Pasteur+INIA Joint Unit (UMPI)
The Institut Pasteur of Montevideo (IP Montevideo) and the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA) Joint Unit was created in October 2014 with the aim of promoting and adding value to knowledge and combining research areas of both institutions. It also seeks to provide solutions to the agricultural sector based on the use of technologies developed from multidisciplinary approaches in animal health, microbiology, bioinformatics, molecular genetics and generation of bio-inputs.
This Unit intends to carry out joint research projects, train human resources and create associative networks in areas of mutual interest, meeting the needs of the agricultural sector.
As an open platform, the unit is available to researchers from IP Montevideo, INIA and other research institutions, promoting the linkage of the productive sector, academy and industry.
Members
RESEARCHERS USERS OF THE UMPI LABORATORY
Natalia Olivero, PhD
– Assistant researcher
– Immunovirology, IP Montevideo
MD Natalia Ibáñez, MSc
– Master’s degree student
– Immunovirology, IP Montevideo
Federico Carrión, MSc
– Doctoral student
– Immunovirology, IP Montevideo
Andrés Cabrera, PhD
– Postdoctoral student
– Faculty of Veterinary, Udelar
– Host-Pathogen Interactions
and Apicomplexan Biology, IP Montevideo
Fabiana González, BSc
– Master’s degree student
– Apicomplexan Biology, IP Montevideo
Martín Fló, PhD
– Research assistant
– Immunovirology, IP Montevideo
Florencia Rammauro, MSc
– Doctoral student
– Faculty of Medicine, Udelar
– Immunovirology, IP Montevideo
Soledad Echeverría, MSc
– Doctoral student
– Host-Pathogen Interactions, IP Montevideo
Florencia Ruppel, DVM
– Master’s degree student
– Host-Pathogen Interactions, IP Montevideo
Ramiro Tomasina, MSc
– Doctoral student
– Faculty of Medicine, Udelar
– Apicomplexan Biology, IP Montevideo
Juan Imelio, MSc
– Doctoral student
– Molecular and Structural Microbiology, IP Montevideo
María Eugenia Francia, PhD
– Head
– Faculty of Medicine, Udelar
– Apicomplexan Biology, IP Montevideo
Leandro Tana, MSc
– Doctoral student
– Apicomplexan Biology, IP Montevideo
Fabiana San Martín, MSc
– Doctoral student
– Molecular and Structural Microbiology, IP Montevideo
Sonia Mondino, PhD
– Postdoctoral researcher
– Molecular and Structural Microbiology, IP Montevideo
Research lines
Bioinputs
We study new bio-inputs formulated with microorganisms or microbial bioactive compounds to improve the productivity, quality and health of the plants or the characteristics of the soils. We seek the development of products and technologies that allow improving the sustainability of food production systems, complying with safety standards and reducing the use of agrochemicals.
Infectious diseases affecting livestock
We study Enzootic Bovine Leukosis, Tuberculosis, Campylobacteriosis, Leptospirosis and Neosporosis. These diseases affect animal health and have a negative impact on livestock production. Some of these infectious diseases can also affect humans and put at risk the health of those who work in contact with infected animals. The objective is to develop technologies for the diagnosis, treatment and control of these diseases, seeking to improve the global health status of Uruguayan cattle.
Equipment and services
The UMPI has a laboratory with Biosafety level II to work with pathogenic microorganisms. This makes it possible to strengthen the work capacities of the researchers that work under the Animal Health program at the institute.
The laboratory has areas equipped and dedicated for:
- Cultivation of aerobic microorganisms
- Cultivation of eukaryotic cells
- Extraction of nucleic acids and proteins
- Preparation of reaction mixtures for the amplification of nucleic acids (Pre-PCR area)
- Amplification by conventional or real time PCR (PCR zone)
- Quantification and analysis of nucleic acid amplification products (Post-PCR area)
- Protein analysis (ELISA / Western Blot)
Projects
Development of inoculants for the mobilization of phosphorus as an input in agricultural production.. Principal Investigator: Nora Altier – INIA. Execution 02 / 2016 – 02 / 2019. Funding Agency: ANII – Partnerships for Innovation (ALI_1_2014_1_5046).
Typing and diagnosis of Leptospira spp by molecular techniques: towards the design of recombinant vaccines.. Principal Investigator: Alejandro Buschiazzo – IP. Execution 11 / 2014-11 / 2017. Funding Agency: ANII – Innovagro Fund (FSA_1_2013_1_12557)
Identification of molecular markers associated with resistance to Bovine Leukemia Virus infection by transcriptomic analysis of individuals controlling the viral load. Principal Investigator: Otto Pritsch, IP / UdelaR. Execution 2014 – 2017. Funding Agency: ANII – Innovagro Funds (FSA_1_2013_1_12970)
Cellular immunity against Leptospira: generation of experimental tools and preliminary evaluation of the mechanisms involved. . Principal Investigator: Marcelo Hill, IP / UdelaR. Execution 03 / 2015-03 / 2017. Financing: Institut Pasteur de Montevideo – Funds for Transversal Projects (IPM Transversal Project named 2014).
Creation and characterization of a bank of Leptospira spp strains isolated from naturally infected cattle in Uruguay. Investigator in charge: Alejandro Buschiazzo, IP. Execution 06 / 2015-06 / 2018. Funding Agency: ANII – Partnerships for Innovation (ALI_1_2014_1_4982)
Development and validation of methodologies for the diagnosis and control of bovine genital Campylobacteriosis. Responsible Investigators: Lucía Calleros, UdelaR; Gregorio Iraola, IP. Execution 02 / 2016 – 02 / 2019. Funding Agency: ANII – Sectoral Fund for Animal Health (FSSA_X_2014_1_105252).
Causes and prevalence of abortions and evaluation of reproductive indices in dairy bovine herds with abortive diseases in Uruguay. Responsible Investigators: Franklin Riet Correa and Federico Giannitti, INIA. Execution 09 / 2015-02 / 2018. Funding Agency: ANII – Sectoral Fund for Animal Health (FSSA_X_2014_1_105696)
Generation of new tools for the control of Neospora caninum based on an epidemiological and genomic approach. Researcher in charge: Carlos Robello, IP. Execution 02 / 2016 – 02 / 2019. Funding Agency: ANII – Sectoral Fund for Animal Health (FSSA_X_2014_1_106026).
Development and validation of a kit for the serological diagnosis of Enzootic Bovine Leukosis. Principal Investigator: Otto Pritsch, IP / UdelaR. Execution 2017 – 2018. Funding Agency: ANII – Partnerships for Innovation (ALI_1_2016_2_129851)
Functional characterization of the centrosome in Apicomplex parasites. Researcher responsible: Ma. Eugenia Francia, IP. Execution 03 / 2017-03 / 2020. Funding Agency: ANII – Fondo Clemente Estable (FCE_3_2016_1_127225)
Centrosome dissection of T. gondii – Systematic identification and functional analysis of novel centrosomal components in Toxoplasma gondii. Researcher responsible: Ma. Eugenia Francia, IP. Execution 01 / 2018-01 / 2020. Financing: Institut Pasteur – ACIP call 2017 (ACIP 76-17)
Main publications
vacio
2018
- Zarantonelli, L., Suanes, A., Meny, P., Buroni, F., Nieves, C., Salaberry, X., Briano, C., Ashfield, N., Da Silva Silveira, C., Dutra, F., Easton, C., Fraga, M., Giannitti, F., Hamond, C., Macías-Rioseco, M., Menéndez, C., Mortola, A., Picardeau, M., Quintero, J., Ríos, C., Rodríguez, V., Romero, A., Varela, G., Rivero, R., Schelotto, F., Riet-Correa, F., & Buschiazzo, A. (2018). Isolation of pathogenic Leptospira strains from naturally infected cattle in Uruguay reveals high serovar diversity, and uncovers a relevant risk for human leptospirosis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 12(9): e0006694. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0006694