The Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and the Bellvitge University Hospital will promote a new project to improve immune tolerance in kidney transplant patients and reduce the risk of rejection. The research has been one of those chosen by the Mutua Madrileña Foundation to receive one of its 2024 Medical Research Grants and is part of the only three projects funded in Catalonia in this state call.
The project is led by Dr. Josep Maria Cruzado, leader of the Nephrology and Renal Transplantation research group at IDIBELL and, at the same time, head of the Nephrology service at Bellvitge Hospital, and by Dr. Carolina Florián, leader of the Stem Cell Aging research group at IDIBELL.
“The possibility of inducing greater ‘tolerance’ of kidney transplantation would reduce the risk of rejection of the transplanted organ, as well as the need for immunosuppressive therapies. This could prolong the life of the graft and reduce the side effects associated with chronic immunosuppression, thus improving the quality of life of our patients,” explains Dr. Carlos Couceiro, who will be part of this research led by Dr. Cruzado and Dr. Florián.
The study aims to identify new mechanisms to decrease the immune system’s response to the new transplanted organ. To do this, they will use a new approach focused on knowing the epigenetic characteristics of immune cells and being able to modulate them.
Bellvitge Hospital is the centre that leads kidney transplants in Catalonia and ranks second in Spain, with a total of 205 interventions in 2024. Of these, 48 were from living donors, the highest figure in the entire State.
Twenty years of support for medical research
The Mutua Madrileña Foundation has awarded its XXII Medical Research Grants, endowed with 2.3 million euros, to 23 studies and clinical trials aimed at improving medical treatments that will be developed in different centres throughout Spain. Among them, three projects that will be carried out in Catalonia and that will receive funding of about 300,000 euros.
The Catalan beneficiary centres are IDIBELL, the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) and the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR). The proposals were selected from among the projects presented, through an evaluation by the foundation’s scientific committee. The public award ceremony took place on July 8.
The Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) is a research centre created in 2004 specialising in cancer, neuroscience, translational medicine and regenerative medicine. It has a team of more than 1,500 professionals who, from the 73 research groups, generate more than 1,400 scientific articles per year. IDIBELL is owned 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 centres 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 Centre of the AECC Scientific Foundation (FCAECC).