A representation from AELAM (Spanish Association of Lymphangioleiomyomatosis) delivered a donation of 21.000€ for the research on this disease. This collaboration will be used, among others, to develop a screening project for new therapeutic strategies for lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM).
The act of delivery took place in the Duran i Reynals Hospital and counted on the attendance of the Bellvitge Institute of Biomedical Research (IDIBELL) general director, Gabriel Capellá, the Catalan Oncology Institute (ICO) general director Candela Calle, and the breast cancer research group leader and ProCURE coordinator, Miquel Àngel Pujana, who leads this research.
What is LAM?
It is a very uncommon lung tumor. It impacts mainly women of reproductive age, who see cysts appearing in the lungs that affect the respiratory tract, lymphatic and blood vessels and impair breathing. Besides, lungs are progressively damaged and it might be even possible to need a transplant.
LAM is a disease wtih no cure, thus, it is necessary to promote its research and look for answers. In this way, AELAM takes action at several levels in order to raise funds and put them into research on the disease.
The Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) is a biomedical research center created in 2004. It is participated by the Bellvitge University Hospital and the Viladecans Hospital of the Catalan Institute of Health, the Catalan Institute of Oncology, the University of Barcelona and the City Council of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat.
IDIBELL is a member of the Campus of International Excellence of the University of Barcelona HUBc and is part of the CERCA institution of the Generalitat de Catalunya. In 2009 it became one of the first five Spanish research centers accredited as a health research institute by the Carlos III Health Institute. In addition, it is part of the “HR Excellence in Research” program of the European Union and is a member of EATRIS and REGIC. Since 2018, IDIBELL has been an Accredited Center of the AECC Scientific Foundation (FCAECC).