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.
Our group aims to unravel the molecular mechanisms of cancer progression and metastasis to identify new diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic targets in cancer. By combining the knowledge and availability of human tumors in the Pathology department with the expertise of the basic molecular cell biology research group, we focus on:
In previous works we studied several factors involved in cell signalling pathways that control cell growth. The found that the phosphorylated form of 4E-BP1 was the only factor that correlated with prognosis, and histologic aggressive features in several types of cancers. 4E-BP1 is a key regulator of CAP-dependent traslation and its main function is the inactivation of eIF4E. However, not all the aggressive tumors show activation of this factor. On the other hand, it has been shown that under hypoxia conditions cells the translation of some key factors can be regulated by CAP-independent pathways, mediated by factors known as ITAFs. The aim of our study is to find the CAP-depdendent/CAP-independent balance in tumors in relation to hypoxia, and evaluate its impact on prognosis.
IP: Josep Castellví Vives
We have characterized the levels of activation in Cell Signalling in a spectrum of solid tumors and correlated the levels of various factors, including mTOR and downstream proteins (p70S6K, S6, 4EBP1, eIF4E) with prognosis and grade of malignancy. Also, are being characterized, at the molecular level, the factors involved in controlling the translation cap dependent and independent in malignant tumors.
IP: Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras
The expression of mARN genes identified by Dr.R. Bernards has been studied in normal and tumor tissue of cancer patients. This study identifies for the first time, RSK4 and KIAA0828 genes as genes whose role may be relevant in cancer. The expression of these genes is being studied in protein by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Also are characterizing the biochemical pathways where these genes may be involved.
Searching for new proliferative genes/tumor suppressor genes is being performed at our laboratory by carring out genetic screens. By the use of retroviral vectors as carriers of a cDNA libraries (formed by mRNA from murine embryonic stem cells), primary cells are infected and screening for those clones able to bypass senescence are selected for further characterization. The marked morphological heterogeneity observed in several tumorigenic process, support the hypothesis that several cancers have their origin in a stem cell. It is believed that genes expressed by embryonic stem cells, may play an important role in the tumorigenic mechanism.This project unravels the effect of immortal genes existing in embryonic stem cells, when are forced to be expressed in primary and thereby mortal cells. These immortal genes are future candidate markers in tumors with potential prognosis value. The novel genes discovered, are being analyzed in the biopsies from patients with different kinds of tumors collected at the Pathology Department of the Vall d´Hebrón Hospital.
IP: Matilde Lleonart Pajarin
IP: Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras Collaborators: Josep Tabernero Caturla, Jordi Temprana Salvador, INtegrative GENomic, digital Imaging and clinical information towars Precision Oncology Optimization – INGENIO, Teresa Macarulla Mercadé, Ana Mazaltob Oaknin benzaquen, Josep Castellví Vives, Ana Vivancos Prellezo, Raquel Pérez López, Joaquim Mateo Valderrama, Javier Hernandez Losa, Vicente Peg Camara, Irene Sansano Valero Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III Funding: 80400 Reference: PMP21/00107 Duration: 01/01/2022 - 31/12/2025
IP: Cleofé Romagosa Pérez-Portabell Collaborators: Xavier Martínez Gómez, Ximena Garcia Torres Funding agency: Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer Funding: 270130 Reference: ECAEC222952DEAL Duration: 01/12/2022 - 30/11/2027
IP: Stefan Hummer Collaborators: - Funding agency: Fundació Institut Bioenginyeria de Catalunya Funding: 0.01 Reference: IBEC/2022/ HUMMER Duration: 02/01/2023 - 31/12/2024
IP: Maria Mar Hernandez Guillamon Collaborators: Anna Penalba Morenilla, Jessica Camacho Soriano, Anas Chaachou Charradi, Elena Antima Martinez Saez, Laia Fernandez Resano Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III Funding: 174845 Reference: AC22/00051 Duration: 01/01/2023 - 31/12/2025
The grants promote new therapeutic strategies and diagnostic tools in highly complex tumors such as glioblastoma, triple-negative breast cancer, and endometrial cancer.
The Department of Health of the Generalitat de Catalunya grants subsidies for carrying out validation tests on innovative projects in the field of health that are in the early stages of development.
The meeting was an opportunity to get to know projects from both institutions and to promote interaction between professionals.
Check the current rates for the services offered by the Translational Molecular Pathology research group.
Current Rates
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Rates Anatomia Patologica VHIR 2021
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