IDIBAPS researchers are leading three of the projects selected in the 2026 Health Research and Health Promotion Research calls of the ”la Caixa” Foundation. The initiatives will focus on thrombosis associated with advanced liver disease, recovery after haematopoietic transplantation, and the identification of work-related cancers. IIn addition, professionals from the centre will participate in three more projects focused on healthy ageing, the evaluation of the impact of colorectal cancer screening, and the development of a new diagnostic test for strongyloidiasis, a parasitic disease that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
These calls aim to promote biomedical research and innovation projects with the potential to improve people’s health. This year, the ”la Caixa” Foundation is allocating €32.4 million to 80 projects carried out by research centres, universities and hospitals in Spain and Portugal.
Projects led by Clínic-IDIBAPS
New mechanisms involved in thrombosis associated with advanced liver disease
Virginia Hernández-Gea, Head of the Hepatology Department at Clínic Barcelona and leader of the Liver Disease and Vascular System (LiVas) research group at IDIBAPS, is leading a consortium project with LMU Klinikum and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), which has received close to €1 million through the 2026 Health Research call.
The research will seek to understand why people with advanced liver disease are at greater risk of developing portal vein thrombosis, a common complication that can worsen disease progression and hinder treatments such as liver transplantation.
To achieve this goal, the team will study the interaction between blood vessels, blood components and the immune system in order to identify the biological mechanisms involved in clot formation. This knowledge could contribute to the development of new preventive and therapeutic strategies for these patients.
A digital platform to improve recovery after haematopoietic transplantation
Queralt Salas Gay, haematologist at Clínic Barcelona and researcher in the Haematopoietic Progenitor Cell Transplantation group at IDIBAPS, within the Clínic Barcelona Comprehensive Cancer Centre (4CB), is leading a project developed together with the Biomedical Research Foundation of Salamanca, the Foundation for Health Training and Research of the Region of Murcia and the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute Foundation. The project has received €263,395.60 through the Health Promotion Research call.
The project stems from the need to improve the preparation and recovery of people undergoing haematopoietic transplantation, a complex procedure often associated with reduced physical capacity and increased frailty.
The initiative will assess an intervention based on physical exercise supported by digital tools before and after transplantation. In addition to analysing its impact on patients’ functional capacity and quality of life, the study will also explore biomarkers related to frailty in order to advance more personalised strategies.
A new tool to identify work-related cancers
Laura Mezquita, oncologist at Clínic Barcelona and researcher in the Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumours group at IDIBAPS, within the 4CB, is leading a project in collaboration with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center - Centro Nacional de Supercomputación (BSC-CNS) and ISGlobal. The project has received €299,998.30 through the Health Promotion Research call.
The aim is to develop and implement a tool that facilitates the identification of cancers related to occupational exposures in routine clinical practice. At present, many of these cases are not detected or systematically recorded, making it difficult to assess their true magnitude.
The project will combine expertise in oncology, occupational health and data science to create a model that helps healthcare professionals identify these cases and improve their registration. The initiative could also strengthen epidemiological surveillance and the prevention of occupational cancer risks.
Projects with Clínic-IDIBAPS and ISGlobal participation
Healthy ageing and biological liver rhythms
Mercedes Fernández-Lobato, head of the Translational Control of Liver Disease and Cancer group at IDIBAPS, is participating in a project coordinated by Raúl Méndez from IRB Barcelona, together with the University of Münster. The project has received €999,190 in funding.
The study will investigate how changes in the biological rhythms of the liver contribute to the ageing process and whether restoring these rhythms could promote better metabolic health and healthy ageing.
Evaluating the impact of colorectal cancer screening
Antoni Castells, head of the Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Oncology group at IDIBAPS, within the 4CB, is participating in a project led by Xavier Castells from the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, which has received €148,852 through the Health Promotion Research call.
The research will analyse the impact of the colorectal cancer screening programme on disease incidence and mortality, with the aim of generating evidence to improve the effectiveness and equity of these preventive interventions.
Improving the control of strongyloidiasis with an innovative diagnostic test
Jose Muñoz, Head of the International Health Department at Clínic Barcelona and researcher at ISGlobal, is participating in a project led by Claudio Parolo from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) to develop an innovative diagnostic test for strongyloidiasis, a parasitic disease that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The initiative combines a DNA-based lateral flow test with artificial intelligence tools to improve disease detection and monitoring.
