The Molecular Microbiology research group is integrated into the Department of Microbiology at Hospital La Paz, and a significant number of its members are physicians in the department devoted to microbiological diagnostic work. This integration determines the group’s strategic approach and therefore, the different lines of research revolve around several aspects of clinical microbiology and infectious diseases.

An important line of activity (Clinical Microbiology) is the result of the routine activities provided by the department, but goes further and deeper into the methodological, epidemiological and pathological challenges encountered in the daily routine.

One research line derived from the former is the development of methods for the molecular characterisation of pathogenic microorganisms, including microbiological diagnosis and epidemiological analysis, and more recently, microbial genomics.

Another line focuses on the study of the evolution of pathogenic microorganisms. As a model of opportunistic pathogens, we study Escherichia coli, a microorganism that is well characterised at the genetic level and that is clinically relevant as the primary cause of urinary tract infections and one of the most frequently involved in bacteraemia.

As a model of viral pathogens, we study the dynamics of HIV viral populations over time and in terms of the response to antiretroviral treatment.

Another important focus, given the scarcity of new antibiotics, is the search for new therapeutic targets. In this line, we study bacterial division as a promising target for the development of new antibiotics.