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.
Many rare diseases of genetic origin affect neurodevelopment, causing severe motor problems that are difficult to treat. Our team uses a multidisciplinary approach to develop personalized treatments based on precision medicine with these objectives:
Our team promotes clinical and translational research in hospital care programs, such as units specialized in Dystonia and other Movement Disorders, Ataxias and Paraparesis, the Fetal Medicine Unit for Prenatal Diagnosis of Neurological Diseases and the Gene Therapy group for Neuromuscular pathology. Our researchers lead projects in the ERN-RND.
Digital tools provide a unique opportunity to continuously and objectively monitor pediatric patients with neurological disorders. This project aims to identify and validate digital biomarkers using wearable sensors, video analysis, movement pattern analysis, and artificial intelligence applied to clinical data. The ultimate goal is to improve diagnosis, monitoring, and personalized treatment for children with complex neurological diseases.
IP: David Gómez Andrés, Belen Perez Dueñas
Development of a new gene therapy strategy based on high-capacity adenoviral vectors, in collaboration with the Gene and Cell Therapy group at VHIR, led by Dr. Jordi Barquinero and Dr. María Pallarès-Masmitjà.
IP: David Gómez Andrés
The application of advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques enables an objective and quantitative characterization of the progression of various neurological diseases. This research focuses on developing imaging biomarkers to identify radiological patterns. For neuromuscular diseases, the aim is to identify specific patterns of fat replacement and muscle inflammation, as well as to correlate these changes with motor function and other clinical parameters. For patients with movement disorders, specific imaging patterns will be studied to establish efficacy biomarkers for deep brain stimulation. This will contribute to better patient stratification and evaluation of responses to different experimental treatments.
IP: Belen Perez Dueñas, David Gómez Andrés
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a highly effective symptomatic treatment for various forms of childhood-onset dystonia. However, there is significant variability in its short- and long-term clinical efficacy. Factors contributing to this dystonia-related variability may be radiological, genetic, or surgical and can be effectively analyzed in the preoperative process. Analyzing these factors will allow for personalized DBS adaptation and optimization of its clinical benefits.
IP: Belen Perez Dueñas
IP: Ariadna Laguna Tuset Collaborators: Silvia Enriquez Calzada, Maria Victoria Gonzalez Martinez, Jorge Hernández Vara, Alba Jané Dern, Sara Mas Assens, Laura Georgina Teixido Bergada, Sara Belmonte Calderon Funding agency: Fundació "La Caixa" Funding: 49802.5 Reference: CX24-00187 Duration: 15/09/2025 - 14/09/2027
IP: Lucas Moreno Martín-Retortillo Collaborators: Marina Martínez Jiménez, Alfons Macaya Ruíz, Anna Santamaria Margalef, Pere Soler Palacín, Ana Marti Delgado, Sara Mas Assens, Immaculada Hernández Rodríguez Funding agency: Fundación Española Ciencia y Tecnología (FECYT) Funding: 25000 Reference: FCT-24-21771 Duration: 01/09/2025 - 31/08/2026
IP: Arnau Llauradó Gayete Collaborators: Josep Quer Sivila, Laura Costa Comellas Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III Funding: 480370 Reference: PMPER24/00018 Duration: 01/01/2025 - 31/12/2026
IP: Nerea Maiz Elizaran Collaborators: Josefa Élida Vázquez Méndez, Marta Codina Solà, Ma Irene Valenzuela Palafoll, Silvia Arévalo Martínez, Carlota Rodó Rodríguez, Trio Study in Fetuses with Central Nervous System Malformations (CNS-TRIO Project), David Gómez Andrés, Amaia Lasa Aranzasti, Elena Moreno Perez Funding agency: Fundació La Marató de TV3 Funding: 197000 Reference: 202420-10 Duration: 20/02/2025 - 19/02/2028
PhD student: Heidy Suriel Baide Mairena Director/s: Belen Perez Dueñas University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2023
PhD student: Marta Correa Vela Director/s: Belen Perez Dueñas University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2023
PhD student: Marcé Grau, Anna Director/s: Macaya Ruíz, Alfons University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2018
The project’s 4th annual meeting was recently held as part of the Fortalece–Salud programme of the Carlos III Health Institute.
Over the course of one week, it will host in-person assessments for 35 families to better understand the progression of the disease and contribute to the development of new therapies.
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.
