About
This is a multidisciplinary group led from the clinical side by Dr Rosa Mª Morillas, head of the Hepatology Department at Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital and from the basic and translational research side by Dr Ramon Bartolí, principal investigator at IGTP and CIBER researcher.
The group focuses on clinical and translational research on chronic hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cirrhosis and complications of portal hypertension (ascites, hemorrhage due to portal hypertension, hepatic encephalopathy, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, infections) and hepatocellular carcinoma.
The team also has experience in the development of different experimental models of liver disease (cirrhotic rat model with ascites -carbon tetrachloride-, model of hepatic encephalopathy -cirrhosis + portal vein ligation-, model of secondary biliary cirrhosis due to ligation of the common bile duct and steatohepatitis model with different degrees of fibrosis (metabolic model + carbon tetrachloride). It has developed an endoscopic platform able to release drugs and active agents in colonic tract and studding its applicability in different liver diseases. Its researchers also work together with other groups or lead collaborative projects within societies like the SCD, AEEH, EASL and CIBER.
Participation in a research work group of the Carlos III Health Institute: Prevention and treatment of the complications of chronic liver disease, from the HUGTiP, which is part of the National Network of Research in Hepatology and Gastroenterology (RNIHG) and researcher at the Center for Biomedical Research in Networks in Hepatic Diseases and Digestive (CIBERehd) 2006 / Area 1: Portal hypertension and mechanisms of transition to cirrhosis.
Keywords: Chronic hepatitis, metabolic-associated fatty liver disease, portal hypertension, cirrhosis associated.
Group Leader
Research lines
Clinical and translational research on:
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Chronic hepatitis
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Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD)
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Cirrhosis and its complications
Active projects
The group has a clinical and translational focus and a long-standing experience in clinical trials in cirrhosis, portal hypertension, chronic hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis and liver fibrosis led by pharma industries, but also in those promoted by scientific societies.
Project LIVERSCREEN. Screening for liver fibrosis - population-based study across European countries
PI Workpackage 4: Rosa Maria Morillas
Funding agency: European Commission, Horizon 2020
Agency code: 847989
Start date: 01/01/2020
End date: 30/06/2025
Investigación en gastroenterología y hepatología
PI: Helena Masnou
Funding agency: Norgine
Agency code: 847989
Start date: 2020
End date: 2022
Scientific publications
Ginès P, Castera L, Lammert F, Graupera I, Serra-Burriel M, Allen AM, Wong VW, Hartmann P, Thiele M, Caballeria L, de Knegt RJ, Grgurevic I, Augustin S, Tsochatzis EA, Schattenberg JM, Guha IN, Martini A, Morillas RM, Garcia-Retortillo M, de Koning HJ, Fabrellas N, Pich J, Ma AT, Diaz MA, Roulot D, Newsome PN, Manns M, Kamath PS, Krag A; LiverScreen Consortium Investigators. Population screening for liver fibrosis: Toward early diagnosis and intervention for chronic liver diseases. Hepatology. 2022 Jan;75(1):219-228. DOI: 10.1002/hep.32163.
Masnou H, Luna D, Castillo E, Galindo M, Ardèvol A, Clos A, Sarrias MR, Armengol C, Bargalló A, Morillas RM, Domènech E. Prevalence and outcomes of acute-on-chronic liver failure among cirrhotic patients admitted for an acute decompensation. Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2022 Jun-Jul;45(6):424-431. DOI: 10.1016/j.gastrohep.2021.05.007.
Bartoli R, Iborra I , Barbosa S, Dolade M, Fortuny M, Masnou H, Morillas, RM. Fecal microbiota trasplant using endoscopic-placement hydrogel reduces liver fibrosis with no changes in steatosis in a rat model of steatohepatitis with fibrosis. Journal of Hepatology. 2022 Jul 1. Poster
Sanchez R, Villanueva C, Genesca J, Garcia JC, Brujats A, Calleja JL, Aracil C, Banares R, Morillas RM, Poca M, Penas B, Augustin S, Abraldes J, Alvarado E, Torres F, Bosch J, Albillos A. Worsening of low-grade systemic inflammation heralds decompensation in patients with compensated cirrhosis. Journal of Hepatology. 2022 Jul 1. Poster
Azaceta M, Iruzubieta P, Banales R, Santos A, Panero J, Ibanez L, Arias MT, Romero M, García C, Gómez J, Ginès P, Morillas RM, Pericas JM, Aspichueta P, Martín R, Gallego R, Sanchez M, Escudero D, Crespo J. Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease increases cardiovascular risk regardless of classical risk factors. Journal of Hepatology. 2022 Jul 1. 77. S157. DOI: 10.1016/S0168-8278(22)00694-8.
Azaceta M, Iruzubieta P, Aller R, Banales J, Santos A, Panero J, Ibanez L, Arias M, Romero M, García C, Gómez Judith, Ginès P, Morillas RM, Pericas JM, Aspichueta P, Martín R, Gallego R, Sanchez M, Escudero D & Crespo J. The metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease definition, regardless of its clinical subclassification, identifies patients at high risk for liver disease progression. Journal of Hepatology. 77. S158-S159. 2022 Jul 1. DOI: 10.1016/S0168-8278(22)00696-1.
Díaz A, Rodriguez S, Gómez M, Fábrega E, Romero M, Albillos A, Gomez J, Horta D, Gallego A, Garcia M, Andrade R, Diago M, Morillas RM, Hernandez M, Aracil C, Sala M, Domínguez E, Berenguer M, Londoño M (2022). Should we seek complete liver tests normalization in primary biliary cholangitis? Data from ColHai registry. Journal of Hepatology. 2022 Jul 1. 77. S334. DOI: 10.1016/S0168-8278(22)01031-5.
Graupera I et al.; LiverScreen Consortium investigators. LiverScreen project: study protocol for screening for liver fibrosis in the general population in European countries. BMC Public Health. 2022 Jul 19;22(1):1385. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13724-6. Erratum in: BMC Public Health. 2023 May 22;23(1):923.
Ampuero J, Lucena A, Hernández-Guerra M, Moreno-Moraleda I, Arenas J, Conde I, Muñoz L, Canillas L, Fernandez E, Quiñones R, Simon MA, Gómez-Dominguez E, Gutierrez ML, Fernandez-Rodriguez C, Domper-Arnal MJ, Jorquera F, Garcia-Buey ML, Garcia-Retortillo M, Morillas R, Berenguer M, Casado M, Morales-Arraez D, Sousa JM, Molina E. Primary biliary cholangitis and SARS-CoV-2 infection: incidence, susceptibility and outcomes. Gut. 2021 Dec 7:gutjnl-2021-325700. DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2021-325700.
Nicoară-Farcău O, Lozano JJ, Alonso C, Sidorova J, Villanueva C, Albillos A, Genescà J, Llop E, Calleja JL, Aracil C, Bañares R, Morillas R, Poca M, Peñas B, Augustin S, Tantău M, Thompson M, Perez-Campuzano V, Baiges A, Turon F, Hernández-Gea V, Abraldes JG, Tapias EA, Torres F, Bosch J, García-Pagán JC; PreDesCI Study Investigators. Metabolomics as a tool to predict the risk of decompensation or liver-related death in patients with compensated cirrhosis. Hepatology. 2023 Jun 1;77(6):2052-2062. DOI: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000000316.
Bassegoda O, Rivera-Esteban J, Serra I, Morillas R, Broquetas T, Vergara M, Rodriguez A, Aracil C, Virolés S, Carrión JA, Pardo A, Rodríguez-Tajes S, Serra-Burriel M, Pericàs JM, Augustin S, Ginès P, Graupera I. High frequency of acute decompensation and cancer in patients with compensated cirrhosis due to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A retrospective cohort study. Hepatol Commun. 2022 Nov;6(11):3212-3222. DOI: 10.1002/hep4.2056.
Pérez-Montes de Oca A, Julián MT, Pera G, Caballería L, Morillas R, Torán P, Expósito C, Franch-Nadal J, Mauricio D, Alonso N. Dysglycemia in young women attenuates the protective effect against fatty liver disease. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Nov 21;13:971864. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.971864.
Additional information
- The group has a long-lasting experience in clinical trials in cirrhosis, portal hypertension, chronic hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis and liver fibrosis led by pharma industries but also in those promoted by scientific societies.
- Participation in 20 national and international clinical trials.
- Participation as teachers in various postgraduate courses and continuing educational programs in Gastroenterology and Hepatology and in numerous conferences, communications and round tables.
Contact
Ramon Bartolí Solé
(+34) 930330529
More links
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