Research - Cardiology Service

The Service’s research is carried out by professionals at the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), in the areas of respiratory, cardiovascular and renal pathobiology and bioengineering, and in the following groups:

The Service’s research focuses, as a priority, on:

• Genetic cardiovascular diseases
• Atrial Fibrillation
• Ventricular Tachycardia
• Cardiac remodelling in athletes and the prevention of sports-related sudden cardiac arrest
• Molecular and vascular cell biology of genetically triggered thoracic aneurysms: Marfan syndrome
• Stem cell therapy in experimental models and in a clinical context
• Experimental models of neointimal hyperplasia, endothelialization, vascular inflammation and thrombosis
• Influence of hormonal factors, gender and ageing in ischaemic heart disease
• Experimental and clinical trials to assess the performance of new devices and strategies for treating heart disease
• New pharmacological and invasive treatments for pulmonary hypertension

The research that is carried out encompasses the entire spectrum of the disease, from the basic study for translational purposes to clinical research in physiopathology and therapies.

The Service leads numerous research initiatives that involve a large team of people including residents, fellows and administrative and nursing staff dedicated to research. The Service also has an exclusive area for monitoring clinical trials. The Service’s research includes studies promoted by researchers and also participation in studies with other centres and institutions.

The funding of the Cardiology Service’s research has two main pillars: collaboration with the pharmaceutical and biomedical industry in initiated clinical trials, and research initiated by researchers funded by external grants from competitive calls for proposals, including those of the Government of Catalonia, Spain and the European Union, as well as private foundations such as the Fundació La Marató TV3, the Catalan Society of Cardiology, the Spanish Society of Cardiology and “la Caixa”.