News

19th November, 2018 -

Gene vital for post-stroke recovery identified for the first time

Study published in Circulation Research
Patients with certain variants of the PATJ gene have less ability to recover after suffering a stroke. 7 out of every 10 patients who have this genetic variation are left with serious consequences three months after having a stroke, compared to less than half of sufferers who do not present this variation. These variants could indicate targets for future treatments that improve stroke prognosis, and enable personalised rehabilitation strategies. This has been revealed by the first multicentre study in this field, using data from more than 2,000 individuals and involving 12 centres around the world. The work was led by researchers from the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute as well as doctors from Hospital del Mar, with Genestroke Consortium groups and the collaboration of the International Stroke Genetics Consortium. The study was funded by La Marató de TV3.
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October 29th 2018 -

Discovery of a key protein in tumour metastasis
The study, published in the journal Cancer Research, shows the pivotal role of the enzyme USP27X in the control of the proliferation, invasion and formation of breast cancer metastasis and opens new pathways to the development of anti-tumour drugs.
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2 August 2018 -

Key piece identified for slowing a colorectal cancer subtype

Study published in Nature Communications
Researchers from the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, with the support of IDIBELL and CIBERONC, have discovered that inhibiting the Jagged 1 protein prevents tumour growth in mice. This protein plays a key role in the development of the disease, because it activates the cell signal that allows cancer cells to grow and divide. The discovery leads the way to the development of a therapy for treating this type of pathology in humans, the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Western countries.
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July 12, 2018 -

Hospital del Mar successfully uses deep brain stimulation to treat 4 patients with anorexia nervosa
The centre is a pioneer in Europe in using this type of intervention for treating anorexia nervosa. The project analyses the efficacy and tolerability of this technique. 3 of the 4 cases treated so far have shown a positive response, with no complications either in the surgery or brain stimulation. The operation uses robotic technology, with electrodes being inserted into deep brain areas related to mood, anxiety, and motivation/reward. Neurosurgeons and psychiatrists from the Hospital del Mar are working together on this clinical trial.
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March 19th -

Cognitive function in children with Down's syndrome improved by a compound found in green tea
Clinical trials involving children are very rare, and even more so when it comes to low-prevalence diseases.
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21 december 2011 -

Identification of new therapeutic weapons against the most aggressive form of breast cancer: objective of an ambitious investigation project

Personalized medicine against breast cancer
Triple-negative breast cancer (Estrogen Receptor-Negative, Progesterone Receptor-Negative, and HER-Negative) is a type of breast cancer with clinical characteristics and specific pathologies that represents a relevant clinic problem, as it affects around 20% of all women with breast cancer, and especially those who are young. On this basis, doctors from the Hospital del Mar and scientists from the IMIM (Institute of Medical Investigation of the Hospital del Mar) and the CRG (Center of Genomic Regulation) have now begun an ambitious project together with Roche Diagnostics to identify new therapeutic targets, as well as biomarkers that are predictive of the clinical evolution of this subtype of cancer.
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