Infections and Immunology

Group A8G2 - Inflammatory joint disease, bone metabolism and systemic autoimmune diseases

Accreditation level: Consolidation

The research group is made up of professionals from various medical specialties who collaborate in the study of joint and autoimmune diseases in a multidisciplinary way.

Our research focuses on studying the mechanisms of inflammation in the different systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases and their repercussions on joint destruction and bone metabolism. In this sense, we study the prognostic and predictive factors of response to treatment to improve the evolution of these diseases. We evaluate the response to biological therapy for different diseases. We have multidisciplinary teams to evaluate and develop care and research protocols for psoriatic arthritis, hidradenitis, uveitis and immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID) in dermatology.

Research lines

• Systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases
• Spondyloarthritis
• Inflammation and articular cartilage
• Inflammation and bone metabolism
• Inflammation and skin (hidrosadenitis and psoriasis)
• Systemic autoimmune diseases (MDI)

Composition of the group

Jordi Gratacós Masmitjà (Co-head of group) | ORCID

Joan Calvet Fontova (Co-head of group) | ORCID

Group A8G3 - Translational research in the critically ill patient

Accreditation level: Consolidated group

Our lines are oriented to translational research in the field of pathophysiology associated with the critical patient and are focused on the study of respiratory and cardiovascular pathophysiology, sepsis and its management in the ICU. Our challenge over the next few years is to approach the study of critical patient-associated pathology from a broad, comprehensive, multidisciplinary, humanized and patient-centered perspective and to foster strategies that allow us to tailor treatments to our particular needs. and at the follow-up of these patients beyond discharge from the ICU (post-ICU syndrome).

The research team is multidisciplinary and is made up of researchers of different profiles, which allows the development of clinical and preclinical research projects. In parallel, and thanks to the incorporation of engineers, we work transversally in new technological developments applied to monitoring and therapeutic innovation. The team works on projects where digital transformation, large volumes of data and elements of artificial intelligence are common to all of them.

The preclinical research is complemented and carried out in parallel with the clinical studies carried out in ICU patients, favoring the translational perspective. We work on the development of experimental models that recreate pathologies associated with the critically ill (SDRA, LPA, sepsis), both in vivo (animal models) and in vitro (cell cultures).

Lines of research

• Respiratory pathophysiology in the critical patient.
• Cardiovascular dysfunction, hemodynamic monitoring and sepsis in the critically ill patient.
• Characterization and management of Intensive Post-Care Syndrome (PICS).
• Capture and processing of biomedical signals. Artificial intelligence applied to dynamic physiological signals.
• Experimental models and treatments associated with critical pathology.

Composition of the group

Josefina López Aguilar (group co-IP) | ORCID

Oriol Roca Gas (group co-IP) | ORCID

Group A8G4 – Airway inflammation, sleep and ventilation pathology

Accreditation level: Consolidated group

Our team consists of researchers specializing in pulmonology, microbiologists and biologists who participate in individual and multicenter projects, both nationally and internationally. Within the group's research lines, in the infection research line, we work closely with the Infectious and Respiratory Diseases research group at Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital. In the ventilation line, strategic alliances have been established with national and international groups (University of Barcelona, ​​SOMNO-NIV group, University of Rouen). Also, in the asthma line, we work in collaboration with leading national and international groups. Finally, the line of sleep is recognized nationally and internationally as excellence in research. In addition, we are part of the research network Center for Biomedical Research in Respiratory Diseases Network (CIBERES), and we are recognized as a Consolidated Research Group by the Generalitat de Catalunya (AGAUR: 2014 SGR 801).

In the line of COPD and bronchiectasis, the line of chronic bronchial infection, the respiratory microbiome, infectious exacerbations and chronic treatment with azithromycin in the two chronic respiratory pathologies is particularly active. Finally, there are also lines active in inflammation in persistent asthma, sleep breathing disorders and chronic interstitial lung diseases

Lines of research

• Artificial intelligence Artificial applied to non-invasive mechanical ventilation
• Test bench models in non-invasive ventilation
• Microbiome in chronic respiratory diseases.
• Ventilatory sleep disorders.
• COPD and chronic bronchial infection.
  o Treatment with chronic macrolides in COPD with recurrent exacerbations.
  o Nebulized/inhaled antibiotic treatment in COPD/Bronchiectasis.
  o Treatment with new modulators of the CFTR gene in Cystic Fibrosis.
• Characterization of pulmonary hypertension in respiratory diseases.

Composition of the group

Manel Luján Torné (Group leader) | ORCID