Neuroimmunology

Group co-leader: David Otaegui, Ph.D.

Biodonostia HRI E-mail david.otaegui@bio-gipuzkoa.eus

Group co-leader: Tamara Castillo Triviño

OSI Donostialdea E-mail tamara.castillotrivino@osakidetza.eus
Dr. David Otaegui Bichot graduated in Biochemistry at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) in 1999 and received his doctorate from the same University in 2007. In 2021 he finished a Master of Applied Statistics with R. During his research career he has been a visiting fellow at Columbia University (NYC) and at that of California in San Francisco. Dr. Otaegi is the author of 84 publications (63% of them in Q1) with an h-index of 38. He has 4 pending patent applications and has directed 9 doctoral theses. Ms. Tamara Castillo Triviño obtained her Degree in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Navarra in 2003. She completed a Master’s Degree Program in Clinical Research at the University of California San Francisco in 2010. Today she is Attending Physician with the Neurological Service of the Donostia University Hospital (Donostialdea IHO), as well as Co-Leader of the Multiple Sclerosis Group at the Biodonostia HRI. She is the author of more than 30 publications and has participated in more than 16 Clinical Studies.

Our Group has been researching Multiple Sclerosis and other neuroimmunological diseases for more than 20 years. We are a multidisciplinary group who combine laboratory research with our everyday work at the clinic, focussing our interests on achieving better understanding of how the pathology functions and the variables which can affect its development. Our research is therefore fundamentally translational and patient-oriented. We also have as our objective to disseminate science and scientific culture by means of disclosing our findings, bringing our projects and outcomes to patients and society.

Strategic Objectives

  • To monitor the clinical variables of Multiple Sclerosis through a database enabling us to better handle the disease.
  • To understand the process of flare-ups and remyelination. Characterisation of the transcriptome and its regulation by means of non-coding RNAs in the different stages of the disease.
  • To understand communication between cells through the extracellular vesicles and their potential use as a biomarker and/or therapeutic tool.
  • To analyse the remyelination processes and the potential approximations for improving these processes by vehiculating snRNA to the Central Nervous System.
  • To study the implication of intestinal microbiota in development of the disease and its potential modulation as a therapeutic tool.
  • To understand the disease as a whole, combining the aspects learned in the different lines in order to generate biomarkers enabling the improved therapeutic handling of each patient.
  • To carry out studies on quality of life, pain, side effects and environmental effects (sun, smoking, etc.) on our patients.
  • To participate in clinical trials.
  • Characterisation of the age effect on the disease, studying paediatric Multiple Sclerosis and the effect of imunosenescence on patients.

Main lines of research

  • Our group has several open lines of research, complementary to one another:
  • Regulation of the Transcriptome.
  • Extracellular vesicles in Multiple Sclerosis.
  • Characterisation of remyelination.
  • Microbiota in autoimmune diseases.
  • Paediatric Multiple Sclerosis.
  • Inmunosenescence.
  • Environmental effects on the progress of the disease.

Team Members

Name Surname
Center E-mail
Ainhoa Alberro Garitano Biogipuzkoa HRI ainhoa.alberro@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Naiara Andrés Marín Donostialdea IHO naiara.andresmarin@osakidetza.eus
Jone Karmele Arizaga Echebarria Biogipuzkoa HRI jonekarmele.arizagaechebarria@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Maialen Arruti Gonzalez Donostialdea IHO maialen.arrutigonzalez@osakidetza.eus
Rocío del Carmen Bravo Miana Biogipuzkoa HRI rociodelcarmen.bravomiana@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Eduardo Espinosa Ros Donostialdea IHO eduardo.espinosaros@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Hirune Crespillo Velasco Biogipuzkoa HRI hirune.crespillo@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Saioa García-Serrano Iñiguez Biogipuzkoa HRI saioa.garcia@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Miriam Gorostidi Aicua Biogipuzkoa HRI miriam.gorostidi@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Andrea Iribarren López Biogipuzkoa HRI andrea.iribarren@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Idoia Mendiburu Arrieta Donostialdea IHO
Laura Moles Alegre Biogipuzkoa HRI laura.moles@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Maider Muñoz Culla UPV-EHU maider.munoz@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Ane Otaegui Chivite Biogipuzkoa HRI ane.otaegui@bio-gipuzkoa.eus
Alvaro Prada Iñurrategui Donostialdea IHO alvarojose.pradainurrategui@osakidetza.eus
Leire Romarate García Biogipuzkoa HRI leire.romarate@bio-gipuzkoa.eus

 

Scientific Output