV challenged IFNAR-/- mice
Guerra, GS; Barriales, D; Lorenzo, G; Moreno, S; Anguita, J; Brun, A; Abrescia, NGA;
VACCINE
2023-05-12
Dynamin-like proteins mediate extracellular vesicle secretion in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Gupta, S; Bhagavathula, M; Sharma, V; Sharma, N; Sharma, N; Biswas, A; Palacios, A; Salgueiro, V; Lavín, JL; Dogra, N; Salgame, P; Prados-Rosales, R; Rodríguez, GM;
EMBO REPORTS
2023-04-20
The Ixodes ricinus salivary gland proteome during feeding and B. Afzelii infection: New avenues for an anti-tick vaccine
Klouwens, MJ; Trentelman, JJA; Barriales, D; Ersoz, JI; Azkargorta, M; Elortza, F; Síma, R; Hajdusek, O; Cortazar, JT; Corcuera, IE; Colstrup, E; Nayak, A; Ruíz, IM; Rodriguez, H; Nijhof, AM; ...
VACCINE
2023-03-04
Development of synthetic, self-adjuvanting, and self-assembling anticancer vaccines based on a minimal saponin adjuvant and the tumor-associated MUC1 antigen
Pifferi, C; Aguinagalde, L; Ruiz-de-Angulo, A; Sacristán, N; Baschirotto, PT; Poveda, A; Jiménez-Barbero, J; Anguita, J; Fernández-Tejada, A;
CHEMICAL SCIENCE
2023-03-01
New Glucosamine-Based TLR4 Agonists: Design, Synthesis, Mechanism of Action, and In Vivo Activity as Vaccine Adjuvants
Romerio, A; Gotri, N; Franco, AR; Artusa, V; Shaik, MM; Pasco, ST; Atxabal, U; Matamoros-Recio, A; Mínguez-Toral, M; Zalamea, JD; Franconetti, A; Abrescia, NGA; Jimenez-Barbero, J; Anguita, ...
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
2023-02-23
Dome1-JAK-STAT signaling between parasite and host integrates vector immunity and development
Rana, VS; Kitsou, C; Dutta, S; Ronzetti, MH; Zhang, M; Bernard, Q; Smith, AA; Tomás-Cortázar, J; Yang, XL; Wu, MJ; Kepple, O; Li, WZ; Dwyer, JE; Matias, J; Baljinnyam, B; Oliver, JD; Rajeevan, ...
SCIENCE
2023-01-12
Restoring cellular magnesium balance through Cyclin M4 protects against acetaminophen-induced liver damage
González-Recio, I; Simón, J; Goikoetxea-Usandizaga, N; Serrano-Maciá, M; Mercado-Gómez, M; Rodríguez-Agudo, R; Lachiondo-Ortega, S; Gil-Pitarch, C; Fernández-Rodríguez, C; Castellana, D; Latasa, ...
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
2022-11-25
Enhanced mitochondrial activity reshapes a gut microbiota profile that delays NASH progression
Juárez-Fernández, M; Goikoetxea-Usandizaga, N; Porras, D; García-Mediavilla, MV; Bravo, M; Serrano-Maciá, M; Simón, J; Delgado, TC; Lachiondo-Ortega, S; Martínez-Flórez, S; Lorenzo, O; Rincón, ...
HEPATOLOGY
2022-09-12
The clinical success of anticancer and antiviral vaccines often requires co-administration of an adjuvant, a substance that enhances the immunogenicity of the antigen and potentiates the immune response. However, few adjuvants exhibit sufficient potency and negligible toxicity to be suitable for clinical use; moreover, their mechanisms of action are generally not fully understood. Current subunit vaccines based on weakly immunogenic carbohydrate and glycopeptide antigens are not being very successful in eliciting a strong immune response against cancer, and no such carbohydrate-based anticancer vaccine has yet been approved for humans despite extensive research efforts and several clinical trials. In this context, building upon the PI's previous background and expertise in the area, the research program in the Fernández-Tejada Group has a double, ultimate goal based on applying chemistry to address the above clear gaps in the adjuvant/vaccine field. With this idea in mind, the Chemical Immunology Lab established by Dr. Fernández-Tejada at CIC bioGUNE will develop new improved adjuvants and novel chemical strategies towards more effective, self-adjuvanting synthetic vaccines. Moreover, leveraging the extraordinary facilities and scientific expertise available at CIC bioGUNE, we will also focus on investigating the molecular mechanisms of the synthetic constructs by combining extensive immunological evaluations with molecular target identification studies and detailed conformational analysis. Thus, the Fernández-Tejada Group builds upon a highly multidisciplinary program integrating ambitious objectives and complementary approaches at the chemistry-biology frontier. Research in the Chemical Immunology Lab connects chemical synthesis and chemical/structural biology with cellular and molecular immunology to explore key unresolved mechanistic questions in the adjuvant/vaccine arena with extraordinary chemical precision.
The Fernández-Tejada Lab is funded primarily by the European Research Council through an ERC Starting Grant, which provides €1.5 million funding for a transformative and timely research program aimed at developing novel synthetic self-adjuvanting vaccines with improved properties and efficacy, as well as unraveling the molecular basis and three-dimensional structure underlying the biological activity of these constructs.
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Group Leader
Alberto Fernández-Tejada
Ikerbasque Research Professor POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER -
Vikram Basava
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Priscila Tonon Baschirotto
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Abhijit Saha
TECHNICIANS / DOCTORAL CANDIDATES -
Mirelys Sáenz
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Alex Sierra Marrero
Members
Latest Publications
The microbiota metabolite, phloroglucinol, confers long-term protection against inflammation
Castelo, J; Araujo-Aris, S; Barriales, D; Pasco, ST; Seoane, I; Peña-Cearra, A; Palacios, A; Simó, C; Garcia-Cañas, V; Khamwong, M; Martín-Ruiz, I; Gonzalez-Lopez, M; Barcena, L; Rodríguez, ...
GUT MICROBES
2024-12-31
Development of a New Vaccine Adjuvant System Based on the Combination of the Synthetic TLR4 Agonist FP20 and a Synthetic QS-21 Variant
Shaik, MM; Pasco, S; Romerio, A; Pifferi, C; Sesana, S; Re, F; Bezuidenhout, CX; Bracco, S; Fernandez-Tejada, A; Anguita, J; Peri, F;
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
2024-12-08
Development of synthetic, self-adjuvanting, and self-assembling anticancer vaccines based on a minimal saponin adjuvant and the tumor-associated MUC1 antigen
Pifferi, C; Aguinagalde, L; Ruiz-de-Angulo, A; Sacristán, N; Baschirotto, PT; Poveda, A; Jiménez-Barbero, J; Anguita, J; Fernández-Tejada, A;
CHEMICAL SCIENCE
2023-03-01
Chemical biology tools to interrogate the roles of O-GlcNAc in immunity
Saha, A; Fernández-Tejada, A;
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
2023-01-26
Novel Oxime-Derivatized Synthetic Triterpene Glycosides as Potent Saponin Vaccine Adjuvants
Fuentes, R; Aguinagalde, L; Pifferi, C; Plata, A; Sacristan, N; Castellana, D; Anguita, J; Fernandez-Tejada, A;
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
2022-05-06
Design, synthesis, and initial immunological evaluation of glycoconjugates based on saponin adjuvants and the Tn antigen
Fuentes, R; Aguinagalde, L; Sacristán, N; Fernández-Tejada, A;
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
2021-10-14
Advances in chemical probing of protein O-GlcNAc glycosylation: structural role and molecular mechanisms
Saha, A; Bello, D; Fernández-Tejada, A;
CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS
2021-08-02
Rational Vaccine Design in Times of Emerging Diseases: The Critical Choices of Immunological Correlates of Protection, Vaccine Antigen and Immunomodulation
Schijns, V; Majhen, D; van der Ley, P; Thakur, A; Summerfield, A; Berisio, R; Nativi, C; Fernández-Tejada, A; Alvarez-Dominguez, C; Gizurarson, S; Zamyatina, A; Molinaro, A; Rosano, C; Jakopin, ...
PHARMACEUTICS
2021-04-01
Replacing the Rhamnose-Xylose Moiety of QS-21 with Simpler Terminal Disaccharide Units Attenuates Adjuvant Activity in Truncated Saponin Variants
Fuentes, R; Ruiz-de-Angulo, A; Sacristán, N; Navo, CD; Jiménez-Osés, G; Anguita, J; Fernández-Tejada, A;
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
2021-02-04
Natural and synthetic carbohydrate-based vaccine adjuvants and their mechanisms of action
Pifferi, C; Fuentes, R; Fernández-Tejada, A;
NATURE REVIEWS CHEMISTRY
2021-01-25
Synthetic carbohydrate-based HIV-1 vaccines.
Bastida, Inaki; Fernandez-Tejada, Alberto;
Drug discovery today. Technologies
2020-12-01
Therapeutic Pretargeting with Gold Nanoparticles as Drug Candidates for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy
Feiner, IVJ; Pulagam, KR; Gómez-Vallejo, V; Zamacola, K; Baz, Z; Caffarel, MM; Lawrie, CH; Ruiz-de-Angulo, A; Carril, M; Llop, J;
PARTICLE & PARTICLE SYSTEMS CHARACTERIZATION
2020-09-23
Modulation of immune responses using adjuvants to facilitate therapeutic vaccination
Schijns, V; Fernández-Tejada, A; Barjaktarovic, Z; Bouzalas, I; Brimnes, J; Chernysh, S; Gizurarson, S; Gursel, I; Jakopin, Z; Lawrenz, M; Nativi, C; Paul, S; Pedersen, GK; Rosano, C; Ruiz-de-Angulo, ...
IMMUNOLOGICAL REVIEWS
2020-06-28
Chemical synthesis and immunological evaluation of new generation multivalent anticancer vaccines based on a Tn antigen analogue
Pifferi, C; Ruiz-de-Angulo, A; Goyard, D; Tiertant, C; Sacristán, N; Barriales, D; Berthet, N; Anguita, J; Renaudet, O; Fernández-Tejada, A;
CHEMICAL SCIENCE
2020-05-07
Exploiting structure-activity relationships of QS-21 in the design and synthesis of streamlined saponin vaccine adjuvants
Ghirardello, M; Ruiz-de-Angulo, A; Sacristan, N; Barriales, D; Jiménez-Barbero, J; Poveda, A; Corzana, F; Anguita, J; Fernández-Tejada, A;
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
2020-01-16
β-Glucan as an immune activator and a carrier in the construction of a synthetic MUC1 vaccine
Wang, HX; Yang, B; Wang, YL; Liu, F; Fernández-Tejada, A; Dong, SW;
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
2019-01-07
Design, synthesis and evaluation of optimized saponin variants derived from the vaccine adjuvant QS-21
Fernández-Tejada, A;
PURE AND APPLIED CHEMISTRY
2017-09-01
Antibodies Against Specific MUC16 Glycosylation Sites Inhibit Ovarian Cancer Growth
Rao, TD; Fernández-Tejada, A; Axelrod, A; Rosales, N; Yan, XJ; Thapi, S; Wang, A; Park, KJ; Nemieboka, B; Xiang, JY; Lewis, JS; Olvera, N; Levine, DA; Danishefsky, SJ; Spriggs, DR;
ACS CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
2017-08-01
Quillaja saponin variants with central glycosidic linkage modifications exhibit distinct conformations and adjuvant activities
Walkowicz, WE; Fernández-Tejada, A; George, C; Corzana, F; Jiménez-Barbero, J; Ragupathi, G; Tan, DS; Gin, DY;
CHEMICAL SCIENCE
2016-01-01
Glycans in Medicinal Chemistry: An Underexploited Resource
Fernández-Tejada, A; Cañada, FJ; Jiménez-Barbero, J;
CHEMMEDCHEM
2015-08-01