ORCID ID: 0000-0003-1442-2258

ResearcherID: L-9834-2014

Scopus Author ID: 7003549737

Research Interests

Associate Professor of Microbiology in the Department of Genetics and Microbiology at the Faculty of Biosciences of the UAB since 1989 and, since 1998, Principal Investigator of the Molecular Genetics and Bacterial Pathogenesis research group at the Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, also on the UAB Campus. I have an extensive scientific career and have been the principal investigator or member of numerous national and international research projects.

My expertise focuses on bacterial molecular genetics with a primary goal: understanding the molecular bases of bacterial pathogenesis and drug resistance.

In recent years, I have worked in close coordination with Dr. Xavier Daura's group, an effort that has allowed us to integrate knowledge and experience in the fields of microbiology and biocomputation. This collaboration was initially funded by the EU through the AntiPathoGN project (FP7, HEALTH-F3-2009-223101), which aimed to identify and experimentally characterize pathogenic bacterial proteins for the development of vaccines and antimicrobial drugs.

We have since consolidated our work with projects such as "Proteomic approach for the identification and analysis of virulence factors in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (BFU2010-17199)," "Non-essential biological processes in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia as targets for the design of new antimicrobial strategies (BIO2015-66674-R),” "Quorum sensing regulatory networks in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia as targets for therapeutic alternatives to current antibiotics" (PID2019-111364RB-I00),  and currently, “Quorum-sensing-dependent response regulators in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia as source of novel antimicrobial and antibiofilm strategies” (PID2023-150290OB-I00).

Our research focuses on identifying potential virulence and resistance factors using a genomic (functional and comparative) and computational approach. In our most recent studies (doctoral theses and publications), we have particularly investigated the processes involved in quorum sensing, aiming to interfere with this cellular communication mechanism.

Additionally, our work has led to the submission of a European patent (Ref.: EP15167740.8). This patent covers a novel antimicrobial agent with enhanced activity, particularly in combination with colistin, a second-line antibiotic whose demand is increasing due to the emergence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms.

Our group is deeply engaged in the functional study of pathogenesis and drug resistance mechanisms, seeking to expand knowledge and contribute to the development of new antimicrobial strategies and targets.