Hospital del Mar Research Institute Hospital del Mar Research Institute

News / Press release

  • 27/01/2022 - Press release

    New diagnostic marker for pancreatic cancer identified

    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. A team of researchers from the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM-Hospital del Mar) and IIBB-CSIC-IDIBAPS have identified a new viable early diagnostic marker for the most common type of pancreatic cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The study has been published in the journal eBioMedicine, from The Lancet group, and may represent an important step in the early detection and treatment of this type of tumour, with one of the worst prognoses. Doctors and researchers from the Digestology and Medical Oncology Departments at Hospital del Mar, as well as from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas; CNIO), the Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria; IRYCIS) and CIBER also collaborated in the study.

    Més informació "New diagnostic marker for pancreatic cancer identified"

  • 14/12/2021 - Press release

    New online tool for predicting the impact of SARS-CoV-2 mutations on its protein components

    This new resource, developed by the GPCR Drug Discovery Group at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, provides a three-dimensional analysis of the movements of COVID-19 proteins. This can help researchers understand how they work and develop new treatments and vaccines The tool, available online to all researchers, offers a large number of simulations of how these proteins work, as well as resources for predicting how their function could change in relation to mutations that may occur in the structure of this coronavirus The scientists behind the initiative used more than 360 gigabits of data to develop it. To date, it is the only database for studying SARS-CoV-2 that combines protein simulations with mutation data

    Més informació "New online tool for predicting the impact of SARS-CoV-2 mutations on its protein components"

  • 02/12/2021 - Press release

    A diet rich in prebiotics and probiotics may help reduce alcohol addiction-related disorders

    A study using mice shows that animals fed a diet rich in beneficial live microorganisms suffer less from the addictive effects of alcohol consumption. The work has been published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition. It is the first to analyse the possible relationship between intestinal bacteria and the possibility of altering addictive behaviours related to alcohol use. In the study, animals that maintain a healthy microbiota also avoid addiction relapse and have lesser effects from associated disorders such as depression and anxiety.

    Més informació "A diet rich in prebiotics and probiotics may help reduce alcohol addiction-related disorders"

  • 17/11/2021 - Press release

    Artificial intelligence for selecting the best lung cancer treatment

    Hospital del Mar, in collaboration with Roche, is working on a pioneering artificial intelligence tool to improve the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with small cell lung cancer, one of the cancers with the worst outlook. Based on digitised images from patient biopsies and survival data, the aim is to test whether the tool can reliably predict the benefit of the various treatments. This would allow more effective selection of the most appropriate type of treatment. At a later stage, the aim is to evaluate the specific mutations present in each tumour and to analyse whether digital imaging is capable of predicting these. Hospital del Mar, in collaboration with Roche, has initiated the development of a pioneering artificial intelligence device to improve the diagnosis and prognosis of patients suffering small cell lung cancer. This is one of the lung cancers with the worst prognosis and having such a reliable tool will allow medical teams to determine the best treatment for each type of patient.

    Més informació "Artificial intelligence for selecting the best lung cancer treatment"

  • 18/11/2021 - Press release

    In vitro validation of antibiotic combination for tackling treatment-resistant bacteria

    A study by researchers from Hospital del Mar, the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute and Hospital Son Espases, shows that the combination of a new antibiotic, ceftazidime/avibactam, with other antibiotics, can treat infections caused by variants of Pseudonomas aeruginosa that are resistant to all existing treatments. The study, published in Microbiology Spectrum, involved an in vitro analysis of the efficacy of the different treatments and their combinations to determine their effectiveness against variants of this bacterium, which is resistant to all existing drugs. Resistance to antibiotics has been identified by the World Health Organisation as one of the main threats to global health. Infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa can cause pneumonia, heart problems and sepsis, especially in immunocompromised people

    Més informació "In vitro validation of antibiotic combination for tackling treatment-resistant bacteria"

  • Press release

    Mixing energy drinks with alcohol can increase the risk of a traffic accident

    According to a study by the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute and the Germans Trias i Pujol Institute of Health Sciences published in the International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, driving after drinking alcohol mixed with energy drinks can give the driver a false sense of security, thus increasing the chances of driving while intoxicated and suffering an accident Due to their high caffeine content, energy drinks reduce the sedative effect of alcohol, despite not affecting its negative effects on driving ability Moreover, combining the two drinks increases blood concentrations of alcohol and caffeine. Researchers warn that these effects may favour alcohol intoxication in people with a lower tolerance to these drinks

    Més informació "Mixing energy drinks with alcohol can increase the risk of a traffic accident"

  • 09/11/2021 - Press release

    Differences in lung disease severity between women and men determined for the first time

    A multicentre study published in the journal Biomedicines led by the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute reveals that bronchiectasis affects women less severely than it does men. This is a highly prevalent lung disease that causes abundant accumulation of secretions in the lungs The study analysed data from more than 2,000 patients from the Spanish Computerised Registry of Patients with Bronchiectasis (RIBRON). A second study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, determines the role of eosinophils, immune system cells, as predictors of severity in this type of patient

    Més informació "Differences in lung disease severity between women and men determined for the first time"

  • 26/10/2021 - Press release

    A higher heart rate is associated with a greater risk of death

    The risk of death from any cause increases by 30% for each 10 beat per minute increase above 70 beats per minute The study, led by researchers at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, analysed data from more than 10,000 participants in the REGICOR study to establish the relationship between heart rate and the risk of cardiovascular disease and death It is a simple measurement indicator, which also provides information on the risk of cardiovascular disease. The work has been published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology

    Més informació "A higher heart rate is associated with a greater risk of death"

  • 19/10/2021 - Press release

    Utility of a new therapeutic target in the immunotherapy treatment of one of the most aggressive breast cancers is demonstrated

    Activating a molecule present in the membrane of NK lymphocytes (Natural Killer cells) makes them resistant to the immunosuppressive mechanisms of HER2-positive breast tumours and enhances their antitumour action. Combining standard treatments for HER2-positive breast cancer with drugs that target this molecule in NK cells could increase their clinical efficacy. This paves the way for a new approach to treating this type of tumour with immunotherapy  This has been demonstrated in a collaborative study led by researchers at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, published in the journal Cancer Immunology Research  

    Més informació "Utility of a new therapeutic target in the immunotherapy treatment of one of the most aggressive breast cancers is demonstrated"

  • Press release

    Bariatric surgery improves long-term health of metabolically healthy obese patients

    These are obese patients with no associated diseases, referred to as metabolically healthy, who account for one in five people who undergo bariatric surgery. Their levels of cholesterol, glucose, triglycerides and fatty liver markers continue to fall five years after surgery The improvement is less than that seen in obese patients who do have metabolic problems prior to undergoing surgery and who, therefore, start from higher levels, but it demonstrates the usefulness of applying this surgical procedure to these individuals This has been demonstrated in a study by the Endocrinology and Nutrition Service at Hospital del Mar, the first in Spain, published in the journal Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases

    Més informació "Bariatric surgery improves long-term health of metabolically healthy obese patients"

Contact

Servei de Comunicació:
Marta Calsina(ELIMINAR)

Tel:
(+34) 93 316 06 80

Doctor Aiguader, 88
08226 Barcelona

© Institut Hospital del Mar
d'Investigacions Mèdiques
Legal Notice and Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Site Index | Accessibility | Find Us | Contact