Our group belongs to the University of Valencia and is a member of CIBEREHD (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en el Área temática de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas), a government-funded national network of research groups working in the area of liver and digestive diseases, since its creation in 2007. We are also integrated in the Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunitat Valenciana (FISABIO,) a research institute managing the biomedical investigation performed in public hospitals in the region of Valencia. Since 2014 our group has also formed part of the Unidad Mixta de Investigación en Biomedicina FISABIO-Hospital Dr. Peset-Universitat de València-Universitat Jaume I de Castellón, which was constituted to facilitate and potentiate collaborative research projects between clinicians and basic researchers belonging to the three institutions.

Autophagy is a fascinating cellular adaptation and cell stress process that goes far beyond the mere “recycling” of cellular compartments. Our research group explores the involvement of this process in liver pathophysiology and is especially focused on the following two areas. 1- Adverse effects associated with anti-HIV therapy, in particular those involved in metabolic and hepatic alterations. We explore the interconnection between autophagy and cellular stress responses such as ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. 2- Role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease, particularly metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and more specifically liver fibrosis, a pathological mechanism present in many liver pathologies. Our aims are to determine the mechanisms that contribute to the progression of the disease and identify new pharmacological targets for its treatment, including pharmacological repurposing as a therapeutic strategy. In this regard, we have recently been studying the mechanism involved in the hepatoprotective action of Rilpivirine, a widely employed antiretroviral drug.