About
The multidisciplinary Immunology of Diabetes Research Group at IGTP is part of the Immunology Department of the Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital (HUGTiP). Comprising researchers, immunologists, endocrinologists, and paediatricians, the team is dedicated to unraveling the ethiopathogenesis of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and other autoimmune diseases. The translational studies of the group are focused on: Immunotherapies for the prevention and treatment of T1D - antigen-specific tolerance induction, spontaneous remission of T1D and biomarkers of immunoregulation. The main goal of the group is to make significant contributions to the prevention and cure of type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune conditions.
Keywords: Autoimmunity, type 1 diabetes, immunotherapy, biomarkers.
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Group leader
- Marta Vives-Pi, BSC, PhD
Marta Vives-Pi, BSC, PhD
Marta Vives-Pi is a researcher at the Immunology Service of Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, leader of the Immunology of Diabetes Group at Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (Badalona). Since 1996, she has been leading national and international research projects, with a particular emphasis on developing immunotherapies for autoimmune diseases. Additionally, Dr Vives-Pi is Associate Professor of Immunology at UAB and is the co-founder and Scientific Director of Ahead Therapeutics SL. This spin-off company, established in 2017, is dedicated to translating the group's immunotherapy innovations into clinical applications for autoimmune diseases.
Contact: mvives(ELIMINAR)@igtp.cat
ORCID: 0000-0003-3735-0779
Team
Researcher
Maria Vilà(ELIMINAR)
Postdoctoral fellow
David Perna-Barrull, PhD(ELIMINAR)
PhD students
Laia Gomez-Muñoz(ELIMINAR)
Lidia Almenara-Fuentes(ELIMINAR)
Daniela Greco(ELIMINAR)
Medical endocrinologist
Eva Aguilera(ELIMINAR)
Medical paediatrician
Marta Murillo(ELIMINAR)
Laboratory technician
Roger Domenech(ELIMINAR)
Research lines
Immunotherapies for the prevention and treatment of autoimmune diseases
The line of research aims to stop the autoimmune response using innovative therapies to re-establish the cellular tolerance of the insulin-producing cells.
Pathogenic mechanisms of autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes
This line of research aims to identify the mechanisms of the specific immune responsible for destruction of insulin-producing beta cells, with special atention to prenatal environmental factors.
Paediatric type 1 diabetes: tolerance, spontaneous remission and biomarkers
The aim of this line is to explore mechanisms of tolerance restablishment in children at the onset of the disease, and to define new biomarkers of remission.
Active projects
Valorización de una terapia antígeno-específica para el tratamiento disruptivo de la diabetes tipo 1; esclerosis múltiple, miastenia gravis, enfermedad celíaca
PI: Marta Vives-Pi
Funding agency: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Agencia Estatal de Investigación
Agency code: CPP2021-008475
Duration: 10/02/2022 - 31/12/2025
Proyecto CPP2021-008475 de investigación financiado por MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033 y por la Unión Europea NextGenerationEU/ PRTR
Immune checkpoints como biomarcadores predictivos y diagnósticos de remisión en la DMT1
PI: Laia Gomez-Muñoz
Funding agency: Sociedad Española de Diabetes
Agency code: SED001
Duration: 01/06/2023 - 31/05/2024
MicroRNAs inmunoreguladores en diabetes tipo 1. Biomarcadores y dianas terapéuticas de autoinmunidad y recuperación de célula beta en la remisión parcial
PI: Marta Vives-Pi
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) – Acción Estratégica en Salud
Agency code: FIS PI22/00045
Duration: 01/01/2023 - 31/12/2025
Immunoteràpies Avançades per l'Autoimmunitat (IAA)
PI: Marta Vives-Pi
Funding agency: AGAUR, Generalitat de Catalunya
Duration: 01/01/2022 - 31/07/2025
TOLERATE: An integrated approach to restore tolerance in autoimmune disease
PI: Karen Vanhoorebeke
Funding agency: UE-HORIZON-MSCA-2021
Agency code: 101072729
Duration: 01/10/2022 - 30/09/2026
More information
Past projects
A new dawn for type 1 diabetes: Combining a nanotherapy to halt autoimmunity with beta-cell regeneration
PI: Marta Vives-Pi
Funding agency: Fundació La Marató de TV3
Agency code: 201632_10
Duration: 01/03/2017 - 29/02/2020
Biomarcadores de remisión parcial en pacientes con diabetes tipo 1. Aplicación en monitorización inmunológica y ensayos clínicos
PI: Marta Vives-Pi
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Agency code: PI18/00436
Duration: 01/01/2019 - 31/12/2021
Terapia contra la autoinmunidad para la prevención y la curación de la diabetes tipo 1. Nanopartículas tipo liposoma que re-educan el sistema inmunológico para permitir la regeneración de las células beta
PI: Marta Vives-Pi
Funding agency: Fundación DiabetesCERO
Agency code: Cer001
Duration: 01/06/2017 - 31/05/2019
Scientific publications
Highlighted publications
Gomez-Muñoz L, Perna-Barrull D, Caroz-Armayones JM, Murillo M, Rodriguez-Fernandez S, Valls A, Vazquez F, Perez J, Corripio R, Castaño L, Bel J, Vives-Pi M. Candidate Biomarkers for the Prediction and Monitoring of Partial Remission in Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes. Front Immunol. 2022 Feb 23;13:825426. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.825426.
Perna-Barrull D, Murillo M, Real N, Gomez-Muñoz L, Rodriguez-Fernandez S, Bel J, Puig-Domingo M, Vives-Pi M. Prenatal Betamethasone Exposure and its Impact on Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Preliminary Study in a Spanish Cohort. J Diabetes Res. 2022 Mar 10;2022:6598600. DOI: 10.1155/2022/6598600.
Almenara-Fuentes L, Rodriguez-Fernandez S, Rosell-Mases E, Kachler K, You A, Salvado M, Andreev D, Steffen U, Bang H, Bozec A, Schett G, Le Panse R, Verdaguer J, Dalmases M, Rodriguez-Vidal S, Barneda-Zahonero B, Vives-Pi M. A new platform for autoimmune diseases. Inducing tolerance with liposomes encapsulating autoantigens. Nanomedicine. 2023 Feb;48:102635. DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2022.102635.
Gomez-Muñoz L, Perna-Barrull D, Murillo M, Armengol MP, Alcalde M, Catala M, Rodriguez-Fernandez S, Sunye S, Valls A, Perez J, Corripio R, Vives-Pi M. Immunoregulatory Biomarkers of the Remission Phase in Type 1 Diabetes: miR-30d-5p Modulates PD-1 Expression and Regulatory T Cell Expansion. Noncoding RNA. 2023 Feb 28;9(2):17. DOI: 10.3390/ncrna9020017.
Garcia-Loza I, Perna-Barrull D, Aguilera E, Almenara-Fuentes L, Gomez-Muñoz L, Greco D, Vila M, Salvado M, Mancera-Arteu M, Olszowy MW, Petriz J, Dalmases M, Rodriguez-Vidal S, Barneda-Zahonero B, Vives-Pi M. Targeting macrophages with phosphatidylserine-rich liposomes as a potential antigen-specific immunotherapy for type 1 diabetes. J Autoimmun. 2024 May;145:103196. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2024.103196.
Additional information
Ahead Therapeutics
Ahead Therapeutics is a start-up biotech company that uses a proprietary technology to develop treatments for different autoimmune disorders. It has developed an innovative solution based on the use of PS-liposomes containing autoantigens. Through a biomimetic process, these liposomes can induce antigen-specific immune tolerance, thereby interrupting the autoimmune reaction.
Simply by changing the encapsulated autoantigen, Ahead's technology can address the treatment of different auto-immune diseases: type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and celiac diseases, among others. Despite its potential for preventive use, Ahead's treatment is mainly foreseen as a reverse therapeutic vaccine, leading to a permanent cure of the disease.
Collaborative networks
Working group Basic research in diabetes. Sociedad Española de Diabetes
The group is composed of researchers whose lines of work are related to the study of the cellular and molecular biology of tissues involved in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of diabetes..The research areas developed by the group members encompass a wide spectrum, including growth, differentiation, and apoptosis, immunology, tissue metabolism and function, or stem cells, among others. Research lines are carried out both in vitro, with primary cultures, organoids, and cell lines, as well as in vivo in animal models. The objectives of the group include increasing contact among its members to facilitate and expedite the exchange of information related to their respective lines of action, stimulating the execution of joint research projects, and optimizing and increasing the resources available in the various research groups that are part of the Working Group.
Doctoral theses
Title: Decoding heterogeneity: Immune and epigenetic biomarkers of type 1 diabetes partial remission
Author: Laia Gomez-Muñoz
Supervisor: Marta Vives-Pi
University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)
Date of defense: December 2024
News
Progress in developing specific immunotherapies for type 1 diabetes
Researchers from IGTP and Ahead Therapeutics have been exploring a treatment based on liposome-type nanoparticles to address the autoimmunity of type 1 diabetes for years. A study recently published in the Journal of Autoimmunity examines the response of macrophages to this immunotherapy, serving as a preliminary step before clinical trials.
Can Ruti celebrates a Rare Disease Day symposium highlighting the importance of research to help patients
On Thursday 29 February, the Germans Trias Hospital hosted the 'International Rare Disease Day Symposium'. Health professionals and researchers from the Hospital and IGTP discussed their work in advancing the field of rare diseases. Representatives from patient associations of these diseases also participated.
Contact
Marta Vives-Pi
(+34) 93 554 30 50 extn 6380 & 6381
More links
Ahead Therapeutics SL · Follow @Inmunocanruti on X · Donate via Amics de Can Ruti