17/04/2026 - Press release
After more than a decade of research, a new-generation CAR-T therapy developed by VHIO, in collaboration with the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, has been administered to patients for the first time in a phase 1 clinical trial. This breakthrough has been made possible thanks to continued funding from the Spanish Association Against Cancer (Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer), with the support of Ausonia, and from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to the laboratory of Dr Joaquín Arribas at VHIO. This CAR-T combines recognition of the p95HER2 protein, which is specific to one third of HER2+ tumours, with the secretion of a bispecific antibody to activate the immune system and enhance the anti-tumour response in HER2+ solid tumours. The academic phase 1 clinical trial CATHERINE will test this therapy for the first time in patients with solid tumours overexpressing HER2 who have exhausted all therapeutic options and are candidates to receive a cell therapy. The aim is to assess safety and preliminary efficacy. The study, to be carried out at VHIO and Hospital del Mar, is funded by the Spanish Association Against Cancer, with the support of Ausonia and the Carlos III Health Institute.
14/04/2026 - Press release
At present, only around 5% of patients with colon cancer are candidates for immunotherapy. This new biomarker could make it possible to determine more accurately which individuals may receive this treatment with a likelihood of success and expand the number of patients who could benefit from it. The study, led by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and IRB Barcelona, shows that the determination of this protein, CTHRC1, can be used to assess patient prognosis. At the same time, it opens up new avenues to approach this type of tumour. The research team has demonstrated that this biomarker can be detected using routine diagnostic tests in the clinical practice of any Pathology service.
08/04/2026 - Press release
A new study by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and Universitat Ramon Llull establishes for the first time a direct link between good physical fitness and a reduced risk of suffering from more than thirty diseases. The study, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, identifies a causal relationship between a greater genetic predisposition for adequate cardiorespiratory capacity and a lower risk of developing these conditions. The results suggest that increasing aerobic activity may provide protection against various cardiovascular, inflammatory, and other diseases.
Més informació "Being physically fit helps prevent diseases"
10/03/2026 - Press release
The absence of a protein, the kinase IKKα, enables tumor cells to cluster and survive during dissemination. The findings, published in Nature Communications, open the door to new prognostic markers and potential therapeutic strategies. Targeting tumor cell adhesion impairs their ability to migrate and form metastases. The study was conducted using a preclinical mouse model
Més informació "Researchers identify a key mechanism that promotes colorectal cancer metastasis"
05/03/2026 - Press release
According to a study by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Pompeu Fabra University, Sant Joan de Deu Research Institute and Sant Joan de Déu Health Park, working fewer hours while maintaining the same salary has a positive effect on physical and mental health and work-life balance. However, it also finds that, in the experiences evaluated, the measure may increase the unequal distribution of roles between women and men. It notes that women devote more time to caregiving and domestic work, while men spend more on leisure
Més informació "Reduced working hours benefit health, but may increase gender differences"
03/03/2026 - Press release
They are part of the sixty research grants awarded by the organization, with total funding of more than thirteen million euros. The Spanish Association Against Cancer has awarded three of its research grants to projects led by researchers from the Hospital del Mar Research Institute (HMRIB). In total, sixty grants have been awarded: 54 to research projects and six accreditations to research centers. Altogether, this represents an investment in research of more than thirteen million euros.
27/02/2026 - Press release
High levels of this protein, which is part of blood cholesterol, are associated with a 40% higher probability of multivessel coronary atherosclerosis, directly linked to the risk of heart attack or other cardiac events. The findings come from a study led by researchers at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and published in the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology. The authors advocate measuring lipoprotein(a) levels in all patients, not only those at high cardiovascular risk. This can be done through a simple blood test.
26/02/2026 - Press release
The Faculty Board elected him on February 10, and he officially took office on February 25. Dr. Joan Ramon Masclans, Head of the Intensive Care Medicine Department at Hospital del Mar, Coordinator of the Critical Care Pathology Research Group at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, and Director of Teaching at the hospital, has once again been elected Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences at Universitat Pompeu Fabra. He will serve in the position for the next six years
18/02/2026 - Press release
A European macro-study, published in The Lancet Regional Health-Europe, analyzes disease trajectories, associated conditions, and survival among people with cancer. Hospital del Mar and the Hospital del Mar Research Institute took part in the research, which evaluates real-world clinical data from a cohort of more than 1.7 million patients from eight European countries. The most frequent cancers in Europe are breast, prostate, colorectal, and lung cancer. The highest survival rates a re seen in breast and prostate cancer, while pancreatic cancer has the poorest prognosis. Databases from Spain, Estonia, and Switzerland show the best survival rates.
Més informació "A large-scale study analyzes the evolution of the most common cancers in Europe"
05/02/2026 - Press release
A recent study from the Hospital del Mar Research Institute shows that cannabis use is associated with increased brain inflammation, which may affect the therapeutic effectiveness of antipsychotic treatments. The study analysed brain MRI scans from nearly 100 individuals-patients with first-episode psychosis and healthy volunteers-using a novel technique that measures extracellular free water. This is the first study to apply this method to examine the effects of cannabis use in psychosis. The findings are published in Molecular Psychiatry and reinforce recommendations against cannabis use in people with psychotic disorders.
Més informació "Cannabis use may influence treatment mechanisms in first-episode psychosis"
Servei de Comunicació:
Marta Calsina(ELIMINAR)
Tel:
(+34) 93 316 06 80
Doctor Aiguader, 88
08226 Barcelona
© Institut Hospital del Mar
d'Investigacions MèdiquesLegal Notice and Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Site Index | Accessibility | Find Us | Contact
