About the VHIR
Here at the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) we promote biomedical research, innovation and teaching. Over 1,800 people are seeking to understand diseases today so the treatment can be improved tomorrow.
Research
We are working to understand diseases, to find out how they operate and to create better treatments for patients. Get to know about our groups and their lines of research.
People
People are the centre of the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR). This is why we are bound by the principles of freedom of research, gender equality and professional attitudes that HRS4R promotes.
Clinical trials
Our work is not just basic or translational; we are leaders in clinical research. Enter and find about the clinical trials we are conducting and why we are a world reference in this field.
Progress
Our aim is to make the research carried out at the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) a driving force for transformation. How? By identifying new channels and solutions for the promotion of people's health and well-being.
Core facilities
We offer specialist support for researchers, internal and external alike, ranging from specific services to preparing complete projects. All this, from a perspective of quality and speed of response.
News
We offer you a gateway for staying up to date on everything going on at the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), from the latest news to future solidarity activities and initiatives that we are organising.
The Microbiology research group of the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) focuses on the study of microbiological aspects —in basic, translational and clinical research— that could improve the outcome of patients with infectious diseases.
Our priority research areas are:
We actively collaborate with other microbiology laboratories, health services, national and international centres and organizations, as well as with the different research networks of the Carlos III Health Institute in Spain.
In addition, we carry out an important activity in the surveillance of the genotypic and phenotypic evolution of microorganisms present in the community in terms of their virulence, transmissibility, antigenic escape and antimicrobial resistance, in collaboration with public administrations, both at the national and international level.
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the main public health problems recognized by the main public health and sanitary agencies. Enterobacters such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and other bacterial species such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Staphylococcus aureus are among the main pathogens causing infections and deaths associated with antimicrobial resistance.
Our research group works on the study of the mechanisms of action and resistance to antimicrobials of these and other bacteria of clinical interest, as well as the study of the mobile genetic elements where their resistance determinants can be found and possible therapeutic alternatives that can be considered to treat the infections they produce. Likewise, we work on the development, application and implementation of state-of-the-art processes, analysis and technologies that allow us to identify the molecular epidemiology, distribution and population structure of multi-resistant bacteria in order to early detect the emergence of high-risk epidemiological clones that can be transferred between patients, producing infections and/or outbreaks related to healthcare.
IP: Juan Jose Gonzalez Lopez, María Nieves Larrosa Escartin
IP: -
The main objectives of the Respiratory Virus Unit are the microbiological diagnosis of viral respiratory infection, participation in virological surveillance of respiratory viruses, and teaching. In addition to incorporating the state-of-the-art technology for the detection and automation of laboratory processes, we participate in the development and evaluation of new microbiological diagnostic methods in collaboration with the industry. But, beyond being able to detect already known respiratory viruses, and others not so well known, that cause acute respiratory disease in the human population, one of our vocations is virological surveillance. For this, it is necessary to be able to characterize the respiratory viruses detected, either in the community or in the hospitalized population, using genotypic and phenotypic methods, which allow us to better identify them, to know those characteristics that make them of special interest either because their antigenic characteristics have changed, because they have acquired resistance to different antivirals, because they have changed their tropism for other hosts or tissues, or because they are associated with greater severity, among others. In addition, working with new generation sequencing techniques and bioinformatics tools has allowed us to study in depth the viral populations in the host. This work would not be possible if we did not work in a multidisciplinary way with clinical specialists, epidemiologists, mathematicians and public health specialists. But beyond the laboratory results, the products developed and our participation in national and international surveillance networks, we work to disseminate the knowledge acquired, thus contributing to greater awareness of viral respiratory infection and of the viral agents that cause it.
IP: Andres Antón Pagarolas
The liver disease unit is focused on studying the viral hepatitis with a special emphasis on the basic virology, its translational applications, and the evaluation of new serological and virological markers for patient follow-up thanks to the collaboration with both industry and basic/clinical research groups. Moreover, it is also centred in contributing to the elimination of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), in evaluating HDV epidemiology in high prevalence populations, in inspecting viral variability to determine its relationship with disease progression, immune activation and the development of new therapeutic gene therapy strategies. Of note, the unit is also interested in studying HBV and HDV interaction in collaboration with the gene therapy group of CIMA-University of Navarra.
IP: Ariadna Rando Segura
IP: Joan Joseph Munné Collaborators: Joana Ramis Garcia, Claudia Broto Cortes Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III Funding: 102500 Reference: PI24/00576 Duration: 01/01/2025 - 31/12/2027
IP: Jordi Bove Badell Collaborators: Oscar Len Abad, Jordi Mollet Sánchez, Xavier Serres Créixams, Oriol de Fabregues-Boixar Nebot, Maria Piñana Moro Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III Funding: 221250 Reference: PI24/01820 Duration: 01/01/2025 - 31/12/2027
IP: Maria del Mar Riveiro Barciela Collaborators: Jordi Llaneras Artigues, Jesus Trejo Zahinos Funding agency: Gilead Sciences, S.L.U. Funding: 29997 Reference: GILEAD/HEPATITISCYD/2024/25632 Duration: 03/01/2025 - 30/06/2026
IP: Eva Baldrich Rubio Collaborators: Andres Antón Pagarolas, Tomàs Pumarola Suñé, Maria Urpí Castany, Judit Prat Trunas, Cristina Andrés Vergés, Narcís Saubí Roca Funding agency: Generalitat de Catalunya - Departament de Salut Funding: 99946 Reference: SLT036/24/000017 Duration: 21/12/2024 - 30/06/2026
PhD student: Carles Rubio Maturana Director/s: Joan Joseph Munné University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2025
PhD student: Selene Garcia Garcia Director/s: Francisco Rodríguez Frias, Maria Francesca Cortese , David Tabernero Caellas, Maria Francesca Cortese University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2023
PhD student: Beatriz Pacín Ruíz, Beatriz Pacín Ruíz, Beatriz Pacín Ruíz Director/s: Francisco Rodríguez Frias, Maria Francesca Cortese , Maria Francesca Cortese University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2023
PhD student: Albert Moreno Mingorance, Albert Moreno Mingorance Director/s: Juan Jose Gonzalez Lopez University: Year: 2023
PhD student: Candela Fernandez Naval Director/s: Juan Jose Gonzalez Lopez University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2022
PhD student: Chun Wei Chen Director/s: Joan Joseph Munné University: Year: 2022
PhD student: Aroa Silgado Gimenez Director/s: Elena Sulleiro Igual, Nuria Serre Delcor University: Year: 2022
PhD student: Maria Piñana Moro, Maria Piñana Moro Director/s: Tomàs Pumarola Suñé, Andres Antón Pagarolas University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2022
PhD student: Ariadna Rando Segura Director/s: Rosa María Bartolomé Comas University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2021
PhD student: Miguel Fernández Huerta, Miguel Fernández Huerta Director/s: Tomàs Pumarola Suñé University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2021
PhD student: Alba Mir Cros, Alba Mir Cros, Alba Mir Cros Director/s: Juan Jose Gonzalez Lopez University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2021
PhD student: Cristina Andrés Vergés Director/s: Tomàs Pumarola Suñé University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2019
PhD student: Elena Sulleiro Igual, Elena Sulleiro Igual Director/s: Tomàs Pumarola Suñé, Israel Molina Romero University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2019
PhD student: Zaira Moure Garcia Director/s: Tomàs Pumarola Suñé University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2018
PhD student: Laura Gimferrer Arriaga Director/s: Tomàs Pumarola Suñé, Andres Antón Pagarolas University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2018
PhD student: Nuria Piedra Carrasco Director/s: Juan Jose Gonzalez Lopez University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2017
PhD student: Eva Moreno Pujol Director/s: Antònia Andreu Domingo University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2016
PhD student: María Nieves Larrosa Escartin, María Nieves Larrosa Escartin Director/s: Guillem Prats Pastor, Rosa María Bartolomé Comas University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2016
PhD student: Judit Serra Pladevall Director/s: Antònia Andreu Domingo University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2016
PhD student: Estrella Caballero Requero, Estrella Caballero Requero Director/s: Antònia Andreu Domingo, Tomàs Pumarola Suñé University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2015
PhD student: Antonio Mirambell Viñas Director/s: Tomàs Pumarola Suñé University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2015
PhD student: Mª Teresa Tórtola Fernández, Mª Teresa Tórtola Fernández Director/s: Nuria Martín Casabona, Nuria Martín Casabona University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2012
PhD student: Juan Jose Gonzalez Lopez, Juan Jose Gonzalez Lopez Director/s: Guillem Prats Pastor University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2009
PhD student: Mayli Lung Suarez, Mayli Lung Suarez Director/s: Joan Sahuquillo Barris University: Universidad de Salamanca Year: 2004
The study results show that the local presence of IL-1β promotes the development of myeloid cells with an immunosuppressive function.
The project has developed a low-cost system to diagnose malaria and schistosomiasis using artificial intelligence and a robotic microscope.
The collaboration will focus on several key areas of mutual interest in microbiology in particular antimicrobial resistance and stewardship.
