About

The Innate Immunity Group, established in 2009, is focused on the study of innate immunity in health and disease. The team is located at IGTP and is part of the CIBERehd Consortium Group CB06/04/0033 and the AGAUR Research Quality Group 2021-SGR-01186.

The group conducts research on three important aspects of human pathology: liver disease, cancer and bacterial infection.

The aim of its researchers is to define the role of innate immunity proteins as prognostic or diagnostic biomarkers of disease. They are also engaged in the study of macrophages as central drivers of innate immunity and as targets for therapeutic intervention. In this context, their interests are currently mostly centered on the role of macrophage protein CD5L in the control of immune homeostasis, inflammatory disease and cancer.

Keywords: Liver, cancer, infection, macrophage, CD5L, immunotherapy.

Innate Immunity research group

Group leader

  • Maria Rosa Sarrias, PhD

    Maria Rosa Sarrias, PhD

    Maria-Rosa Sarrias has a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Her academic track includes a 5-year stay at the University of Pennsylvania, USA, followed by a post-doctoral position at the Immunology Department of Hospital Clínic of Barcelona. In 2009, she secured a Miguel Servet Fellowship, enabling her to establish the Innate Immunity Group at IGTP, where she currently serves as a consolidated researcher.

    Sarrias has dedicated her career to understanding innate immunity. Her journey into this fascinating field began by exploring the body's innate ability to defend itself against pathogens and prevent sepsis through the complement system and scavenger receptors. As a group leader, she has focused on macrophages, because these are central cells of innate immunity; their abundancy, plasticity and multiplicity of actions make them a very attractive cell type for study and therapeutically target. Consequently, her group is at present dedicated to studying the role of macrophages in various inflammatory-driven diseases. Their work in recent years, particularly in the fields of infection and cancer, has contributed to defining new biomarkers and is leading to the development of a novel therapeutic strategy for clinical intervention in cancer.

    Contact: mrsarrias(ELIMINAR)@igtp.cat
    ORCID: 0000-0001-6929-8069

Research lines

Role of innate immunity in liver disease

The group is exploring the potential of several innate immunity proteins as biomarkers for the improvement of patient management and for the better understanding of the complex mechanisms underlying liver disease.

Novel cancer immunotherapy strategy targeting macrophages

Macrophages are the most abundant immune cells in tumors, and since they are immunosuppressive in most solid cancers, they are a promising cell target in immuno-oncology. The team is developing new immunotherapies based on monoclonal antibodies directed against tumor macrophages.

Role of macrophage protein CD5L in infection

The innate immune response is the first line of defense against invading pathogens. The group is devoted to understand the complex interplay between host defense and pathogen evasion. Its studies include the role of CD5L in modulating macrophage responses to bacterial products, from inflammatory molecules (eg LPS) to whole organisms, such as Escherichia coli or Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This research line opens the door to the discovery of new therapeutic targets.

Active projects

Grup de recerca translacional en patologia hepàtica i immunitat innata

PI: Maria-Rosa Sarrias
Funding agency: Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR)
Agency code: SGR 2021-SGR-01186
Duration: 01/01/2022 – 31/05/2025

Converting molecular profiles of myeloid cells into biomarkers for inflammation and cancer (Mye-InfoBank)

PI: Prof. Sven Brandau
Funding agency: COST (European Cooperation in Science & Technology)
Agency code: CA20117
Duration: 06/10/2021 – 05/10/2025
More information

Computational modelling of 3D multicellular cultures for the development of antitumoral immunotherapies

PIs: Clara Prats, Maria-Rosa Sarrias
Funding agency: Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR)
Agency code: FISDU 00242
Duration: 01/02/2024 – 01/02/2027

Novel immunotherapy strategy for targeting macrophages in solid cancers

PI: Maria-Rosa Sarrias
Funding agency: Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR)
Agency code: 2023 INNOV 00001
Duration: 01/05/2024 – 31/10/2025

CD5L-Driven Macrophage Polarization: Shaping the Future of Solid Tumor Immunotherapy

PI: MR Sarrias
Funding agency: AGAUR
Agency code: 2024 PROD00132
Duration: 02/12/2024 – 01/06/2026

Descifrando el papel de cd5l en la modulacion de las respuestas de macrofagos asociados a tumores

PI: MR Sarrias
Funding agency: Ministerio de Ciencia Innovación y Universidades, Agencia Estatal de Investigación
Agency code: PID2023-146833OB-I00
Duration: 1/10/2024 – 1/10/2027

Past projects

RImAb, a novel macrophage checkpoint inhibitor for cancer immunotherapy

Funding agency: Caixa Impulse Validate
Agency code: CI20-00152
Duration: Nov 2020 - May 2022

Decodificando la complejidad del macrófago en cirrosis y cáncer hepatocelular para generar nuevas estrategias terapéuticas y de estratificación

Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Agency code: FISPI19/00523
Duration: Jan 2020 - Dec 2023

RImAb, a novel immunotherapy strategy for targeting macrophages in solid cancers

PI: Maria-Rosa Sarrias
Funding agency: Caixa Impulse Consolidate
Agency code: CI22-10181
Duration: 15/12/2022 - 15/12/2024

Decoding macrophage complexity in hepatocellular carcinoma

PI: Tony Paul
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Agency code: FI20/00115
Duration: 01/01/2021 - 31/12/2024

Novel immunotherapy for cancer targeting macrophages. Contrato Juan de la Cierva Formación

PI: Lídia Sánchez
Funding agency: Agencia Estatal de Investigación
Agency code: FJC2019-041213-I.MINECO
Duration: May 2021 - May 2023

Fisiopatología de la cirrosis y sus complicaciones

Funding agency: CIBERehd
Agency code: CB/06/04/033

SMA-TB: A novel Stratified Medicine Algorithm to predict treatment responses to host-directed therapy in TB Patients

PI: Cristina Vilaplana
Funding agency: Horizon 2020 - European Union
Agency code: 847762
Duration: 01/01/2020 - 31/12/2024

Novel immunotherapy strategy for targeting macrophages in solid cancers

PI: Maria-Rosa Sarrias
Funding agency: Departament de Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya
Agency code: SLT033/23/000109
Duration: 01/12/2023 - 30/11/2024

Scientific publications

Highlighted publications

Sanjurjo L, Aran G, Téllez É, Amézaga N, Armengol C, López D, Prats C, Sarrias MR. CD5L Promotes M2 Macrophage Polarization through Autophagy-Mediated Upregulation of ID3. Front Immunol. 2018 Mar 12;9:480. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00480.

Bárcena C, Aran G, Perea L, Sanjurjo L, Téllez É, Oncins A, Masnou H, Serra I, García-Gallo M, Kremer L, Sala M, Armengol C, Sancho-Bru P, Sarrias MR. CD5L is a pleiotropic player in liver fibrosis controlling damage, fibrosis and immune cell content. EBioMedicine. 2019 May;43:513-524. DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.04.052.

Sánchez-Rodríguez MB, Téllez É, Casulleras M, Borràs FE, Arroyo V, Clària J, Sarrias MR. Reduced Plasma Extracellular Vesicle CD5L Content in Patients With Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure: Interplay With Specialized Pro-Resolving Lipid Mediators. Front Immunol. 2022 Mar 7;13:842996. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.842996.

de Homdedeu M, Sanchez-Moral L, Violán C, Ràfols N, Ouchi D, Martín B, Peinado MA, Rodríguez-Cortés A, Arch-Sisquella M, Perez-Zsolt D, Muñoz-Basagoiti J, Izquierdo-Useros N, Salvador B, Matllo J, López-Serrano S, Segalés J, Vilaplana C, Torán-Monserrat P, Morros R, Monfà R, Sarrias MR, Cardona PJ. Mycobacterium manresensis induces trained immunity in vitro. iScience. 2023 Jun 16;26(6):106873. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106873.

Sanchez-Moral L, Paul T, Martori C, Font-Díaz J, Sanjurjo L, Aran G, Téllez É, Blanco J, Carrillo J, Ito M, Tuttolomondo M, Ditzel HJ, Fumagalli C, Tapia G, Sidorova J, Masnou H, Fernández-Sanmartín MA, Lozano JJ, Vilaplana C, Rodriguez-Cortés A, Armengol C, Valledor AF, Kremer L, Sarrias MR. Macrophage CD5L is a target for cancer immunotherapy. EBioMedicine. 2023 May;91:104555. DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104555.

ALL PUBLICATIONS

Additional information

Collaborative networks

  • COST ACTION CA 20117: Converting Molecular Profiles of Myeloid Cells into Biomarkers for Inflammation and Cancer. Mye-InfoBank utilises COST networking tools to enable the interaction of molecular biologists, bioinformaticians, immunobiologists, biobank coordinators and clinicians. The concerted activity of these experts on myeloid cell biology (either basic or clinical research) MYE, bioinformatics INFO, and bio-banking BANK, transforms complex molecular information into standardised and applicable biomarkers, which have the potential to improve clinical decision making in a number of socio-economically important diseases.

                       

  • CIBEREHD: Biomedical Research Network Center. Liver and Digestive Diseases CB06/04/0033, Group 3. The group studies the microenvironmental interactions between macrophages and stellate cells and hepatocytes in the context of liver disease. They are also exploring the potential of several innate immunity molecules as therapeutic targets or biomarkers of pathology. With both approaches, they aim to improve our understanding of the complex mechanisms underlying liver disease.

                         

Doctoral theses

Title: Macrophages and their association in cancer
Author: Tony Paul
Supervisor: Maria-Rosa Sarrias
University: University of Barcelona, Biomedicine Program
Date of defense: December 2024

Title: Monocytes and macrophages in cancer: investigating their potential as disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets
Author: Tony Paul
Supervisor: Maria Rosa Sarrias
University: University of Barcelona
Date of defence: 02/12/2024

Title: Nou algoritme per estratificar el risc d'infecció bacteriana en el pacient amb cirrosi descompensa
Author: Marta Fortuny
Supervisors: Helena Masnou, Maria-Rosa Sarrias
University: University Autònoma de Barcelona, Dept. of Medicine
Date of defense: September 2024

Innovation 

Active patents

Method and kit for the diagnosis and/or prognosis of inflammatory conditions EP18382808
Sarrias MR, Aran G, Téllez E, Vilaplana C, Borrás FE
IGTP Publication Number: WO/2020/099613
Publication Date: 22/05/2020
International Application No.PCT/EP2019/081427

Anti-CD5L antibody and uses thereof EP17382725
Sarrias MR, Sanjurjo L, Aran G
IGTP Publication Number: WO/2019/086480
Publication Date: 09/05/2019
International Application No. PCT/EP2018/079751

IGTP’s Innovation unit contact

Outreach activity in 2024

  • Qiaoling Ye and Dr Sarrias participated in the International Day of Girls and Women in Science 2024 Edition, by giving a talk at Insitut Pau Claris, Barcelona.

News

IGTP receives seven grants from the Knowledge Industry program for innovative projects

The 2024 call for Knowledge Industry grants by AGAUR has awarded €528,000 to seven projects from IGTP. The grants will enhance the valorisation and transfer of these innovative projects.

- Campus Can Ruti, Projects

IGTP offers PhD opportunities under the INPhINIT incoming 2025 call by Fundación "la Caixa"

Fundación "la Caixa" is offering 30 fellowships to researchers of all nationalities who wish to pursue official PhD studies in STEM disciplines at research centres and centres of excellence in Spain and Portugal. IGTP is open to hosting students under this program, who will have the opportunity to join one of IGTP's research groups and carry out their PhD research in their area of interest.

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Contact

(+34) 93 554 3060 extn 6320