Scientific and technical capabilities
The Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) has a broad range of scientific and technical capabilities aimed at supporting translational biomedical research and collaboration with public and private institutions. The institute's research groups combine expertise in key disciplines such as genomics, immunology, molecular and cellular biology, and infectious, cardiovascular, neurological and oncological diseases, among others.
This expertise is delivered through specialised services ranging from the development and validation of biomarkers and diagnostic tools to preclinical and clinical studies, advanced experimental models, omics analyses, immunomonitoring and the design of innovative therapeutic strategies.
IGTP makes these capabilities available to companies, hospitals and research centres to foster collaborative projects, promote technology transfer and contribute to the development of solutions that improve people's health.
Contact:
innovation@igtp.cat- Cancer
- Cardiovascular and Respiratory Disease
- Community Health
- Diseases of the Liver and Digestive Tract
- Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Nephrology and Bone Diseases
- Immunology and Inflammation
- Infectious Diseases
- Medical Complications and Clinical Pharmacology of Substance Use Disorder
- Neuroscience
Cancer
Scientific lead: Miguel Ángel Peinado
Scientific and technical capabilities
- Advanced epigenetic analysis in clinical samples (tissue, liquid biopsy, stool).
- Identification of epigenetic biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis.
- Analysis of complex molecular profiles and integration of multi-omics data.
- Design, development and validation of genetic and epigenetic diagnostic tests.
- In vitro biological assays using cellular platforms.
- Expert advice on experimental design, statistics and bioinformatics applied to epigenetics.
Scientific lead: Elisabeth Castellanos
Scientific and technical capabilities
- Sample preparation and bioinformatic analyses for genomic testing (exome sequencing, SNP arrays, large-scale genotyping).
- Bioinformatic analysis of transcriptomic data (bulk transcriptomics).
- Primary cell and iPSC cultures, including differentiation into Schwann cells.
- Development and validation of genomic and epigenetic biomarkers for hereditary and renal diseases.
- Gene therapy strategies for rare diseases (e.g. neurofibromatosis type 2).
- Expert advice on the design and implementation of personalised medicine and genetic susceptibility projects.
Scientific lead: Jordi Petriz
Scientific and technical capabilities
- Advanced diagnosis and classification of haematological disorders with CE-IVD accreditation.
- Support for cell therapies and transplantation, including CD34⁺ cell counting and monitoring.
- Functional analysis and therapeutic monitoring, including cytotoxicity assessment (e.g. CAR-T therapies).
- High-sensitivity detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) using acoustic flow cytometry and digital imaging.
- Characterisation and quantification of micro- and nanoplastics in environmental or biological samples.
- Expert advice on clinical and translational applications of flow cytometry in haematology and oncology.
Cardiovascular and Respiratory Disease
Scientific lead: Antoni Bayés
Scientific and technical capabilities
- Purification and characterisation of extracellular vesicles (tangential flow filtration, size-exclusion chromatography, Exoid TRLS).
- Animal models of myocardial infarction (mouse and pig).
- Development and validation of cellular biotherapies and cardiac tissue engineering approaches.
- Cardiac Precision Medicine Platform (diagnosis, prognosis and biomarker-based monitoring).
- Cross-cutting support for clinical trials in cardiovascular diseases.
- Scientific advice on the design of translational projects in heart failure.
Community Health
Diseases of the Liver and Digestive Tract
Scientific lead: Josep Manyé
Scientific and technical capabilities
- In vivo experimentation in chemical or genetic models of inflammatory bowel diseases.
- Cellular and molecular biology applied to Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis research.
- Design and testing of immunomodulatory, nutritional and probiotic-based therapies.
- Development and validation of biomarkers, including genetic, transcriptomic and epitranscriptomic approaches.
- Studies on functional foods and nutraceuticals.
- Drug repurposing strategies in immune-mediated diseases.
- Expert advice on mucosal immunity, host-microbiota interactions and chronic inflammation.
Scientific lead: Ramon Bartolí
Scientific and technical capabilities
- Preclinical studies in animal models of cirrhosis, MAFLD, colitis, colonic carcinogenesis and mucosal injury.
- Evaluation of novel therapeutic strategies targeting dysbiosis and intestinal mucosal damage.
- Rodent endoscopy techniques (colonoscopy, placement and testing of therapeutic gels).
- Development and validation of innovative endoscopic platforms applicable to liver and intestinal diseases.
- Expert advice on the design and execution of preclinical studies and on technology transfer processes.
Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Nephrology and Bone Diseases
Scientific lead: Marcel·la Franquesa
Scientific and technical capabilities
- Isolation and characterisation of extracellular vesicles (EVs) from any biological fluid.
- Small- and medium-scale production of EVs from primary cells or cell lines using hollow-fibre bioreactors.
- Advanced characterisation of EVs, including phenotype and cargo.
- Fluorescent labelling of EVs for in vivo imaging experiments in small animals or whole-organ imaging in large animals.
- In vitro functional assays relevant to kidney disease (podocytes, tubular and endothelial cells).
- Large-animal (mini-pig) model of kidney injury and ultrasound-guided therapeutic infusion.
- Expert advice on planning EV isolation, characterisation and therapeutic applications.
Immunology and Inflammation
Scientific lead: Marta Vives-Pi
Scientific and technical capabilities
- Testing of immunotherapies in in vitro and in vivo models (NOD and NOD-NSG mice).
- Identification and validation of biomarkers of autoimmunity and immunoregulation.
- Studies on mechanisms underlying spontaneous remission in type 1 diabetes.
- Design of strategies for the induction of antigen-specific tolerance.
- Scientific advice and collaborative research in diabetes immunology and autoimmune diseases.
Scientific lead: Eva Martínez-Cáceres
Scientific and technical capabilities
- Immunomonitoring in clinical trials (monoclonal antibodies, biologics, small molecules, cell therapies and antigen-specific therapies).
- Functional and phenotypic studies (in vitro assays, spectral flow cytometry, subpopulation characterisation).
- Integrated omics analysis, including RNA-seq (bulk and single-cell), epigenomics and applied bioinformatics.
- Immunological and autoimmune diagnostics (HLA typing, autoantibodies, immunoglobulins, complement factors and allergies).
- Animal models of multiple sclerosis (EAE) and preclinical studies of novel therapies for submission to the AEMPS.
- Expert advice on project design, immunomonitoring strategies and immunological studies for preclinical drug and ATMP development.
Infectious Diseases
Scientific lead: Noemí Párraga
Scientific and technical capabilities
- Evaluation of the efficacy of disinfectant treatments against bacteria and amoebae.
- In vitro evaluation of antibiotic efficacy.
- Microbiological analysis of water samples.
- Molecular typing of Legionella in clinical and environmental samples.
- Molecular typing of bacterial strains using whole genome sequencing.
- Expert advice on epidemiological surveillance, environmental microbiological safety and One Health strategies.
Scientific lead: Cristina Vilaplana
Scientific and technical capabilities
- Coordination and execution of multicentre clinical trials (Phase I-IIb) in tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.
- Comprehensive management of clinical studies, including study design, monitoring and immunomonitoring.
- Use of clinical follow-up tools such as RTBES (radiological index).
- Preclinical evaluation of drug and vaccine candidates in experimental models.
- Validation of novel diagnostic tools using collections of patient samples and healthy controls.
- Identification and validation of biomarkers in human samples.
- Expert advice on the design of preclinical and clinical studies and on the planning of multicentre trials.
Scientific lead: Jose Domínguez
Scientific and technical capabilities
- Diagnostics: development, evaluation and optimisation of diagnostic technologies.
- Access to bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, etc.) and well-characterised clinical samples.
- Studies of antimicrobial resistance.
- Cellular models (human and murine macrophages) and animal models of infection.
- Validation of novel therapeutic strategies, including new compounds and bacteriophages.
- Expert advice on biomarker studies and the design of preclinical and clinical research.
Medical Complications and Clinical Pharmacology of Substance Use Disorder
Neuroscience
Scientific lead: Teresa Gasull
Scientific and technical capabilities
- Intracerebral drug administration in mice using stereotactic techniques.
- Identification and validation of novel therapeutic targets for neuroprotection in rodent stroke models.
- Humanised models of ischaemic stroke in large animals (pig), using endovascular access with permanent occlusion and ischaemia.
- Transient ischaemia and haemorrhagic stroke models in large animals (pig).
- Development and validation of novel diagnostic biomarkers for stroke.
- Expertise in stroke imaging applied to animal models and translational validation.
- Expert advice on the design and execution of preclinical studies in stroke neuroprotection and diagnosis.