The next conference of the Santander Biomedical Lectures program organized by IDIVAL, the University of Cantabria and IBBTEC will take place on the 28th of March. The session will be given by Gelareh Zadeh and will be about: “Epigenetics in neuro-oncology”.

Dr. Gelareh Zadeh completed her neurosurgery training, and is a PhD in brain tumor research at University of Toronto. She is presently an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto and a Surgeon Scientist in the Division of Neurosurgery at University Health Network. She holds the Wilkins Family Chair in Brain Tumor Research, which has a focus to promote surgical clinical trials and translation of neuro-oncologic discoveries to clinical practice. She is also the co-director of the Elizabeth Raab Neurofibromatosis Program and Director of the UHN brain tumor biobank.

She recently took on the role of Program Medical Director for the Krembil Neuroscience Centre at Toronto Western Hospital, and is Head of Toronto Central Regional Cancer Care Program, Cancer Care Ontario, Canada, and Head of the Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery at UHN.

Dr. Zadeh has a dedicated neuro-oncology and skull base practice, including a number of multidisciplinary specialized programs: skull base, brain metastases, pituitary tumors, gamma knife and neurofibromatosis clinics. In parallel, she has an active research laboratory focusing on integrated multi-platform molecular analysis of brain tumors, together with a focus on understanding molecular response to targeted therapies, such as anti-angiogenesis and metabolic inhibitors. Dr. Zadeh’s research is based at The Princess Margaret, where she co-leads the MacFeeters Hamilton Centre for Neuro-Oncology Research.

She is actively involved with a number of national and international organizations in the field, including: World Federation of Neurological Surgeons, North American Skull Base Society, and is presently the Vice President of The Society of Neuro-Oncology (SNO), the largest organization in the world dedicated towards advance of neuro-oncology. She is excited to promote Surgical Oncology advancing its clinical, academic and educational missions; working closely together with the talent in the Division of Surgical Oncology at UHN.

The conference, that will take place on the 28th of March, will be open to the general public and it will be at Marques de Valdecilla University Hospital, Salon Tellez (Pavilion 16) at 8.15am. 

Dr. Zadeh will be in Santander throughout the day, to exchange experiences with members of the scientific and clinical community. Furthermore, she will visit the Research Centers of our community to talk with all the interested scientists.
Those professionals who would like to meet with Dr. Zadeh during her stay can contact with the department at proyecto1@idival.org

During the month of March IDIVAL organizes the fifth edition of the workshops “¡Vive la Ciencia! Initiation to biomedical research “in which researchers from the IDIVAL institute have participated.

These workshops have been designed with the primary objective of promoting scientific vocations in the biosanitary field of students of the region. They are organized in theoretical-practical classes where the scientific and research activities carried out in IDIVAL will be shown, for the treatment and cure of diseases. In this way, IDIVAL continues with the initiative to promote student interest in science, through direct contact with the research method and practice and, thus, transmit in a practical way the skills associated with scientific work.

There will be a total of 5 face-to-face workshops for students in the 2nd year of the high school in the science / technology branch. The project has the collaboration of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports of the Government of Cantabria, who has been responsible for the management of schools and the selection of students with the best academic records in science of Cantabria.

4 types of workshops will be offered:

– FLOW CYTOMETRY WORKSHOP. Flow cytometry is a technology that allows the exhaustive analysis and separation of individual cells at very high speed. The workshop will consist in knowing what is the function of the cells of the immune system defining the important subpopulations. An example of flow cytometry and cell separation will be done. Finally, its importance in the immuno-haematological and oncological clinic will be explained.

– BACTERIA WORKSHOP. The workshop will basically consist in carrying out 2 analyzes of biological samples of the students. For the first analysis, students will be sampled with sterile swabs and planted in microbiological culture plates to study part of the existing flora in various parts of the human body. In the second analysis, samples will be taken from the hands of the students before and after washing them with soap, to show the amount of bacteria that can be eliminated with simple hygiene habits. The samples of both experiments will be analyzed through the microscope to examine the different bacterial morphologies and their movement. The educational objectives of this workshop would be: to know the presence of specific microorganisms that are part of the habitual flora of man and to become familiar with the different morphologies that bacterial growth presents in vitro, after the cultivation of biological samples; specifically demonstrate the benefits of basic hygiene habits, in terms of reducing the bacterial flora present in the hands.

– NEUROIMAGEN WORKSHOP. The workshop will consist of a talk in which different medical imaging techniques will be introduced from the physical point of view. Next, a computerized axial tomography (CT) team will be visited, where an anthropomorphic mannequin will be scanned and the images acquired will be processed. The educational objectives of this workshop would be: to know the neuroimaging techniques and their investigative importance. Introduce other professions within biomedical research (physicists, computer scientists, engineers, psychologists …).

– WORKSHOP OF THE LIGHT AND ITS TECHNOLOGIES HELPING BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING. This workshop will show the opportunities offered by light and photonic technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Based on a brief talk that helps to introduce some concepts, experiments related to optical radiation parameters (spectrum, energy, interference, etc.) will be carried out, and experiments related to optical radiation parameters will be designed (absorption, diffraction, refraction, polarization, etc) and experimental demonstrations of equipment that are currently being used in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in the hospital environment will be seen.

IDIVAL collaborates one more year in the XI Edition of the Master in Management of Health Services (MADGS) led by Professor D. David Cantarero Prieto of the UC and responsible for the cross-sectional research group of IDIVAL “Health economics and management of health services. “

This next Friday, March 8, begins the module “RESEARCH AND SANITARY INNOVATION” taught by IDIVAL executives, researchers, support staff and invited experts from other entities and is taught at the Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences of the University of Cantabria.

The training and promotion of the research activity in the biosanitary field of Cantabria is one of the strategic objectives of IDIVAL and the participation of the Institute in this Master allows us to make known and value the activities that IDIVAL is developing.

Programme of the module:

VIERNES 8 DE MARZO DE 2019

I+D+I. Conceptos. Relevancia en la Sociedad actual. El modelo IDIVAL.
Galo Peralta Fernández, Director de Gestión IDIVAL

Fuentes de financiación. Marco legal y administrativo en I+D
Julio Muela Carriles, Coordinador de Gestión IDIVAL

SÁBADO 9 DE MARZO DE 2019

¿Qué es un proyecto de investigación?
Javier Crespo García, Jefe del Servicio de Aparato Digestivo HUMV. Profesor del Dpto. de Medicina y Psiquiatría. Universidad de Cantabria.

El arte de la tesis doctoral
Jose Ramos Vivas, Investigador IDIVAL

Artículos científicos. Cómo se llega a ellos y para qué sirven.
Pedro Muñoz, Técnico de Salud Pública. Unidad Docente de la Gerencia de Atención Primaria del Servicio Cántabro de Salud.

La producción científica y su evaluación
Benedicto Crespo Facorro, Jefe de Sección. Servicio de Psiquiatría HUMV. Catedrático de la UC.

VIERNES 15 DE MARZO DE 2019

Investigación con muestras biológicas humanas. Relevancia de los biobancos hospitalarios. Rol de las plataformas científico-técnicas dentro de los IIS.
Maria José Marín, Coordinadora de los Servicios Tecnológicos IDIVAL

El Ensayo Clínico. Buenas prácticas en investigación. La Unidad de Ensayos Clínicos Valdecilla. ¿Cómo se hace un ensayo?
Blanca Sánchez Santiago, Servicio de Farmacología Clínica. HUMV

SÁBADO 16 DE MARZO DE 2019

Transformando la sanidad mediante datos y tecnología digital
Fernando Martín Sánchez, Profesor de investigación del Instituto de Salud Carlos III. 

Emprendimiento e intraemprendimiento en Salud
Federico Gutiérrez-Solana, Director CISE

Innovación y Protección industrial en el entorno sanitario
Patricia Zorrilla de la Fuente, Área de Innovación IDIVAL

VIERNES 22 DE MARZO DE 2019

Innovando en Salud. Factor Humano y tecnologías. EValTec
Laura Herrero, Área de Innovación IDIVAL

Marco general de la política de salud en la UE
Inmaculada Valencia, Directora Oficina del Gobierno de Cantabria en Bruselas

Horizon 2020. Europa y la I+D
Paloma González Álvarez, Área de innovación IDIVAL

Dr. Lorena García Hevia of the IDIVAL Nanomedicine group and the Department of Molecular Biology of the Faculty of Medicine has been awarded for her Doctoral thesis “Cancer Therapy based on the biomimetics of carbon nanotubes with cellular filaments” directed by Dr. Mónica López Fanarraga. The thesis has been awarded with the Extraordinary Doctorate Award in the area of Health Sciences 2018 and with the Juan María Parés Prize in the Modality of Doctoral Thesis in the Area of Health Sciences.

The thesis has shown the cytotoxic effects of carbon nanotubes, structures composed of sheets of graphene rolled on itself in a cylindrical shape (with one or several layers) that have a diameter between 2-25 nanometers. These nanotubes showed anti-proliferative, cytotoxic and anti-migratory effects in vitro, in different cancer cell lines (glioblastoma, neuroblastoma, uterine cancer). Of particular importance were the results obtained in vivo, in murine models, where it was demonstrated that carbon nanotubes can develop antitumor effects by reducing up to 40% of the tumor volume in solid malignant melanomas, with the importance that this implies to be used, in the future, as anticancer therapies. In addition, these results were confirmed even in tumors resistant to traditional anticancer therapies, such as taxol®, where these nanomaterials can play a key role.

These magnificent results obtained in vivo, show that said nanomaterial is an important platform to continue perfecting until it reaches commercialization. Therefore, this work demonstrates the existence of an innovative solution to the cancer problem in the field of Nanomedicine, exposing an important and notorious short-term applicability.

This doctoral thesis, funded by the Health Research Institute (IDIVAL), is endorsed by six scientific publications in high impact journals and in which the author of the thesis Lorena García Hevia of the Institute's Nanomedicine group is the first author.

The calcified aortic stenosis (AD) is the third most frequent cardiovascular disease in developed countries, after coronary heart disease and hypertension, with a prevalence of 0.4% in the general population and 1.7% in the population older than 65.

It is characterized by progressive thickening and calcification of the valves of the aortic valve that, over the years, evolves and causes a severe obstruction to the blood flow from the heart to the aorta. Usually, AD begins with a long period without presenting symptoms, and the progression of its severity has a significant individual variability.

Symptoms rarely occur until the valve opening is severely affected. The classic symptoms of AD are chest pain with exertion (angina), fainting (syncope) and fatigue with exercise (dyspnea), but the identification and / or interpretation of these clinical symptoms may be difficult in patients with other conditions. diseases such as respiratory diseases, or in the elderly population. Therefore, cardiologists use echocardiography to define the extent of calcification and the degree of valvular involvement.

After the onset of symptoms, the average survival is only 2 to 3 years with a high risk of sudden death. Thus, patients with severe symptoms of AD should undergo aortic valve replacement either surgically or by catheter.

Most severe AD are detected with the symptoms and, sometimes, the cardiac damage is so advanced that the optimal time for the intervention may have passed. The challenge is to be able to detect the disease before the appearance of the first symptoms and, thus, to apply the treatment when still no damage has occurred on other cardiac structures.

In addition, AD is a multifaceted and complex affectation that also includes disorders in the degree of distensibility of the aorta and alterations in the function and geometry of the left ventricle.

The objective of the project “Integrated characterization for calcified aortic stenosis will change treatment strategies”, coordinated by Elazer R. Edelman of MIT, and by Tamara García Camarero, Gabriela Veiga Fernández and Dr. José María de la Torre from the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, is characterized in an integrated way by physiopathological parameters the aortic stenosis that most benefits from the substitution treatment, which would allow a more optimal indication of the moment of intervention, relatively independent of the symptoms. For this, we have the support of the Obra Social “la Caixa” through the first call MIT-Spain “la Caixa” Foundation Seed Fund.

Our research is based on the hypothesis that the interaction between the components that govern blood circulation -such as the left ventricle, the aortic valve and the arterial system- define with greater precision the condition of the patient with AD. In short, the goal is to anticipate the symptoms and the damage, sometimes irreversible, induced by AD and, thus, intervene at the most opportune time for each patient.

The call for the Strategic Action in Health 2019 of the Carlos III Health Institute has been published today with the following deadlines for submitting a request for help:

a) Performances supported by the State Subprograms of Training, Incorporation and Mobility.

1. PFIS Contracts: March 5 to April 9, 2019

2. i-PFIS Contracts: March 5 to April 9, 2019

3. Training grants in health research management (FGIN): February 12 to March 5, 2019

4. Rio Hortega Contracts: February 13 to March 12, 2019

5. Management Contracts in Health Research in the IIS: February 12 to March 13, 2019

6. Miguel Servet Contracts: February 13 to March 13, 2019

7. Miguel Servet Type II Contracts: February 19 to March 21, 2019

8. Sara Borrell Contracts: February 19 to March 20, 2019

9. Juan Rodés Contracts: February 21 to March 21, 2019

10. Contracts the intensification of the research activity in the SNS: February 12 to March 13, 2019

11. Contracts of bioinformatic support technicians in the IIS: February 19 to March 21, 2019

12. Aid for the mobility of research staff (Modality M-BAE): February 12 to March 12, 2019

13. Aid for the mobility of research staff (Modality M-AES): February 12 to March 12, 2019

b) Actions of the State Subprograms of Institutional Strengthening and Generation of Knowledge.

1. Incorporation of new groups to the CIBER Consortium: February 26 to March 26, 2019

2. Research Projects (Research Projects Modality): February 12 to March 7, 2019

3. Research Projects (Technological Development Modality): February 20 to March 14, 2019

4. Projects of international joint programming: June 12 to July 11, 2019

Bases of the call

Access to the ISCIII application portal

The resolution of concession of the call Predoctoral Contracts IDIVAL-University of Cantabria has just been published.

This call is aimed at graduates who are going to develop their doctoral thesis in the biosanitary environment of Cantabria through a predoctoral contract of 4 years.

They will be considered selected candidates from the list published in the annexes of the resolution, the first two with the best final score for each field of research and the best evaluated application among the rest, regardless of the origin of the guarantor researcher.

The incorporation and registration of new recruits will be on February 1, 2019, upon presentation by the interested parties of the documents included in the call.

Link to Resolution

Within its talent development and dissemination and knowledge exchange program, IDIVAL programs the sessions of the first quarter of 2019 Valdecilla Progress Report In this program, young researchers from the clinical field and IDIVAL's laboratories present scientific advances in their current research projects. Speakers will be predoctoral contracts, researchers Post-MIR Valdecilla López Albo, etc. They will present these sessions with the presence of their corresponding project directors.
As in the last quarter, the sessions are monthly and have two speakers who will present their progress and lines of work. The talk by each speaker will be about 15 minutes, preferably in English followed by a small debate. In addition, at the end of each session a snack will be served to continue the conversation and encourage interaction, collaboration and creation of synergies between participants and attendees.

On January 16, the first session of the first quarter of 2019 will be held by Maite Arias Loste (Group infection and immunity and digestive pathology of IDIVAL) and Esperanza Padín González (Nanomedicine Group of IDIVAL).

Sessions will take place at 2:00pm in Pavilion 16 (room 4-5) of the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital (maximum capacity of 30 people). The talk by each speaker will be about 20 minutes followed by a small debate. In addition, at the end a small agape will be served to continue the conversation and encourage interaction between participants and attendees.

Attendance certificates will be issued if 80% of the sessions are attended throughout the academic period, and participation in them within the doctoral program will be taken into account.

Any questions or clarification can be contacted at proyectos1@idival.org

The Marquesa de Pelayo Library, depends organically of IDIVAL, has participated in the design and implementation of the National Catalog of Health Sciences (CNCS) led by the National Library of Health Sciences, recently presented at the Madrid office of ISCIII.

The catalog reflects the printed and electronic funds of all libraries specialized in Health Sciences of Spain, public or private, such as hospital, virtual health or university libraries, for their sharing through the Document Obtaining Service (SOD). The SOD allows participating libraries to exchange documents, especially articles, thus being able to jointly cover the needs of all users whatever their need, be it clinical, teaching or research.

The logic prior to the crisis was to have all the libraries everything. Nowadays the logic is to have everything among all, and share it.

There are other collective catalogs specialized in Health Sciences, such as the C17 (developed by the CSI company) or the RCS (developed by the company KRONOSDOC), but none meet the same conditions as the CNCS: public, free and open access. Another of its strengths is that it can be easily integrated into the request management system of the Marquesa de Pelayo Library, thus strengthening the power and scope of our Document Collection Service.

Link: http://cncs.isciii.es/

We remind that this collective catalog is limited to a Service, that of Obtaining Documents (SOD), which only operates between libraries. If a user needs an article he / she will have to make the request to the Marquesa de Pelayo Library through the form designed for that purpose, as usual until now.

In Cantabria, the Library of the University of Cantabria has also its funds in the CNCS. It is expected that other libraries will soon be added. The Marquesa de Pelayo Library is the representative of the Cantabrian libraries in the CNCS.