Dr. Sara Marsal, head of the Rheumatology Service at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital and of the Rheumatology research group at Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), has received a trifermed Award for Social Impact in Healthcare. The trifermed Awards aim to recognize individuals and organizations that are dedicated to improving the quality of health and making a positive impact on society.

Dr. Sara Marsal is a highly accomplished rheumatologist with a distinguished career in the field. She completed her medical studies at the University of Navarra and earned a doctoral degree from the University of Barcelona.

In 2000, Dr. Marsal founded the Rheumatology Research Group at VHIR, focusing on immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID). Her groundbreaking research using omics technologies has been published in renowned biomedical journals, identifying novel therapeutic targets and molecular profiles related to IMID diagnosis and treatment response. She holds co-invented patents in the field of precision medicine for IMID.

She leads the IMID Consortium, a network of leading clinical researchers in rheumatology, dermatology, and gastroenterology, focused on molecular characterization of IMID through multiomic approaches. Dr. Marsal also directs the IMID-Biobank at VHIR, housing a substantial collection of unique biological samples from IMID patients.

In 2015, Dr. Marsal co-founded IMIDomics, a biotechnology spin-off from VHIR specializing in innovative target identification and precision medicine for IMID. She also coordinates a prestigious European H2020 project on combination therapies for IMID using systems biology.

Dr. Sara Marsal’s dedication to advancing medical knowledge and improving patient care has established her as an influential figure in rheumatology. Her exceptional achievements, research endeavors, and leadership roles demonstrate her commitment to enhancing the understanding and treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.

In words of Dra. Marsal, “thank you very much for this special award. I am very happy and honored to be recognized for my work in improving the quality of healthcare in our society. I am motivated by the passion and desire to make the world a better place, and I am grateful to be part of a community of people who share this goal. Once again, thank you very much”.