Julià Blanco Arbués
Julià Blanco (PhD in Biochemistry, University of Barcelona (UB), 1994) leads the Cell Virology and Immunology (VIC) group at IrsiCaixa. He has extensively studied the role of the HIV envelope glycoprotein (Env) in virus-cell or cell-to-cell interactions and HIV cytopathicity in a translational environment. In vivo, he has explored the mechanisms involved in CD4 T-cell depletion, analysing the contribution of virological and immunological factors that modulate CD4 and B-cell survival. In parallel, his team has developed experimental models for the analysis of cell-to-cell HIV transmission and Env-induced cell death. Knowledge generated regarding the Env function has also proved useful in analysing anti-Env drug and anti-Env antibody mechanisms of action and in contributing to a better understanding of antibody protection from HIV acquisition and spread.
Dr. Blanco is co-founder of AlbaJuna Therapeutics SL, an IrsiCaixa spin-off whose main activity is the development of synthetic antibodies against HIV, and associate professor at the Chair of Infectious Diseases and Immunity of UVIC-UCC.
VLPs generated by the fusion of RSV-F or hMPV-F glycoprotein to HIV-Gag show improved immunogenicity and neutralizing response in mice.
Nucleic Acid Vaccines Encoding Proteins and Virus-like Particles for HIV Prevention.
Immunization with V987H-stabilized Spike glycoprotein protects K18-hACE2 mice and golden Syrian hamsters upon SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Immunisation efficacy of a stabilised SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein in two geriatric animal models.
A monoclonal antibody targeting a large surface of the receptor binding motif shows pan-neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 activity.