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

Seleción y expansión de linfocitos T CD4+NS3-específicos de pacientes coinfectados por VIH y VHC. caracterización del estado de anergia en la infección crónica y restauración funcional para su empleo en inmunoterapia adaptativa para la prevención y/o tratamiento de la recurrencia postransplante

IP: Juan Ignacio Esteban Mur
Collaborators: Josep Quer Sivila
Funding agency: Fundación Innov. y Prosp. Salud en España - FIPSE
Funding: 85800
Reference: FIPSE/36623/06
Duration: 01/12/2006 - 30/11/2009

Estudi de tolerància perifèrica a la proteïna no estructural NS3 del virus de l'hepatitis C (VHC) per desenvolupar immunoteràpia contra la infecció per VHC per a la prevenció de l'hepatocarcinoma

IP: Juan Ignacio Esteban Mur
Collaborators: Lluis Castells Fusté, Silvia Sauleda Oliveras, Josep Quer Sivila
Funding agency: Fundació La Marató de TV3
Funding: 165000
Reference: TV3/052310
Duration: 01/01/2006 - 31/12/2009

Selección y expansión de linfocitos T CD4+ NS3-específicos de pacientes infectados por Virus de la hepatitis C (VHC). Caracterización del estado de anergia de la infección crónica

IP: -
Collaborators: Itxarone Izaskun Bilbao Aguirre, Lluis Castells Fusté, Josep Quer Sivila, Juan Ignacio Esteban Mur
Funding agency: Ministerio Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades
Funding: 90750
Reference: SAF2006-03681
Duration: 01/10/2006 - 30/09/2009

Investigación de la tolerancia periférica a NS3 como causa de la persistencia del virus de la hepatitis C (VHC).

IP: Juan Ignacio Esteban Mur
Collaborators: Silvia Sauleda Oliveras, Josep Quer Sivila
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 140024
Reference: PI030274
Duration: 01/01/2003 - 28/11/2006