Projects
About me
In 2006, I received my Bachelor Degree in Biology Summa Cum Laude (with highest honours), which was followed by postgraduate training at The National Centre of Biotechnology, Spain. I obtained a 4-year PhD Scholarship from the Community of Madrid and described a novel mechanism employed by RNA viruses to evade host innate immunity to benefit both viral and host survival. In 2011, I received my PhD in Molecular Virology Summa Cum Laude. During this time I published 6 papers, 3 as a first author in highly rated journals, such as PLOs Pathogens and J. Virology.
In 2013, I was awarded a 2-year fellowship from the Bayer-Humboldt Foundation to work as a researcher at the Heinrich Pette-Institute of Experimental Virology (HPI), Germany. I focused on mechanisms that govern the initiation of the adaptive immune response at the natural portal of entry of human viruses, such as the respiratory tract (influenza A virus, IAV) and the skin surface (Rift Valley Fever virus, RVFV), work that led to two publications, including a J. Immunology and one as a first author in the European J. of Immunology.
In June 2015 I was recruited to the Wells Group at The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute. Here, I am focused on the development of novel immunotherapies/vaccines for virally-associated cancers. A key element in this research is to understand factors that regulate the function of immune cells known as cytotoxic T-cells; immune cells that specifically seek out and destroy virally-infected and malignant cells. In 2016, I was awarded with the 3-year UQ-postdoctoral fellowship. During my time at the institute I have received the UQ Travel Award (2016), the UQDI Early career Travel Award (2017) and the Keystone Symposium Travel Award (2017). Since I joined Wells group, I have been first author in 3 articles and one book chapter.
Since 2015, I have contributed to the training and development of 10 students and researchers at UQ and beyond. I have mentored national and international students across both basic science and clinical medicine. I have successfully supervised 2 Honours Students, (both received First class Honours, and one of them received the award of best oral presentation). Currently I provide supervision to 2 PhD students and one occupational trainee student from overseas. I was a member of the 3rd Milestone thesis review committee of the PhD student Godwins Echejoh, invited speaker at the Winter Course in Advanced Immunology at the Translational Research Institute, 2017, and leader of the Honours student Journal Club at UQDI.
I am an active member of the scientific community at the TRI participating as convenor of the fortnightly Immunology Seminar Series for two consecutive years, and I externally contribute by acting as an expert in the evaluation of Spanish research projects.
Publications
Publications
1. Cruz JL, Overgaard NH, Bridge JA, Nel HJ, Frazer IH, N, La Gruta NL, Blumenthal A, Steptoe RJ, and Wells JW. CD4+CD8b+ double-positive T cells in skin-draining lymph nodes respond to inflammatory signals from the skin. (2017) J Leukoc Biol. doi: 10.1189/jlb.1AB0217-065R.
2. Cruz JL, Pérez-Girón JV, Lüdke A, Gómez-Median S, Ruibal P, Idoyaga J and Muñoz-Fontela C. Monocyte-derived dendritic cells enhance protection against secondary influenza challenge by controlling the switch in CD8+ T-cell immunodominance. (2016) Eur. J. Immunol. doi: 10.1002/eji.201646523.
3. Cruz JL and Wells JW. Regulation of CD8+ T cells and implications in the development of skin cancer carcinoma. (2016). Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
4. Cruz JL, Wells JW. Assessing T-cell abundance in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: adding another string to your bow. (2016) Exp. Dermatology. doi:10.1111/exd.13041.
5. Pérez-Girón JV, Belincha-Villanueva A, Hassan E, Gómez-Medina S, Cruz JL, Lüdtke A, Ruibal P, Albrecht RA, García-Sastre A, Muñoz-Fontela C. Mucosal polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid improves protection elicited by replicating influenza vaccines via enhanced dendritic cell function and T cell immunity. (2014) J. Immunol. 193(3): 1324-32
6. Cruz JL, Becares M, Sola I, Oliveros JC, Enjuanes L and Zuñiga S. Alphacoronavirus protein 7 modulates host innate immune response. (2013) J. Virol. 87, 9754-67.
7. Cruz JL, Sola I, Becares M, Alberca B, Plana J, Enjuanes L and Zuñiga S. Coronavirus gene 7 counteracts host defenses and modulates virus virulence. (2011) PloS Pathogens. Jun;7(6):e1002090.
8. Sola I, Galan C, Mateos-Gomez PA, Palacio L, Zúñiga S, Cruz JL, Almazan F and Enjuanes L. The polypyrimidine tract-binding protein affects coronavirus RNA accumulation levels and relocalizes viral RNAs to novel cytoplasmic domains different from replication-transcription sites. (2011) J. Virol. 85, 5136-5149.
9. Cruz JL, Zuñiga S, Becares M, Sola I, Ceriani JE, Juanola S, Plana J and Enjuanes L. Vectored vaccines to protect against PRRSV. (2010) Virus Res. 154, 150-160.
10. Zuñiga S, Cruz JL, Sola I, Mateos-Gomez PA, Palacio L and Enjuanes L. Coronavirus nucleocapsid protein facilitates template switching and is required for efficient transcription. (2010) J. Virol. 84, 2169-2175.
11. Zuñiga S, Sola I, Cruz JL and Enjuanes L. Role of RNA chaperones in virus replication. (2008) Virus Res. 139, 253-266.
Plenary, Keynote and invited talks
1. Cruz JL, Zuñiga S, Sanchez CM, Urniza A, Bru T, Cerian JE, Plana J and Enjuanes L. Construction of a TGEV vector to protect against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome. International PRRSV symposium. Chicago, IL. December 5-6, 2008.
2. Cruz JL, Zuñiga S, Sanchez CM, Ros S, Juanola S, Plana J and Enjuanes L . Design of a TGEV vector to protect against pareine reproductive and respiratory syndrome. International PRRSV symposium. Chicago, IL. December 4-5, 2009.
3. Cruz JL, Sola I, Becares M, Alberca B, Plana J, Enjuanes L and Zúñiga S. The gene 7 of Coronavirus counteracts the host defences and modulates the virus virulence. IX National Meeting of Virology. Granada, Spain. 2011.
4. Zuñiga S, Cruz JL, Sola I, Becares M and Enjuanes L. Alphacoronavirus 1 gene 7 modulates host innate immune response. American Society of Virology 31st Annual meeting. Madison, Wisconsin. July 21-15, 2012.
5. Cruz JL, Lüdtke A, Medina SG, Perez-Girón V and Muñoz-Fontela C. Monocyte-derived dendritic cells shape the quality of the influenza T cell immunity response at the respiratory mucosa. Harnessing Immunity to prevent and treat disease. Cold Spring Harbour, NY. November 20-23, 2013.
6. Cruz JL, Overgaard NH, Bridge JA, Jung JW, He J, Nel HJ, Watson K, Frazer IH, La Gruta NL, Steptoe RJ, and Wells JW. CD4+CD8+ double-positive T cells regulate CD8+ single-positive T cell function in the skin. International meeting of Immunology, Melbourne. August 22-26, 2016.
7. Cruz JL, Veitch M, Tuong K, Overgaard NH, Bridge JA, He J, Nel HJ, Watson K, Frazer IH, La Gruta NL, Steptoe RJ, and Wells JW. CD4+CD8+ double-positive T cells regulate CD8+ single-positive T cell function in the skin. Australasian Society for Dermatological Research Annual Scientific Meeting, Sydney, May 8-10, 2017.
8. Cruz JL, Veitch M, Tuong K, Overgaard NH, Bridge JA, He J, Nel HJ, Watson K, Frazer IH, La Gruta NL, Steptoe RJ, and Wells JW. Peripheral CD4+CD8+ T-cells arise from tissue specific CD4+ T-cells. Keystone Symposium, Stockholm, May 26-30, 2017.
Honours And Awards
2017: Keystone Symposium travel award to attend Cell Omics Symposium, Sweden ($1600)
2017: The UQDI Early Career Research Travel Award ($5000)
2016: International Congress of Immunology Travel Award ($500).
2016: 3-year The University of Queensland Fellowship for Postdoctoral position at the UQ Diamantina Institute (UQDI).
2013: 2-year Humboldt-Bayer Fellowship for a Postdoctoral position at the Heinrich-Pette-Institute for Experimental Virology, Germany.
2011: Ph.D. “Summa Cum Laude”.
2011: XI National Meeting of Virology Best Oral Communication Award, Spain ($483).
2006: PhD scholarship from the Community of Madrid, Dept. of Molecular and Cell Biology, CNB-CSIC, Spain.
2005: B.S. “Summa Cum Laude”.
2005: Special Graduation Award; best student record in Molecular and Clinical Biology ($184).
2005: Introduction to Research Fellowship by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education, Spain ($1770).
