diff --git a/backend/app/db/session.py b/backend/app/db/session.py
index afdd051..d829fb1 100644
--- a/backend/app/db/session.py
+++ b/backend/app/db/session.py
@@ -64,10 +64,18 @@ def init_db():
 
 def _ensure_columns():
     insp = inspect(engine)
-    if "publications" in insp.get_table_names():
+    table_names = set(insp.get_table_names())
+
+    if "publications" in table_names:
         cols = {c["name"] for c in insp.get_columns("publications")}
         if "downloaded" not in cols:
             with engine.begin() as conn:
                 conn.execute(
                     text("ALTER TABLE publications ADD COLUMN downloaded BOOLEAN NOT NULL DEFAULT FALSE")
                 )
+
+    # Per-user download tracking (PublicationDownload model).
+    if "publication_downloads" not in table_names:
+        from app.db.models import PublicationDownload  # noqa: F401
+
+        PublicationDownload.__table__.create(bind=engine, checkfirst=True)
diff --git a/backend/app/security/export_auth.py b/backend/app/security/export_auth.py
index 6451a45..2643810 100644
--- a/backend/app/security/export_auth.py
+++ b/backend/app/security/export_auth.py
@@ -18,17 +18,23 @@ def require_export_access(
     api_key: str | None = Depends(api_key_header),
     current: Researcher | None = Depends(get_optional_current_researcher),
 ) -> Researcher | None:
-    if api_key is not None:
-        if not is_valid_api_key(api_key):
-            raise HTTPException(
-                status_code=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED,
-                detail="Invalid API key",
-            )
-        return current
+    """
+  Allow export when the proxy supplies a valid API key and/or the user
+  sends a valid Bearer token. Prefer returning `current` when both are
+  present so per-user download tracking is recorded on export.
+    """
+    if api_key is not None and not is_valid_api_key(api_key):
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED,
+            detail="Invalid API key",
+        )
 
     if current is not None:
         return current
 
+    if api_key is not None:
+        return None
+
     raise HTTPException(
         status_code=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED,
         detail="Invalid or missing API key",
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/dashboard/PublicationsTable.jsx b/frontend/src/components/dashboard/PublicationsTable.jsx
index 7142cd8..1b39269 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/dashboard/PublicationsTable.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/dashboard/PublicationsTable.jsx
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ export function PublicationsTable({
                                     className="mt-0.5 inline-flex shrink-0 items-center gap-0.5 rounded-full bg-brand-accent/10 px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide text-brand-accent"
                                   >
                                     <SparkleIcon size={9} />
-                                    Nuevo
+                                    NUEVO
                                   </span>
                                 )}
                                 <p className="text-[14px] font-medium leading-relaxed text-ink-primary">
@@ -570,7 +570,7 @@ export function PublicationsTable({
                                 className="mt-0.5 inline-flex shrink-0 items-center gap-0.5 rounded-full bg-brand-accent/10 px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide text-brand-accent"
                               >
                                 <SparkleIcon size={9} />
-                                Nuevo
+                                NUEVO
                               </span>
                             )}
                             {pub.title}
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/DashboardPage.jsx b/frontend/src/pages/DashboardPage.jsx
index 23b19ee..fb2fd29 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/DashboardPage.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/DashboardPage.jsx
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ import {
   swordXmlFilename,
 } from "../utils/exportProfiles";
 import { useAuth } from "../contexts/AuthContext";
+import {
+  markPublicationsAsDownloaded,
+  publicationsNeedDownloadFlags,
+} from "../utils/downloadTracking";
 
 const SUCCESS_FLASH_MS = 3000;
 /** Minimum gap between sync requests (protects backend + avoids toast spam). */
@@ -48,6 +52,7 @@ export function DashboardPage() {
   const { isAuthenticated } = useAuth();
 
   const initialBundleRef = useRef(location.state?.bundle ?? null);
+  const consumedInitialBundleRef = useRef(false);
 
   const initialBundle = initialBundleRef.current;
   const [researcher, setResearcher] = useState(initialBundle?.researcher ?? null);
@@ -115,14 +120,25 @@ export function DashboardPage() {
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!isValidOrcid(orcid)) return;
-    if (initialBundleRef.current) {
+
+    const cachedBundle = initialBundleRef.current;
+    if (cachedBundle && !consumedInitialBundleRef.current) {
+      consumedInitialBundleRef.current = true;
       initialBundleRef.current = null;
-      return;
+      if (
+        !publicationsNeedDownloadFlags(
+          cachedBundle.publications,
+          isAuthenticated,
+        )
+      ) {
+        return;
+      }
     }
+
     const ctrl = new AbortController();
     loadBundle(ctrl.signal);
     return () => ctrl.abort();
-  }, [orcid, loadBundle]);
+  }, [orcid, loadBundle, isAuthenticated]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     return () => {
@@ -270,6 +286,10 @@ export function DashboardPage() {
       } else {
         scope = "todo el investigador";
       }
+      if (isAuthenticated && ids?.length) {
+        setPublications((prev) => markPublicationsAsDownloaded(prev, ids));
+      }
+
       toast.success(`Exportación ${format.toUpperCase()} completada`, {
         id: EXPORT_TOAST_ID,
         description: scope,
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/GroupResultsPage.jsx b/frontend/src/pages/GroupResultsPage.jsx
index 728eb2e..3faa41b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/GroupResultsPage.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/GroupResultsPage.jsx
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import {
 } from "../utils/exportProfiles";
 import { ExportDropdown } from "../components/dashboard/ExportDropdown";
 import { useAuth } from "../contexts/AuthContext";
+import { markGroupResultsAsDownloaded } from "../utils/downloadTracking";
 
 const EXPORT_COOLDOWN_MS = 5000;
 const GLOBAL_EXPORT_TOAST_ID = "group-export-global";
@@ -108,7 +109,7 @@ export function GroupResultsPage() {
     })();
 
     return () => ctrl.abort();
-  }, [orcidIds, navigate]);
+  }, [orcidIds, navigate, isAuthenticated]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const cardTimersObj = cardExportCooldownTimerRef.current;
@@ -218,6 +219,10 @@ export function GroupResultsPage() {
         anchor.remove();
         URL.revokeObjectURL(objectUrl);
       }
+      if (isAuthenticated) {
+        setResults((prev) => markGroupResultsAsDownloaded(prev, ids));
+      }
+
       toast.success(`Exportación ${format.toUpperCase()} completada`, {
         id: GLOBAL_EXPORT_TOAST_ID,
         description: `${ids.length} publicaciones exportadas.`,
@@ -276,6 +281,10 @@ export function GroupResultsPage() {
         anchor.remove();
         URL.revokeObjectURL(objectUrl);
       }
+      if (isAuthenticated) {
+        setResults((prev) => markGroupResultsAsDownloaded(prev, ids));
+      }
+
       toast.success(`Exportación ${format.toUpperCase()} completada`, {
         id: `group-export-card-${orcidId}`,
         description: `${ids.length} publicaciones de ${orcidId}.`,
diff --git a/frontend/src/services/mocks.js b/frontend/src/services/mocks.js
index 4c475de..620272f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/services/mocks.js
+++ b/frontend/src/services/mocks.js
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ export const MOCK_PUBLICATIONS = [
     doi: "10.1038/s41567-025-xxxx",
     type: "journal-article",
     last_modified: "2025-09-01T10:00:00Z",
+    downloaded_by_me: false,
   },
   {
     id: "uuid-2",
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ export const MOCK_PUBLICATIONS = [
     doi: "10.1000/jdr.2024.12",
     type: "review",
     last_modified: "2024-11-12T09:00:00Z",
+    downloaded_by_me: false,
   },
   {
     id: "uuid-3",
@@ -50,6 +52,7 @@ export const MOCK_PUBLICATIONS = [
     doi: "10.1007/s11192-024-04801-z",
     type: "journal-article",
     last_modified: "2024-06-20T15:30:00Z",
+    downloaded_by_me: true,
   },
   {
     id: "uuid-4",
@@ -60,6 +63,7 @@ export const MOCK_PUBLICATIONS = [
     doi: "10.1145/3587-dl.2023.09",
     type: "conference-paper",
     last_modified: "2023-10-05T11:45:00Z",
+    downloaded_by_me: false,
   },
   {
     id: "uuid-5",
@@ -70,6 +74,7 @@ export const MOCK_PUBLICATIONS = [
     doi: "10.1016/j.ijls.2023.03.011",
     type: "journal-article",
     last_modified: "2023-04-18T08:15:00Z",
+    downloaded_by_me: true,
   },
 ];
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/utils/downloadTracking.js b/frontend/src/utils/downloadTracking.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..58ea8ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/utils/downloadTracking.js
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/**
+ * Helpers for per-user "new publication" (not yet downloaded) tracking.
+ * Backend sets `downloaded_by_me` when a Bearer token is present; these
+ * utilities keep the dashboard in sync after login and export.
+ */
+
+/** True when an authenticated user needs a refetch to obtain download flags. */
+export function publicationsNeedDownloadFlags(publications, isAuthenticated) {
+  if (!isAuthenticated || !publications?.length) return false;
+  return publications.some((p) => p.downloaded_by_me == null);
+}
+
+/** Mark the given publication IDs as downloaded in local state. */
+export function markPublicationsAsDownloaded(publications, downloadedIds) {
+  if (!downloadedIds?.length || !publications?.length) return publications;
+  const ids = new Set(downloadedIds);
+  return publications.map((p) =>
+    ids.has(p.id) ? { ...p, downloaded_by_me: true } : p,
+  );
+}
+
+/** Apply download flags across group-search result bundles. */
+export function markGroupResultsAsDownloaded(results, downloadedIds) {
+  if (!downloadedIds?.length || !results?.length) return results;
+  const ids = new Set(downloadedIds);
+  return results.map((bundle) => ({
+    ...bundle,
+    publications: (bundle.publications ?? []).map((p) =>
+      ids.has(p.id) ? { ...p, downloaded_by_me: true } : p,
+    ),
+  }));
+}