29/07/2020 - Research

Scientists from CEEISCAT to update HIV epidemiological surveillance protocols for Latin America and the Caribbean

The CEEISCAT, a research group led by Dr Jordi Casabona and affiliated with the IGTP, has been commissioned by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to update the epidemiological surveillance protocols for HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean. The objective is to draw up a new epidemiological surveillance, and monitoring and evaluation protocol for HIV infection. With this new guide the international recommendations can be adapted to the different regions of Latin America, establishing basic concepts and clarifying the quality regulations that reinforce epidemiological surveillance.

22/07/2020 - Research

Advance for researchers from the IGTP and ISGLobal seeking biomarkers for Chagas disease

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) that circulate in the blood of Chagas disease patients are a valuable tool to identify potential markers of therapeutic response, according to a study led by researchers at the ISGlobal, an institution supported by "la Caixa",  and the IGTP. With this strategy, the research team identified for the first time a series of proteins, including one from the parasite, that could serve to assess the response to existing or new treatments

21/07/2020 - Research

IGTP researchers develop a new intraocular tamponade to treat retinal detachment

IGTP researchers led by Dr Xavier Valldeperas have received a Seed Grant (beca Llavor) from te Catalan Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR) to develop a new tamponade for retinal tears in cases of retinal detachment. This innovative project will allow the design of alternative methods to those currently available, which require more follow-up care, and in some cases a second surgery or other uncomfortable treatments for the patients.

22/07/2020 - Research

Three IGTP projects selected by the CaixaImpulse Validate Programme

The "la Caixa" Foundation has announced the 23 projects selected for the two arms of the CaixaImpulse Programme in this year's call. 20 are projects in the CaixaImpulse Validate call and three of these are led by the IGTP. These initiatives are focussed on resolving big health challenges such as: resistance to cancer treatment; complications in eye surgery and the use of microwaves to detect stent failures in implanted heart disease patients.

21/07/2020 - Research

An international study of childhood liver cancer led by the IGTP provides new clues about its biology to improve clinical management of the disease

The Childhood Liver Oncology Research Group (C-Log) led by Carolina Armengol has published results in the context of the European project ChiLTERN which aims to improve the clinical treatment of paediatric hepatoblastoma (HB), a rare disease that mostly affects children under three. The results have been published in the Journal of Hepatology.

10/07/2020 - Research

Funding for a project focussed on the response to immunotherapy for the treatment of colorectal cancer

This year the Fundación Mutua Madrileña has allocated 2.3 million euros for financing medical research in Spain. Four of the 21 clinical studies benefiting are projects being carried out in Catalan research centres, which will receive a total of 540,000 euros. One of these is being led by the Germans Trias I Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) and coordinated between four groups of the Programme for Predictive and Personalized Medicine of Cancer (IGTP-PMPPC).

03/07/2020 - Research

A new gene associated with the maintenance of the protective barrier in the intestine has been identified, this is a key factor in Crohn’s disease

A multidisciplinary group of researchers from the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), the Gastroenterology Service of the Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital and the CIBER-EHD, have used transcriptomics to combine data from public databases and from Crohn's disease patient and controls. They have identified the TMIGD1 gene as having an important role in the loss of the barrier between the cells lining the small intestine and its contents. The discovery throws new light on the mechanism of Crohn's disease and opens the way for more personalized therapies.

25/06/2020 - Research

A Retos-Colaboración project to develop gene therapy to treat Friedreich’s ataxia

The Retos-Colaboración Programme of the Spanish Ministry of Innovation and Finance is funding the development of an innovative gene therapy treatment for this hereditary neurodegenerative disease. The research is led by Dr Antoni Matilla and Dr Ivelisse Sánchez of the Neurogenetics Group at the IGTP.

19/06/2020 - Research

Presentation of the results of the 2014 Marató research on heart disease

Germans Trias has taken part in a webinar to present the results for the research into heart disease funded by the 2014 edition of the La Marató de TV3 and Catalunya Radio. Doctors and researchers at Germans Trias received funding for five projects and some of the results are already in clinical use.

18/06/2020 - Research

A genetic basis for why some people develop severe forms of COVID-19

This international study identifies the genetic characteristics that influence the risk of suffering respiratory failure in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. The GCAT Project of the IGTP is one of the research groups taking part. The results of the research, which are published in the New England Journal of Medicine, also show that there is 50% more risk associated with blood group A and 35% less with blood group 0.