May 8th, 2026 - Press release
An international collaborative study, published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, highlights the role of immunoglobulin D (IgD) in the processes involved in generating tolerance to antigens and bacteria that live in our body.
The study characterizes, for the first time, the cells that produce these antibodies and identifies their point of origin in the tonsils.
These results open the door to the possibility of developing drugs and vaccines focused on this type of antibody, both for the treatment of allergies and other diseases linked to inflammation.
April 14, 2026 - Press release
At present, only around 5% of patients with colon cancer are candidates for immunotherapy. This new biomarker could make it possible to determine more accurately which individuals may receive this treatment with a likelihood of success and expand the number of patients who could benefit from it.
The study, led by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and IRB Barcelona, shows that the determination of this protein, CTHRC1, can be used to assess patient prognosis. At the same time, it opens up new avenues to approach this type of tumour.
The research team has demonstrated that this biomarker can be detected using routine diagnostic tests in the clinical practice of any Pathology service.
April 8th, 2026 - Press release
A new study by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and Universitat Ramon Llull establishes for the first time a direct link between good physical fitness and a reduced risk of suffering from more than thirty diseases.
The study, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, identifies a causal relationship between a greater genetic predisposition for adequate cardiorespiratory capacity and a lower risk of developing these conditions.
The results suggest that increasing aerobic activity may provide protection against various cardiovascular, inflammatory, and other diseases.
March 13th, 2026 - Press release
The absence of a protein, the kinase IKKα, enables tumor cells to cluster and survive during dissemination.
The findings, published in Nature Communications, open the door to new prognostic markers and potential therapeutic strategies.
Targeting tumor cell adhesion impairs their ability to migrate and form metastases. The study was conducted using a preclinical mouse model.
March 5th, 2026 - Press release
According to a study by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Pompeu Fabra University, Sant Joan de Deu Research Institute and Sant Joan de Déu Health Park, working fewer hours while maintaining the same salary has a positive effect on physical and mental health and work-life balance.
However, it also finds that, in the experiences evaluated, the measure may increase the unequal distribution of roles between women and men. It notes that women devote more time to caregiving and domestic work, while men spend more on leisure.
The researchers conducted a systematic review of the scientific evidence surrounding this type of measure. They highlight that any initiative in this field must also include an analysis of other working conditions that may have an impact on health.
February, 18th, 2026 - Press notes
A European macro-study, published in The Lancet Regional Health-Europe, analyzes disease trajectories, associated conditions, and survival among people with cancer. Hospital del Mar and the Hospital del Mar Research Institute took part in the research, which evaluates real-world clinical data from a cohort of more than 1.7 million patients from eight European countries.
The most frequent cancers in Europe are breast, prostate, colorectal, and lung cancer. The highest survival rates a re seen in breast and prostate cancer, while pancreatic cancer has the poorest prognosis.
Databases from Spain, Estonia, and Switzerland show the best survival rates.
February 5th, 202 - Press notes
A recent study from the Hospital del Mar Research Institute shows that cannabis use is associated with increased brain inflammation, which may affect the therapeutic effectiveness of antipsychotic treatments.
The study analysed brain MRI scans from nearly 100 individuals-patients with first-episode psychosis and healthy volunteers-using a novel technique that measures extracellular free water. This is the first study to apply this method to examine the effects of cannabis use in psychosis.
The findings are published in Molecular Psychiatry and reinforce recommendations against cannabis use in people with psychotic disorders.
January 26th, 2026 - Press release
Deaths among patients with acute myocardial infarction before reaching hospital were reduced, during the response by the Medical Emergency System of Catalonia (SEM), by 20% during this period, compared with what would have been expected in the period prior to the implementation of this initiative.
Overall, 28-day mortality after suffering a heart attack decreased significantly, falling from 27% of cases to 19%.
These findings are highlighted in a study by researchers from the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, in collaboration with Hospital de Sant Pau and Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, which analysed data from 100,000 people who suffered a heart attack in Catalonia between 2008 and 2019.
Researchers from the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and the Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology have demonstrated, in animal models, the role played by these cells in the development of cancer cells.
The study, published in Science Advances, shows that eliminating these cells at an early stage of tumor growth promotes tumor proliferation and the formation of metastases.
By contrast, combining their elimination with an inhibitor of the CCL2 molecule reduces tumor size and eliminates metastases.
December 16th, 2025 - Press release
It aims to develop the first treatment based on mRNA therapy to boost the efficacy of immunotherapy for this type of tumour.
The new company, a spin-off of the Hospital del Mar Research Institute Barcelona, plans to launch its first human clinical trial in 2028 to validate the safety of this approach.
The project is led by Drs. Toni Celià-Terrassa and Joan Albanell, pioneers in the development of nanotherapies designed to transform tumours that are resistant to immunotherapy into tumours that are vulnerable to treatment.
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