Molecular microbiology

The IPLA-CSIC Molecular Microbiology group works on the study of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and their bacteriophages, with the ultimate goal of contributing to improving food safety and quality, as well as consumer health. LAB are an essential microbial group in the Dairy Sector, due to their use as starter cultures in the production of a wide variety of fermented dairy foods, including cheese. They can also produce a beneficial effect on the health of the consumer. Therefore, we are also interested in their use as probiotics and even as live vectors for the production of therapeutic molecules in the mucosa. However, some LAB are responsible for the accumulation of toxic concentrations of biogenic amines in cheese, a field in which the group has spent 2 decades of interdisciplinary work, having become an international benchmark.