Contact
Microbial Identification and Characterisation Unit
VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre
Universidad Complutense
Av. Puerta de Hierro s/n. 28040 Madrid. Spain
e-mail:
Head office phone: (+34) 913 944 096
Laboratory phone: (+34) 913 943 975
This unit is focused on the study at the phenotypic, genomic and protein leves of pathogenic bacteria of veterinary interest. The main activities of the Unit are divided into three research lines that are closely related: clinical diagnosis (using phenotypic, molecular and chemotaxonomic methods, the molecular characterization of pathogenic bacteria of relevant clinical significance for epidemiological purposes and description of new bacterial species (bacterial taxonomy). The molecular characterization allows tracing epidemiological links between strains associated with outbreaks of disease, global epidemiological studies, monitoring programs, etc. Studies of bacterial taxonomy not only allow the description of new species but also allow, for example, the association of different pathogens with atypical clinical processes. Additionally, this unit integrates the Mass Spectrometry VISAVET- Bruker Platform enabling developing proteomics research studies in the field of microbiology and molecular histology.
This platform was acquired in the 2011 call of the Equipment Acquisition and Scientific-Technical Infrastructure Adequacy (CAIMON) of Campus MONCLOA and enable the constitution of a service to enhance the research on campus.
The VISAVET-BRUKER service is made within the framework of a collaboration agreement between the Complutense University and Bruker Daltonik GMBH.
Application for identification and classification of bacteria and fungi. The identification is based on the comparison of the spectral fingerprints of the microorganism with those existing in the database (composed for more than 4000 entries). The technique is an accurate, simple, fast and reliable alternative for the identification of bacteria with traditional methods.
MALDI BIOTYPER analysis services (coming soon)
Application of MALDI TOF MS for the two dimensional acquisition of mass spectra from fresh tissue section. Image MALDI is ideal for the identification of protein markers and other small molecules in tissue sections.
IMAGE MALDI analysis services (coming soon)
System allowing the identification of proteins primarily by determining its peptide fingerprint. Enables Proteomics studies.
Servicios de An?isis por LC-MALDI (coming soon)
Investigation
Research lines:
Next scientific publications:
- Shahin K., Abdel-Glil M., Burcin Saticioglu I., Duman M., Altun S., Colussi S., Esposito G., Acutis PL., Marino P., Spondler B., Altinok I., Kotzamanidis C., Vela AI., Soto E., Gomes-Leal CA., Ajmi N. and Aoki S.. Diving Into the Depths: Unveiling the Main Etiologies of Piscine Lactococcosis With a Novel Multiplex qPCR Assay. Journal of Fish Diseases. In Press (A)
Last scientific publications:
- Didkowska A., Perez-Sancho M., Herranz-Benito C., Klich D., Anusz K., Witkowski L., Dominguez L. and Gortazar C.. Sponge-based environmental DNA detection as a useful tool in monitoring Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex markers in European bison (Bison bonasus). Scientific reports, 15(1):18503. 2025. (A)
- Rebollada A., Vela AI., Canales R., Romani-Cremaschi U., Ugarte-Ruiz M., Buendia A., Perez-Sancho M., Dominguez L., Fernandez-Garayzabal JF. and Rodriguez-Bertos A.. Reproductive loss attributed to Lactococcus petauri infection in a black-and-white ruffed lemur. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation , 37(3):471-474. 2025. (A)
- Romero-Salmoral A., Alvarez-Delgado C., Munoz-Jimenez RA., Barraza P., Vela AI., Fernandez-Garayzabal JF., Gomez-Laguna J., Luque I. and Tarradas C.. Exudative epidermitis by Staphylococcus hyicus producing ExhC: Control proposals against an emergent pathogen in intensive pig production. The Veterinary Journal, 311:106338. 2025. (A)
- Serna C., Calderón-Bernal JM., Torre-Fuentes L., Garcia-Munoz A., Diez-Guerrier A., Hernandez M., Fernandez-Garayzabal JF., Vela AI., Cid D. and Alvarez J.. Integrative and conjugative elements associated with antimicrobial resistance in multidrug resistant Pasteurella multocida isolates from bovine respiratory disease (BRD)-affected animals in Spanish feedlots. The Veterinary quarterly, 45(1):1-15. 2025. (A)
- Cagri-Ozturk R., Ustaoglu D., Ture M., Bondavalli F., Colussi S., Pastorino P., Vela AI., Kotzamanidis C., Fernandez-Garayzabal JF., Bitchava K., Terzi Y., Volpatti D. and Altinok I.. Epidemiological cutoff values and genetic antimicrobial resistance of Lactococcus garvieae and L. petauri. Aquaculture (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 593:741340. 2024. (A)
Last PhD thesis supervised:
- Coral Polo Vaquero. New approaches in the control of infectious fertility problems in extensive cattle. 2023. (Doctorado Industrial)
- Leydis Zamora Morales. Estudio taxonómico de bacterias relacionadas con el Síndrome del Alevín de la trucha. 2015. (Premio Laboratorios Ovejero)
- Verónica Sánchez del Rey. Estructura y diversidad de la población de Streptococcus suis presente en el ganado porcino, jabalí y conejo silvestre. 2015.
- Monica Aguado Urda. Caracterización y análisis funcional del genoma de Lactococcus garvieae. 2014.
- Verena Blume Serrano. Molecular characterization of Streptococcus suis (serotypes 2 and 9) isolated from swine in Spain. 2010.
Outreach
Last outreach publications:
- Sánchez-Morales L.. ¡Invasión silenciosa! Cómo las especies exóticas invasoras están cambiando nuestros ecosistemas. Unidad de Divulgación Científica y Transferencia, Universidad Complutense. 2024.
- Perez-Sancho M., Garcia-Seco T., Sánchez-Morales L., Moreno I., Dominguez M., Goyache J. and Dominguez L.. Trained immunity and mycobacteria: towards the future of global health. Anales de la Real Academia de Doctores de España, 9(4):843-862, Real Academia de Doctores de España. 2024.
- Perez-Sancho M., Vela AI., Garcia-Seco T., Gottschalk M., Dominguez L. and Fernandez-Garayzabal JF.. Assessment of MALDI-TOF MS as alternative tool for Streptococcus suis identification. Applications of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) tools in microbiology of infectious diseases. Ed. 1. 113-118, Frontiers. 2017.
- Bezos J., Cots M. and Valls JL.. La Bronquitis Infecciosa Aviar. Merial Laboratorios S.A.. 2016.
- Lopez-Campos G., Aguado-Urda M., Blanco MM., Gibello A., Cutuli MT., Lopez-Alonso V., Martin-Sanchez F. and Fernandez-Garayzabal JF.. Lactococcus garvieae: a small bacteria and a big data world. Health Information Science and System, 24;3:S5, Universidad Complutense. 2015.
Last communications:
- Sánchez-Morales L., Porras N., Perez-Domingo A., Perez-Sancho M., Garcia-Seco T., Diaz-de Frutos M., Buendia A. and Dominguez L.. Inmunidad entrenada y su potencial impacto en la inmunidad adquirida frente al SARS-CoV-2. XI VETINDOC - IX PhDay Complutense. 2025. (Oral communication)
- Perello A., Amiar M., Reza-Varzandi A., Herranz Benito C., Perez-Sancho M., Barroso P., Dominguez L., Ferroglio E., Lopez-Olvera J. and Gortazar C.. Toxoplasma gondii, cat abundance, and bird populations: the need for science-based management. I International Congress ENZOEM. 2025. (Poster communication)
- Perez-Sancho M.. ¿Es la inmunidad entrenada el último paso en la búsqueda de la vacuna universal frente a Streptococcus suis?. Inmunidad innata y sanidad animal: el principio de un largo camino. Talleres precongreso ENZOEM I. 2025. (Oral communication)
- Diez-Guerrier A.. Nuevos retos en sanidad animal: Enfermedad Hemorrágica Epizoótica. III Congreso Internacional de Sanidad y Bienestar Animal. 2024. (Oral communication)
- Perez-Sancho M., Herranz-Benito C., Garcia-Seco T., Perello-Jiménez A., Diez-Guerrier A., Martinez-Murcia A., Dominguez M., Moreno I., Gortazar C. and Dominguez L.. Optimización de la técnica de recogida y procesamiento de muestras ambientales basadas en esponjas para la detección molecular de patógenos. XXVII Simposio Nacional AVEDILA. 2024. (Poster communication)
