Thursday February 25th, 2010
HIV/AIDS remains one of the world’s most significant public health challenges, particularly in developing countries. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1), the variant responsible for the pandemic, has the ability to infect different cell types such as T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells (DC). These latter cells are crucial in the defense against infectious agents and play a major role in viral pathogenesis. The present study, published in PLoS ONE and led by researchers from Hospital Clinic de Barcelona-IDIBAPS, within the framework of HIVACAT, shows for the first time that dendritic cells in HIV-infected patients who spontaneously control the infection produce high levels of α-defensins 1 -3. This is associated with slower disease progression, suggesting potential diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive implications. The first author of this study is Dr. Marta Rodriguez-Garcia, Emili Letang Fellowship award from Hospital Clinic of Barcelona for her work in this line of research, and currently a postdoc at The Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard. The senior researchers of the study are Dr. Teresa Gallart, from the Immunology Service of Hospital Clinic and collaborator of the IDIBAPS team on Infectious Diseases and AIDS, and Dr. Josep M ª Gatell, Head of the Infectious Diseases Department at the Hospital Clinic, professor at the Department of Medicine of the University of Barcelona and leader of the same IDIBAPS team.
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Tuesday February 9th, 2010
The Tuberculosis Trials Consortium (TBTC) strives to conduct research about the diagnosis, medical treatment, and prevention of tuberculosis (TB) infection and disease. The network is composed of a partnership of clinical investigators from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), public health departments from different countries, as well as medical and pharmaceutical institutions. From now and until 2010, this Consortium will receive more than $90 million to develop more effective tuberculosis treatments. This funding will be distributed among 20 selected research sites, being Barcelona the only European representative: this site will be coordinated by Dr. Joan A. Caylà, from the Barcelona Public Health Agency (ASPB), and Dr. Josep Maria Miró, from Hospital Clínic de Barcelona - IDIBAPS and the Department of Medicine at the UB. Other participating institutions will be Hospital del Mar, Hospital de Sant Pau, Hospital Universitari MútuaTerrassa, Hospital de Bellvitge, Hospital Vall d’Hebron and the Tuberculosis Control Unit at Drassanes Primary Care Centre within the framework of the Tuberculosis Investigation Unit of Barcelona (UITB).
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Tuesday January 12th, 2010
The Official Medical College of Barcelona, Keiretsu Forum Barcelona and Barcelona Activa organized last November 4, 2009 the 1st Healthcare Investment Forum Barcelona’09, in collaboration with Biocat and other institutions. The objective of this forum was to contact young entrepreneurs in the health sector with projects in biotechnology, medical devices, health services and information technology with venture capital investors interested in this sector.
This first edition of the Forum was a success. Over 35 companies presented their projects, of which 12 were finally selected. Three of the finalists were submitted by Hospital Clinic:
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Thursday December 17th, 2009
The Carlos III Health Institute, a public body under the Ministry of Science and Innovation, has created two new stable cooperative research structures to boost Biobanks and Innovation in Spanish centers. The Hospital participates in these two initiatives, as well as in most of the already operating CIBERs i RETICS.
The RETICS (Cooperative Thematic Networks in Biomedical Research) have an expected duration of 4 years and consist of professionals from different institutions. They aim to promote complementarity of activities, resource sharing and lines of research, development and innovation. The two new structures established this year are the RETICS of Biobanks and the RETICS of Innovation in Medical and Health Technologies.
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Tuesday December 15th, 2009
The largest international clinical trial to date into a preventative HIV gel has found no evidence that the vaginal microbicide, PRO 2000, reduces the risk of HIV infection in women, scientists announced today. This placebo-controlled trial involved 9,385 women at six research centres in four African countries and found that the risk of HIV infection in women who were supplied with PRO 2000 gel was not significantly different than in women supplied with placebo gel. Although ineffective in providing protection, PRO 2000 gel itself was safe to use.
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