Appointment of Sara Llufriu, Junior group leader (R3B)
It is thanks to science that we are able to modify the natural history of so many disabling diseases. Now we must move forward from chronicity to healing

Current research

Problem

Multiple sclerosis and other neuroimmune diseases are a significant cause of disability in young adults. Despite the significant advances that have been made in their treatment, there are still many unknowns to solve. Advanced magnetic resonance techniques can help to strengthen our knowledge of the bases of neurological dysfunction and the functioning of the human brain.

Approach

This research group combines technological development with the clinical application of new techniques in advanced magnetic resonance imaging in patients with neurological diseases. These tools are allowing it to identify new biomarkers that can predict the evolution of multiple sclerosis and other disorders and, therefore, to customise treatment to each individual patient.

They can also provide very valuable information about the functioning of the neural networks and their ability to recover, both in a healthy brain and an unhealthy one.

Impact

The group’s research has been able to quantify the impact of the damage of neurons and glia on patients with multiple sclerosis using biomarkers in spectroscopy.

The group also evaluated the clinical efficacy and neuroprotection of treatment with mesenchymal stem cells (adult stem cells that can be converted into various skeletal tissues).

It has identified the neuronal networks that support the cognitive performance and pathological changes that patients suffer during the progression of multiple sclerosis. In this sense, the group is leading a multicentre project within the MAGNIMS group that aims to describe the changes that occur in patients’ brain networks over time, as well as the consequences of the collapse of these networks.