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 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:
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
IP: Jordi Bove Badell Collaborators: Oscar Len Abad, Jordi Mollet Sánchez, Xavier Serres Créixams, Oriol de Fabregues-Boixar Nebot, Maria Piñana Moro, Maria Teresa Buongiorno Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III Funding: 221250 Reference: PI24/01820 Duration: 01/01/2025 - 31/12/2027
IP: Marta Martínez Vicente Collaborators: Mercedes Arrúe Gonzalo, Jorge Hernández Vara, Maria Camprodon Gomez, NanoERT: nano-delivery platform for Enzyme Replacement Therapy in Parkinson´s and Gaucher's disease Funding agency: Fundació "La Caixa" Funding: 24440 Reference: CI24-20222 Duration: 01/10/2024 - 30/09/2026
IP: Miquel Vila Bover Collaborators: - Funding agency: Fundació Institut de Recerca HUVH Funding: 160000 Reference: VILA/BOOST/2024 Duration: 15/11/2024 - 14/11/2028
IP: Marta Martínez Vicente Collaborators: Mercedes Arrúe Gonzalo, Maria Camprodon Gomez, Pablo Castillo Sánchez Funding agency: Agència Gestió Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca Funding: 42000 Reference: 2024 PROD 00073 Duration: 02/12/2024 - 01/09/2026
The event focused on advances in disease-modifying therapies and on the value of alliances between patients and professionals to promote more participatory care and research.
This VHIR initiative promotes well-being, empathy and community participation in Barcelona neighbourhoods through an intergenerational model
PAIR is an intergenerational initiative with people affected by Parkinson's disease and adolescents.
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.
