Laia Fernández-Barat
Laboratory Coordinator
lfernan1(ELIMINAR)@clinic.ub.es
Dr. Laia Fernández-Barat has significantly contributed to the creation and coordinates a research microbiology laboratory at IDIBAPS settled in Barcelona, focused in biofilm-associated respiratory infections and respiratory microbiome dysbiosis. She has leaded multiple studies on biofilm in endotracheal tubes during ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) obtained both from a pig animal model unique in the world run by Prof. Antoni Torres group, and also from critically ill patients mechanically ventilated. Therefore, she has contrasted experience on biofilm diagnostic advanced techniques and microscopy for biofilms imaging in vivo as can be appreciated by her publications.
In 2014, she received a competitive Grant funded by European Respiratory Society (ERS) and Spanish Society for pneumology and thoracic surgery (SEPAR) to perform a Postdoctoral stay in the Costerton Biofilm Center, University of Copenhagen (Denmark) under the supervision of Prof. Niels Høiby, one of the pioneers in the field of biofilm research in human infections.
This international collaboration was crucial to consolidate her research laboratory and recruit new funding to broaden her research on VAP and biofilms to other respiratory infections such as bronchiectasis (BE) and Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD).
She is a main collaborator, together with other IAMR members, in a groundbreaking project recently funded by “La Caixa”, leaded by Prof. Luis Serrano from center for genomics regulation and co-leaded by Prof. Antoni Torres from hospital Clinic-IDIBAPS to test new non-pathogenic microorganisms genetically modified as a therapeutic vector for VAP and ETT-biofilms.
Publications
Diagnostic Value of Endotracheal Aspirates Sonication on Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Microbiologic Diagnosis.
Fernández-Barat L, Motos A, Ranzani OT, Bassi GL, Aguilera Xiol E, Senussi T, Travierso C, Chiurazzi C, Idone F, Muñoz L, Vila J, Ferrer M, Pelosi P, Blasi F, Antonelli M, Torres A.
Microorganisms. 2017 Sep 20;5(3). pii: E62. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms5030062.
Intensive care unit-acquired pneumonia due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa with and without multidrug resistance.
Fernández-Barat L, Ferrer M, De Rosa F, Gabarrús A, Esperatti M, Terraneo S, Rinaudo M, Li Bassi G, Torres A.
J Infect. 2017 Feb;74(2):142-152.
Biofilms in ventilator-associated pneumonia.
Fernández-Barat L, Torres A
Future Microbiol. 2016 Dec;11:1599-1610. Epub 2016 Nov 10.
Phenotypic shift in Pseudomonas aeruginosa populations from cystic fibrosis lungs after 2-week antipseudomonal treatment.
Fernández-Barat L, Ciofu O, Kragh KN, Pressler T, Johansen U, Motos A, Torres A, Hoiby N.
J Cyst Fibros. 2017 Mar;16(2):222-229. doi: 10.1016/j.jcf.2016.08.005. Epub 2016 Sep 17.
As coordinator of the new translational research laboratory, she studies the implications of biofilms and microbiome in respiratory infections and clinical outcomes
Involved in the following lines
- Animal Model
- ARDS-ALI
- Bronchiectasis non associated to Cystic Fibrosis (BQ-noFQ), Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and immune deficiencies
- Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Networks, European Projects and Collaborations
- Translational research laboratory for advanced microbiology diagnosis and pathogen-host response in respiratory infections
- Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP)