Ester Gea-Mallorquí

I completed a Degree in Chemistry (Universitat de Barcelona) and a BSc Honours Biochemistry (Concordia University, Montréal). During my Master thesis (AIDS Research Unit, IDIBAPS, Barcelona) I developed a paediatric HIV-TB BCG-based vaccine with an antibiotic-free selection system to be used in prime-boost regime. I moved to Paris to pursue my PhD at the Institut Curie with Philippe Benaroch and worked on more fundamental studies of HIV and myeloid cells. My main PhD project consisted on characterizing the HIV-2 life cycle in human primary Macrophages, regarding their potential role as viral reservoirs. I also studied the interplay between HIV-1 and precursor circulating Dendritic Cells (pre-DCs). 

I joined Professor Rowland-Jones’ group in 2019 as a postdoctoral researcher. Taking HIV-2 as a model for a delayed onset and attenuated HIV pathogenesis, I am now continuing my research on the adaptive immune system and trying to understand the means of control for HIV-2. Together with the mechanisms being studied in the lab of viral control from elite controllers in HIV-1 we aim to help on the design for new strategies to induce a more effective HIV control by the immune system.