March 24, 2022 - Press notes
Patients suffering from ALS have a higher number of skin cells presenting the TDP-43 protein outside the cell nucleus. This protein can be found in the nucleus of all human cells, but in the case of ALS patients, the protein moves outside the nucleus of brain and spinal cord motor neurons, turning it a biomarker of ALS. The discovery of this biomarker detectable in small skin samples can be very useful for cases in which diagnosis is difficult, or in those with a family history of ALS, and even for early diagnosis.
March 17th, 2022 - Press notes
Study published in Nature Cancer
Researchers at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute and Hospital del Mar have transformed immunotherapy-resistant tumours into tumours that respond to this treatment, achieving cures in animal models through an innovative therapeutic strategy in triple-negative breast cancer, the most aggressive subtype. Researchers have discovered the essential role of a new factor, LCOR, in enabling cancer cells to present tumour antigens on their surfaces. These antigens allow the immune system to recognise the tumour, an essential step if immunotherapy treatment is to succeed. On the other hand, they have shown that cancer stem cells have very low levels of LCOR, making them invisible to the immune system and therefore resistant to treatment. The work that has just been published used an innovative experimental messenger RNA system, similar to the technology used for COVID-19 vaccines, to produce LCOR in tumour cells. In this way, the resistant tumour cells of triple-negative cancer become visible and sensitive to the immune system. This approach is also being investigated in other breast cancer subtypes. Currently, the clinical use of immunotherapy in breast cancer is limited to the triple-negative subtype. The results have been positive, but far from the level of success achieved in other tumours. This publication now opens up a new avenue for the development of therapeutic strategies to restore LCOR in immunotherapy-resistant cells that can be applied in clinical trials, thereby significantly improving immunotherapy effectiveness.15th March - Press notes
In contrast, exposure to environmental pollutants such as fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and soot significantly increases the risk of suffering an ischaemic stroke. The article in the journal Environment International, one of the most important studies published to date in Europe, analysed data from the entire population in Catalonia, geo-referencing more than three and a half million people. The authors consider that these results mean that the maximum levels of atmospheric pollutants established by the EU need to be reconsidered.
27th January 2022 - Press notes
This is a new valid marker for diagnosing this type of tumour, one of the cancers with the worst prognosis. It is, in fact, the third leading cause of cancer death in developed countries. The study, published in the journal eBioMedicine, was led by researchers from the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute and IBB-CSIC-IDIBAPS. Their results point to a protein present in tumour cells as an indicator of pancreatic cancer in early stages of the disease. This marker can be detected through a simple blood test, facilitating its application in clinical practice.
15th July 2021 - Press notes
Two professionals from the Laboratory will travel to the Japanese capital to support the anti-doping task that will be carried out during the Olympic Games, which begin on July 23.
16 September, 2021 - Press notes
Older adults who are overweight or obese who stick most closely to the Mediterranean diet preserve their cognitive performance and even improve their abilities after three years, according to a study led by researchers at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, IDIBELL, Hospital de Bellvitge and the CIBEROBN, published in the journal Clinical Nutrition. Memory improvements are proportional to the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet, weight loss and increased physical activity. At the same time, these changes translate into improvements in people's quality of life. The work is based on the PREDIMED-PLUS trial and shows that women and people with less education gain less benefit on a cognitive level from this type of dietary intervention. This leads the researchers to support the personalisation of these approaches in order to maximise the benefit.
9 September, 2021 - Press notes
Researchers from the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM) have discovered a novel mechanism through which the serotonin receptor interacts with cell membranes in the human brain. This finding opens the door for the design of novel drugs, which could treat central nervous system disorders.
6 August, 2021 - Press notes
The team led by Dr. Edurne Arriola and Dr. Beatriz Bellosillo will receive a grant from Thermo Fisher Scientific for their research on the application of liquid biopsy in patients with metastatic small cell lung cancer. The aim is to determine new treatment and prognostic biomarkers in patients with this type of tumour. They will also look for possible new therapeutic targets. This innovative project is one of four selected from around the world to be promoted within the Oncomine Clinical Research Grant programme, and it will look at data from 300 patients with this pathology.
10 August, 2021 - Press notes
The Director of the Healthcare and Medical Area, head of the General and Digestive Surgery Service and co-coordinator of the Clinical and Translational Research Group on Colorectal Neoplasms at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, is one of the top specialists among Catalan digestive surgeons.
29th July, 2021 - Press notes
Researchers at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute have shown for the first time how small areas of proteins on the surface of neurones control cell response by binding to neurotransmitters. Evolution has led to the existence of proteins with variations in these areas, capable of causing different cellular responses. This makes it possible to precisely regulate the neurone's response to the same neurotransmitter. It paves the way for the development of specific molecules that block areas linked to certain mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, or to addictive behaviour. It is the first time it has been possible to see how neurotransmitters and proteins interact at the atomic level to trigger neuronal responses. The study has been published in the journal Chemical Science.
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