15/06/2023 - Campus Can Ruti, Research, Success Stories

IGTP, IQS (URL) and BST are working together to develop bypass surgery using donor veins

One of the most commonly practised cardiovascular health interventions, the coronary bypass, could undergo a revolutionary innovation with the joint research carried out by the Blood and Tissue Bank (BST), the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) and the Vascular Engineering and Applied Biomedicine Group (GEAB) of the IQS (URL). The three centres are working to develop a vascular graft from donor veins that can be used for bypass surgery to restore blood flow.

14/06/2023 - Innovation, Projects, Research, Success Stories

Two IGTP groups lead a European analysis to understand key factors for digitalisation in practice environments

The research groups in Nursing Care (NURECARE) and Innovation, Health Economics and Digital Transformation (INEDIT) from the IGTP are leading the publication of the first report on the key factors for introducing digital technologies in professional nursing practice environments. Through this effort, professionals from the Germans Trias Hospital are participating for the first time in the design of a comprehensive analysis of the required changes, while also offering recommendations to ensure the success of any initiative aimed at incorporating these technologies into hospitals.

08/06/2023 - Campus Can Ruti, Research

Tuberculosis BCG vaccine found ineffective against COVID-19 in healthcare workers

An international trial has investigated the potential immune-boosting effects of the tuberculosis BCG vaccine against COVID-19. The results show that the risk of developing the disease during the first six months after vaccination was not reduced in participants as originally hoped for. Nearly 4,000 healthcare workers took part in the BRACE trial across 36 sites from five countries, including the Germans Trias Hospital. Researchers from an IGTP tuberculosis research group were involved in the development of the study, which has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

25/05/2023 - Campus Can Ruti, Research, Success Stories

IGTP introduces super-resolution microscope at CMCiB

A state-of-the-art super-resolution fluorescence confocal microscope, called Abberior Infinity, was installed in the high-level biosafety (NCB3) facility of the Centre for Comparative Medicine and Bioimage (CMCiB). The equipment of this class, unique in the region, is a powerful tool for anyone aiming to perform advanced microscopy studies on fully infectious Level 3 pathogens (HIV, SARS-CoV-2, Monkey Pox, TB etc.) The microscope is available for use by all internal and external users via IGTP Microscopy Platform.

18/05/2023 - Research

Promising new treatment for childhood liver cancer

A preclinical study with support from the Spanish Association Against Cancer has identified a potential treatment approach for patients with hepatoblastoma, which involves combining standard chemotherapy with a drug currently undergoing clinical trials. The research was conducted using patient samples and animal and laboratory models, and has been led by Dr Josep M. Llovet, professor at the UB and group leader at IDIBAPS, and Dr Carolina Armengol, group leader at IGTP and member of CIBEREHD.

05/05/2023 - Research

New immunotherapy targeting tumour macrophages to tackle lung cancer

Researchers from the Innate Immunity group at the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) have developed a new immunotherapy based on a monoclonal antibody directed against tumour macrophages. The results obtained lay the foundations for a new treatment for patients with lung cancer, with the potential to be applied to other solid tumours. The study has been published in the journal eBioMedicine.

18/04/2023 - Institutional, Projects, Research

The Generalitat de Catalunya recognises 21 IGTP groups as Consolidated or Emerging Research Groups

The Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR) has published the final resolution of the call for grants to support the activities of research groups in universities, centres and foundations. In this year's call, 21 IGTP groups have been recognised as Consolidated or Emerging Research Groups, 7 of which will receive funding totalling €340,000.

14/04/2023 - Research

Comprehensive genomic characterisation of malignant peripheral nerve tumour-derived lines challenges current diagnostic criteria

The Hereditary Cancer research group from the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) has led an international collaboration that has allowed the genomic characterisation of the most commonly used cell lines derived from malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours (MPNSTs). This research has generated a detailed catalogue of genomic alterations for each cell line, which can be used to develop strategies for precision therapies. At the same time, a genomic repository has been created that is open to all researchers interested in these tumours. The work has been published in the journal iScience.

11/04/2023 - Research

International consensus highlights the importance of molecular testing for antibiotic resistance in tuberculosis management

A multidisciplinary group of tuberculosis experts from the TBnet and RESIST-TB networks have reached a consensus on key issues related to the molecular prediction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antibiotic sensitivity or resistance and its clinical implications. The consensus document provides guidance for the design of therapeutic regimens and the optimization of treatments, and is intended to help clinicians manage tuberculosis patients. The paper, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases and led by Dr José Domínguez from IGTP, is an update of a similar statement made in 2016.

05/04/2023 - Research

Air Pollution is Linked to Lower COVID-19 Vaccine Responses

People exposed to higher levels of air pollution before the pandemic had lower antibody responses to COVID-19 vaccines, according to a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported by "la Caixa" Foundation, in collaboration with the  Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP). In particular, exposure to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and black carbon (BC) was associated with about a 10% decrease in IgM and IgG antibody responses in people without prior infection. The findings, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, provide further evidence on the adverse effects of air pollution on the immune system.