IRB Barcelona coordinates a networking project on chronic inflammation

Antonio Zorzano heads the three-year study entitled INFLAMES, which has a budget of 679,800 euros provided by the Institute of Health Carlos III.

It is one of the three interdisciplinary projects of excellence started this year in the framework of the Spanish Biomedical Research Network (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER)

This year the Spanish Biomedical Research Network (CIBER)* has launched three interdisciplinary projects selected as “Integrated Projects of Excellence” by the Institute of Health Carlos III, which will provide funding of almost 2 million euros from the National Sub-programme for the Generation of Knowledge, part of the Spanish Health Research and Development Strategy.

The IRB Barcelona researcher Antonio Zorzano, also senior professor at the University of Barcelona and participant in the Spanish Biomedical Research Network in
Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM)* will coordinate a 3-year programme funded by 679,800 euros on chronic inflammation associated with diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity and Crohn’s disease.

“Recently, the scientific community has demonstrated the relevance of inflammation in these conditions. However, little is known about the factors that trigger inflammation and the specific mechanisms operating in different tissues that lead to distinct inflammatory responses,” explains Zorzano.

The objective of the project is to identify the inflammatory mechanisms that occur in obese subjects, in patients with type 2 diabetes, and also those with Crohn’s disease. The final goal is to achieve new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of these diseases.

The INFLAMES project involves 12 research groups belonging to four CIBER programmes, including CIBERDEM*, the Spanish Biomedical Research Network in the Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN)*, in Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBEREHD)*, and in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP)*.

(* all acronyms correspond to the name of the network in Spanish)

More information CIBER Press Release