Skip to main content

Xavier Montalban Gairín

I am director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Catalonia (Cemcat) at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital since 2007 and Head of the Neuroimmunology Research Group at Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) since 1995. I am Professor of Neurology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) since 2006 and at Universitat de Vic – Universitat Central de Catalunya (UVic-UCC) since 2021. Additionally, I serve as Senior Consultant in the Department of Neurology at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital.

Institutions of which they are part

Head of group
Clinical Neuroimmunology
Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca
Neurology
General Hospital
Director
Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Catalonia

Xavier Montalban Gairín

Institutions of which they are part

Head of group
Clinical Neuroimmunology
Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca
Neurology
General Hospital
Director
Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Catalonia

I am director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Catalonia (Cemcat) at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital since 2007 and Head of the Neuroimmunology Research Group at Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) since 1995. I am Professor of Neurology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) since 2006 and at Universitat de Vic – Universitat Central de Catalunya (UVic-UCC) since 2021. Additionally, I serve as Senior Consultant in the Department of Neurology at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital.

I obtained my MD (1983) and PhD (1990) from UAB, specializing in Neurology at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital (1988) and completing my postdoctoral fellowship at St Thomas’ Hospital and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (London). I earned a Diploma in Comprehensive Healthcare Institutions Management from ESADE (2005).

From 2012 to December 2024, I served as Chair of the Neurology Department at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital. Between 2017 and 2020, I was Professor of Medicine and Director of the Division of Neurology at the University of Toronto, as well as Director of the MS Center at St Michael’s Hospital, Toronto.

I am past President (2014-2016) and current Honorary Member of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS). I also served as Co-Chair of the Steering Committee of Magnetic Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis (MAGNIMS) and a member of the Steering Committee of the International Progressive MS Alliance. Since December 2024, I have been Vice President of the European Charcot Foundation. Additionally, I chaired the International Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials in MS, sponsored by ECTRIMS and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS), until December 2024.

My scientific output includes over 800 peer-reviewed publications, with more than 65,000 citations and a Scopus H-Index of 110 (January 2025). Over the last seven years, I have been among Clarivate’s most cited researchers. I have been Principal Investigator (PI) or collaborator in over 35 competitive projects (€8.5 million) and more than 150 clinical trials.

Notably, I received the 2022 John Dystel Prize (AAN and NMSS), the 2023 Charcot Award (MSIF) for lifetime achievements in MS research, the 2024 Fundación Lilly Award for Biomedical Research, and the 2023 ICS Career Research Award for clinical and scientific excellence.

Projects

Sol·licitud Juan Rodés

IP: Xavier Montalban Gairín
Collaborators: Angela Vidal Jordana, Miriam Izquierdo Sans
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 135000
Reference: JR16/00024
Duration: 01/01/2017 - 21/04/2020

Investigation of the role of female hormonal factors in risk and prognosis of multiple sclerosis

IP: Xavier Montalban Gairín
Collaborators: Miriam Izquierdo Sans
Funding agency: ECTRIMS
Funding: 25000
Reference: ECTRIMS_CTFP2014
Duration: 02/11/2015 - 02/05/2016

Remote Assessment of Disease and Relapse in Central Nervous System Disorders (RADAR-CNS)

IP: Xavier Montalban Gairín
Collaborators: Remote Assessment of Disease and Relapse in Central Nervous System Disorders (RADAR-CNS), Carlos Nos Llopis, Gabriel Ig Camiña Rodríguez, Ana Zabalza de Torres, Luciana Midaglia Fernandez
Funding agency: The Innovative Medicines Initiative
Funding: 552235
Reference: RADAR_IMI2015
Duration: 01/04/2016 - 31/03/2022

Neuroimmunologia Clínica. Centre d'Esclerosi Múltiple de Catalunya (CEMCAT( (GRC)

IP: Xavier Montalban Gairín
Collaborators: Susana Otero Romero, Carlos Nos Llopis, Sunny Malhotra Sareen, José Ant. Graells Salvador, Jaume Sastre Garriga, Jordi Rio Izquierdo, Ingrid Galán Cartaña, Rosalia Horno Ocaña, Manuel Comabella Lopez, Margarida Capell Maymo, Carmen Tur Gomez, Jordi Barquinero Mañez, Herena Eixarch Ahufinger, Carme Santoyo Medina, Oriol Nualart Mundo, Mar Tintore Subirana, M Jesus Arevalo Navines, Dunia Muñoz Valdivielso, Carmen Espejo Ruiz, Sergio Vergara Ruiz, Luciana Midaglia Fernandez, Joaquin Castillo Justribo, Milagros Fraga Pereira, Breogan Rodriguez Acevedo, Mireia Castillo Juarez, Nicolás Miguel Fissolo, Georgina Arrambide García
Funding agency: Agència Gestió Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca
Funding: 50000
Reference: 2014 SGR 1082
Duration: 01/01/2014 - 31/12/2016

Related news

In total, different projects of six research groups will be promoted, focusing on precision medicine and advanced therapies.

Dr. Carmen Espejo and Dr. Georgina Arrambide, researchers at Cemcat and Vall d'Hebron Research Institute, are the first authors of the article.

The research findings propose to modify the McDonald 2017 criteria, only in those in whom diagnosis using the current criteria is not possible.

Related professionals

Gonzalo González Silva

Gonzalo González Silva

Predoctoral researcher
Clinical Biochemistry, Drug Delivery & Therapy (CB-DDT)
Read more
Xavier Cañas Perea

Xavier Cañas Perea

Director/a d'Àrea
Clinical Research Development Directorate
Read more
Izaskun Izagirre Urizar

Izaskun Izagirre Urizar

Predoctoral researcher
Neuromuscular and Mitochondrial Pathology
Read more
Marta Pinsach Batet

Marta Pinsach Batet

Medium Grade Technician
Teaching Unit
Internal Strategy Directorate
Read more

Subscribe to our newsletters and be part of the Campus life

We are a world-leading healthcare complex where healthcare, research, teaching and innovation go hand in hand.

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.