Maria Carlota Londoño, senior specialist in the Hepatology Department at Hospital Clínic and researcher in the IDIBAPS Viral, genetic and immune-mediated liver diseases research group, has been appointed as the new head of the CIBER research group on viral hepatitis and genetic and immune-mediated liver diseases. Londoño succeeds Xavier Forns, who until recently led the mentioned IDIBAPS research group.
Londoño is a hepatologist whose work focuses on autoimmune and cholestatic liver diseases. Throughout her scientific career, she has led and participated in numerous national and international projects aimed at advancing knowledge of these conditions and translating research findings into clinical practice.
According to Londoño, "the new phase of the CIBER group will be driven by collaborative and translational research, with the goal of strengthening synergies between basic, clinical, and epidemiological research".
Among the group's main challenges in the coming years are the incorporation of advanced technologies to gain deeper insights into disease mechanisms, the identification of new therapeutic targets, and the development of personalized medicine strategies that will enable more precise and effective treatments.
"This appointment represents an opportunity to consolidate our existing research lines and expand collaborations with leading national and international centres. This new stage will also strengthen the group's leadership and continue to promote excellence in research with a direct impact on the health of people living with liver diseases. In addition, attracting and training new research talent will be one of our strategic priorities, with the aim of ensuring generational renewal and fostering an environment of scientific excellence capable of addressing future challenges in the field of liver diseases".
