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Neurodegenerative Diseases

The research conducted in our group is geared toward elucidating the cause and molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD), a disabling, currently incurable common neurodegenerative disorder. To this end, we perform clinical and pre-clinical translational research in both PD patients and in human-relevant experimental in vitro and in vivo PD-related models. 

Elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration in PD should allow to: 

  • Identify biomarkers for PD diagnosis, early detection, patient stratification, disease progression, prognosis or response to treatment. This is the objective of the VHIP Project that the team is carrying out.
  • Identify new molecular targets for potential therapeutic intervention and prevention.
  • Develop novel therapeutic strategies with disease-modifying potential.
  • Unravel molecular pathways common to other neurodegenerative diseases and, in a broader sense, brain aging.
     

Team

Maria Camprodon Gomez

Maria Camprodon Gomez

Predoctoral researcher
Neurodegenerative Diseases
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Jordi Riera Heredia

Jordi Riera Heredia

Research technician
Neurodegenerative Diseases
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Garcia Blanco, Alejandra

Garcia Blanco, Alejandra

Research technician
Neurodegenerative Diseases
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Marchena Herrera, Mariona

Marchena Herrera, Mariona

Research technician
Neurodegenerative Diseases
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Marta Montpeyó Garcia-Moreno

Marta Montpeyó Garcia-Moreno

Predoctoral researcher
Neurodegenerative Diseases
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Montse Perez Fernandez

Montse Perez Fernandez

Research technician
Neurodegenerative Diseases
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Maria Camprodon Gomez

Maria Camprodon Gomez

Predoctoral researcher
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Read more
Jordi Riera Heredia

Jordi Riera Heredia

Research technician
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Read more
Garcia Blanco, Alejandra

Garcia Blanco, Alejandra

Research technician
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Read more
Marchena Herrera, Mariona

Marchena Herrera, Mariona

Research technician
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Read more
Marta Montpeyó Garcia-Moreno

Marta Montpeyó Garcia-Moreno

Predoctoral researcher
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Read more
Montse Perez Fernandez

Montse Perez Fernandez

Research technician
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Read more

Research lines

Neuronal dysfunction and immune response in Parkinson's disease

IP: Jordi Bove Badell

Pathogenic role of autophagic/lysosomal dysfunction in Parkinson's disease

Autophagy is the degradation of intracellular components inside the lysosomes and it is essential for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and neuronal viability. Alterations in the autophagy process have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease and has been shown to be one of the main causes that contribute to neuronal death in these pathologies.


Our efforts are currently directed to:

- Development of new therapies for Parkinson’s disease based in the restoration of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase (GBA) activity.

- Development of new autophagy pharmacological modulators (mTOR-independent) as a therapeutic strategy in neurodegenerative diseases.

IP: Marta Martínez Vicente, Miquel Vila Bover

Regeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease via cell fusion-mediated reprogramming

Co-PI: Pia Cosma, CRG.


Given the current lack of disease-modifying therapies for Parkinson’s disease (PD), we are exploring whether cell-fusion-mediated regeneration of dopaminergic neurons can be achieved, for therapeutic purposes, in experimental animal models of PD after transplantation of Wnt-activated haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs).

IP: Miquel Vila Bover

Role of autophagy in neurodegeneration

The main focus of our research is to study the role of autophagy in neurodegeneration.

Autophagy is the degradation of intracellular components inside the lysosomes and it is essential for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and neuronal viability. Alterations in the autophagy process have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease,  and has been shown to be one of the main causes that contribute to neuronal death in these pathologies.

 

Our efforts are currently directed to:

- Study the pathogenic role of autophagic/lysosomal dysfunction in Parkinson's disease

- Development of new therapies for Parkinson’s disease based in the restoration of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase (GBA) activity through nanoencapsulation.

- Development of new autophagy pharmacological modulators (mTOR-independent) as a therapeutic strategy in neurodegenerative diseases.

- Study  selective autophagy in Huntington’s disease: charaterization of mitophagy impairment in Huntington’s disease.

IP: Marta Martínez Vicente

Projects

MECANISMOS MOLECULARES DE NEURODEGENERACION LIGADA A LA NEUROMELANINA EN LA ENFERMEDAD DE PARKINSON Y ENVEJECIMIENTO CEREBRAL

IP: Miquel Vila Bover
Collaborators: Gerard Roch Alba, Miriam Izquierdo Sans
Funding agency: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación-MICINN
Funding: 99260
Reference: PRE2021-098300
Duration: 01/07/2022 - 30/06/2026

Ministerio de Ciencia

Malalties neurodegeneratives

IP: Miquel Vila Bover
Collaborators: Jorge Hernández Vara, Joan Compte Barrón, Marta Martínez Vicente, Jordi Bove Badell, Eddie Pradas Gracia, Maria Camprodon Gomez, Camille Guillard Sirieix, Marina Lorente Picón, Laura Castillo Ribelles, Oriol de Fabregues-Boixar Nebot, Javier Hoyo Pérez, Ariadna Laguna Tuset, Thais Cuadros Arasa, Jordi Riera Heredia, David Ramos Vicente, Marta Montpeyó Garcia-Moreno, Helena Xicoy Cortada, Alba Nicolau Vera, Marta González Sepúlveda, Joana Margalida Cladera Sastre, Annabelle Parent, Daniela Samaniego Toro
Funding agency: Agència Gestió Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca
Funding: 40000
Reference: 2021 SGR 00784
Duration: 01/01/2022 - 31/12/2024

Pendent

IP: Jordi Bove Badell
Collaborators: David Ramos Vicente, Miriam Izquierdo Sans, Laia Perez Lasarte
Funding agency: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación-MICINN
Funding: 64800
Reference: FJC2021-047862-I
Duration: 01/01/2023 - 31/12/2024

Ministerio de Ciencia

El eje cerebro-cuerpo en la enfermedad de Parkinson: de la fisiopatología a los biomarcadores y enfoques terapéuticos.

IP: Ariadna Laguna Tuset
Collaborators: Miriam Izquierdo Sans, Laia Perez Lasarte
Funding agency: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación-MICINN
Funding: 236350
Reference: RYC2021-032947-I
Duration: 01/01/2023 - 31/12/2027

Ministerio de Ciencia

Publications

Procalcitonin and C-reactive protein to rule out early bacterial coinfection in COVID-19 critically ill patients.

PMID: 37507573
Journal: INTENSIVE CARE MEDICINE
Year: 2023
Reference: Intensive Care Med. 2023 Jul 28. doi: 10.1007/s00134-023-07161-1.
Impact factor:
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Adell-Serrano, Berta; Agrifoglio, Alexander; Aguilar Cabello, Maria; Aguilera, Luciano; Alcaraz-Serrano, Victoria; Aldecoa, Cesar; Alegre, Cynthia; Alvarez Ruiz, Antonjo; Alvarez, Sergio; Amaya-Villar, Rosario et al.
DOI: 10.1007/s00134-023-07161-1

Xpert Bladder Cancer Monitor for the Early Detection of Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Recurrences: Could Cystoscopy Be Substituted?

PMID: 37509344
Journal: Cancers
Year: 2023
Reference: Cancers (Basel). 2023 Jul 19;15(14):3683. doi: 10.3390/cancers15143683.
Impact factor:
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Carrion, Albert; Dinares, Carme; Hernandez, Javier; Lozano, Fernando; Morote, Juan; Raventos, Carles X; Trilla, Enrique et al.
DOI: 10.3390/cancers15143683

Clinical Outcomes of Critical COVID-19 in HIV-Infected Adults: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis.

PMID: 37661559
Journal: ARCHIVOS DE BRONCONEUMOLOGIA
Year: 2023
Reference: Arch Bronconeumol. 2023 Aug 7:S0300-2896(23)00267-3. doi: 10.1016/j.arbres.2023.07.029.
Impact factor:
Publication type: Letter or abstract
Authors: Abril, Elena; Barbe, Ferran; Barbera, Carme; Bustamante-Munguira, Elena; Bustamante-Munguira, Elena; Caballero, Jesus; Caballero, Jesus; Canseco, Joan; Carbonell, Nieves; Ceccato, Adrian et al.
DOI: 10.1016/j.arbres.2023.07.029

Cortical Lewy body injections induce long-distance pathogenic alterations in the non-human primate brain.

PMID: 37726343
Journal: npj Parkinsons Disease
Year: 2023
Reference: NPJ Parkinsons Dis. 2023 Sep 19;9(1):135. doi: 10.1038/s41531-023-00579-w.
Impact factor:
Publication type: Paper in international publication
Authors: Arotcarena, Marie-Laure; Bezard, Erwan; Bourdenx, Mathieu; Darricau, Morgane; Dehay, Benjamin; Dovero, Sandra; Estrada, Cristina; Garcia-Carrillo, Nuria; Herrero, Maria Trinidad; Obeso, Jose A et al.
DOI: 10.1038/s41531-023-00579-w

Blog

News

Dr. Miquel Vila, head of the Neurodegenerative Diseases research group at VHIR, is the co-chair of the local organising committee. And Dr. Ariadna Laguna, principal investigator of the same group, is a scientific ambassador.

Researchers describe the molecular mechanisms by which the GBA gene, the main genetic risk factor, associates with the accumulation of α-synuclein in neurons.

It is the project “New Nanotechnological Therapy for Parkinson’s disease: Nose to Brain Delivery of GBA-Polymer Nanoconjugates (nanoGBAtoBrain)”.

Job offers

Laboratory technician Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group
Start date:
03/11/2023
End date:
17/11/2023
Document: Download
Study Coordinator Neurodegenerative diseases group
Start date:
24/10/2023
End date:
07/11/2023
Document: Download
Clinical Researcher Neurodegenerative Diseases
Start date:
02/06/2023
End date:
27/12/2023
Document: Download

Coneix i participa al projecte VHIP

Vall d'Hebron Iniciativa per al Parkinson (VHIP) is a research project aimed at the development of biochemical markers for the early detection of Parkinson's disease. This study is carried out in people at high risk of having this disease, because they carry genetic mutations that predispose to the development of Parkinson's or because they present non-motor symptoms that manifest themselves years before motor symptoms.

Access the project and study