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María José Buzón Gómez

I am a researcher with extensive training in virology and immunology and a strong interest in translational research. I am dedicated to the study of new therapies aimed at curing HIV, with special emphasis on the characterization, both in blood and in different tissues, of new cellular reservoirs of HIV and the development of strategies that enhance the immune system. Recently part of my research has been directed to the study of SARS-CoV-2.

Institutions of which they are part

Head of group
Infectious Diseases
Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca

María José Buzón Gómez

Institutions of which they are part

Head of group
Infectious Diseases
Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca

I am a researcher with extensive training in virology and immunology and a strong interest in translational research. I am dedicated to the study of new therapies aimed at curing HIV, with special emphasis on the characterization, both in blood and in different tissues, of new cellular reservoirs of HIV and the development of strategies that enhance the immune system. Recently part of my research has been directed to the study of SARS-CoV-2.

Since 2015, I am the head of the HIV Translational Research Laboratory, located at the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), which belongs to the Infectious Diseases Department. I obtained my PhD in 2010 at AIDS Research Institute, Irsicaixa in Barcelona, and completed my postdoctoral training at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard in Boston, where I was promoted to Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School in 2014. My scientific interest has focused on the study of the HIV reservoirs that persist despite antiretroviral therapy (ART). I provided the first evidence that new rounds of cryptic viral replication were happening in the presence of ART (Nat Med 2010), and identified reservoir cells with stem-cell-like properties contributing to HIV long-term persistence (Nat Med 2014). My investigations are now focused on the characterization of new cellular reservoirs, the identification of novel latency reversal agents, and the design of new immune-targeted approximations aimed at depleting the latent reservoir. Recently, my lab has identified the new marker CD20 as a potential target for the transcriptionally active HIV reservoir (Nat Com 2019), has characterized the fraction of virus that can be awakened with current latency reversal agents in different populations (Plos Path 2019), and has developed new nanotechnological strategies for the elimination of the viral reservoir (NanoToday 2021). Besides, I am also a member of several evaluation panels (MINECO and AES grant calls), act as an abstract reviewer for several congresses (CROI, IAS and GESIDA), and participate in different scientific committees and international collaborative networks (BEAT-HIV Delaney Collaboratory Group). I have also contributed to innovation with 3 research patents. Importantly, I have been a recipient of several awards, including the CFAR Young Investigator Award (Harvard University Center for AIDS Research), the MGH ECOR Tosteson Award and the “International Raising Talents 2016” from the L'Oreal-Unesco Foundation For Women in Science.
A complete list of publications can be found here https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1TwfYvrCsLtkW/bibliography/public/

Projects

(LOCAL-NKs) - Estudio de NK residentes de memoria en tejido para el control de infecciones virales

IP: María José Buzón Gómez
Collaborators: David Perea Pérez, Oriol Ruiz Isant, Nerea Sanchez Gaona, Joan Rey Cano, Ana Gallego Cortes
Funding agency: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación-MICINN
Funding: 363000
Reference: PID2021-123321OB-I00
Duration: 01/09/2022 - 31/08/2025

Ministerio de Ciencia

Identification of HIV-persistence markers in human tissues.

IP: María José Buzón Gómez
Collaborators: Adria Curran Fàbregas, Ana Gallego Cortes, Yasmine Margaret Baktash
Funding agency: GILEAD SCIENCES SLU
Funding: 49999
Reference: GLD22/00152
Duration: 01/03/2023 - 28/02/2025

Malalties infeccioses

IP: Vicenç Falcó Ferrer
Collaborators: Jose Santos Santiago, Maria Luisa Aznar Ruiz de Alegria, Adria Curran Fàbregas, Jorge Nestor Garcia Perez, Oscar Len Abad, Mª Carmen Ferrer Barberà, Javier Gomis Rodriguez, Diana Pou Ciruelo, Begoña Treviño Maruri, Nuria Fernández Hidalgo, Joan Gavaldà Santapau, Juan Espinosa Pereiro, Bibiana Planas Ribas, Ma Dolores Rodríguez Pardo, Pau Bosch Nicolau, David Perea Pérez, Israel Molina Romero, Patricia Álvarez López, Luis Lopez Perez, Vicente Descalzo Jorro, Marta Sanchiz Cruz, Nuria Serre Delcor, Laura Escola Verge, Julia Sellares Nadal, Fernando M Salvador Velez, Isabel Ruiz Camps, Jordi Gómez i Prat, María José Buzón Gómez, Hakima Ouaarab Essadek, Paula Suanzes Diez, Jordi Navarro Mercadé, Esperanza Esteban Serna, Raisa Morales Martinez, Joaquin Burgos Cibrian, Nerea Sanchez Gaona, Joan Rey Cano, Adrián Sánchez Montalvá, Cristina Mancebo Perez, Montserrat Llinás Vidal, Ana Gallego Cortes, Maider Arando Lasagabaster, Ibai Los Arcos Bertiz, Claudia Broto Cortes, Ester Marquez Algaba, Benito Almirante Gragera, Desideria Martinez Rascón, Meritxell Genesca Ferrer, Ines Mercedes Oliveira Souto, Silvina Andrea Magnani, Yasmine Margaret Baktash
Funding agency: Agència Gestió Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca
Funding: 60000
Reference: 2021 SGR 00764
Duration: 01/01/2022 - 30/06/2025

Malalties infeccioses

IP: María José Buzón Gómez
Collaborators: Laia Perez Lasarte
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 101250
Reference: CPII22/00005
Duration: 04/01/2023 - 03/01/2026

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