Our Team is formed by a Research group (GT4CNS) composed of 3 scientists, 4 PhD students, 1 highly qualified technician, 1 laboratory technician, and a floating number of Master’s students(1-3) and Grade students in practices (1-3), as well as a Technological Platform (Vector Production Unit-UPV-), composed of 1 Scientific Director, 1 Technical Director and 6 laboratory technicians).

Research Team

Miguel Chillon Rodríguez, PhD. ICREA senior researcher and principal investigator of the UAB-VHIR Joint Unit at the Institute of Neuroscience (UAB) since 2017. He obtained his PhD in Barcelona (1994) and became interested in gene therapy strategies working as a postdoctoral fellow with pionnering researchers in the field such as Dr. Michael Welsh at the University of Iowa (US)(1994-1997); and as Dr. Olivier Danos in Genethon II (France) (1997-1999). After returning to Spain, he created this research group in 2001.
He has authored 82 scientific articles (H-index: 32; >4100 citations, Scopus), 3 reviews, 5 book chapters, Editor of 1 book, has directed 12 doctoral thesis, has generated 14 patents, and has founded 2 spin-off companies: NanoTherapix (2009) for the development of gene-cell therapeutic strategies for the immune system, and Klogene (2016) for the development of gene therapy approaches for cognitive impairments. He has a clear internationalization profile, with participation in several European projects and Networks of Excellence, as well as a long record of granted projects by both the MICINN and ISC-III. In recognition of his trajectory in technology transference, he received the Transference Award in 2018 granted by the Consejo Social of the UAB.
Bibliography: Link to Pubmed

Beatriz Almolda Ardid, PhD. Lecturer at the Department of Cellular Biology, Physiology, and Immunology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and project leader of the UAB-VHIR Joint Unit at the Institute of Neuroscience (UAB). She has an extensive research career focused on Neuroimmunology and Neuroinflammation. Dr. Almolda has led a total of 13 projects as the principal investigator, including one granted in the latest call for “Knowledge Generation Projects” from the Ministry of Science and Innovation. Among these projects are 9 related to the long infrastructures of the Alba Synchrotron and 5 with private sector collaborations involving pharmaceutical companies. Currently, she has 24 published articles (H-index: 14, and 613 citations according to Scopus) and has supervised 4 doctoral theses, 7 neuroscience master’s theses, and 5 undergraduate final projects. In addition to her expertise in cellular and molecular biology, Dr. Almolda has a long-standing career working with in vitro and in vivo models for neurological diseases, and she possesses proven experience in pre-clinical translation to humans.

Joan Roig Soriano, PhD. Post-doctoral researcher at the VHIR. Dr. Roig accounts for more than 6 years of experience working with s-KL, especially for anti-aging studies and health maintenance using gene therapy strategies and in vivo experimentation. He has authored 4 peer-reviewed scientific articles, 1 review, and has generated 3 patents.

Javier del Rey Azpiri, PhD. Post-doctoral researcher. Dr. del Rey accounts for more than 20 years of experience working in cytogenetic, immunohistochemistry, biochemical and molecular biology tecniques. He has authored 21 peer-reviewed scientific articles (H-index: 8, and 215 citations according to Scopus).

Laura Rodriguez Estévez, PhD student. Pre-doctoral student with a prestigious scholarship awarded by the La Caixa Foundation. Her thesis project focuses on the use of gene therapy strategies for the treatment of the rare disease SPG52. She has an excellent foundation in molecular and cellular biology techniques, as well as experience in in vivo work with animals models.

David Ramírez Gómez, PhD student. Pre-doctoral student. He has an scholarship awarded by VHIR. His thesis project focuses on gene therapy strategies using chronokines for the treatment of diseases associated with aging. He has an excellent foundation in molecular and cellular biology techniques, as well as experience in in vivo work with animals models.

Anna Behr, PhD student. Pre-doctoral student. She has an scholarship awarded by the patient’s association “Gen Rebelde”. Her thesis project focuses on the use of gene therapy strategies for the treatment of the rare disease GNB1 Encephalopathy. She has an excellent foundation in molecular and cellular biology techniques, as well as experience in in vivo work with animals models.

Jorge Lunar Roldán; Laboratory Technician. He has experience in a wide variety of histological and molecular techniques, especially those related to gene therapy work. This includes PCR, minipreps, and maxipreps of plasmid DNA, as well as ELISA and proteomic techniques.

Vectors Production Unit (UPV)

Susana Miravet Delgado; PhD. Director. ICREA Researcher at the UNitat Mixta (UAB-VHIR), with 30 years of experience in vector production and vector development of gene therapy vectors.

Susana Miravet Delgado; PhD. Technical Director. Dr. Miravet (H-index: 8; 1350 citations, Scopus) is the author of 8 scientific articles and 1 book chapter, serving as the editor of 1 book. She is an expert in the production, purification, and characterization of viral vectors, and has 20 years of experience in cell cultures and AAV vectors, along with expertise in cell cultures and biochemical and genetic analysis techniques (PCR, cloning, Western Blot, ELISA, etc.).

Assumpció Bosch Merino; PhD. R+D Manager. Full Professor at Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB) with 29 years of experience in gene therapy and preclinical research in Nervous System.

Laia Rubio Ortega; Laboratory Technician. Lab Manager. CFGS in Clinical and Biomedical Laboratory Technology. She has 4 years of experience in the production, purification, and characterization of AAV vectors, as well as in a wide range of histological and molecular techniques such as PCR, cloning, minipreps and maxipreps, Western Blot, ELISA, etc.

Marc Cabrera Hurtado; Laboratory Technician. CFGS in Clinical and Biomedical Laboratory Technology and a CFGS in Pathological Anatomy. He has 4 years of experience in cell culture as well as the production, purification, and characterization of AAV vectors.

Israel Alcazar Corrales; Laboratory Technician. Bachelor’s degree in Biology, and CFGS in Pathological Anatomy. He has 3 years of experience in cell culture as well as the production, purification, and characterization of AAV vectors.

Elsa Ibarrola Carrasco; Laboratory Technician. CFGS in Clinical and Biomedical Laboratory Technology. She has 2 years of experience in cell culture and the production, purification, and characterization of AAV vectors as well as in a wide range of molecular techniques such as PCR, cloning, minipreps and maxipreps.

Miriam Caelles Bastande; Laboratory Technician. CFGS in Clinical and Biomedical Laboratory Technology. She has 2 years of experience in cell culture and the production, purification, and characterization of AAV vectors as well as in a wide range of molecular techniques such as PCR, cloning, minipreps and maxipreps.

Nerea Jiménez Hernández; Laboratory Technician. CFGS in Clinical and Biomedical Laboratory Technology. She has 1 year of experience in cell culture and the production, purification, and characterization of AAV vectors as well as in a wide range of molecular techniques such as PCR, cloning, minipreps and maxipreps.

Lluc Tarruell; Administrative support in marketing and diffusion. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology, and a master’s degree in History of Science, specialty in Communication, Heritage and History of science. He is in charge of web and social networks management.

Former members

Postdoctoral fellowsPhD studentsLaboratory techniciansMaster Students
Mercedes SeguraRaul Alba FernándezJose Piedra BuenoEstrella Lopez Gordo
Mercè Monfar RebullEster Rodríguez AguilarCristina Penalva RojasGemma de Ramon Francas
María Ontiveros GonzálezEstel Gil GuiñonMeritxell Puig Ferrer Gabriel Palou Siquier
Juan F. Espinosa ParrillaMarta Miralles ConsuegraMarc Herrera VázquezManel Lladó Santaeularia
Angel Edo SalvadorAnna Massó ChacónMarina Tarres MercaderManuel Cañete Rios
Angela Sánchez OsunaRoberto Notario Manzano
Dan Cots RabellaIrene Marco del Prado
Marc García MoureAlba Aguilar Cifre
Marcos Tejero Ambrosio
Marina Martos Garrido
Angel Edo Salvador
Rebeca Blanch García
Joan Roig Soriano