About
The endocrine system is a complex network of glands that secrete hormones, regulating nearly every cell, organ and function of our body. Consequently, its dysregulation can result in serious health problems. One common cause of endocrine disorders is the presence of tumours in the endocrine glands. Notably, the spectrum of endocrine tumours covers the entire range of phenotypes, from indolent and benign to the most aggressive and lethal types of cancer.
The Endocrine Tumours (E.T.) Group is a translational research team dedicated to studying the molecular landscape of endocrine tumours, with special interest on epigenetics and, in particular, DNA methylation. Their research is mainly focused on thyroid cancer and pituitary tumours. By investigating the mechanisms underlying tumour development, progression and resistance to therapy, the group aims to uncover novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Their overall goal is to contribute to the advancement of personalised medicine and ultimately improve clinical decision-making and patient outcomes.
The E.T. Group actively collaborates with endocrinologists, pathologists, oncologists and surgeons across a diverse range of patient-oriented research projects.
Keywords: thyroid cancer, pituitary tumours, epigenetics, DNA methylation, cancer progression, biomarkers, resistance to therapy, personalised medicine.
_1747823995.JPG)
Group leader
- Mireia Jordà
Mireia Jordà
Mireia Jordà has a long and solid experience in the fields of cancer and epigenetics. In 2005, she obtained her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. She worked under the supervision of Dr Àngels Fabra at Institut de Recerca Oncològica (IRO) studying the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms underlying the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. In 2006, she joined the laboratory of Dr Miguel A. Peinado as a postdoctoral researcher, first at the Institute of Biomedical Research of Bellvitge (IDIBELL) and from 2008 at Institute of Predictive and Personalized Medicine (IMPPC). During her postdoctoral period, she focused on the epigenetics of repeat DNA in cancer and cell differentiation, and acquired extensive expertise in the development of techniques to analyse DNA methylation. This allowed her to participate in a collaborative project with the Honey Bee Genome Sequencing Consortium, the results of which were published in Science and Nature. In 2014, she started her own research line as an associate researcher, and since 2017 she leads the E.T. Group at Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP). She combines her expertise in transcriptional regulation, epigenetics, repeat DNA and cancer to investigate the molecular pathogenesis of the progression and therapy resistance of endocrine tumours, in particular from the thyroid and pituitary glands. Her research aims to identify diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers, contributing to improved clinical management and personalised treatment strategies.
Contact: mjorda(ELIMINAR)@igtp.cat
ORCID: 0000-0003-3709-1850
Team
PhD students
Helena Rodríguez(ELIMINAR)
Anna Rueda(ELIMINAR)
Paula de Pedro(ELIMINAR)
Laboratory technician
Jennifer Marcos(ELIMINAR)
Master’s students
Àlex Pérez(ELIMINAR)
Ivan Martínez
Vocational training student
Malaika Planas
Research lines
Molecular mechanisms of thyroid cancer progression and therapy resistance
This research line investigates the molecular biology of thyroid cancer, with a particular focus on epigenetic alterations that drive tumour progression and resistance to therapy. The aim is to unravel the pathways involved and identify potential targets for more effective, personalised treatments.
Epigenetic biomarkers in thyroid cancer
Focusing on the discovery and validation of epigenetic biomarkers, this line aims to develop molecular tools that improve the diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of thyroid cancer, ultimately enhancing patient stratification and clinical management.
Biomarkers and mechanisms of treatment response in somatotroph pituitary tumours (acromegaly)
This line explores both molecular biomarkers and the biological mechanisms underlying treatment response in somatotroph pituitary tumours. The objective is to advance personalised therapeutic strategies and improve outcomes for patients with acromegaly.
Active projects
Biomarcadores epigenéticos mínimamente invasivos en cáncer de tiroides: hacia una medicina personalizada
PI: Mireia Jordà
Funding agency: Sociedad Española de Endocrinología y Nutrición (SEEN)
Agency code: 2024 FSEEN Senior Research Project Grant
Duration: 01/01/2025 - 31/12/2026
Caracterización histológica de los nódulos tiroideos con citología indeterminada (bethesda IV) mediante el análisis con técnicas de aprendizaje automático basadas en transfer learning de imágenes citológicas
PI: Carles Zafon; team member: Mireia Jordà
Funding agency: Sociedad Española de Endocrinología y Nutrición (SEEN)
Agency code: 2024 FSEEN Grant in translational research in general endocrinology and metabolism
Duration: 01/01/2025 - 31/12/2025
ACROMICS: next-generation precision medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of Acromegaly
PI: Manel Puig Domingo
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Agency code: PMP22/00021
Duration: 01/01/2023 - 31/12/2025
Impact of the epigenetic deregulation in the progression and treatment of thyroid cancer (EpiThyro)
PI: Mireia Jordà
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Agency code: PI21/00195
Duration: 01/01/2022 - 30/06/2026
Ayudas Joan Oró para la contratación de personal investigador predoctoral en formación (FI 2023)
PI: Mireia Jordà
Funding agency: Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR), Generalitat de Catalunya
Agency code: 2023 FI-1 00508
Duration: 01/06/2023 - 31/05/2026
Contrato Predoctoral de Formación en Investigación en Salud (PFIS)
PI: Mireia Jordà
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Agency code: FI22/00066
Duration: 01/01/2023 - 31/12/2026
Past projects
Papel predictivo y pronóstico del metabolismo de los ácidos grasos mediante el análisis integral de parámetros lipídicos, radiómicos y endocrinos en el cáncer de próstata avanzado
PI: Juan Carlos Pardo
Funding agency: Sociedad Española de Oncología Médica (SEOM)
Agency code: PI21/00195
Duration: 01/01/2022 - 31/12/2023
Validación del valor diagnóstico de un índice de metilación global del ADN en nódules tiroideos con citología indeterminada Bethesda IV
PI: Mireia Jordà
Funding agency: Fundación de la Sociedad Española de Endocrinología y Nutrición (FSEEN)
Duration: 01/01/2023 - 01/12/2024
Valor pronóstico y terapéutico de las Kalikreínas: una nueva herramienta en el cáncer de tiroides
PI: Mireia Jordà
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Agency code: PI18/00654
Duration: 01/01/2019 - 31/06/2023
Grup de Recerca SGR-Cat 2021 reconegut per la Generalitat de Catalunya: Grup de recerca en endocrinologia clínica i experimental (ENDOGRUP)
PI: Manel Puig Domingo
Funding agency: Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR)
Agency code: 2021 SGR 00539
Duration: 2023 - 2024
Scientific publications
Highlighted publications
Klein Hesselink EN, Zafon C, Villalmanzo N, Iglesias C, van Hemel BM, Klein Hesselink MS, Montero-Conde C, Buj R, Mauricio D, Peinado MA, Puig-Domingo M, Riesco-Eizaguirre G, Reverter JL, Robledo M, Links TP, Jordà M. Increased Global DNA Hypomethylation in Distant Metastatic and Dedifferentiated Thyroid Cancer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2018 Feb 1;103(2):397-406. DOI: 10.1210/jc.2017-01613.
Buj R, Mallona I, Díez-Villanueva A, Zafon C, Mate JL, Roca M, Puig-Domingo M, Reverter JL, Mauricio D, Peinado MA, Jordà M. Kallikreins Stepwise Scoring Reveals Three Subtypes of Papillary Thyroid Cancer with Prognostic Implications. Thyroid. 2018 May;28(5):601-612. DOI: 10.1089/thy.2017.0501.
Zafon C, Gil J, Pérez-González B, Jordà M. DNA methylation in thyroid cancer. Endocr Relat Cancer. 2019 Jul;26(7):R415-R439. DOI: 10.1530/ERC-19-0093.
Gil J, Marques-Pamies M, Sampedro M, Webb SM, Serra G, Salinas I, Blanco A, Valassi E, Carrato C, Picó A, García-Martínez A, Martel-Duguech L, Sardon T, Simó-Servat A, Biagetti B, Villabona C, Cámara R, Fajardo-Montañana C, Álvarez-Escolá C, Lamas C, Alvarez CV, Bernabéu I, Marazuela M, Jordà M, Puig-Domingo M. Data mining analyses for precision medicine in acromegaly: a proof of concept. Sci Rep. 2022 May 28;12(1):8979. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12955-2.
Rodríguez-Lloveras H, Zafon C, Iglesias C, Marcos-Ruiz J, Gil J, Rueda-Pujol A, González L, Mayor R, Klein Hesselink EN, van Hemel BM, Carrato C, Perelló-Fabregat C, Hernández-Losa J, Somoza R, Pluvinet R, Sánchez-Herrero JF, Sumoy L, Seoane J, Riesco-Eizaguirre G, Montero-Conde C, Robledo M, Hernando J, Capdevila J, Reverter JL, Puig-Domingo M, Links TP, Jordà M. DNA Methylation Dynamics and Prognostic Implications in Metastatic Differentiated Thyroid Cancer. Thyroid. 2025 May;35(5):494-507. DOI: 10.1089/thy.2024.0303.
Additional information
Collaborative networks
Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER)
The research of the CIBERER Group CB06/07/0044 is focused on pituitary neuroendocrine tumors and the associated diseases, mainly acromegaly and Cushing syndrome.
Research group SGR-Cat 2021 recognised by the Generalitat de Catalunya: Clinical and experimental endocrinology research group (ENDOGRUP)
Along with HUGTiP’s Endocrinology Service and the group of Pituitary Diseases (U747 CIBERER) at Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, IGTP's group has received accreditation as a Consolidated Research Group by AGAUR. Its main objectives are: 1) diagnostic, prognostic and predictive markers of therapeutic response and biological behavior of thyroid cancer; 2) subclinical vasculopathy and hepatic steatosis in diabetes mellitus; 3) reversal of the complications of morbid obesity, particularly diabetes, after bariatric surgery; 4) precision medicine in acromegaly; 5) evaluation of quality of life in acromegaly and Cushing.
REMAH: Registro Español Molecular de Adenomas Hipofisarios
The Spanish Molecular Registry of Pituitary Adenomas of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology (SEEN) includes 6 nodes with common protocols and methods for sample and clinical data collection, molecular analysis, and data recording in a common registry. More than 700 pituitary tumours have been obtained and included in a specific database and, in more than 400 of the cases, there are clinical and molecular data associated with the sample. HUGTiP is the Catalan node, where Dr Jordà is the coordinator of the basic research.
Innovation
DNA methylation markers for determining the risk of metastatic progression of thyroid cancer
European patent filed.
EP Application No.: 24 383 456.1
Date of issue: 23 December 2024.
Joint Holder Name(s): Mireia Jordà, Helena Rodríguez Lloveras, Manel Puig-Domingo, Carles Zafon, Carmela Iglesias.
Outreach activity in 2024
- 30th edition of Science Week at IGTP (29/11/2024): participation in the event "Science up close for everyone" street science activity introducing the concepts of personalised medicine and epigenetics with hands-on activities. More information
- Activities promoted by Amics de Can Ruti, a patronage program supporting healthcare advancement at Can Ruti Campus (26/10/2024): participation by presenting their research to the donors, supporters and the broader community. Instagram post
News
IGTP-led study identifies an epigenetic signature with prognostic value in metastatic thyroid cancer
Researchers from the Endocrine Tumours group, in collaboration with five university hospitals, have conducted the first comprehensive study of DNA methylation patterns in metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Published in the journal Thyroid, the study identifies an epigenetic signature comprising 156 CpG sites in primary tumours that could help stratify patients according to their risk of developing distant metastases.
IGTP offers PhD opportunities under the INPhINIT incoming 2025 call by Fundación "la Caixa"
Fundación "la Caixa" is offering 30 fellowships to researchers of all nationalities who wish to pursue official PhD studies in STEM disciplines at research centres and centres of excellence in Spain and Portugal. IGTP is open to hosting students under this program, who will have the opportunity to join one of IGTP's research groups and carry out their PhD research in their area of interest.