DESCRIPTION
The BBVA Foundation-Hospital Clínic de Barcelona Advanced Research Contracts are aimed at specialists in the Health Sciences, with experience in research, who wish to further their scientific specialization by undertaking a specific project related to the strategic research lines of Campus Clínic:
- Biological aggression and response mechanism
- Liver, digestive system and metabolism
- Oncology and hematology
- Respiratory, cardiovascular and renal pathobiology and bioengineering
- Clinical neurosciences
These contracts, awarded annually for a three-year period since 2021 to candidates with a profile of demonstrable excellence, bear the names of doctors Joan Rodés and Josep Baselga, in recognition of two exceptionally innovative and transformative figures in biomedicine, whose many contributions remain present today in numerous facets of the best clinical practice and advanced translational research.
Selected project in Clinical Neuroscience:
‘Detection of synuclein and other biomarkers of neurogenerative disease in patients with idiopathic REM sleep behaviour disorder’
The aim of this project is to diagnose neurogenerative diseases through alpha-synuclein protein deposit (which are very prevalent, such as Parkinson’s disease) in a very early phase, with a greater reliability, and with a procedure as simple as a nasal swab. The project could also improve the understanding of the physiopathology of these diseases and help design future therapeutic trials.
Researcher: Gerard Mayà Casalprim, clinical researcher and neurology specialist, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona.
Amount of funding: 300,000 euros (an annual 100,000 euros over three years)
Selected project in Respiratory, Cardiovascular and Renal Pathobiology and Bioengineering:
‘Early assessment of atrial cardiomyopathy by non-invasive diagnostic tools to set up preventive medicine for atrial fibrillation’
Atrial fibrillation physiopathology is not fully understood, leading to suboptimal patients’ management. Atrial cardiomyopathy (ACM) plays a crucial role, but its assessment is limited because of the lack of diagnostic tools. A translational research project seems mandatory to validate the value of novel ways to assess ACM.
Researcher: Jean-Baptiste Guichard, research fellow in the Arrhythmia Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona.
Amount of funding: 300,000 euros (an annual 100,000 euros over three years)
Inquiries: ayudas-investigacion@fbbva.es and CONTRATOSFBBVA-HCB@clinic.cat.
