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 main objectives are to improve the diagnosis of immunodeficiencies and autoimmune diseases, addressing also their heterogeneity and mechanisms in close collaboration with the pediatrics, thyroid and systemic disease groups, being internationally recognized in both areas. The group participates in numerous research projects at the Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus that use immunological tests developed for specific projects led by the kidney transplantation, intensive care medicine, internal medicine, allergy and rheumatology groups. During the COVID pandemic the group made contributions in improving the immunogenetic and immunological risk profiles and in the evaluation of the immune response to vaccination and natural infection, collaborating with national and international networks. The group has also generated a biobank of more than 8.000 samples from patients with COVID-19 that have been incorporated into the VHIR biobank.
The group works as a coordinator of the "Focis" Center of Excellence (Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies) of Barcelona.
Determinants of severity in COVID-19 are still poorly understood but are suspected to be predominantly host factors. Besides age, sex and previous comorbidities, we investigate two other general host factors:
1-Genetic variants causing life-threatening COVID-19: We are mostly focused in genetics of immune system. This research line is under the COVIDHGE consortium.
2-The state of the immune system seems to be an important factor but the immunotypes of risk have not yet been clearly defined. The aim of this line of research is to identify the immune mechanisms that determine the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in order to propose and validate biomarkers of prognosis and therapeutic requirements.
IP: Manuel Hernández González, Roger Colobran Oriol, Romina Dieli Crimi, Mónica Martínez Gallo
1.1 Analysis of central tolerance (thymic) to thyrotropin receptor in Graves' disease.
1.2 Biomarkers of therapeutic response to in Graves' disease
1.3. Explore the use of system biology tools for the identification of new biomarkers in autoimmune diseases
This line is being developed in collaboration with the Endocrinology and Pediatric Heart Surgery groups of HUVH and also with Endocrinology group of Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol.
IP: Roger Colobran Oriol
Our group is focused in the cellular and molecular mechanisms of primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs). Our specific projects include:
1-Expanding the genetic and molecular basis of Primary Immunodeficiencies using high-throughput Technologies.
2-Cellular and molecular basis of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH).
3-Cellular and molecular basis of common variable immunodeficiency (CVID).
PI: Dr. Roger Colobran
PI: Dr. Mónica Martínez-Gallo
PI: Dr. Clara Franco-Jarava
This line is developed in collaboration with the group of "Infection in the immunocompromised pediatric patient" (Head: Dr. Pere Soler-Palacín).
IP: Mónica Martínez Gallo, Manuel Hernández González, Roger Colobran Oriol
IP: Eva Baldrich Rubio Collaborators: Romina Dieli Crimi, Cristina Andrés Vergés Funding agency: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación-MICINN Funding: 141875 Reference: PID2023-148950OB-C22 Duration: 01/09/2024 - 31/12/2027
IP: Pere Soler Palacín Collaborators: Laura Batlle Masó, Maria Cristina Díaz de Heredia Rubio, Roger Colobran Oriol, Thaïs Murciano Carrillo, Constantino Sábado Álvarez, Miriam Gonzalez Amores, Janire Perurena Prieto, Andrea Martín Nalda, Lucas Moreno Martín-Retortillo, Jacques Gabriel Rivière Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III Funding: 179993.75 Reference: AC23_2/00033 Duration: 01/01/2024 - 31/12/2026
IP: Roger Colobran Oriol Collaborators: Romina Dieli Crimi, Aina Aguiló Cucurull, Laura Batlle Masó, Andrea Martín Nalda, Neus Castells Sarret Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III Funding: 208750 Reference: PI23/00161 Duration: 01/01/2024 - 31/12/2026
IP: Juan Jose Gonzalez Lopez Collaborators: Manuel Hernández González, Jose Angel Rodrigo Pendás, Maria Belén Viñado Perez, Aina Aguiló Cucurull, Alba Mir Cros, Albert Moreno Mingorance, Andrea Martín Nalda, Nuria Serre Delcor, Josep Roca Grande, Laura Batlle Masó Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III Funding: 123420 Reference: PI21/00132 Duration: 01/01/2022 - 30/06/2026
PhD student: Janire Perurena Prieto Director/s: Roger Colobran Oriol, Alfredo Guillen Del Castillo University: Year: 2024
PhD student: Ana María Marín Sánchez, Ana María Marín Sánchez Director/s: Ricardo Pujol Borrell, Roger Colobran Oriol University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2020
PhD student: Laura Viñas Gimenez, Laura Viñas Gimenez Director/s: Mónica Martínez Gallo, Juan Sayos Ortega University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2019
PhD student: Clara Franco Jarava Director/s: Roger Colobran Oriol, Manuel Hernández González University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2017
PhD student: Paula Andrea Correa Vanegas Director/s: Ricardo Pujol Borrell, Roger Colobran Oriol University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2013
The paper describes the case of a patient in whom, years after a bone marrow transplant, two immune cell lines corrected the original genetic defect.
Funding has been obtained for 43 projects under the calls for Health R&D&I Projects, Health Technology Development, and Independent Clinical Research
The new technology allows more sensitive detection of scleroderma patients' autoantibodies, which are related to the severity and progression of the disease.
