Josep Quer Sivila

I am a senior researcher at VHIR, specializing in Virology. Since 1989, I have focused my studies on research regarding the infection by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), with a special emphasis on viral diversity. In 1992, I participated in the first description of the quasispecies nature of HCV. Since 2010, our research has been centred on the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms to study the diversity of viral genomes, especially viral hepatitis (A, B, C, D, and E). We have successfully patented and implemented into routine diagnosis a method for subtype classification and another for reporting resistances to antiviral treatments against HCV. The complete sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in March 2020 has allowed us to monitor the tracking variations in defective genomes in the variants that have dominated each wave of SARS-CoV-2. Currently, we are developing bioinformatic pipelines for metagenomic studies.

Institutions of which they are part

Main researcher
Liver Diseases

Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca

Josep Quer Sivila

Institutions of which they are part

Main researcher
Liver Diseases

Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca

Senior Researcher at Vall d'Hebron Institut of Research (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus from 2021 (indefinite contract). Associate Professor at the Biochemistry and Molecular Department of the UAB from 2021 to present (3933001435 Y0LOU0146). Accredited researcher at CIBERehd (2010-prest). Accredited as Professor (Catedrático) from AQU (Generalitat de Catalunya) from 2023.
Academic background:
Bachelor in Biology from UB (1981-86).
PhD in Biology from UAB (1994) with extraordinary award.
Postdoctoral stay in the University of California at San Diego USA (1994-96).
Member of Ciberehd since 2007-act.
Associate Professor (AP) of Immunology, UB (1988-89); AP Medicine, UAB (2003-18); AP of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UAB (2021-pres.).
General Coordinator Master in "Translational Biomedical Research" VHIR-UAB (2020-pres.). Professor and coordinator of Module 1 Master in "Translational Biomedical Research" VHIR-UAB since 2014-pres.

Scientific and professional activities:
Projects: Since 2016, he has led 10 overlapping competitive financed projects, serving as the Principal Investigator (PI) in eight national projects and as the co-IP of the local-node in two European Union projects.
Thesis: 6 PhD thesis directed, and 3 under development.
Papers and reviews: 154 papers; 8 book chapters & 1 book published in 2023.
Meetings participation: 220, 66 of them as invited speaker.

Other merits:
Member Coordinator Committee “Strategic Plan for Tackling hepatitis C (PEAHC) Spanish Ministry of Health;
Treasurer Spanish Society of Virology (SEV) (2009-pres.);
Member of scientific societies (ESV;AEEH;SCB) and of Alliance for the Elimination of Hepatitis in Spain (AEHVE).
Organizing Committee of International Symposium Fundación Ramón Areces (2013); and SEV National Meetings (2013-2015-2017-2019-2022).

Impacts printed, digital, radio and TV. NGS-2010: 32 impacts; HCV-2015: 69 impacts; SARS-CoV-2 – 2020-23: 90 impacts.

Awards: Ciudad de Barcelona (1996); Best ideas Diario Medico (2015); Premi Ciència i Tecnologia Diari Regió7-Prensa Ibérica (2020).

Metrics: h-index:41 (scholar), 35 (WoS), 37 (Scopus); i10-index: 116; Citations (WoS): 8371; Views: >40000. ORCID: 0000-0003-0014-084X // WOS ResearcherID A-6741-2012 // SCOPUS ID: 7004592398

Social media:
Linkedin: Josep Quer
Twitter (X): @JosepQuerSivila / @VirusLabQ (Virus Lab by Dr. Josep Quer) / @HepatitisSEV

Projects

Identification of diagnostic and prognostic markers of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Extracellular Vesicles, using a minimally invasive method, and based on deep-sequencing (NGS)

IP: Josep Quer Sivila
Collaborators: Sergi Colomer Castell, Miriam Izquierdo Sans
Funding agency: Fundació Institut de Recerca HUVH
Funding: 50649.27
Reference: VHIR/BEQUESPREDOC/2020/COLOMER
Duration: 01/05/2021 - 30/04/2024

Whole genome SARS-CoV-2 sequencing in Covid-19 mild and severe patients to identify virulence and prognostic factors

IP: Josep Quer Sivila
Collaborators: -
Funding agency: Generalitat de Catalunya - Departament de Salut
Funding: 298141.88
Reference: 6_6
Duration: 08/04/2020 - 31/12/2020

Identificación de marcadores de diagnóstico y pronóstico de carcinoma hepatocelular (HCC) en vesiculas extracelulares, mediante un método mínimamente invasivo, basado en secuenciación masiva (NGS)

IP: Josep Quer Sivila
Collaborators: Itxarone Izaskun Bilbao Aguirre, Lluis Castells Fusté, Ariadna Rando Segura, Damir Garcia Cehic
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 165770
Reference: PI19/00301
Duration: 01/01/2020 - 30/06/2023

DESARROLLO DE APLICACIONES DIAGNÓSTICAS EN INFECCION POR VHC BASADAS EN SECUENCIACIÓN DE MOLECULA ÚNICA EN TIEMPO REAL (SMRT-NNGS).

IP: Josep Quer Sivila
Collaborators: Lluis Castells Fusté, Silvia Sauleda Oliveras, Damir Garcia Cehic, Juan Ignacio Esteban Mur, Marta Bes Maijo, Cristina Dopazo Taboada
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 153065
Reference: PI16/00337
Duration: 01/01/2017 - 31/05/2020