Cód. SSPA: IBiS-D-08
The general objective of the “Endocrine Diseases” laboratory is to advance the knowledge of the pathophysiology of endocrine diseases and their associated complications, as well as the discovery of therapeutic alternatives for these diseases. The group is composed of basic and clinical researchers from the Endocrinology Unit of HUVR which provides an exceptional environment to develop research lines with a strong translational component such as ours.
Research Lines
More specifically, our group focuses on three main lines of research.
- 1. Formation and function of pancreatic beta cells
In this line we use a combination of mouse genetics, physiology, molecular and cellular biology to understand the molecular mechanisms governing insulin-producing beta cell embryonic formation and adult function. The ultimate goal of this research is to identify novel targets for the development of new therapeutic approaches for the treatment diabetes. Furthermore, we want to determine the biological/clinical relevance of why these same embryonic molecular mechanisms are often reactivated in the adult pancreas under pathological conditions.
- 2. Pituitary adenomas pathophysiology and associated complications
Search for prognostic markers and therapeutic alternatives. The pituitary tumor research line features a translational approach that combines basic research and human studies to understand the molecular basis of pituitary tumor formation and the comorbidities associated to hormone hypersecretion. Our final goal is to identify prognostic factors for pituitary tumors that would allow to individualize specific therapeutic strategies as well as uncover new therapeutic alternatives, particularly for the pituitary tumor types that currently lack any pharmacological therapy.
- 3. Obesity and related comorbidities
Our main goal is to try to determine the impact of the different dietary, pharmacological and surgical treatments on obesity and its associated comorbidities including diabetes. In particular, we are interested in understanding how bariatric surgery contributes to the improvement of these comorbidities in patients with morbid obesity.
