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  • 18/12/2017 - Institutional news

    The Gasol Foundation and the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute work together against childhood obesity

    Gasol Foundation, set up by NBA players Pau and Marc Gasol, and the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM) have signed an agreement to develop joint research projects. The aim of this accord is to establish a collaboration framework between the organisations with regard to biotech research and development in the field of childhood obesity. This will allow them to work together to gain competitive funding and publicise the results of their joint projects. The agreement will promote the cross-training of staff from the two entities, and the IMIM team will provide methodological support in the design and development of the Gasol Foundation's public health interventions, as well as in the analysis and dissemination of the data they obtain. A task that will be carried out by the IMIM's Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition research group.

    Més informació "The Gasol Foundation and the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute work together against childhood obesity"

  • 15/11/2017 - General information

    Movember: researching how to improve quality of life after prostate cancer

    Each November, the Movember Foundation encourages men from all over the world to grow a moustache to raise awareness and funds for men's health research. The Healthcare Research Group at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM) is the Spanish coordinator for an international study funded by this foundation, involving more than 5,000 patients from twelve different countries. The study, entitled "Prostate Cancer Outcomes - Compare and Reduce Variation" (PCO-CRV for short), focuses on men diagnosed with localised prostate cancer and has a global allocation of 4.6 million euros that Movember contributes, raised by crowdfunding campaigns around the world that are especially active during the month of November. 

    Més informació "Movember: researching how to improve quality of life after prostate cancer"

  • 29/08/2017 - Press release

    Autoimmune diseases increase cardiovascular and mortality risk

    Researchers from the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM) and IDIAP Jordi Gol have just published an article showing that autoimmune diseases significantly increase cardiovascular risk as well as overall mortality. This is particularly pronounced in people suffering rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus. In addition, it has been seen that inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's or ulcerative colitis, increase the risk of stroke and death through any cause. The article is published this month in the journal Heart. The 6-year study followed a cohort of nearly 1 million people aged between 35 and 85, with no history of cardiovascular disease. The large sample size allowed the estimation of cardiovascular event incidence and mortality in people diagnosed with autoimmune diseases. Some of these diseases are relatively frequent, so their impact is quite significant. It is estimated that rheumatoid arthritis affects between 150,000 and 200,000 people in Spain, and somewhere around 100,000 people suffer Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

    Més informació "Autoimmune diseases increase cardiovascular and mortality risk"

  • 3/10/2016 - Press release

    More than 10% of the US population has high concentrations of 10 or more persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

    A study led by researchers at the IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute) has analysed the number of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) detected at high concentrations in the population of the US and found relationships with socioeconomic factors, including gender, race, body mass index, education and poverty. More than 10% of the US population has 10 or more POPs, each and all of them at a 'top 10' concentration; that is, at a concentration above the 90th. percentile. POPs are a group of chemical contaminants that humans can barely excrete and that degrade very slowly, therefore accumulating in our bodies and environment. Most POPs have been used as pesticides or are industrial residues; most POPs contaminate animal and human food webs.

    Més informació "More than 10% of the US population has high concentrations of 10 or more persistent organic pollutants (POPs)"

  • 24 August 2016 - Press release

    Diabetes increases the risk of dying from cancer and other diseases

    A study coordinated by researchers from the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM) and involving 12 groups from across Spain has, for the first time in this country, described the fact that diabetes mellitus not only increases the risk of dying from cardiovascular problems (myocardial infarction, stroke or heart failure), but also significantly increases mortality linked to cancer, infection, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and hepatic and renal illnesses. The results have been published in the prestigious journal Diabetes Care.

    Més informació "Diabetes increases the risk of dying from cancer and other diseases"

  • 16/08/2016 - Press release

    Catalogue described of genetic mutations, their frequency and arrangement on the DNA

    An international project, The Exome Aggregation Consortium (ExAC), involving researchers from the IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute) as the only Spanish participant, has analysed the DNA that encodes proteins in 60,706 individuals from different ethnic groups and has presented the international scientific community with a catalogue that contains the mutations identified, their frequency and their arrangement on the DNA.The study has been published in the journal Nature and involved the analysis of ten times more individuals than in any previous study. DNA is the molecule within our cells that contains the information for making proteins, in the form of a sequence of four letters or bases [adenine (A), guanine (G ), thymine (T) and cytosine (C)]. In recent years we have developed technologies to sequence, i.e., read the order of these bases in a person's DNA. Changing one of these bases can sometimes alter the protein that the cell makes and lead to illness. For this reason, it is important to know what the normal sequence of bases in DNA is, the frequency of mutations (changes in the sequence of these bases), and where these changes take place, by making a catalogue and map of DNA mutations in humans.

    Més informació "Catalogue described of genetic mutations, their frequency and arrangement on the DNA"

  • 26/06/2016 - Institutional news

    IMIM involved in a study of the evolution of global heights over the last 100 years

    Among the findings, published in the journal eLife, the research has revealed that in South Korea and Iran, where people have shown significant height increases over the last 100 years, Iranian men are now an average of 16.5 cm taller, and South Korean women have increased their height by about 20.2 cm. The study involved the IMIM's Cardiovascular epidemiology and genetics research group that has contributed with 11,000 people from the database of the REGICOR Project and the Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology of Cancer research group

    Més informació "IMIM involved in a study of the evolution of global heights over the last 100 years"

  • 06/07/2016 - Press release

    System developed for self-management of cardiovascular risk

    ICS Girona primary healthcare is carrying out a cardiovascular risk self-screening study (ACRISC), in which a thousand people are participating, for the self-management of cardiovascular disease risk. Through software developed specifically for this project, the users take part in the collection and processing of their health data (e.g., blood pressure, lipid profile, weight, and eating habits) and the system, based on the principles of empowerment and interactivity, offers each person tailor-made recommendations, particularly with regard to their diet and physical activity. The study is a collaboration between the Mar Institute of Medical Research (IMIM), the Primary Healthcare Research Support Unit in Girona (IDIAP Jordi Gol) and the Institute of Biomedical Research in Girona (IdIBGi). The first patients, who have been taking part since March and who are aged between 35 and 74, are from the EAP Montilivi and it is expected that they will soon be joined by further participants from the EAP Celrà, to provide profiles of both urban and rural populations.

    Més informació "System developed for self-management of cardiovascular risk"

  • 11/02/2016 - Press release

    People with mental disorders have an increased risk of developing chronic physical diseases

    People with anxiety disorders have an increased risk of suffering chronic diseases such as heart disease, chronic pain, and peptic ulcers. This is one of the conclusions of a new study published in JAMA Psychiatry, led by the University of Otago (New Zealand) and involving Dr Jordi Alonso, director of the Epidemiology and Public Health programme at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM) and a CIBERESP researcher. The study found that all kinds of mental health disorders, related to mood, anxiety, and impulse control, as well as substance use disorders, are associated with an increased risk of a wide range of chronic physical diseases. The researchers studied the relationship between mental disorders and ten diseases: arthritis, chronic pain, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, chronic lung disease, peptic ulcers, and cancer.

    Més informació "People with mental disorders have an increased risk of developing chronic physical diseases"

  • 27/01/2016 - Press release

    Spending more on food is associated with a healthier diet and weight

    According to an epidemiological study carried out by researchers at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), increasing the money you spend on food is linked to a better quality diet, particularly increased consumption of fruit and vegetables, leading to a healthier weight and decreased risk of cardiometabolic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems. The researchers monitored a group of 2181 Spanish men and women aged 25 to 74, all part of the REGICOR (Registre Gironí del Cor) programme, for a period of ten years. They measured their height and weight, and recorded dietary data obtained from a scientifically validated food frequency questionnaire. The average food cost was calculated using official government data.

    Més informació "Spending more on food is associated with a healthier diet and weight"

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