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.
IgG4 Related Disease (IgG4RD) is a new fibroinflammatory disorder, described in 2009, and characterized by the presence of a lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, storiform fibrosis and pylephlebitis. A Spanish Register of that disease is currently being established, the coordinator member of our institution being one of our researchers. This collaborative study encompasses 16 centers around Spain and has allowed us to describe one of the most important series of patients in the world. A program of a PhD fellowship is currently active, along with a clinical trial due to start very soon. On the other hand, studies on the immunologic mechanism of the disease and a radiologic evaluation with PET-SCAN is also expected to be carried out in the near future.
IP: -
Around 2-3% of reproductive-age couples suffer recurrent pregnancy loses. Almost 18% of couples that wish to have children suffer infertility problems. Simultaneously, 2-3% of all pregnant women are diagnosed with spontaneous loses. The expression of HLA molecules, specially type G, the degree of trophoblastic apoptosis, the outsourcing of new neoantigens such as phospholipids, the balance between Th1/Th2/Th3 cytokines, the type and quantity of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ lymphocytes, the kind and the activity of uterine NK cells (uNK) cells, the presence or absence of blocking antibodies, and other mechanisms play different roles in the achievement of the so-called "tolerant microenvironment" needed to develop a normal pregnancy. Therefore, both autoimmune and alloimmune mechanisms are important. We aim at studying which isolated, and specially associated, anomalies can be identified as risk markers to be able to evaluate possible treatments.
IP: Jaume Alijotas Reig
The late clinical manifestations that arise when bioimplants are applied seem to have an immunologic basis. We are studying both the histological characteristics and the lesional mechanisms of the most frequently used implants. We try to analyze the role that bacteria may have in the induction and/or maintenance of these reactions and the possible correlation between particular HLA haplotypes and the adverse effects.
Three to five percent of pregnancies are complicated by preeclampsia (PE). PE is a multisystemic-related endothelial dysfunction disorder characterized by hypertension, proteinuria and renal injury. Despite considerable research, its etiology and pathophysiology still remains unclear. Different theories involving many pathways including thrombophilia, immunologic changes, circulating angiogenic /antiangiogenic factors and increased oxidative stress have been related to its pathogenesis. The role played by antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) is a matter of discussion in PE. Biological evidence of endothelial dysfunction related to PE/FGR has been shown by modified plasma markers including fibronectin, von Willebrand factor and ICAM-1 in a similar manner to that which occurs in aPL-related obstetric complications. We are searching now the role played by different aPL and cofactor antibodies, as well as its relationship with angiogenic /antiangiogenic factors and microparticle number in severe PE.
IP: Jaume Alijotas Reig, Elisa Llurba Olivé, Anna Suy Franch
The study describes the first documented case worldwide of hereditary angioedema transmission through assisted reproduction.
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.
