This is one of the most comprehensive groups in the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute, and includes an Experimental Cardiology Laboratory, a Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit and the Clinical Research Unit. Thus, it works to generate knowledge about the mechanisms of heart disease, to produce new tools for diagnosis and therapy, while designing new ways to apply the current tools for the prevention and treatment of patients with cardiomyopathy.

In the field of gastrointestinal motility, the research focuses on visceral sensitivity disorders, the gut-brain axis and intestinal allergies. This includes the search for new therapeutic methods and diagnosis of this type of disorder, including irritable bowel syndrome, which accounts for about half of digestive system consultations.

The Pharmacological Steering and Release group focuses on research into new applications based on nanotechnology to develop innovative pharmacological release therapies, and diagnostic systems to provide solutions to medical needs in the field of oncology and rare diseases. Designing, developing and optimising the nanotechnology system for different uses. The ultimate aim is to transfer this biomedical knowledge to clinical practice in the quickest and most efficient way.

One of the aggravators of endometrial or ovarian cancer is the high percentage of patients who are not diagnosed correctly and end up with an unfavourable evolution and recurrence.  That is why the group works to identify and characterise new molecules, which could play a relevant role in neoplastic cell transformation and/or the growth, progression and dissemination of this type of tumour, as well as resistance to current therapies.

The group also deals with the pathogenic mechanisms of microorganisms that cause infectious diseases, and works on the evaluation and design of new molecular diagnostic systems for this type of pathology. The  group belongs to the Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Disease and falls under the category of consolidated research group in Catalonia.

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The work of the Gynaecological Neoplasia research group contributes to the early clinical development of drugs against gynaecological cancers, while also seeking to consolidate a translational research programme to advance precision medicine. 

Nanotechnology has become an ally in the response to one of the biggest battles in global healthcare, namely the need to have more and better tools for the early diagnosis of diseases. At the same time, it is an ally with potential for the monitoring of treatments. The rapid development in the field of nanotechnology, in its current state of rapid evolution, promises great potential for scientific advances in this sector.

The group uses epidemiological methods to study the aetiology, vigilance and efficacy of interventions, among fields of interest. It focuses on three main areas. In epidemiology and prevention of infections associated with healthcare, it analyses aspects related to the evolution, characteristics, associated risk factors, hosts, and the impact of these infections.

The group’s strategic working lines are describing the key molecular mechanisms responsible for the self regeneration of stem cells in colon cancer (CoCSC); identifying the main molecules responsible for metastasis development in colon cancer. As well as determining the importance of new transcription factors as the nuclear effectors of the Wnt/beta-catenin signalling in colon cancer.

It is working on testing the efficacy of known and new drugs for CoCSC, paying particular attention to the molecular mechanisms involved in the resistance to chemo and metastasis.

Focused on designing and validating the therapeutic impact of Myc-tag peptides in vitro and in vivo; comparing and contrasting possible Myc inhibitors in murine cancer models (lung cancer, glioma, metastatic breast cancer, melanoma and multiple myeloma). And studying the effects of Myc inhibition in immune response and tumour environment.