The Department of Health of the Government of Catalonia has awarded 36 grants to intensify research activity among health science professionals within the framework of the Strategic Plan for Health Research and Innovation (PERIS 2022–2027). In total, the call is funded with nearly €5 million.

Four of these grants have been awarded to professionals at the Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), who will be able to increase their research dedication over three years thanks to the hiring of staff who will take over part of their clinical duties. The total amount granted to projects led by VHIR is €533,520.

This funding line aims to partially release healthcare professionals so that they can promote research projects designed to directly address the main challenges of the healthcare system. The initiative is also part of PERIS and CAIROS actions for the reform, modernization and sustainability of the Catalan healthcare system.

Personalized medicine in obesity

Dr. Albert Lecube, Head of the Endocrinology and Nutrition Section at the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital and principal investigator of the Diabetes and Metabolism research group at VHIR, has received €140,400 to develop the project “Why am I a poor responder to weight loss? In search of new clinical phenotypes in obesity.”

Obesity is a chronic and heterogeneous disease, with high variability in treatment response. Up to 30% of patients undergoing bariatric surgery do not achieve clinically significant weight loss or fail to maintain it over time. The project aims to identify clinical, genetic, epigenetic and molecular biomarkers to define four major obesity phenotypes associated with surgical response.

Through the study of 168 patients treated at Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron and the application of artificial intelligence techniques, the team seeks to establish predictive models to enable truly personalized medicine. Expected impact includes better candidate selection for surgery, reduced stigma associated with therapeutic “failure,” and the identification of new pharmacological targets.

European leadership in bronchiectasis

Dr. Eva Polverino, principal investigator of the Pneumology research group at VHIR, has been awarded €149,760 to promote several projects linked to EMBARC – the European Bronchiectasis Registry, the largest registry worldwide for this condition, with more than 22,000 patients from over 40 countries.

The projects include the PHEBO study, aimed at describing biological endotypes in patients with bronchiectasis associated with asthma or COPD; a consensus definition of “asthma in bronchiectasis” using the Delphi methodology with international experts; and the development of standards of care and quality indicators to improve clinical practice.

This research will help advance more precise and harmonized diagnostic and therapeutic protocols, strengthening the implementation of personalized medicine and improving patient outcomes.

Precision in aortic risk in rare syndromes

Dr. Gisela Teixidó, principal investigator of the Cardiovascular Diseases research group at VHIR, has received €93,600 for the AGM4Gen project, focused on improving phenotyping and genotyping in Marfan and Loeys-Dietz syndromes, two rare hereditary diseases with a high risk of aortic complications at young ages.

The project will refine and validate the autoAGM computational tool for automated three-dimensional analysis of aortic geometry and growth, adapting it to patients with hereditary thoracic aortic diseases. In a multicenter cohort of 250 patients, the relationship between genetic data, advanced geometric characterization and clinical evolution will be analyzed.

The aim is to improve risk stratification and decision-making regarding preventive surgery, advancing precision medicine in rare diseases.

A new model to address metabolic fatty liver disease in Catalonia

Dr. Juan Manuel Pericàs, principal investigator of the Liver Diseases research group at VHIR, has received €149,760 for the INTE-GRAS project, a transdisciplinary clinical integration program to address metabolic fatty liver disease (MAFLD).

MAFLD affects approximately one in four adults in Catalonia and is closely linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Despite its high prevalence, there are no systematic screening pathways or standardized diagnostic and therapeutic strategies adapted to the local context.

INTE-GRAS will combine large database analysis, qualitative studies to identify system barriers, and a pilot implementation study in primary care centers and hospitals, including cost-effectiveness evaluation. The objective is to lay the foundations for a future Catalan plan in metabolic-hepatic health, with healthcare, scientific and digital innovation impact.