March 13, 2025 - Press notes
A study led by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute has established the importance of immunoglobulin A, an antibody that is part of the immune system, in generating a response to pneumonia vaccines.
Researchers have found that the absence of this antibody leads to an overgrowth of gut microbiota, triggering an excessive and sustained immune system response, which ultimately becomes exhausted and fails to respond effectively to vaccines.
The study, published in Science Advances, opens the door to exploring the possibility of early immunoglobulin therapy administration to prevent this process and reduce the risk of potentially dangerous infections, even in at-risk individuals without a diagnosed immunodeficiency.
March 6th, 2025 - Press notes
A study led by Dr. Rodrigo Quian Quiroga has demonstrated how neurons in the human brain generate memories and establish narratives. The research is published in the journal Cell Reports.
For the first time, it has been confirmed that, contrary to previous beliefs, individual neurons represent the concepts we learn, regardless of the context in which we encounter them.
This allows humans, unlike other animals, to establish higher and more abstract relationships, which lays the foundation of human intelligence.
February 6th, 2025 - Press notes
The Micro Immune Response On chip (MIRO) allows tumours and their environment to be replicated in order to understand their response to treatment. The device, which has already been successfully tested on breast cancer samples, could be key to developing new treatments and determining the most appropriate therapy for each patient in a personalized way. The work, published in Nature Communications, is the result of a collaboration between the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia and the Research Institute of the Hospital del Mar.
December 17th, 2024 - Press notes
Phase 1/2 of the clinical trial shows that the administration of the AEF0217 molecule developed by the biotech Aelis Farma, is safe and can improve key skills such as communication, social interactions and daily living for people with Down syndrome.
These results reinforce the start of the phase 2 clinical trial, through an international multicenter study with people with Down syndrome, focused on the dose necessary to achieve the treatment goal.
December 11th, 2024 - Press notes
Consuming 20-30% of daily energy intake in the morning influences key cardiovascular risk factors. People who consume the right amount of energy in the morning have 2-3.5% lower body mass index, less abdominal obesity (2-4% smaller waist circumference), 9-18% lower triglycerides, and 4-8.5% higher HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol).
Additionally, having a high-quality breakfast with a balanced intake of proteins, high-value fats, fiber, calcium, and iron is associated with a 1.5% smaller waist circumference, 4% lower triglycerides, and 3% higher HDL cholesterol.
The study tracked nearly 400 participants of the PREDIMED-Plus study over three years, which analyzes the effects of the Mediterranean diet on participants' health.
November 18th, 2024 - Press notes
The p95HER2 protein is found expressed in one third of HER2+ tumors, which represent 4% of all tumors. Led by VHIO investigators, CAR T cells targeting p95HER2 have been engineered to secrete the TECH2Me bispecific antibody. Both therapies specifically and independently recognize tumor cells. In addition, the TECH2Me bispecific antibody activates immune cells within the tumor microenvironment.
This dual mechanism of action has demonstrated safety and achieved complete and durable antitumor responses in patient-derived models of HER2+ p95HER2-expressing solid tumors.
Published in Nature Communications, results of this VHIO-led study have provided the rationale for the application of a phase 1 first-in-human clinical trial, currently in the approval process, to assess this novel therapeutic strategy in patients with HER2-driven solid tumors.
This study is mainly supported by the Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (AECC) through AUSONIA and has also received funding from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), Fundación BBVA through the Comprehensive Program of Cancer Immunotherapy and Immunology (CAIMI), which is one of VHIO's Institutional Programs focused on developing new advanced therapies.
November 6th, 2024 - Press notes
This study will be conducted in collaboration with the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, and researchers from Finland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom will participate.
The goal is to develop and validate protocols and systems for generating laboratory-derived stem cells to regenerate patients' blood.
The European Research Council, which provides these grants, is the leading funding organization for advanced and excellent research on the continent. It is an organization created by the European Union.
September 20th, 2024 - Press notes
The oxidation of low-density lipoproteins present in the blood (LDL) or bad cholesterol opens the door to an increased cardiovascular risk, as this oxidized cholesterol is more likely to deposit in the arteries, leading to the growth of cholesterol plaques that cause arteriosclerosis.
Engaging in intense physical activity reduces the oxidation of LDL particles, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease. Thirty minutes of intense exercise daily reduces oxidized LDL cholesterol by 8 to 10%. However, the effect is only seen in men. Low or moderate intensity exercises do not have the same effect.
This is revealed by a study from the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, published in the Spanish Journal of Cardiology.
September, 19th, 2024 - Press notes
The database, which is accessible to the entire scientific community, contains 16,807 models of the thoracolumbar part of the spine. It can help with the design of personalized models for patients with spinal deformities, thus improving their diagnosis and treatment.
September 5, 2024 - Press notes
For women who have been admitted to a hospital for a mental disorder, the risk of suicide is 48 times higher than in the general female population. For men in the same situation, the risk is 28 times higher, according to a study by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute published in JAMA Network Open.
The risk of premature death, meaning dying before the age of 70, is also higher in people hospitalized for a mental disorder. This group has nearly eight times the mortality risk compared to the rest of the population.
The study analyzed data from nearly 50,000 people. The disorders with the most impact are depression, cognitive disorders, adjustment and bipolar disorders, and alcohol use.
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