diff --git a/lib/jira.js b/lib/jira.js
index e919d9da..f35386f5 100644
--- a/lib/jira.js
+++ b/lib/jira.js
@@ -188,6 +188,18 @@ var JiraApi = exports.JiraApi = function(protocol, host, port, username, passwor
         this.request(options, callback);
     };
 
+    this.getParamsStringBuilder = function(json){
+      if(json){
+        params = [];
+        for(var item in json){
+          params.push(item+'='+json[item])
+        }
+        return '?'+params.join('&');
+      } else {
+        return '';
+      }
+    };
+
 };
 
 (function() {
@@ -1826,6 +1838,48 @@ var JiraApi = exports.JiraApi = function(protocol, host, port, username, passwor
         });
     };
 
+    // ## Describe the user whith the user name provided as argument##
+    // ### Takes ###
+    // *  username: the username of the target user
+    // *  expand: 1 field to expand in json result
+    // *  callback: for when it's done
+    //
+    // ### Returns ###
+    // *  error string
+    // *  user object
+    //
+    // [Jira Doc](http://docs.atlassian.com/jira/REST/latest/#d2e132)
+
+    this.getUserByUsername = function(username, expand, callback) {
+        var query = {};
+        query.username = username;
+        if(expand)
+          query.expand = expand;
+
+        var options = {
+            rejectUnauthorized: this.strictSSL,
+            uri: this.makeUri('/user' + this.getParamsStringBuilder(query)),
+            method: 'GET',
+            json: true
+        };
+
+        this.doRequest(options, function(error, response, body) {
+
+            if (error) {
+                callback(error, null);
+                return;
+            }
+
+            if (response.statusCode === 200) {
+                callback(null, body);
+                return;
+            }
+
+            callback(response.statusCode + ': Error while getting current user');
+
+        });
+    };
+
     // ## Retrieve the backlog of a certain Rapid View ##
     // ### Takes ###
     // *  rapidViewId: rapid view id
@@ -1917,4 +1971,51 @@ var JiraApi = exports.JiraApi = function(protocol, host, port, username, passwor
         });
     };
 
+
+    // ##  Retrieve the groups that exist in Jira ##
+    // ### Takes ###
+    // *  query: a json object with query constraints
+    // *  callback: for when it's done
+    //
+    // ### Returns ###
+    // *  error string
+    // *  Jira groups
+    /**
+     * JSON object item is in the format:
+     * {
+     *  "query" : "project",
+     *  "exclude" : "admin",
+     *  "maxResults" : 3
+     * }
+     * 
+     * JSON object can be null
+     *
+     * JSON object works with only 1 or 2 of the 3 fields.
+     * 
+     */
+    this.getGroups = function(query, callback){
+
+      var options = {
+            rejectUnauthorized: this.strictSSL,
+            uri: this.makeUri('/groups/picker' + this.getParamsStringBuilder(query)),
+            method: 'GET',
+            json: true,
+      };
+
+      this.doRequest(options, function(error, response) {
+          if (error) {
+              callback(error, null);
+              return;
+          }
+
+          if (response.statusCode === 200) {
+              callback(null, response.body);
+
+              return;
+          }
+
+          callback(response.statusCode + ': Error while retrieving groups');
+      });
+    };
+
 }).call(JiraApi.prototype);