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 Systemic Diseases group performs translational research based on at least 300 patients with systemic lupus erytomatosus (SLE), antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), systemic sclerosis, vasculitis, dermatomyitis, Sjörgen syndrome or autoinflammatory syndromes in order to better understand their pathogenesis (both at the immunological and genetic regulation level), study their clinical and biological expression (through the detection of new markers that help characterize each of the autoimmune diseases), study morbimortality (through epidemiological studies) and analyse patients' response to medications. With these goals in mind, we seek to improve the diagnosis, clinical monitoring, and prognosis of our patients.
Antibodies to collagen have been identified in patients with infectious (endocarditis) and inflammatory (rheumatic) valvulopathies. The objective is to assess a possible role of autoantibodies against types I and IV collagen in the valvulopathy of patients with antiphospholipid syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus.
IP: José Pardos Gea
Anti-p155 antibodies seem to be useful for the diagnosis of paraneoplastic myopathies. We have studied their prevalence and their diagnosis value in a cohort of 137 patients with inflammatory myopathies and we have observed that they have a high negative predictive value. On the other hand, the screening by PET/TC does not contribute much to the conventional screening of cancer in these patients.
IP: Albert Selva O'Callaghan
In this study we collaborate with the Faculty of Veterinary located at the Barcelona Autonomous University (Dr. Santiago Lavin) along with the Department of Pathology of the University of California (Prof G. Diane Shelton).
The only myositis spontaneous animal model is found in dogs, especially in Collies, and when it accompanies cancer, in Boxers. Several antibodies have been described in dogs but it is not known if they are also found in humans. Alternatively, myositis specific antibodies may be positive or negative in dogs. If human beings and dogs share a common autoimmune response, a new door can be opened to deepen in the etiopathogenia and the species-specificity of these illnesses.
We want to describe the capillaroscopy alterations observed in patients with Raynaud's phenomenon and primary Sjögren’s syndrome. Our main objective is to establish if there is a specific capillaroscopic pattern associated with Sjögren syndrome and if it is related to visceral extraglandular involvement.
IP: Roser Solans Laque, Vicenç Fonollosa Pla
IP: Jaume Alijotas Reig Collaborators: Manel Mendoza Cobaleda, Francesc Miro Mur, Enrique Esteve Valverde, Ariadna Anunciacion Llunell Funding agency: Fundació La Marató de TV3 Funding: 50625 Reference: 202418-33 Duration: 20/09/2025 - 19/09/2028
IP: Francesc Miro Mur Collaborators: Jaume Alijotas Reig, José Pardos Gea, Ariadna Anunciacion Llunell Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III Funding: 102500 Reference: PI24/01302 Duration: 01/01/2025 - 31/12/2027
IP: Adria Curran Fàbregas Collaborators: Anna Sala Cunill, Vicenç Falcó Ferrer, Yolima Cossio Gil, Ignasi Cardona Pascual, Paula Suanzes Diez, Jordi Navarro Mercadé, Joaquin Burgos Cibrian, Núria Castany Viñas, Maria Belén Gutiérrez Iglesias, Silvina Andrea Magnani Funding agency: Laboratorio ViiV Healthcare Funding: 55000 Reference: VIIV/BECAS/2023/CURRAN Duration: 15/01/2024 - 14/01/2026
PhD student: Paula Galvan Blasco Director/s: Anna Sala Cunill, Mar Guilarte Clavero University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2024
PhD student: Luz María Cruz Carlos Director/s: Albert Selva O'Callaghan University: Year: 2023
PhD student: Ma. isabel Gonzalez Nieto Director/s: Roser Solans Laque University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2023
PhD student: Maria Roca Herrera Director/s: Carmen Pilar Simeón i Aznar, Alfredo Guillen Del Castillo University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2023
PhD student: Joan María Mercadé Torras Director/s: Roser Solans Laque, Segundo Bujan Rivas University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2022
PhD student: Serafín Alonso Vila Director/s: Carmen Pilar Simeón i Aznar, Albert Selva O'Callaghan, Alfredo Guillen Del Castillo University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2022
PhD student: Isidro Sanz Pérez Director/s: Fernando Martínez Valle, Carmen Pilar Simeón i Aznar University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2022
PhD student: Jose Loureiro Amigo, Jose Loureiro Amigo Director/s: Roser Solans Laque University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2022
PhD student: Enrique Esteve Valverde Director/s: Jaume Alijotas Reig University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2021
PhD student: Núria Mulet Margalef Director/s: Albert Selva O'Callaghan University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2021
PhD student: Angela Quintana Vega Director/s: Javier Cortés Castan, Eva Muñoz Couselo, Vicente Peg Camara University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2019
PhD student: María Elena Martínez Ramos Director/s: Albert Selva O'Callaghan University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2019
PhD student: Romera Liebana Laura Director/s: Albert Selva O'Callaghan University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2019
PhD student: Maria Rueda García Director/s: Albert Selva O'Callaghan University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2019
PhD student: Ana Carolina Díaz Mendoza, Ana Carolina Díaz Mendoza, Ana Carolina Díaz Mendoza Director/s: Sara Marsal Barril, Maria America Lopez Lasanta University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2018
PhD student: Núria Moreno Pérez Director/s: Moisés Labrador Horrillo, Olga Luengo Sanchez University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2018
PhD student: Ana Jaqueline Bañuelos Ávila Director/s: Jaume Alijotas Reig, Isabel Ruiz Camps, Isabel Ruiz Camps University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2018
PhD student: Jordi Aligue Capsada Director/s: Antonio San Jose Laporte University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2018
PhD student: Alfredo Guillen Del Castillo Director/s: Carmen Pilar Simeón i Aznar, Vicenç Fonollosa Pla, Miguel Vilardell Tarres, Miguel Vilardell Tarres, Vicenç Fonollosa Pla University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2017
PhD student: Mònica Faro Colomés Director/s: José Alegre Martin University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2017
PhD student: Basilio Rodriguez Diez Director/s: Consuelo Modesto Caballero, Albert Selva O'Callaghan University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2010
PhD student: Olga Luengo Sanchez, Olga Luengo Sanchez Director/s: José Ángel Bosch Gil, Victòria Cardona Dahl, José Ángel Bosch Gil University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2008
PhD student: Fernando Martínez Valle, Fernando Martínez Valle Director/s: University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2007
PhD student: Victòria Cardona Dahl, Victòria Cardona Dahl Director/s: University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2002
15 researchers from the Rheumatology, Systemic Diseases and the Physiology and Pathophysiology of the Digestive Tract groups gave around 25 presentations.
The new technology allows more sensitive detection of scleroderma patients' autoantibodies, which are related to the severity and progression of the disease.
Researchers have used an innovative protocol to identify people with this autoimmune disease who have a higher risk of cancer.
