
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.
Efficacy and safety of mRNA1273 SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients: Single center experience.
Macrophage CD5L is a target for cancer immunotherapy.
An engineered HIV-1 Gag-based VLP displaying high antigen density induces strong antibody-dependent functional immune responses.
Cyanovirin-N binds to select SARS-CoV-2 spike oligosaccharides outside of the receptor binding domain and blocks infection by SARS-CoV-2.
Alanine-based spacers promote an efficient antigen processing and presentation in neoantigen polypeptide vaccines.