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:
To analyse transcriptional profiles of normal, PIA (proliferative inflammatory atrophy), PIN (prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia) and tumoral prostate using microarrays of selected tumoral tissue of prostatectomy specimens, in order to characterize gene expression modifications in prostate cancer versus PIN and PIA.
To analyse the biological response on tumoral / non-tumoral and co-culture them with monocytes in order to study transcriptional profile changes.
From all the data obtained, overexpressed / underexpressed genes are being identified and validated. Stromal and inflammatory genes also will be explored for their potential use as early markers for prostatic cancer and their ability to identify PIA as a precursor lesion.
(Prostate Research Traslational Unit.)
IP: Inés de Torres Ramirez
We have postulated that hHAVcr-1 might constitute an important biomarker for early detection of ccRCC and could also be used as a target for therapy of kidney carcinomas, since immunotoxins directed against the monkey homologue of hHAVcr-1 could kill kidney cells.
Specific aims are focused to: i) determine the diagnostic and prognostic potential of hHAVcr-1 expression in renal cell carcinomas, by correlating hHAVcr-1 levels in archive, fresh surgical and TMA tissues with tumor anatomo-pathological characteristics and patients outcome and, ii) determine the function of hHAVcr-1, which remains elusive, in development and progression of kidney carcinomas, using ccRCC derived cell lines with silenced or overexpressed hHAVcr-1. Tumors overexpressing or defective in hHAVcr-1 will be compared with controls, in relation to their behavior and anatomo-pathological characteristics. Differences are being correlated with proteomic and gene expression profiles obtained on each case. Differential expression pathways and target molecules correlating with absence/presence of hHAVcr-1 shall be identified. New strategies for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of ccRCC must be further developed.
(Programa de Recerca en Cancer Renal CIBBIM-IRHUVH. )
Study of the effect of mast-cell stabilization on mucosal inflammation and the clinical response. Inmunohistochemistry analysis of microinflammation (mast cells, intraepithelial lymphocytes and eosinophils) in Irritable Bowel Syndome (IBS) Biological inflammation was evaluated in pooled biopsies by quantitative real time PCR to analyze the expression of preselected genes implicated in innate inmunity (Toll-like receptors (TLR) and defensins (DEF)), mast cell activation and growth and neuronal regulation.. Mucosal eosinophils show restrained activation in the yeyunum od diarrhea –prone irritable bowel sindrome patiens
Pharmacological stabilization of mucosal mast cells effectively reduces pro-inflammatory gene expression profiles in the jejunal mucosa of D-IBS patients and concomitantly improves clinical manifestations.
( Digestive Disease Research Unit)
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: Carles Zafon Llopis Collaborators: Jordi Temprana Salvador, Carmela Iglesias i Felip Funding agency: Fundación Sdad Española Endocrinologia y Nutrición Funding: 10000 Reference: SEEN/PROJECTE/ZAFON/2024 Duration: 01/01/2025 - 01/01/2026
IP: Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras Collaborators: - Funding agency: EUROPEAN COMMISSION Funding: 609600 Reference: EC/PATHFINDER_OPEN/2024/RAMON_Y_CAJAL Duration: 01/08/2025 - 31/07/2028
IP: Lucas Moreno Martín-Retortillo Collaborators: Andrea Vilaplana Blanes, Aroa Soriano Fernández, Jessica Camacho Soriano, Lorena Valero Arrese, Raquel Hladun Alvaro, Gabriela Guillén Burrieza Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III Funding: 240000 Reference: PI24/01576 Duration: 01/01/2025 - 31/12/2027
IP: Eva Colas Ortega Collaborators: Elena Suarez Salvador, Francesc Xavier Serra Marin, Carina Masferrer Ferragutcasas, Anna Ruano Lopez, Josep Castellví Vives, Sonia Monreal Clua, Diana Alejandra Guerrero Lojano, Raquel Delgado Gil Funding agency: Fundació La Marató de TV3 Funding: 200000 Reference: 202407-10 Duration: 20/02/2025 - 19/02/2028
PhD student: Nikaoly Ciriaco Cortés Director/s: Vicente Peg Camara, Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras University: Year: 2024
PhD student: Irene Sansano Valero Director/s: Vicente Peg Camara University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2021
PhD student: Jessica Camacho Soriano Director/s: Maria Mar Hernandez Guillamon, Elena Antima Martinez Saez, Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2021
PhD student: Carmela Iglesias i Felip Director/s: Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2020
PhD student: Pedro Fuentes Varela Director/s: Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2020
PhD student: Maria José Muñoz Guijarro Director/s: Trond Aasen University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2019
PhD student: Alejandra Fernández Martín Director/s: Mario Marotta Baleriola, José Luis Peiró Ibáñez University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2017
PhD student: Maria Carme Dinarès Fernández Director/s: Javier Hernandez Losa, Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2017
PhD student: Paul Augusto Espinoza Madrid Director/s: Miriam Cuatrecasas Freixas, Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2016
PhD student: Josep Castellví Vives, Josep Castellví Vives Director/s: Angel García Jiménez, Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras, Angel García Jiménez University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2016
PhD student: Elena Antima Martinez Saez Director/s: Amparo Santamaría Ortiz, Amparo Santamaría Ortiz, Amparo Santamaría Ortiz University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2016
PhD student: Elena Antima Martinez Saez Director/s: Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2015
PhD student: Maria Teresa Salcedo Allende, Maria Teresa Salcedo Allende Director/s: Javier Hernandez Losa, Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2015
PhD student: Vicente Peg Camara, Vicente Peg Camara, Vicente Peg Camara Director/s: Josep Lluis Parra Palau, Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras, Isabel Teresa Rubio Rodríguez University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2015
PhD student: Alba Martinez Diaz Director/s: Trond Aasen , Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2014
PhD student: César Serrano Garcia Director/s: Joan Carles Galceran, Santiago Ramon y Cajal Agüeras, Cleofé Romagosa Pérez-Portabell University: Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona Year: 2014
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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