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

Outstanding projects

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

Outstanding projects

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

Group A8G5 – Hemodynamics, microcirculation and tissue oxygenation research group in the critically ill patient (MiTOCrit)

Accreditation level: Popup group

The Research Group on Hemodynamics, microcirculation and tissue oxygenation in the critically ill patient (MiTOCrit) was born within the Translational Research Group in the critically ill patient, one of the main consolidated groups of the I3PT. The line opened more than 15 years ago, and has gradually taken on its own entity. The group has specialized in the study of microcirculatory alterations and the assessment of tissue oxygenation in different populations of critically ill patients, and is currently one of the leading groups in the field both nationally and internationally.

In this period of time, he has received various grants in both internal and public calls and from scientific societies. We will highlight the ISCIII projects of 2009 and 2019, as well as the research award of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine 2009, and several research awards of the Catalan Society of Intensive Care Medicine. Since 2020, the group has consolidated a strategic alliance with the Institute of Photonic Sciences
(ICFO), which has led him to lead international studies, and to receive funding for different projects, highlighting a Horizon H2020 grant for the VASCOVID project in 2021, a La Marató 2021 project, and more recently the granting of a Marie grant Curie in the FLIGHT-COFUND program of the EU.

Beyond scientific production, reflected in the publication of more than 40 articles in indexed journals in this period, the group has produced 3 doctoral thesis works (Mesquida, Gruartmoner, Saludes) and currently has 3 doctoral thesis works registered (Espinal, Caballer and Nogales).

Lines of research

• Tissue oxygenation in the critically ill patient with cardiovascular insufficiency
• Study of endothelial function in different critical patient populations
• Microcirculatory study in the process of disconnection from mechanical ventilation
• Evaluation of the microcirculation in the hemodynamic resuscitation process

Composition of the group

Jaume Mesquida February (Group leader)

Outstanding projects

VASCOVID

🔗 Website of the project

Networks

The research group is a member of the Barcelona Medical Photonics Network, whose mission is to promote the research and development activities in photonics that are being carried out in the Barcelona region through long-term collaborations between the ICFO and its biomedical and clinical partners.

The network annually holds conferences with its partners in order to share the development of research and innovation projects, and to create spaces for debate on photonics issues.

▶ Watch the network's second annual meeting