VHIR leads a strategic action of the CIBER in hepatic and digestive pathologies

Dr. María Vicario, investigator at the group of Physiology and Pathophysiology of the Digestive Tract of Vall d’Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), coordinates a strategic action of the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD) with the aim of setting a collaborative structure to promote the tranlational basic research in digestive illnesses in Spain. The responsible of the research line of Translational Mucosal Immunology coordinates the collaborative project together with other investigators of Mataró Hospital.

During the first few months of development of this initiative 17 collaborative projects between groups have been set. Dr. María Vicario qualifies the initiative as “really successful as all groups have get involved strongly and we have exceed the 10 collaborations expected at the beginning of the project”. She adds it is possible that new collaborations will be built in the following months.

Ten research groups of CIBEREHD from different health sites and research institutes will take part in this strategic line, funded with 100.000 euros, which will be active during the period 2016-2018. The creation of synergies between groups will allow the increase of the number of biological samples available for the ongoing projects, sharing protocols and learning techniques used by other groups. A working network will be created to share scientific knowledge and productivity and visibility of participants will be, therefore, increased.

In the near future, two more actions are expected to extend this structure. In the one hand, the request of a European Cooperation in Science and Technology (action COST) for a collaborative project similar to this one with the participation of groups through all Europe. On the other hand, the group will propose the organization of a formative course in digestive pathologies within the framework of the European Congress of Gastroenterology which will be held in Barcelona in October 2017.