Cochrane, an international scientific organization, has announced the creation of five Evidence Synthesis Units (ESU) as a result of a competitive call to which 15 proposals from 10 countries of 6 continents. One of these five units, which will be responsible for undertaking evidence synthesis tasks from organizations around the world and producing high-quality systematic reviews, is the Iberoamerican Cochrane ESU, promoted from the Iberoamerican Cochrane Center – located at Sant Pau Campus Salut Barcelona – whose director is Gerard Urrútia. This ESU will be directed by Eva Madrid and Tomás Pantoja. The other four ESUs are those of Australia, India, Germany and Nigeria.

The new Cochrane ESU Iberoamerica is made up of seven partners or synthesis subunits, among which are those of the Iberoamerican Cochrane Center, coordinated by Marta Roqué, and that of Cochrane Madrid, located at the Ramón y Cajal Hospital in Madrid, coordinated by Jesús López Alcalde and Javier Zamora. The other five subunits are those of the Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria (IECS), from Argentina, the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, the Instituto Universitario del Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, from Argentina, and the Centro Interdisciplinary Health Studies (CIESAL) in Valparaíso (Chile).

In addition, ESU Iberoamerica will initially have three collaborating institutions to develop its work: Cochrane Switzerland, Cochrane Holland and the Universidad de Antioquia, in Colombia.

The geographical distribution of the new units, each on a continent, reflects Cochrane’s commitment to producing evidence that helps improve the health of people around the world. In addition to generating high-quality evidence synthesis, the units will also adopt innovative methods, promote health equity and advocate for research integrity, and strengthen or develop partnerships with stakeholders to support long-term sustainability Cochrane term.

Following Cochrane’s announcement of the creation of the Iberoamerican ESU, its director, Eva Madrid, noted: “We envision becoming a leading evidence synthesis unit in the Iberoamerican region, recognized for its rigorous methodologies, its timely delivery and its contributions to the advancement of health knowledge.Through strategic alliances and cutting-edge technologies, we aspire to drive positive change and foster better health and more equity in diverse communities”.

For her part, the Editor-in-Chief of the Cochrane Library, Karla Soares, emphasized that the new Evidence Synthesis Units are a key part of a wider program of change at Cochrane: “Our program ‘ The Future of Evidence Synthesis’ is having a transformative impact on Cochrane’s ability to deliver reviews that respond to the needs of our users worldwide.By implementing structural changes, Cochrane aims to be more agile and adaptable in a competitive environment, allowing the organization to effectively execute its new science strategy.”

The Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau) has created a new research line on Ewing’s sarcoma, which will be led by Dr. Raúl Terés Lleida, Dr. Ana Sebio García, and Dr. María Aguado Sorolla, researchers from the Clinical Oncology Group. This project has been made possible thanks to a donation of more than 90,000 euros raised by the family of Marc Riera i Castellà, a patient who died in November 2022 at the Hospital de Sant Pau at the age of just twenty, due to Ewing’s sarcoma.

In November 2023, Marc’s family and friends organized “Arriarem,” a charity walk and race in which more than 2,500 people participated in the municipality of Fontcoberta, where the funds were raised that have allowed the creation of this new line of research. This initiative fulfilled a wish of Marc’s and mobilized people from all over, with the involvement of public institutions and companies that supported the cause. All the money raised has been entirely allocated to the Sant Pau Research Institute.

The Hospital de Sant Pau, where Marc was treated during his illness, has extensive experience in treating sarcomas for more than 40 years. Since 2015, it has been recognized as a National Reference Center (CSUR) and has been part of the European Network Euracan since 2017.

A TUMOR THAT MAINLY AFFECTS ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS 

Ewing’s sarcoma is an infrequent tumor, with an incidence in the Caucasian population of 0.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year. It is the third most common malignant bone tumor in humans, but among adolescents and young adults — the population group with the highest incidence — it is the second most common, after osteosarcoma. The average age at diagnosis is 15 years, and it affects males more frequently.

This tumor is mainly located in the diaphyses of long bones such as the femur, tibia, or humerus (60%), followed by the pelvis, chest wall, and spine (26%), and up to 20% are extraskeletal.

The most common clinical symptoms are persistent bone pain, which may wake the patient at night, or prolonged and unjustified limping (in those located in the lower limbs or pelvis).

Treatment of Ewing’s sarcoma involves polychemotherapy and local treatment (surgery in most cases, with or without radiotherapy, or radiotherapy when surgery is not feasible). In patients with localized tumors that do not respond adequately to chemotherapy, other treatments such as autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are used as a rescue.

With these treatments, approximately 2 out of 3 patients with localized disease at diagnosis are cured. In patients who are diagnosed with already disseminated disease, the initial response to treatments is often very favorable, but in the long term, the prognosis is grim, with a 5-year survival rate of 25-40%. The prognosis is particularly unfavorable in patients with bone marrow involvement, with an average survival of about 1 year.

THE IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY OF LIFE 

Research on Ewing’s sarcoma has mainly focused on determining the most effective therapeutic options and seeking new treatments to improve the prognosis of these patients, with notable advances in the last decade. However, the impact on the quality of life of patients who undergo both diagnosis and, primarily, treatments is not as well-defined, which limits the intervention options of health systems to prevent and attempt to minimize these negative effects.

One of the first projects to be promoted in this new line of research will be precisely to analyze the effects of treatments for Ewing’s sarcoma on patients’ quality of life, including physical, psychological, functional, work or study, economic, social, reproductive, and other areas.

The effects of treatment, both short and long term in long-term survivors, are not well known. This prevents the development of an optimal care strategy that minimizes all these impacts and allows patients to maintain the best possible quality of life both during treatment and afterward.

First, the baseline quality of life of patients with Ewing’s sarcoma and the impact of diagnosis, treatment, and possible long-term sequelae will be studied. Then, based on the results, strategies will be implemented in routine clinical practice to optimize the quality of life of these patients.

The Sant Pau Research Institute has announced the start of the second edition of its INNOPAU incubator, a 7-month training program designed to promote innovative projects in the Sant Pau Health Campus.

This program offers 8 research groups the opportunity to transform their ideas into real projects with market potential and positive impact on society. Participants will receive training in innovation and technology transfer, as well as help to develop their work plans and move forward with their projects.

With INNOPAU, IR Sant Pau reaffirms its commitment to the promotion of research and innovation, providing the necessary tools for researchers to take their ideas from the laboratory to the market.

Check here for all the information on how to apply and the program requirements.

The Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau) and the Tibidabo Amusement Park have signed a collaboration agreement to promote the dissemination of gender-focused research and encourage scientific vocations among the young, with the central theme being the celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science in February 2025. This agreement demonstrates the shared commitment of both entities to promote a more equitable society aware of the importance of science and the role of women in this field and to drive a project that combines science, gender perspective, fun, and outreach.

The kickoff of this collaboration will be a fun-science day focused on disseminating gender-perspective research at Tibidabo on July 20. It will be the first of three preliminary days aimed at generating awareness and anticipation, culminating in the celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on February 9, 2025.

Science with a gender perspective

IR Sant Pau is the only Catalan research institute with a transversal gender program. The main objectives of this strategic program include breaking gender bias and democratizing the role of girls and women in science; highlighting the importance of research on diseases that particularly affect women; correctly identifying symptoms based on gender; including a gender perspective from the early stages of research; making visible the role of women in the field of research; encouraging their participation in both scientific and outreach activities; and inspiring scientific vocations among girls and young women.

For its part, the Tibidabo Amusement Park, known for its dedication to educational and solidarity projects, collaborates with various entities to highlight missions of significant social impact. In this context, the park is an ideal place to raise awareness of IR Sant Pau’s work among families.

Vocational interests among girls

Many girls dream of becoming researchers or scientists when they are young, but many abandon this dream during adolescence. The main causes include the lack of close role models, the presence of gender stereotypes in society – also present in schools – and a drop in self-esteem during teenage years, particularly pronounced in girls, which leads many to discard certain careers from their future plans.

IR Sant Pau aims to contribute to this cause by offering materials and content to make the importance of gender perspective in health visible, showing the various initiatives being worked on in this regard, and fighting against misinformation while contributing to equity.

The story: Mariona’s great adventure

The project will revolve around the story of Mariona, an inquisitive and curious 8-year-old girl in the third grade. She has many friends at school and shows great interest in the world of science. During recess, she loves going outside to enjoy the fresh air and play with her friends.

Mariona is very observant, and when she was younger, she loved doing experiments by mixing liquids and many things. Now that she is older, she still loves experiments but is determined to investigate how the human body works inside. In short, Mariona wants to be an ‘expert experimenter.’

Mariona has a special skill. She has the superpower of being the most curious girl in the world. When she grows up, she wants to be a researcher, do experiments all day, and thus be able to find answers to all her questions. With her discoveries, she wants to cure diseases and save many lives!

When she was younger, she spent the day playing with experiments with her friends, but it’s increasingly difficult for her to find playmates. Now she wants to help her friends rediscover the excitement, enthusiasm, and strength to become the scientists they dreamed of being. She will ask for help from all the boys and girls visiting Tibidabo during the outreach days to help her friendS regain the excitement, enthusiasm, and strength to become the scientists they dreamed of being.

Families can help her activate the main vital organs and experience with her the adventure of getting to know the brain, heart, muscles, and blood in depth, which will be activated during the July 20, September 21, and November 24, 2024 sessions, culminating in a celebration on February 9, 2025, where Mariona and her friends will once again be expert experimenters.

Activities for all ages

During the three preliminary days and the celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, various scientific outreach activities will be held, led by Sant Pau scientists: talks, workshops, and colloquiums, as well as fun activities for the little ones, such as our giant scientific puzzle. All with a gender perspective.

If you want to learn more about the project and access the program for July 20, you can visit the website: https://www.recercasantpau.cat/tot-el-que-has-de-saber-sobre-el-programa-tibidabo-2024/

A park committed to education

The agreement with IR Sant Pau reinforces the Tibidabo Amusement Park’s commitment to education and the promotion of scientific vocations among students, especially young women. Throughout the year, the park transforms into a scientific testing ground for the celebration of Fisidabo, which in its last edition brought together more than 2,100 fourth-year ESO and baccalaureate students from 58 schools. Additionally, Tibidabo offers educational proposals, such as the CreaTibi by Lego Education space, where boys and girls can experiment with robotics and science.

Researchers from the Neuromuscular Diseases Group and the Dementia Neurobiology Group of the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau) and the Memory Unit of the Sant Pau Hospital, led by neurologist Dr. Ricard Rojas-García, have identified a new mutation in the ARPP21 gene that could be the cause of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a devastating neurodegenerative disease.

Specifically, it is a shared mutation (c.1586C>T; p.Pro529Leu) in the ARPP21 gene that codes for an RNA-binding protein and has been found in a total of 10 ALS patients from 7 unrelated families in a region in the southeast of the autonomous community of La Rioja.

The investigation was initiated after detecting an unusually high number of ALS cases in La Rioja, specifically in the southeast region of the autonomous community. The number of cases identified in the area, particularly familial, and the calculated minimum incidence considerably exceeded the number of cases expected during the study period given the usual incidence data, which are usually between two and three cases per 100,000 inhabitants annually.

“We noticed that there were many patients from this area, from very close towns, which attracted a lot of attention,” explains Dr. Ricard Rojas-García, researcher in the Neuromuscular Diseases Group of the IR and one of the main authors of the study.

Between 5% and 10% of ALS cases have a family history of the disease, and in 30% of these cases, an underlying genetic cause could not be identified after extensive study of known related genes to this day with ALS. The aim of the Sant Pau researchers was to identify new genes related to ALS in cases where the genetic tests were negative, motivated by a significantly increased incidence of ALS in this small geographical region of Spain.

The scientists performed whole-genome sequencing on a group of 12 ALS patients (5 of them with a family history) from this unique area. The study was expanded to include members of affected families and additional cases from a wider surrounding region. The mutation identified in ARPP21 had not been found in other ALS-causing genes. This finding strongly suggests that ARPP21 is a novel ALS-causing gene.

The southeastern region of the community of La Rioja is an area of ​​1219.42 km². Between 2009 and 2022, it had an average population of 43,433, of which 31,324 were over 18 years of age. The population density was 35.62 inhabitants/km². This is an area with a high rate of emigration, so there may be cases in the rest of the State.

Given an average incidence of ALS of 1.4–2.47 cases/100 000 people/year, we calculated an expected number of cases of 0.44–0.77 per year in this area, equivalent to 5-10 patients during the study period (2009-2022). With reference to familial ALS cases, assuming a frequency of 5-10%, the expected number of cases in the area would be 0.02-0.08 cases/year or one new case every 12.5- 50 years

Despite this, between 2009 and 2022, 15 patients from the study area who met the diagnostic criteria for ALS were visited in Sant Pau. 7 of 15 (46.6%) had a family history of ALS and were considered as possible familial cases. Known disease-causing mutations were ruled out by exome sequencing analysis or a custom gene panel.

“This mutation will not only help diagnose ALS more precisely, but also opens the door to researching new personalized therapies and studying the function of this protein in the disease,” adds Dr. Oriol Dols-Icardo, researcher in the Neurobiology of Dementia group and the Memory Unit at IR Sant Pau and first signatory of the study.

Dr. Dols-Icardo believes that these findings could open new avenues for the diagnosis and treatment of ALS. The identification of ARPP21 as a causative gene underscores the importance of continued research in specific geographic areas to discover new genetic factors.

Global implications

Although this discovery has been made in a specific region of Spain, the researchers believe that it could have global implications. “This opens the door for other research teams worldwide to review their databases and patients to see if this mutation is also present elsewhere,” they explain.

The discovery of the new gene associated with ALS will not only allow for better diagnosis and genetic counseling for affected families, but also opens up new avenues of research into the functioning of this specific protein and its relationship to the disease.

This advance highlights the importance of genetic research in the understanding and treatment of rare diseases and highlights the need to continue exploring the genetic causes of ALS to be able to develop more effective treatments in the future.

Reference article

Dols-Icardo O, Carbayo Á, Jericó I, et alIdentification of a pathogenic mutation in ARPP21 in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosisJournal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry Published Online First: 02 July 2024. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2024-333834.

Since the end of the 20th century, increasingly clear evidence has emerged regarding sex and gender differences in the epidemiology and pathophysiology of many diseases, as well as in their clinical manifestations, progression, and responses to treatments. Underestimating these differences generates health inequities.

Even so, a significant part of the current clinical practice guidelines are still based on studies predominantly conducted on men, and women continue to be underrepresented in clinical trials.

The new Catalan Society of Health from a Sex and Gender Perspective (SCSpSG) aims to promote the incorporation of the sex and gender perspective in healthcare activities, research, and education to eliminate existing inequalities and achieve better health for everyone. It seeks to do this in collaboration with other scientific societies of the Academy.

The creation of the SCSpSG is an initiative of the Commission on Health and Gender (CSG) of Sant Pau, well received by other CSGs from Hospital Clínic, Hospital Vall d’Hebron, Hospital de Can Ruti, and by the CSG Coordinator of the Department of Health, who are also participating in the Society.

The SCSpSG has been established within the Academy of Medical and Health Sciences of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, an entity comprised of about 85 societies and branches and more than 30,000 members.

Following its Statutes, a Steering Committee (SC) was formed, consisting of 9 members of the Academy, 3 of whom (Dr. Elisa Llurba, Dr. Mª Rosa Ballester, and Dr. Mª Mangues/coordinator) are practitioners from Sant Pau.

The SC processed the application for the creation of the Society with the support of 64 other members of the Academy, and the Governing Board approved it on June 4.

The most notable event of its first months of activity will take place on November 15, 2024: Gender-focused Day: the Unfinished Business of Personalized Medicine.

The Steering Committee is finalizing the program, which will be publicized in the coming weeks.

A study published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature Medicine has identified the first biomarker that allows the detection of the underlying neuropathology in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and differentiates the two proteins that accumulate in the brain in this neurodegenerative disease. Researchers from the Neurobiology of Dementias group and the Memory Unit at the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau), led by Dr. Juan Fortea, have played a key role in this research, which opens new avenues for differential diagnosis compared to other neurodegenerative pathologies, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), representing a step forward in patient classification, in the design of more specific clinical trials, and, therefore, in the development of future therapies.

“Frontotemporal dementia is a very complex and very heterogeneous disease from the clinical, genetic, and neuropathological point of view, that is, in terms of the alterations that occur in the brain,” explains Dr. Oriol Dols-Icardo, a researcher in the Neurobiology of Dementias group and the Memory Unit at IR Sant Pau. “In frontotemporal dementia, these alterations are caused by the accumulation of two types of proteins: tau and TDP-43. There was an urgent need for non-invasive biomarkers because, until now, we could only know which of the two proteins was accumulating in the brain post-mortem. Now, with this first biomarker, we can differentiate them in the patient’s life with a blood test and a diagnostic accuracy of over 90%.”

The study has demonstrated that extracellular vesicles (EV) present in blood plasma contain quantifiable amounts of tau and TDP-43 proteins, which are key in differentiating the type of neurodegenerative pathology, for example, in the case of frontotemporal dementia and ALS. In this regard, according to Dr. Dols-Icardo, “in ALS, 97% of patients accumulate TDP-43 in the brain, while in the case of frontotemporal dementia, this percentage is around 50%, and another 45% corresponds to the tau protein.” Furthermore, “the research has also shown that there is a very clear correlation between the amount of tau or TDP-43 protein accumulated in the brain and neuronal damage and severity.”

In the field of research, the identification of this first biomarker represents a very significant step forward because it will allow for a more precise classification of patients and the specific study of each protein’s accumulation in the brain, meaning that “we will be able to design and conduct more specific clinical trials -genomic, proteomic…- depending on the pathology and the characteristics of each of these patients. And this is crucial because there are treatments directed at one protein or the other, and we will be able to offer both more personalized research and medicine.”

The research published in Nature Medicine analyzes data from 991 adults. Specifically, 704 patients participated, including 68 cases confirmed genetically or neuropathologically. The study’s results have been replicated and validated in an independent cohort from the Memory Unit of Sant Pau Hospital, with 287 participants, which reinforces the robustness of the findings.

The study has been led by the Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), a research institute for neurodegenerative diseases, and also involved the University Hospital of Bonn (UKB) and other research institutions in Germany.

The Sant Pau Research Institute, together with the Catalan Health Quality and Assessment Agency (AQUAS) of the Department of Health and eight research institutions in Catalonia, have developed the guide Recommendations for Inclusive Communication in Health Research, to promote the inclusion of language that fosters visibility, equality, and representation of all people and to avoid situations where language might contain words or forms that render people invisible or discriminate against them.

This tool – which has been developed in both Catalan and English – contains recommendations applicable to written, oral, and visual communication to serve as a support tool for inclusive communication in health research institutions, complementing official linguistic guides and institutional style manuals.

The guide presents examples and strategies of preferable and not recommended uses, with the aim of demonstrating practical application and providing resources, raising awareness, and contributing to the full, respectful, and non-discriminatory inclusion of any group. As noted by the authors, the document contains examples not only on gender treatment but also in other areas such as communicative treatment of disabilities, diseases, and cultural groups.

At the same time, an infographic with key messages has been presented to offer a more accessible resource. Both documents are aimed at scientific and administrative staff of these institutions, as well as their management, research system personnel, journalists, and other interested parties. The objective is to offer simple and direct recommendations visually to explain and disseminate research in an inclusive manner, as well as specific advice in different formats and in two languages.

These publications have been developed within the framework of the Hipatia Community, which works for the updating of management policies and practices, the elimination of unconscious bias, and the promotion of cultural change, as well as the incorporation of the sex and gender perspective in research. Specifically, for this initiative, a working group has been created coordinated by AQUAS and made up of professionals from the Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute (IJC), the Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), the Barcelona Biomedical Research Institute (IRB Barcelona), the Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (IRB Lleida), the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau), the Parc Taulí Research and Innovation Institute (I3PT), and the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO). The guide also benefited from the linguistic advice of the Linguistic Planning Service of the Department of Health. The graphic design of these materials was carried out by the social communication agency La Sembra.

Check the guide and all the materials through this link.

Dr. Paula San José Alonso, a researcher in the Hematologic Diagnostic Group at the Sant Pau Research Institute, has won the Mª Rosa Concustell-Beckman Coulter 2024 Grant awarded by the José Luis Castaño-SEQC Foundation for the project: “Masked Iron Deficiency Statuses: Ferritin, Hepcidin, and Soluble Transferrin Receptor Values.” The project will be developed at the Core Laboratory and the Erythropathology section with its head, Dr. Nuria González Álvarez. Collaboration with other clinical services will also occur for patient selection.

This grant is awarded to the best research project related to the study of anemia and applicable diagnostic algorithms, with the aim of promoting research activities related to the clinical laboratory.

The grant’s financial endowment is 12,000 euros and is sponsored by Beckman Coulter.

Dr. Dídac Mauricio, head of the Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition Research Group at the Sant Pau Research Institute and director of the Endocrinology and Nutrition Department at Sant Pau Hospital, has been appointed the new scientific director of CIBERDEM (Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases) by the Permanent Commission of CIBER, an entity dependent on the Carlos III Health Institute. In this way, he takes over from Dr. Eduard Montanya, who had held this position since 2015. Currently, Dr. Mauricio is also the director of one of the research groups at CIBERDEM.

He holds a degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Barcelona (1985) and a doctorate in Medicine from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (1993). He has been a specialist in Endocrinology and Nutrition since 1990. His clinical career has developed in five hospitals in Catalonia, in some of which he has served as department head: Hospital de Sabadell, Arnau de Vilanova University Hospital in Lleida, and, in an acting capacity, at Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital in Badalona. At Sant Pau Hospital, he has worked in the Endocrinology and Nutrition Department as a resident (1986-1990), predoctoral researcher (1990-1991), unit director (2003-2006), and, since February 2018, as department head. Since 2019, the department head role has been shared between Sant Pau Hospital and Dos de Maig Hospital.

In the academic field, he has been an associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lleida (2008-2013) and, initially an associate professor from 2020, since September 2022 he has been a full professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia.

In his research career, it is noteworthy that in 1994-1995 he was a postdoctoral researcher at the Steno Diabetes Center & Hagedorn Research Institute in Denmark. Dr. Mauricio has more than 340 indexed publications, has been the principal investigator of multiple research projects in national and international competitive calls, and is a member of the editorial board of various international journals. Since November 2020, he has been the president of the Diabetes Advisory Council in Catalonia, Department of Health, Government of Catalonia.

CIBERDEM is a Spanish public consortium whose main objectives are to lead the excellent research effort in diabetes and related metabolic diseases, and also to accelerate the translation of scientific results into clinical practice. CIBERDEM has an innovative structure comprising 29 reference groups located in different hospitals, universities, and research centers throughout Spain. Constituted in December 2007 on the initiative of the Carlos III Health Institute, it is made up of another 19 consortium institutions from 6 autonomous communities.

Dr. Gemma Vilahur, a researcher in the Research Group on Molecular Pathology and Therapeutics of Atherothrombotic and Ischemic Diseases at the Sant Pau Research Institute, has been interviewed in the European Heart Journal. In the interview, she shared her latest findings and perspectives on the future of cardiac health research.

During the interview, Dr. Vilahur described her professional journey and the key institutions that have shaped her career. She highlighted her experience at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, where she had the opportunity to work with renowned experts such as Professor Juan José Badimon and Dr. Valentín Fuster.

Her research focuses on deciphering the basic mechanisms of vascular and cardiac pathology, as well as on the discovery and evaluation of new potential therapeutic targets. “I have always been very curious and fascinated by the idea of contributing to society by positively impacting human health,” Dr. Vilahur said.

Her recent discoveries include new therapeutic strategies to prevent and treat ischemic heart disease, with significant advances in reducing myocardial damage and improving cardiac function. Additionally, Vilahur and her team are investigating the harmful effects of cardiovascular risk factors on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles and exploring new nano-HDL constructs with cardio-protective potential.

With four international patents and three spin-off companies founded to develop her intellectual property, Vilahur has been recognized by various institutions, including the L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Award (2012) and the European Society of Cardiology’s Excellence Award (2019).

Her career not only stands out for her scientific contributions, but also for her commitment to gender equality in research. Dr. Vilahur encourages young researchers to stay motivated and persevere, overcoming the challenges often encountered on the path to leadership positions.

Reference Article

Judith Ozkan. European Heart Journal, Volume 45, Issue 23, 14 June 2024, Pages 2032–2033, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehae034

The Sant Pau Research Institute celebrated today the laying of the cornerstone of its new Advanced Therapies Unit. These new facilities, supported by the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute and the Josep Carreras Foundation against Leukemia, solidify themselves as a strategic resource for the Sant Pau Campus. They enable the development and manufacturing of personalized biological medicines within the hospital center for the treatment of its patients, reaffirming Sant Pau’s position as a global reference center in this field.

The event was attended by various figures from the sector, including Acting Counselor Manel Balcells; the Director of the Sant Pau Research Institute, Dr. Jordi Surrallés; the President of the Executive Committee of the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, Dr. Evarist Feliu; the Director of the Hematologic Oncology and Transplantation Research Group at the Sant Pau Research Institute and Director of the Hematology Service at Sant Pau Hospital, Dr. Javier Briones; and the Director of Sant Pau Hospital, Dr. Adrià Comella.

The project involves a total investment of 5.5 million euros over the next 4 years for the construction, launch, and operation of this new infrastructure, made possible through collaboration with the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute and the contribution of the Josep Carreras Foundation against Leukemia. This foundation has contributed over 4.5 million euros, establishing the Josep Carreras Campus within Sant Pau, aimed at conducting scientific research activities related to leukemia, other hematologic malignancies, cancer in general, and particularly in immunotherapy, oncogenesis, cellular therapy, and other related areas.

Furthermore, the new Sant Pau Advanced Therapies Unit is supported by the Blood and Tissue Bank (BST), which provides professional expertise and manufacturing capacity for advanced therapy medicines as part of a recently signed collaboration agreement aimed at boosting the development and production of innovative medicines.

Dr. Jordi Surrallés, Director of the Sant Pau Research Institute, highlights that the new facilities will enhance the important work of research groups focused on developing new advanced therapies, such as those led by Dr. Briones in the field of hematology. “This new infrastructure positions us at the forefront of research in this field and will help us advance more rapidly towards more effective and personalized treatments for our patients, while continuing to contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge.”

Moreover, the new unit will pave the way for the creation of additional research lines in various fields, aimed at developing therapies for other currently incurable pathologies using advanced techniques, facilitating highly personalized and precise medicine.

“This infrastructure is an asset that can serve not only other research centers in Catalonia and Spain but also opens the door to establishing international collaborations with centers worldwide for the benefit of many patients and the advancement of knowledge in this area,” adds Dr. Surrallés.

High-Level Infrastructure

The facilities will expand from 39 m² – the current clean room area at Sant Pau – to a total of 163 m², multiplying the production capacity of CAR-T products. The new unit is designed to meet the strictest quality and safety criteria established by regulatory agencies, allowing the manipulation of biological products such as genes, cells, and tissues. The infrastructure will include 4 clean rooms for manufacturing with specific cleanliness and containment levels for the production of advanced therapy medicines – one equipped for the production of viral vectors and recombinant viruses – and two laboratories, one for cultures and one for quality control.

Clean rooms are specially designed and controlled spaces for conducting high-precision biomedical research. These facilities enforce rigorous protocols for personal hygiene and equipment and surface cleaning, as well as strict environmental control. Variables such as temperature, humidity, and air pressure are precisely regulated to ensure optimal working conditions. Additionally, air is continuously filtered to remove particles and microorganisms that could interfere with experimental processes.

Dr. Surrallés notes that, in addition to state-of-the-art facilities, “Sant Pau has highly specialized technical personnel who not only ensure compliance with the highest quality standards but also enable us to fully exploit the potential offered by clean rooms.”

Advanced Therapies: Increased Production Capacity

“It’s a dream come true. For over 20 years, we’ve been working in immunotherapy, and in the last 10 years, we’ve focused on CAR-T therapies. This new unit will allow us to increase our production capacity and reach more patients, offering personalized treatments for diseases that were previously incurable,” says Dr. Briones.

Sant Pau is one of the two authorized hospitals in Catalonia – and one of the few worldwide – to produce CAR-T immunotherapy drugs. So far, researchers at the Sant Pau Research Institute have developed two academic CAR-T medicines: HSP-CAR30 and HSP-CAR19M. “There are very few centers worldwide that produce their own CAR-T therapies, meaning they have the technology, capacity, expertise, and facilities to develop these therapies,” says Dr. Briones.

The new Sant Pau Advanced Therapies Unit will not only allow for increased medicine production but also centralize the entire development process within the same institution, from producing recombinant viruses to the final manufacturing of medicines. This will ensure greater efficiency and quality control throughout the process. Dr. Briones emphasizes that “the new unit will not only increase our production capacity but also enable us to conduct clinical trials from start to finish, with all the advantages that entails.”

The Cellular Immunotherapy and Gene Therapy Research Group at the Sant Pau Research Institute has developed two academic CAR-T medicines so far: HSP-CAR30 and HSP-CAR19M, with an ambitious project led by Dr. Briones.

HSP-CAR30 is currently in phase II clinical trials and represents Europe’s first CAR-T30 immunotherapy medicine (academic). Phase I trials demonstrated that CAR30 memory T cells (HSP-CAR30) have an excellent safety profile with very low toxicity, along with high efficacy, as 50% of patients achieved a complete response to lymphoma treatment with disappearance of the disease.

“The CART 30 is the first one developed in Europe, with only three more in the world, in the United States and China. Therefore, it is a pride for us to develop these types of therapies and, most importantly, to offer them to our patients. Moreover, as it is currently the only CAR 30 developed in Europe, we also treat patients who come from other countries. This is a pride and a professional enrichment for us, as it gives us the opportunity to generate knowledge,” adds this expert.

HSP-CAR19M offers a therapeutic proposal unique in Spain for patients with certain types of lymphoma (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma) that have not responded to other treatments, through the generation of memory CART19 cells. Currently, clinical trials are underway, promoted, coordinated, and led from Sant Pau, in collaboration with the Hematology Service of Virgen del Rocío Hospital in Seville, within the Advanced Therapies Network, one of the Health Results-Oriented Cooperative Research Networks (TERAV) promoted by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII). These two major projects have received financial support from multiple institutions such as ISCIII, the Josep Carreras Foundation against Leukemia, La Caixa Foundation, and the European Union Commission (EU).

The Sant Pau Research Institute is part of the European research project on CART-T therapy (T2Evolve) and is one of the accredited centers in Spain authorized to use CAR-T medicines by the Directorate General for Basic Portfolio of Services of the National Health System and Pharmacy under the Ministry of Health. The Sant Pau Research Institute has state-of-the-art facilities, as well as highly qualified and specialized professionals, enabling the development of unique CAR-T immunotherapy projects in Europe. Moreover, it has been selected as a center for the State Consortium for the Development of Advanced Therapies (CERTERA) by ISCIII, and is a member of the Advanced and Emerging Therapies Network of Catalonia, promoted by the Department of Health of the Generalitat and coordinated by BIOCAT. The Sant Pau Research Institute has a strategic agreement to promote these techniques with the Blood and Tissue Bank, with whom it shares Technical Direction.

Characteristics of the New Facilities

The new facility includes 4 manufacturing rooms equipped with defined cleanliness and containment levels for the production of advanced therapy medicines:

3 positive pressure rooms with different levels of environmental cleanliness for manufacturing ATMP in bioreactor (2 rooms) or open systems (1 room).
1 negative pressure (containment) room for manufacturing gene therapy ATMP and generating genetic modification tools (viral vectors).

All new spaces have been designed considering environmental classifications according to EU GMP Part IV, Chapter 4.3.1 Design and Construction.

The ceremony to lay the first stone of its new Sant Pau Advanced Therapies Unit was also attended by the Councilor of the Barcelona City Council, Josep Lluís Franco; the deputy director general of Health Research and Innovation of the Department of Health, Montserrat Llavayol; the manager of Personalized and Precision Medicine of the Ministry of Health, Gemma Valeta; the executive director of the Eixample i Gràcia health sectors, and the Barcelona Dreta Comprehensive Health Area, Luis Espinosa, and the director of the BST, Ana Millán.

Dr. Abdel Hakim Moustafa, cardiologist, technologist, and director of the Dimension Lab at Hospital de Sant Pau, participated yesterday at the Sónar+D Festival, where he gave a talk on the work his laboratory is doing in virtual surgery planning using 3D modeling, digital twins, and 3D printing of personalized medical devices to treat patients with complex diseases. These medical devices allow for personalized care for patients with complex diseases and position us at the forefront of surgical interventions using 3D technology.

Showcasing the innovations shaping the future of creative industries, Sónar+D is a platform for collaboration, experimentation, and exploration of the latest trends in digital culture. With a constantly evolving program of performances, talks, workshops, exhibitions, and installations designed with and for emerging artists, companies, start-ups, and established professionals, Sónar+D is where innovation meets culture. Participating in such events allows Hospital de Sant Pau to position itself before diverse audiences, adding value and brand recognition.

Participating in events like this not only gives visibility to the center’s technological innovations but also reinforces its leadership in advanced medicine and scientific research.

Researchers from the Epidemiology, Public Health, and Primary Care Area at the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau), led by Dr. Pablo Alonso Coello, a researcher at the Institute, have developed an innovative tool called ROBVALU to assess the risk of bias in studies included in systematic reviews and health guidelines. This advancement promises to enhance the reliability of evidence-based decisions in the healthcare field.

Dr. Alonso highlights the importance of the value or significance assigned to health outcomes in healthcare decision-making. “People’s values are a crucial factor in healthcare decision-making. The certainty of an intervention’s effect on benefits and harms depends on two factors: the certainty of the measured effect on an outcome and the certainty of its value, also known as utility or importance,” explains this expert.

ROBVALU is not only applied in systematic reviews but also supports health research assessments, where the risk of bias in the variables used determines the certainty of the model’s results. These assessments encompass decision analysis, cost-utility or cost-effectiveness analysis for the evaluation of health technologies, health policies, and coverage decision-making.

The tool uses a systematic approach to identify and assess potential biases in research. This includes evaluating the study design, data collection methods, and result analysis.

According to Dr. Alonso, the implementation of ROBVALU has proven effective in identifying biases in a variety of studies, thereby improving the certainty of health research results. By providing a clear assessment of the risk of bias, researchers, and policymakers can make more informed and evidence-based decisions.

Reference Article

Karam, S. G., Zhang, Y., Pardo-Hernandez, H., Siebert, U., Koopman, L., Noyes, J., Tarride, J-E., Stevens, A. L., Welch, V., Saz-Parkinson, Z., Ens, B., Devji, T., Xie, F., Hazlewood, G., Mbuagbaw, L., Alonso-Coello, P., Brozek, J. L., & Schünemann, H. J. (2024). ROBVALU: a tool for assessing risk of bias in studies about people’s values, utilities, or importance of health outcomes. BMJ, 385, e079890. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2024-079890

This past weekend, the Born Centre for Culture and Memory was the venue for the 17th Science Festival, a large gathering for all audiences to engage with science and knowledge. The Sant Pau Research Institute was one of the participating entities, offering a game and three workshops that captivated numerous families.

Throughout the weekend, visitors enjoyed a giant scientific puzzle, organized by the Institute’s communication team, where participants had to arrange the pieces to discover the Institute’s research pillars; an activity that was particularly enjoyed by the youngest attendees.

On Saturday afternoon, Dr. María Virtudes Céspedes (PI of the Gynecological and Peritoneal Oncology Research Group (GOGIP)), and Víctor Díaz (laboratory technician intern in the GOGIP group), conducted scientific experiments that helped to better understand the complexity of nature with activities such as resistant soap bubbles, impossible balances, and magic candles.

On Sunday morning, Dr. Pablo Alonso (director of the Epidemiology, Public Health, and Primary Care Area of the Sant Pau Research Institute), Dr. Gemma Mas (nurse and professor at the University School of Nursing at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau), and Dr. Mariam de la Poza (specialist in Family and Community Medicine and associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Barcelona), introduced attendees to the world of respiratory infections. With the support of Elisabeth Suñé, Sara Alonso, and Núria Cayerola, participants learned, through a role-playing game, about the most common situations and treatments for these infections.

To close the Festival, on Sunday afternoon, Dr. Robert Belvís (clinical head and leader of the Headache and Neuralgia Unit at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau), Dr. Noemí Morollón (neurologist at the Refractory Headache and Neuralgia Unit at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau), Dr. Juan Aibar (neurosurgeon at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau), Marian Iglesias (biomedical engineer at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau), and Xavier Borràs (neurosurgery resident at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau) explored the complexity of neurosurgery where attendees could see 3D brain models and operate on a brain using virtual reality glasses, a highly entertaining experience.

The Sant Pau Research Institute thanks everyone who made this success possible, both the organizers and the participants, who contributed to making this Science Festival a memorable edition.

Dr. Juan Fortea Ormaechea, head of the Neurobiology of Dementias Research Group at the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau) and director of the Memory Unit at the same hospital, has received the Scientific Award in the Alzheimer’s category granted by the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN). This prestigious recognition highlights Dr. Fortea’s contributions to the research on Alzheimer’s disease linked to Down syndrome.

Dr. Fortea has developed an outstanding career focusing his research on the relationship between Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s. His studies have been fundamental in advancing the understanding of the mechanisms and progression of this neurodegenerative disease in a particularly vulnerable population. The award, proposed by the SEN’s Behavior and Dementia Study Group and its members, reflects the significant impact of Dr. Fortea’s work in the scientific community and his dedication to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life of people affected by Alzheimer’s.

Meanwhile, Dr. Elena Cortés Vicente, a researcher in the Neuromuscular Diseases group at IR Sant Pau, was also awarded the Scientific Award in the Neuromuscular Diseases category, in recognition of her outstanding work in the research and dissemination of Myasthenia Gravis. Both awards highlight the commitment and excellence of the awardees in their respective fields of neurology.

An innovative study led by the Digestive Pathology Service of Hospital de Sant Pau, in collaboration with other services and institutions, has revealed that a combination of home exercise, branched-chain amino acids, and probiotics can significantly improve frailty in patients with cirrhosis. Published in the prestigious journal Hepatology Communications, this study opens new perspectives for people suffering from this complex liver disease.

The researchers, including professionals from the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Pharmacy, and Biochemistry Services, the Sant Pau Research Institute, and the Sant Pau University School of Nursing, focused on frailty, a critical factor that predicts hospitalizations, falls, and mortality in patients with cirrhosis, regardless of the degree of liver insufficiency.

During the study, which involved 32 outpatient cirrhosis patients, they were classified as frail or pre-frail according to the Hepatic Frailty Index. These patients were divided into two groups: an intervention group that followed a home exercise program, branched-chain amino acid supplements, and multi-species probiotics for twelve months, and a control group that received standard care.

The results were very promising, as the patients in the intervention group showed a significant improvement in their frailty, with a notable reduction in Hepatic Frailty Index scores over the year. Additionally, this long-term non-pharmacological intervention also reduced the incidence of falls and emergency room visits.

These findings highlight the importance of a holistic approach in the treatment of cirrhosis, demonstrating that simple and accessible interventions can have a significant impact on health outcomes and patients’ quality of life.

As a direct result of the benefits observed in the study, a new care program has been launched this week at Hospital de Sant Pau. This program combines home exercise through a mobile application and the use of branched-chain amino acids, aiming to improve the prognosis and quality of life of patients with cirrhosis. The Digestive Pathology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Pharmacy Services of the hospital are responsible for this initiative.

This program marks an important step towards implementing new treatment strategies that could benefit an increasing number of cirrhosis patients, highlighting the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions in improving their health and well-being.

Dr. Roser Torra Balcells, a researcher in the Nephrology Research Group at the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau) and nephrologist at the Puigvert Foundation, assumes the presidency of the European Renal Association (ERA) representing over 26,000 nephrologists from across Europe during the 61st edition of the annual congress held from May 23-26 in Stockholm (Sweden).

With this appointment, Dr. Torra is the first woman to hold this position, and her first statement was addressed to all patients suffering from kidney disease: “Our primary focus will be on the well-being of kidney patients, and this will guide all our actions and initiatives.” In this regard, her commitment is to improve patient care by promoting the clinical application of the latest scientific advances through training and dissemination among professionals, but also by raising government awareness of the social and economic impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD). According to Dr. Torra, “the results of recent clinical studies published in leading scientific journals, such as the New England Journal of Medicine, indicate that we are at a peak moment in nephrology with the development of new therapies to treat chronic kidney disease.” In this context, she adds that “the ERA will not hesitate to put all means in place to help raise awareness among governments and public health institutions to direct efforts and resources towards the early diagnosis of chronic kidney disease.”

Furthermore, equity and inclusivity are, according to the new ERA president, at the forefront of the presidency’s actions, not only concerning professionals but also towards the people they serve: “We need to include everyone, regardless of their background, gender, and condition. Our patients should not suffer from health inequities.” Although the Association does not adopt any political ideology, Dr. Torra points out that “as medical professionals, we are committed to helping people, especially those with kidney disease who are in vulnerable situations as victims of natural or human-caused disasters,” referring to the Kidney Aid in Disasters working group.

Finally, innovation will be the third priority axis during the next triennial to be a “living association, capable of leveraging the latest technologies and new knowledge and providing them to its members; an association with a vision for the future.”

Equity, Collaboration, and Optimism Mark the Beginning of the Next Triennial of the Era

The first action of the new presidency has been the launch of the “Women of ERA” (WERA) working group, with the aim of raising awareness in the medical community and society about gender equality in the field of nephrology. In a context where the growing presence of women in medicine is not reflected in the number of principal investigators or speakers at medical-scientific conferences, nor represented in leadership and decision-making positions or opinion leaders, WERA will encourage female nephrologists to contribute to research and scientific dissemination.

Another line of work that will be initiated is to strengthen institutional relationships with national societies—such as the Spanish Society of Nephrology (SEN)—where the ERA can serve as an umbrella for societies and a meeting point to discuss their differences and difficulties.

Finally, Dr. Torra aims to establish spaces for dialogue and exchange between nephrologists of all ages and backgrounds from Europe and the Mediterranean basin. “I have seen many young people at this edition of the annual ERA congress; they are the future of nephrology, and I see a truly bright future for our specialty,” she predicts.

Dr. Roser Torra is a Professor of Medicine at UAB. She embarked on her journey in the field of CKD in 1994 and completed her doctorate on Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) in 1997. Since then, she has been deeply involved in both clinical practice and research, focusing on diseases such as ADPKD, Fabry disease, Alport syndrome, CET, cystinosis, and FSGS, among other rare diseases. With over 200 national and international publications on kidney diseases, Dr. Torra has made significant contributions in this field.

Dr. Torra’s involvement goes beyond research and clinical practice. She is currently actively participating in numerous trials and projects on hereditary renal disorders, both nationally and internationally, while also supervising doctoral theses on HRDs. She also acts as a reviewer/advisor in this field for various journals, meetings, project evaluation agencies, and government policy bodies. Her expertise has been recognized in several KDIGO meetings. Dr. Roser Torra is also the coordinator of the Spanish research network (RICORS2040) and the European Reference Network (ERKnet).

A study led by Dr. Dídac Mauricio, head of the Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition Group at the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau) and the Endocrinology and Nutrition Service at Sant Pau Hospital, in collaboration with various groups from CIBERDEM, has revealed the significant association of 54 lipids with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as their differentiation by sex and glycemic status. This work has been published in the journal Cardiovascular Diabetology and has had the collaboration of the CIBER-BBN team from B2SLab at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.

The study, which involved 360 individuals with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and normoglycemia as controls, employed ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry to detect 9,279 lipid features. In total, 54 lipids were identified as significantly associated with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and sex differences, in addition to 14 lipids related to glycemic status.

According to Dr. Mauricio, “this work represents an important step towards understanding the underlying mechanisms of diabetes and its variations by sex. Our findings suggest an intimate connection between certain lipids and the pathophysiology of the disease, which could open new therapeutic avenues and preventive strategies.”

The study has revealed connections between specific lipids and underlying molecular mechanisms in both forms of diabetes. Additionally, ceramides related to insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes were found, and their progressive increase related to glycemic status suggests an association with disease progression. Notably, greater overexpression of ceramides was observed in women with type 2 diabetes compared to men, which could be related to the average age of the female population in the study and its link to menopause and cardiovascular and renal comorbidities.

According to the researchers leading this article, the work, “in addition to contributing to the detailed knowledge of lipids associated with both types of diabetes and glycemic status, highlights the importance of conducting sex differentiation in studies of these diseases, as well as establishing sex-specific strategies in the control and research of diabetes and its associated comorbidities. Furthermore, it points to the relevance of lipidomics in advancing personalized medicine.”

Reference article

Barranco-Altirriba, M., Alonso, N., Weber, R.J.M. et al. Lipidome characterisation and sex-specific differences in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Cardiovasc Diabetol 23, 109 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12933-024-02202-5

Dr. Maria Sabater-Lleal, Miguel Servet researcher of the Genomics of Complex Diseases group of the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau) has been recognized with the Karl Link Early Career Investigator Award in Thrombosis, an outstanding honor awarded by the editors of the scientific journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. This award recognizes his exceptional work in the study of new genetic loci that regulate plasma levels of antithrombin, protein C and protein S and his scientific career in the field of thrombosis.

The article by Dr. Sabater-Lleal, has been selected as the best article published during 2023 in the Thrombosis section of the magazine, out of the 355 manuscripts presented this year to opt for this award.

Dr. Sabater-Lleal was honored during the Vascular Discovery Conference, which took place from May 15 to 18, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois (United States) where she had the opportunity to present her work in a plenary session.