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Josep A Villena Delgado

I earned my PhD in Biological Sciences at the University of Barcelona and I am currently a principal investigator of the Research Unit in Diabetes and Metabolism, where I lead the Laboratory of Metabolism and Obesity. The research carried out by my team focuses on understanding the mechanisms that regulate energy balance and glucose homeostasis, and how alterations in such mechanisms contribute to the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders, such as obesity, insulin resistance or diabetes. I am also coordinator and professor of the endocrine diseases section of the VHIR’s Master in Translational Biomedical Research.

Institutions of which they are part

Main researcher
Diabetes and Metabolism
Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca

Josep A Villena Delgado

Institutions of which they are part

Main researcher
Diabetes and Metabolism
Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca

I earned my PhD in Biological Sciences at the University of Barcelona and I am currently a principal investigator of the Research Unit in Diabetes and Metabolism, where I lead the Laboratory of Metabolism and Obesity. The research carried out by my team focuses on understanding the mechanisms that regulate energy balance and glucose homeostasis, and how alterations in such mechanisms contribute to the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders, such as obesity, insulin resistance or diabetes. I am also coordinator and professor of the endocrine diseases section of the VHIR’s Master in Translational Biomedical Research.

I obtained a degree in Biological Sciences by the University of Barcelona, where I also earned my PhD in Biology. The work of my PhD thesis focused on the identification of the transcription factors involved in the regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis. From 1999 to 2000, I worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Rangueil University Hospital/CNRS (Toulouse, France) to investigate the role of adipose precursor cells on the immune function. In 2000, I moved to the University of California (Berkeley, USA). There, my work was dedicated to unveil the mechanisms involved in the differentiation and function of adipose cells and their impact on body weight and glucose homeostasis. The results of my work contributed to elucidate the function of Pref-1 as an inhibitor of adipogenesis and the identification of a new triglyceride lipase (Desnutrin/ATGL). In 2004. I joined The Scripps Research Institute (La Jolla, USA) as a research associate, where I worked on the role of Estrogen-Related Receptors in the control of mitochondrial biogenesis and the thermogenic function of brown adipose tissue. In 2007, after being awarded a “Ramon y Cajal” researcher position, I joined VHIR as a principal investigator. Since then, I lead the Laboratory of Metabolism and Obesity, integrated within the Unit of Diabetes and Metabolism. The most recent research of my team has allowed to precisely define the role of PGC-1s co-activators on adipose tissue mitochondrial biogenesis in response to anti-diabetic drugs or nutritional interventions, such a caloric restriction. Moreover, our work on cardiac metabolism in the context of diabetes led to the identification of ERRgamma as a factor potentially involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy. Our current research lines focus on the identification of the factors driving the resolution of obesity-associated meta-inflammation, which is considered to be at the origin of most of the comorbidities associated with this metabolic disease.

As a principal investigator, I have led numerous research projects funded by public (MINECO, MICINN) and private (La Marató de TV3, Fundació La Caixa) funding bodies. Among others, I currently coordinate OBESIMM, an international multicentric study aimed at defining the effects that intermittent feeding has on inflammation and the immune function of obese individuals. I am also a member of ADIPOBROAD, a national network of research groups for the study of adipose tissue plasticity and its impact on human health, as well as a member of the Spanish Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, where I coordinate the study group on Metabolic Regulation and Nutrition.

Projects

Nuevos mediadores moleculares de la restricción calórica en tejido adiposo

IP: Josep A Villena Delgado
Collaborators: Ramón Vilallonga Puy
Funding agency: Ministerio Economía, Industria y Competitividad
Funding: 151250
Reference: BFU2015-64462-R
Duration: 01/01/2016 - 30/06/2019

Diabetis i Metabolisme (GRC)

IP: Rafael Simó Canonge
Collaborators: Josep A Villena Delgado, Carles Zafon Llopis, Cristina Hernández Pascual, David Martinez Selva, Andreea Ciudin Mihai, Lorena Ramos Pérez, Rosa Burgos Peláez, Olga Simó Servat, Patricia Bogdanov Baruj
Funding agency: Agència Gestió Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca
Funding: 40000
Reference: 2014 SGR 270
Duration: 01/01/2014 - 31/12/2016

Papel del coactivador PGC-1BETA en tejido adiposo blanco y su contribución al desarrollo de la obesidad y la diabetes tipo 2

IP: Josep A Villena Delgado
Collaborators: Miriam Izquierdo Sans
Funding agency: Ministerio Economía, Industria y Competitividad
Funding: 5200
Reference: EEBB-I-13-006694
Duration: 01/04/2013 - 31/08/2013

Bases moleculares de la restricción calórica: papel de los coactivadores PGC-1 en tejido adiposo

IP: Josep A Villena Delgado
Collaborators: Rosario Pardo Diaz
Funding agency: Ministerio Economía, Industria y Competitividad
Funding: 105300
Reference: SAF2012-39484
Duration: 01/01/2013 - 31/12/2015

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