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Molecular Microbiology and Antimicrobial Agents Group

Specialized Group:

Molecular and Antimicrobial Microbiology Laboratory

Department of Public Health, Mental Health and Maternal and Child Nursing

Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

Barcelona University

Ester Fusté, Josep Maria Serra

Group members: Dr. Miguel Viñas (Professor). Dra.Teresa Vinuesa (Full Professor). Dr. Antonio Zalacain (Full Professor). Dr. José López López (Full Professor). Dr. Ester Fusté (Interim Associate Professor). Dr. Josep Ma. Sierra (Lecturer Professor). Dr. Josep Arnabat Dominguez (Lecturer Professor). Dr. Guadalupe Jiménez (Associate Professor). Dr. Alex Merlos (Associate Professor). Dra. Carolina Padrós (Collaborating Professor). Dra. Elena de Planell (Collaborating Professor). Dr. Eulalia Sans (External collaborator). Dr. Pablo Betancourt (External collaborator). Dr. Hector Rudilla (External collaborator). Rocio Herraez (PhD student). Marta Jorba (PhD student). Eva Armengol (PhD student). Isabel Pérez-Guillén (PhD student). Sonia Suárez (Laboratory Technician). Rosa Borobia (Administration)

The Molecular Microbiology and Antimicrobial Agents Group of the Bellvitge Campus of the University of Barcelona, ​​located in Hospitalet de Llobregat, was created by Miguel Viñas 28 years ago.

In the teaching field, he participates in the degrees of Medicine, Dentistry, Podiatry and Nursing, as well as in the official Master's degrees in Advanced Microbiology (UB) and in the Master's Degree in Clinical Research (specialty Microbiology) (Interuniversity).

LINES OF INTEREST AND RESEARCH ACTIVITY

The group's research has focused from the beginning on the study of antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, mainly in Gram-negative bacteria, and strategies to overcome it. Currently, he is dedicated to the investigation of new antimicrobial cationic peptides as a therapeutic alternative and their mechanisms of action. In this sense, the group leads the international project "Breaking the borders of antimicrobial resistance: Searching new antimicrobial compounds against multi-drug resistant bacteria: A study of polycationic AMPs and lipid nanoparticles (BARNAPA)". The project is developed in collaboration with the group of Fernando Albericio from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, in South Africa, and the group of Stefania Stefani from the University of Catania (Italy).

The group is also part of the European Translocation-Transfer (TT) network, which received support under the Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance, and which brings together experts from all over Europe with the aim of exchanging knowledge to boost the discovery of new antimicrobials and combat multiresistant bacteria. The group provides methods to analyze the effect of new antimicrobials by atomic force microscopy (AFM), Confocal Laser Microscopy (CLSM) and measurements of the anisotropy of bacterial membranes as an indicator of membrane fluidity, as well as the effect of antimicrobials. antimicrobial peptides on reflux pumps. The coordinator of this project is Dr. Mathias Winterhalter (Jacobs University, Bremen).

In addition, in recent years the group has participated in the projects "Comprehensive research on effective therapies for the treatment of cystic fibrosis and related diseases (TERFIQUEC)" and “Development of a bioactive dressing based on fibrin and active bio-ingredients (FIBRODRESS)” financed by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Finally, in the BERENICE project (Research group on benznidazole and triazole for nanomedicine and innovation in Chagas disease) to improve the formulation of Benznidazole.

We work with Pseudomonas aeruginosa from patients with cystic fibrosis, Escherichia coli of patients with urinary infections, Serratia marcescens (old strains isolated between 1940 and 1950 and current), bacteria responsible for diabetic foot ulcers (Staphylococcus aureus and P. aeruginosa), which cause oral infections (Fusobacterium, Prevotella, Porphyromonas), y Trypanosoma cruzi, etiological agent of Chagas disease.

In addition, we developed experiments (Black Lipid Bilayer single conductance) to study the antimicrobial-lipid membrane interaction. Likewise, work is being done on the use of nanoparticles that contain antimicrobials to reduce the toxic effects of some antibiotics such as colistin and improve their activity against biofilms, allowing a reduction in antibiotic doses and the number of administrations.

CONTRIBUTION AND SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

  1. Fleischer A, Vallejo-Díez S, Martín-Fernández JM, Sánchez-Gilabert A, Castresana M, Del Pozo A, Esquisabel A, Ávila S, Castrillo JL, Gaínza E, Pedraz JL, Viñas M, Bachiller D. iPSC-Derived Intestinal Organoids from Cystic Fibrosis Patients Acquire CFTR Activity upon TALEN-Mediated Repair of the p.F- 508del Mutation. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev. 2020 Apr 18;17:858-870. doi: 10.1016/j.omtm.2020.04.005. PMID: 32373648; PMCID: PMC7195499.
  2. Armengol E, Asunción T, Viñas M, Sierra JM. When Combined with Colistin, an Otherwise Ineffective Rifampicin-Linezolid Combination Becomes Active in Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii. Microorganisms. 2020 Jan 8;8(1):86. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms8010086. PMID: 31936387; PMCID: PMC7023339.
  3. Betancourt P, Sierra JM, Camps-Font O, Arnabat- Domínguez J, Viñas M. Er,Cr:YSGG Laser-Activation Enhances Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Action of Low Concentrations of Sodium Hypochlorite in Root Canals. Antibiotics (Basel). 2019 Nov 22;8(4). Martin-Gómez H, Jorba M, Albericio F, Viñas M, Tulla- Puche J. Chemical Modification of Microcin J25 Reveals New Insights on the Stereospecific Requirements for Antimicrobial Activity. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Oct 17;20(20).
  4. Betancourt P, Merlos A, Sierra JM, Arnabat-Dominguez J, Viñas M. Er,Cr:YSGG Laser-Activated Irrigation and Passive Ultrasonic Irrigation: Comparison of Two Strategies for Root Canal Disinfection. Photobiomodul Photomed Laser Surg. 2019
  5. Armengol E, Domenech O, Fusté E, Pérez-Guillén I, Borrell JH, Sierra JM, Vinas M. Efficacy of combinations of colistin with other antimicrobials involves membrane fluidity and efflux machinery. Infect Drug Resist. 2019 Jul 11;12:2031-2038
  6. Pedrola M, Jorba M, Jardas E, Jardi F, Ghashghaei O, Viñas M, Lavilla R. Multicomponent Reactions Upon the Known Drug Trimethoprim as a Source of Novel Antimicrobial Agents. Front Chem. 2019 Jul 4;7:475.
  7. Rudilla H, Merlos A, Sans-Serramitjana E, Fusté E, Sierra JM, Zalacaín A, Vinuesa T, Viñas MRudilla H, Merlos A, Sans-Serramitjana E, Fusté E, Sierra JM, Zalacaín A, Vinuesa T, Viñas M
  8. Rudilla H, Merlos A, Sans-Serramitjana E, Fusté E, Sierra JM, Zalacaín A, Vinuesa T, Viñas M
  9. Rudilla H, Merlos A, Sans-Serramitjana E, Fusté E, Sierra JM, Zalacaín A, Vinuesa T, Viñas M Rudilla H, Merlos A, Sans-Serramitjana E, Fusté E, Sierra JM, Zalacaín A, Vinuesa T, Viñas M
  10. Rudilla H, Merlos A, Sans-Serramitjana E, Fusté E, Sierra JM, Zalacaín A, Vinuesa T, Viñas M. Effectiveness of low concentration of sodium hypochlorite activated by Er,Cr:YSGG laser against Enterococcus faecalis biofilm. Lasers Med Sci. 2019 Mar;34(2):247-254
  11. Vinuesa T, Herráez R, Oliver L, Elizondo E, Acarregui A, Esquisabel A, Pedraz JL, Ventosa N, Veciana J, Viñas M. Benznidazole Nanoformulates: A Chance to Improve Therapeutics for Chagas Disease. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2017 Nov;97(5):1469-1476. doi: 10.4269/ ajtmh.17-0044. Epub 2017 Oct 10.
  12. Cassol-Spanemberg J, Rodriguez-de Rivera-Campillo ME, Otero-King EM, Estrugo-Devesa A, Jane- Salas E, Lopez-Lopez J. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Cross Ref ]. Oral lichen planus and its relationship with systemic diseases. A review of evidence. J Clin Exp Dent. 2018 Sep 1;10(9):e938-e944. doi: 10.4317/jced.55145. PMID: 30386529; PMCID: PMC6203921.
  13. Jiménez-Galisteo G, Fusté E, Muñoz E, Vinuesa T, Villa TG, Benz R, Domínguez A, Viñas M. Identification and characterization of a cell wall porin from Gordonia jacobaea. J Gen Appl Microbiol. 2017 Nov 17;63(5):266-273. doi: 10.2323/jgam.2017.01.001. Epub 2017 Aug 23.
  14. Sans-Serramitjana E, Jorba M, Fusté E, Pedraz JL, Vinuesa T, Viñas M. Free and Nanoencapsulated Tobramycin: Effects on Planktonic and Biofilm Forms of Pseudomonas. Microorganisms. 2017 Jun 26;5(3). pii: E35. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms5030035.
  15. Sans-Serramitjana E, Jorba M, Pedraz JL, Vinuesa T, Viñas M. Determination of the spatiotemporal dependence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm viability after treatment with NLC-colistin. Int J Nanomedicine. 2017 Jun 12;12:4409-4413
  16. Zalacain A, Merlos A, Planell E, Cantadori EG, Vinuesa T, Viñas M. Clinical laser treatment of toenail onychomycoses. Lasers Med Sci. 2018 May;33(4):927- 933. doi: 10.1007/s10103-017-2198-6.
  17. Sierra JM, Fusté E, Rabanal F, Vinuesa T, Viñas M. An overview of antimicrobial peptides and the latest advances in their development. Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2017 Jun;17(6):663-676
  18. Domínguez Á, Muñoz E, López MC, Cordero M, Martínez JP, Viñas M. Transcriptomics as a tool to discover new antibacterial targets. Biotechnol Lett. 2017 Jun;39(6):819-828
  19. Marti S, Puig C, Merlos A, Viñas M, de Jonge MI, Liñares J, Ardanuy C, Langereis JD. Bacterial Lysis through Interference with Peptidoglycan Synthesis Increases Biofilm Formation by Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. mSphere. 2017 Jan 18;2(1).
  20. de Planell-Mas E, Martínez-Garriga B, Zalacain AJ, Vinuesa T, Viñas M. Human papillomaviruses genotyping in plantar warts. J Med Virol. 2017 May;89(5):902-907.
  21. Martori E, Ayuso-Montero R, Willaert E, Viñas M, Peraire M, Martinez-Gomis J. Status of Removable Dentures and Relationship with Oral Candida-Associated Factors in a Geriatric Population in Catalonia. J Prosthodont. 2017 Jul;26(5):370-375.
  22. Moreno-Sastre M, Pastor M, Esquisabel A, Sans E, Viñas M, Bachiller D, Pedraz JL. Stability study of sodium colistimethate-loaded lipid nanoparticles. J Microencapsul. 2016 Nov;33(7):636-645.
  23. Rudilla H, Fusté E, Cajal Y, Rabanal F, Vinuesa T, Viñas M. Synergistic Antipseudomonal Effects of Synthetic Peptide AMP38 and Carbapenems. Molecules. 2016 Sep 12;21(9)
  24. Ganguly S, Jimenez-Galisteo G, Pletzer D, Winterhalter M, Benz R, Viñas M. Draft Genome Sequence of Dietzia maris DSM 43672, a Gram-Positive Bacterium of the Mycolata Group. Genome Announc. 2016 Jun 9;4(3).
  25. Sans-Serramitjana E, Fusté E, Martínez-Garriga B, Merlos A, Pastor M, Pedraz JL, Esquisabel A, Bachiller D, Vinuesa T, Viñas M. Killing effect of nanoencapsulated colistin sulfate on Pseudomonas aeruginosa from cystic fibrosis patients. J Cyst Fibros. 2016 Sep;15(5):611-8.

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