The maintenance of life in multicellular organisms rests on several fundamental pillars. Among those, an efficient distribution of nutrients to cells and tissues and the protection against infection and injury are particularly relevant for homeostatic health. Indeed, metabolic disorders leading to obesity, insulin resistance and generalized inflammatory states underlie many of the chronic pathologies that afflict our society nowadays, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, autoimmunity, type II diabetes or metabolic fatty liver disease. We now know that the very basis of cellular metabolism controlling the polarization, fate and function of immune cells is crucial to prevent infectious disease, inflammation, and cancer.

The specific research areas of our groups bring together complementary expertise in biochemistry, metabolism, biotechnology, cellular and molecular biology, immunology, physiology and nanobiology. Our multidisciplinary research is structured in three research areas embracing different laboratories with complementary goals, aiming to promote collaborations and maximize resources: i) metabolic diseases, ii) inflammatory and immune disorders; iii) cardiovascular pathology and hypoxia.

Ultimately, the main objective of our department is to translate the findings of our research in metabolism and immunity to the discovery of novel therapeutic and /or intervention strategies in a wide range of pathologies, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, autoimmunity, and infectious diseases.