Vall d´Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR)
This fellowship must be completed not later than November 2025
VHIR (http://en.vhir.org) is a public sector institution that promotes and develops biomedical research, innovation, and teaching at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital inside the Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus. Since 1994, VHIR professionals have been working to identify and implement new solutions to society’s health problems, achieving leadership and excellence in clinical and translational biomedical research in the national and international spheres.
Research proposals
Dr Tomàs Pinós and Dr Ramón Martí – Neuromuscular and Mitochondrial Pathology Research Group
Glycogen Storage Diseases (GSD) are a group of rare disorders characterized by a defect in gene expression of specific proteins (or a specific subunit of a multimeric enzyme complex) involved in glycogen breakdown or synthesis, frequently resulting in the increase of the glycogen stores in different tissues (primarily the liver and skeletal muscle, although other tissues such as the peripheral and central nervous system, the myocardium and renal tubules may also be affected). In GSDs, hypoglycemia is a clear sign that the liver is affected, whilst exercise intolerance, fatigue, muscle cramps and/or contractures, and muscle weakness clearly suggest glycogen accumulation in skeletal muscle.
In our group we focus our research mainly in GSD affecting skeletal muscle (i.e. McArdle disease, Pompe disease, Cori disease…) using a multidisciplinary approach: a) to deepen in the physio-pathologic characterization of the muscle GSDs both in patients and murine models; b) using e-health to encourage therapeutic exercise interventions in patients and c) to promote the International Registry of McArdle Disease patients and other Very Rare muscle glycogenoses “EUROMAC”, in order to spread the knowledge and boost the diagnosis of this family of rare diseases throughout the international medical community.
Dr Mar Hernández-Guillamon and Dr Anna Rosell – Neurovascular Diseases Research Group
The Cerebral Amyloidosis group integrated in the Neurovascular Research Lab at VHIR is focused on the study of pathologies associated with the brain deposition of beta-amyloid, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). The group aims to delve into the study of the molecular mechanisms involved in beta-amyloid protein transport and metabolism using in vitro and in vivo models. The group activities are also dedicated to clinical research and discovery of biomarkers associated with CAA and other cerebrovascular diseases. The principal lines of research of the Cerebral Amyloidosis lab are: (1) Discovery of new biomarkers in body fluids and brain tissue in beta-amyloid-associated pathologies: The trajectory of the lab has allowed the publication of different studies using a cohort of patients of intracerebral hemorrhage associated with CAA, as well as using brain samples from the Vall d’Hebron Brain Bank. (2) The study of therapeutic candidates in pre-clinical models of cerebral beta-amyloidosis, including different transgenic mouse models of AD and CAA. (3) Fundamental research on CAA pathophysiology, using cellular vascular in vitro models.
Dr Anna Meseguer – Renal Physiopathology group
The main scientific interest of the Renal Physiopathology group, led by Dr. Meseguer, is to understand, from a multidisciplinary and translational approach, the molecular and cellular processes leading to renal dysfunction in several kidney pathologies. Specifically, our research lines are (1) to study the pathophysiology of inherited rare renal tubulopathies, (2) to understand the mechanisms of kidney injury and regeneration, (3) to study the development of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and (4) the study the impact of androgens on those processes. We are experts on the generation of cellular disease models carrying specific gene alterations, on genetically modified animal models and gene therapies, on life-imaging high-resolution microscopy, and working with patients’ samples for translational research. To sum up, our research main objective is to combine –omic data from cellular and animal models with patients’ data to identify novel biomarkers and possible treatments for several renal diseases.
Dr Antonio Gil and Dr Eva Colás – Biomedical Research in Gynecological Group
The Group of Biomedical Research in Gynecology Group has a long and productive tradition in translational and clinical research in Gynecology. The group is made up of a multidisciplinary team of translational researchers, clinicians, including gynecologists and pathologists, as well as technicians.
Our research is divided into four main areas: clinical research, endometriosis, ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer translational research. In translational research in endometriosis, ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer, we focus on (1) the identification and validation of novel diagnostic, prognostic and treatment response biomarkers. We work with gynaecological fluids and tissue specimens and we mainly do proteomic studies, although other omics are also complementary. And (2) precision medicine. We develop preclinically relevant models of the disease in order to position new therapies for high-risk of relapse patients, including murine and organoids models.
Dr Maria Jose Soler Romeo and Dr Oriol Bestard Matamoros – Nephrology and kidney transplantation group
Our research group is accredited by the Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR) in Catalonia, and focuses on two main areas of interest which are related to Solid Organ Transplantation and especially Kidney, and in clinical Nephrology. We tackle these areas from an innovative perspective, both basic-experimental and mechanistic, always with a translational goal. On the one hand, we investigate, develop, and use novel diagnostic and therapeutic technologies to decipher and target main molecular and immune mechanisms of transplant rejection as well as the immune susceptibility to opportunistic infections and malignancies. Also, a main task force of the group is devoted to better understand the main mechanisms involved in certain autoimmune glomerular diseases and idiopathic nephrotic syndrome as well as in diabetic kidney disease, having a specific interest in the role of the renin-angiotensin system. Our ultimate goal is to improve the management and care of patients suffering from kidney diseases as well as their quality of life, reducing associated morbidity and mortality.