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Miquel Vila Bover

I am an ICREA Professor and I lead the Research Group on Neurodegenerative Diseases at the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)

Instituciones de las que forman parte

Jefe de grupo
Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas
Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca
Miquel Vila Bover

Miquel Vila Bover

Miquel Vila Bover

Instituciones de las que forman parte

Jefe de grupo
Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas
Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca

I am an ICREA Professor and I lead the Research Group on Neurodegenerative Diseases at the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)

I have a degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Barcelona (1993) and a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Paris 6 (1998). My doctoral work carried out in the laboratory of experimental neurology at the Salpetriere Hospital in Paris (1993-98) contributed to establishing the subthalamic nucleus as the main therapeutic target for the surgical treatment of Parkinson's disease with deep brain stimulation. From 1998 to 2005 I worked at the Movement Disorders Unit of Columbia University in New York (USA), initially as a postdoctoral researcher and from 2001 as an Assistant Professor of Neurology, focusing on the study of the mechanisms of neuronal death in Parkinson's disease to identify new therapeutic targets for this currently incurable neurodegenerative disorder.

In 2006 I moved to Barcelona as a Professor at ICREA (Catalan Institute of Research and Advanced Studies) to create and lead a new research group in neurodegenerative diseases at the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR). Our group is now part of the Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED) and the Aligning Science Across Parkinson's Collaborative Research Network (ASAP-CRN).

I am also an Associate Professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Principal Investigator at CIBERNED, Coordinating Lead PI at ASAP-CRN and member of the Steering Committees of the World Parkinson Coalition and the Basic Science Special Interest Group of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Líneas de investigación

Neuromelanin and Parkinson's disease

In Parkinson's disease (PD), there is a selective degeneration of neurons that contain a dark-brown pigment called neuromelanin, especially dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra, which leads to the classical motor symptoms of the disease. However, the physiological significance of neuromelanin and its potential contribution to PD pathogenesis remain unknown.

IP: Miquel Vila Bover

Identification of biomarkers of prodromal Parkinson's disease

Despite intensive efforts towards understanding the aetiology/pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) and the development of novel therapeutic approaches for this neurodegenerative condition, the current treatment for PD remains symptomatic and yet far from modifying disease onset or progression. Before the manifestation of the classical motor symptoms, PD patients present with non-motor symptoms in a prodromal phase. The identification of deregulated molecular pathways or genes in peripheral blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid from these prodromal patients may help develop potential biomarkers for the early detection, diagnosis, risk assessment and/or progression of PD, which are currently lacking, as well as to stratify patients at very early stages to apply more specific, personalized disease-modifying treatments.

IP: Miquel Vila Bover, Ariadna Laguna Tuset

Regeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease via cell fusion-mediated reprogramming

Co-PI: Pia Cosma, CRG.


Given the current lack of disease-modifying therapies for Parkinson’s disease (PD), we are exploring whether cell-fusion-mediated regeneration of dopaminergic neurons can be achieved, for therapeutic purposes, in experimental animal models of PD after transplantation of Wnt-activated haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs).

IP: Miquel Vila Bover

Pathogenic role of autophagic/lysosomal dysfunction in Parkinson's disease

Autophagy is the degradation of intracellular components inside the lysosomes and it is essential for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and neuronal viability. Alterations in the autophagy process have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease and has been shown to be one of the main causes that contribute to neuronal death in these pathologies.


Our efforts are currently directed to:

- Development of new therapies for Parkinson’s disease based in the restoration of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase (GBA) activity.

- Development of new autophagy pharmacological modulators (mTOR-independent) as a therapeutic strategy in neurodegenerative diseases.

IP: Marta Martínez Vicente, Miquel Vila Bover

Proyectos

Neurodegeneratives

IP: Miquel Vila Bover
Colaboradores: -
Entidad financiadora: Fundació Institut de Recerca HUVH
Financiación: 160000
Referencia: VILA/BOOST/2024
Duración: 15/11/2024 - 14/11/2028

Red de Investigación MitoNED: (Dis)función mitocondrial en enfermedades neurodegenerativas

IP: Miquel Vila Bover
Colaboradores: -
Entidad financiadora: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación-MICINN
Financiación: 0.01
Referencia: RED2022-134786-T
Duración: 01/06/2023 - 31/05/2025

Ministerio de Ciencia

Malalties neurodegeneratives

IP: Miquel Vila Bover
Colaboradores: Jorge Hernández Vara, Joan Compte Barrón, Marta Martínez Vicente, Jordi Bove Badell, Eddie Pradas Gracia, Maria Camprodon Gomez, Marina Lorente Picón, Laura Castillo Ribelles, Oriol de Fabregues-Boixar Nebot, Javier Hoyo Pérez, Ariadna Laguna Tuset, Jordi Riera Heredia, Helena Xicoy Cortada, Marta González Sepúlveda, Joana Margalida Cladera Sastre, Annabelle Parent, Daniela Samaniego Toro, Daniela Samaniego Toro
Entidad financiadora: Agència Gestió Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca
Financiación: 40000
Referencia: 2021 SGR 00784
Duración: 01/01/2022 - 30/06/2025

MECANISMOS MOLECULARES DE NEURODEGENERACION LIGADA A LA NEUROMELANINA EN LA ENFERMEDAD DE PARKINSON Y ENVEJECIMIENTO CEREBRAL

IP: Miquel Vila Bover
Colaboradores: Gerard Roch Alba, Miriam Izquierdo Sans
Entidad financiadora: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación-MICINN
Financiación: 99260
Referencia: PRE2021-098300
Duración: 01/07/2022 - 30/06/2026

Ministerio de Ciencia

Noticias relacionadas

PAIR es una iniciativa intergeneracional con personas afectadas de Parkinson y adolescentes.

La 4a Jornada dedicada a esta enfermedad neurodegenerativa se ha centrado en la importancia de los proyectos de investigación con pacientes y los registros para buscar nuevas terapias.

La candidatura reconoce el trabajo que ha liderado junto con la Dra. Núria Peñuelas y el Dr. Miquel Vila sobre la generación de nuevos modelos preclínicos para estudiar la enfermedad de Parkinson.

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