Appointment of Lluís Mont, Group leader (R4)
As physicians, we need to go beyond the repetition and refinement of clinical practice, to approach the study of diseases by applying the scientific method, and thus advance in their knowledge and treatment.

Current research

Problem

The diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias has become a specialized area within cardiology. The complexity and high technological demand mean that very sophisticated techniques are required, together with lengthy training in order to apply them. Our group aims to perfect the techniques used in diagnosis and treatment, in order to simplify the process and make it accessible to a larger number of patients, and to collaborate with other companies to develop new products that exceed current limitations. 

Approach

Our research takes place in a multidisciplinary setting, in collaboration with other areas of knowledge, such as cardiac imaging techniques. We also include nurses and engineers in the group, who can interact in different areas of knowledge. Finally, we have established collaborations with businesses in the sector and with start-ups to create new software and hardware products that contribute to responding to current diagnostic and treatment challenges.

Impact

We hope to improve the diagnosis of the arrhythmic substrate with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. And we also aim to use noninvasive tools to map the heart, such as ECG imaging, which makes it possible to document arrhythmias without the need to insert catheters. In the field of cardiac stimulation, we want to study new stimulation techniques, such as left bundle branch stimulation, and evaluate new technologies, such as wireless cardiac stimulation. We also want to study the utility of new catheters and new forms of energy applicable in ablation of tachycardia.