简介
Carlos Martín, MD, PhD, is Professor of Microbiology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Zaragoza, and affiliated with the Microbiology Service at Hospital Miguel Servet. With over 30 years of experience in mycobacterial genetics and tuberculosis research, he is a member of the Steering Committee of the Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (TBVI).
He leads the development of MTBVAC, the first live attenuated Mycobacterium tuberculosis vaccine to enter clinical trials. Initially developed in collaboration with the Institut Pasteur in Paris, MTBVAC is now advancing through a strong international partnership: Biofabri (Spain) leads clinical development and manufacturing; IAVI (USA), with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, coordinates efficacy trials in Africa; and Bharat Biotech (India) supports further development and global access, especially in high-burden countries.
Carlos Martín began his scientific career in the Microbiology School of Professor Gómez-Lus at the University of Zaragoza, where he was trained in clinical microbiology and bacterial resistance. He then continued his specialization at the University of Cantabria in Santander, focusing on antibiotic resistance, transposition, and plasmid biology under the mentorship of Juanma García-Lobo and Fernando de la Cruz. He later joined the Institut Pasteur in Paris as a permanent researcher, working with Professors Julian Davies and Brigitte Gicquel on the genetics and molecular biology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
He has authored over 180 peer-reviewed international publications, cited more than 10,000 times in recent years. His research has been continuously funded by Spanish and European programs since 1992. His team is part of CIBERES, the national research network on respiratory diseases coordinated by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spanish Ministry of Health).
Dr. Martín is also co-inventor of several patents on tuberculosis vaccines, owned by the University of Zaragoza and exclusively licensed to Biofabri for clinical and industrial development.
Some Relevant Publications:
- "MTBVAC, in adults with or without M tuberculosis sensitisation: a phase 1b-2a, double-blind" , Luabeya et al Lancet Glob Health 2025.
- "Safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of MTBVAC in infants: a phase 2a randomised, double-blind, dose-defining trial in a TB endemic setting". Tameris et al EBioMedicine. 2025.
- "MTBVAC, a live TB vaccine poised to initiate efficacy trials 100 years after BCG". Martin et al Vaccine 2021.
- "MTBVAC vaccination protects rhesus macaques against aerosol challenge with M. tuberculosis and induces immune signatures analogous to those observed in clinical studies" White et al NPJ Vaccines 2021.
- "Live attenuated TB vaccines representing the three modern M. tuberculosis lineages reveal that the Euro-American genetic background confers optimal vaccine potential"Perez et al EBioMedicine 2020.
-"New live attenuated TB vaccine MTBVAC induces trained immunity and confers protection against experimental lethal pneumonia." Taracón et al PLOS Pathogens 2020.
- "Live-attenuated M. tuberculosis vaccine MTBVAC versus BCG in adults and neonates: a randomised controlled, double-blind dose-escalation trial" Tameris et al; Lancet Resp Med2019.
- “New insights into the transposition mechanisms of IS6110 and its dynamic distribution between M. tuberculosis Complex lineages. Gonzalo-Asensio et al . PLoS Genetics 2018.
- "Reactogenicity to major TB antigens absent in BCG is linked to improved protection against M. tuberculosis" Aguilo et al Nat Comm 2017.
- "MTBVAC vaccine is safe, immunogenic and confers protective efficacy against M. tuberculosis in newborn mice". Aguilo et al Tuberculosis 2016.
- "Pulmonary but not subcutaneous delivery of BCG vaccine confers protection to tuberculosis-susceptible mice by an interleukin 17-dependent mechanism". Aguilo et al JID 2016.
- “First Human Immunization with A Live-Attenuated M. tuberculosis: a randomized, double-blind, controlled phase I trial.” Spertini et al Lancet Respir Medicine 2015.
- "Construction, characterization and preclinical evaluation of MTBVAC, the first live-attenuated M. tuberculosis-based vaccine to enter clinical trials". Arbues et al Vaccine 2013.
- "The live M. tuberculosis phoP mutant strain is more attenuated than BCG and confers protective immunity against tuberculosis in mice and guinea pigs". Martín et al Vaccine 2006. 4: 3408-19
- "An essential role for phoP in M. tuberculosis virulence". Pérez et al Molecular Microbiology 2001.
- "Strain identification of M. tuberculosis by DNA fingerprinting - recommendations for a standardized methodology "– Van Embden et al.Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1993.
- "Transposition of an antibiotic-resistance element in mycobacteria". Martín et al. Nature 1990.
