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Ana Maria Gonzalez Castro

I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Neuro-Immune-Gastroenterology Research Group. My interest is focused on improving the understanding of the role of immune cells (mast cells, eosinophils and plasma cells) askey playeres in the control of intestinal mucosal barrier mechanisms in patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Microscopic Colitis.

Institutions of which they are part

Postdoctoral researcher
Physiology and Pathophysiology of the Digestive Tract
Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca

Ana Maria Gonzalez Castro

Institutions of which they are part

Postdoctoral researcher
Physiology and Pathophysiology of the Digestive Tract
Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca

I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Neuro-Immune-Gastroenterology Research Group. My interest is focused on improving the understanding of the role of immune cells (mast cells, eosinophils and plasma cells) askey playeres in the control of intestinal mucosal barrier mechanisms in patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Microscopic Colitis.

I graduated in Biology from the Faculty of Biology of the Autonomous University of Barcelona in 1999 and completed my doctoral thesis in Digestive Pathophysiology (University of Barcelona, 2006). I then joined the laboratory of the Digestive System Service of the Hospital Vall d'Hebron under the supervision of Dr. Xavier Molero in the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Pancreatic Diseases group. From 2009 to 2011, I worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the Neuro-Immuno-Gastroenterology group led by Dr Javier Santos, VHIR, where together with Dr. María Vicario I focused on the study of immune cell populations, with particular attention to the role of mast cells and plasma cells in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome. In 2011 I received a postdoctoral research fellowship from Linkoping University (Sweden). My research there focused on studying the humoral immune response in the colonic mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis and the effect of stress on the colonic mucosa of healthy volunteers. In 2013, I joined the group of Mucosal Translational Immunology as a post-doctoral researcher, together with Dr María Vicario. My research has been aimed at improving the current understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying gastrointestinal disorders and identifying immune changes in the intestinal mucosa that are associated with altered intestinal permeability and the development of intestinal inflammation. I am currently a postdoctoral researcher in the Neuro-Immuno-Gastroenterology Laboratory led by Dr Santos, collaborating with the principal investigators on varius research projects and coordinating the research work in the laboratory. I also participate in the training of undergraduate, masters and pre-doctoral students and I am very committed to the training of young researchers.. Since 2022, I have been a professor in the Master in Translational Biomedical Research (VHIR-UAB).

Projects

Development of new oral biologics for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

IP: Fco Javier Santos Vicente
Collaborators: Natalia Borruel Sainz, Ana Maria Gonzalez Castro
Funding agency: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación-MICINN
Funding: 218513
Reference: CPP2022-009979
Duration: 01/12/2023 - 30/11/2026

Ministerio de Ciencia

Fisiologia i fisiopatologia digestiva

IP: Fco Javier Santos Vicente
Collaborators: Maria Vicario Perez, Beatriz Lobo Alvarez, Fernando Azpiroz Vidaur, Natalia Borruel Sainz, Francesc Xavier Molero Richard, Francesc Casellas Jordá, Carmen Alonso Cotoner, Carolina Malagelada Prats, Jorge Serra Pueyo, Ana Maria Gonzalez Castro, Ariadna Aguilar Cayuelas, Elba Exposito Fernandez, Laura Campderros Traver, Blanca Grases Pintó, Virginia Robles Alonso, Adoración Nieto Ruiz, Claudia Barber Caselles, Elena Céspedes Martínez, Danila Guagnozzi, Ronald Benjamin Llerena Castro, Francisca Yañez Araya, Consuelo Cammarota
Funding agency: Agència Gestió Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca
Funding: 40000
Reference: 2021 SGR 00766
Duration: 01/01/2022 - 30/06/2025

Contribución diferencial del epitelio intestinal a la fisiopatología de la diarrea crónica en el síndrome del intestino irritable y la colitis microscópica. Perfil clínico-biológico para el diagnóstico diferencial.

IP: Maria Vicario Perez
Collaborators: Beatriz Lobo Alvarez, Merce Albert Bayo, Inés de Torres Ramirez, Ana Maria Gonzalez Castro, Marc Pigrau Pastor, Xavier Serra Ruiz
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 183920
Reference: PI19/01643
Duration: 01/01/2020 - 30/06/2024

Development, dIagnostic and prevention of gender-related Somatic and mental COmorbitiEs in IRritable bowel syndrome In Europe (DISCOvERIE)

IP: Fco Javier Santos Vicente
Collaborators: Beatriz Lobo Alvarez, Silvia Muñoz Caller, Carmen Alonso Cotoner, Ana Maria Gonzalez Castro, Elba Exposito Fernandez, Marc Pigrau Pastor, Xavier Serra Ruiz, Adoración Nieto Ruiz, Alejandro Henao Paez, Consuelo Cammarota, José Alegre Martin, Jesus Castro Marrero, Marta Ribases Haro, Natalia Llonga Tejedor, Amanda Rodríguez Urrutia
Funding agency: EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Funding: 1148684.84
Reference: DISCOVERIE_H2020-SC1-BHC2019
Duration: 01/01/2020 - 31/12/2024

Related news

Among the genes described, there are some related to digestive system functions, which reinforces the biological entity of irritable bowel syndrome as a digestive disease.

The international study, in which Vall d'Hebron participated, monitored patients who were hospitalized for COVID-19 for 12 months and compared their gastrointestinal symptoms with another group of patients diagnosed with other medical pathologies.

Els estudis avançaran en els camps de les malalties digestives, el VIH, la fatiga crònica, les patologies cardíaques, l’hepatitis, la diabetis i l’oftalmologia.

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