The Paediatric obesity and cardiovascular risk research group is led by Dr. Abel López Bermejo since 2008. The research is aimed at identifying new metabolic, genetic, and epigenetic markers in early life stages (prenatal, perinatal, and early childhood) that indicate which infants are at greater risk of having cardiometabolic disorders and obesity in adulthood.
The research team leads multiple competitive research projects and oversees several doctoral and master's theses in this line of research. It has the collaboration of research, clinical and health care personnel at national and international levels. Multiple publications in international indexed journals are noteworthy in the group’s trajectory. In recent years, we have characterized several metabolic, genetic and epigenetic markers in relation to alterations in pre- and post-natal growth and metabolic dysfunction in school-age children.
The group's main research line is the identification of markers in childhood for early prevention of cardiometabolic risk and obesity in adulthood.
The group's research lines below:
Study: Longitudinal clinical study in healthy pregnant-neonatal cohorts and prepuberal children from health centres in Girona.
Objective: To characterize new cardiometabolic risk markers in the paediatric age as well as to investigate possible mechanisms related to the onset of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders.
Methods: clinical, biochemical, imaging, and in vitro studies.
Financing: Consolidated line of research with FIS PI07 / 0404 and PI10 / 0053 projects.
Study: Longitudinal clinical study in cohorts of healthy pregnant women included in the health areas of Girona and the Hospital Universitari de Girona Dr. Josep Trueta.
Objective: Identifying epigenetic marks (microRNAs and DNA methylation) in the placenta and umbilical cord as new markers of susceptibility to metabolic diseases and cardiovascular risk. The studies involve both healthy new-borns and new-borns with alterations in prenatal development (maternal overnutrition or restriction of foetal growth) and also prepuberal children. The line also focuses on the study of genetic imprinting and the involvement of genes imprinted with a susceptibility to developing metabolic and cardiovascular diseases in adulthood.
Methods: Clinical, biochemical, imaging, and in vivo studies ( development of animal models for the analysis of epigenetic marks in metabolic regulation tissues -liver and adipose tissue- of offspring).
Financing: Consolidated line of research with FIS PI13/ 01257, PI13 / 01257 and PI19 / 00451 projects.
Study: Clinical study in neonates born at the Hospital Universitari de Girona Dr. Josep Trueta.
Objective: To develop smart systems for the health care of patients in order to provide health solutions in general, and specifically, for the monitoring of neonates at home.
Methods: Medical sensors and smartphones or low-cost smartphones coordinated telematically for health care.
Financing: Research line funded with the European ITEA2-ip11027 project; IPT-2012-0943-300000 INNPACTO.
Study: clinical study in adolescents and young women with POS included in the Girona health area and the Hospital Universitari de Girona Dr. Josep Trueta.
Objective: To develop a new effective treatment for POS, a chronic endocrine-metabolic disorder often associated with obesity, based on the study of its pathophysiology. The study will focus on the reduction of hepatic and visceral fat mass in precocious stages of the disease in order to reduce the risk of cardiometabolic morbidity and anovulatory subfertility.
Methods: Clinical trial using medications with a metabolic and endocrine action and their combination, to reverse the POS phenotype.
Funding: Line of research funded with the European H2020-SC1-2020-two-stage-RTD SPIOMET4HEALTH 899671-2.
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Epigenética en niñas con pubertad adelantada y predicción de su evolución puberal
Codi oficial: PI22/00366 Start date:01/01/2023 Data fi: 31/12/2025 Investigador/a principal: ABEL LÓPEZ BERMEJO Organisme finançador: INSTITUTO DE SALUD CARLOS IIIPCOS in Adolescent Girls and Young Women: Toward a Treatment Guided by Pathophysiology
Codi oficial: 210653186 Start date:01/04/2021 Data fi: 31/03/2026 Investigador/a principal: ABEL LÓPEZ BERMEJO Organisme finançador: EUROPEAN COMISSIONAyuda de personal PFIS
Codi oficial: FI20/00138 Start date:01/01/2021 Data fi: 31/12/2024 Investigador/a principal: ABEL LÓPEZ BERMEJO Organisme finançador: INSTITUTO DE SALUD CARLOS IIIA Phase II, randomised, multi-centric, multi-national clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of a fixed dose combination of Spironolactone, Pioglitazone & Metformin (SPIOMET) for adolescent girls and young adult women (AYAs) with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Codi oficial: ICI21/00005 Start date:01/01/2022 Data fi: 31/12/2025 Investigador/a principal: ABEL LÓPEZ BERMEJO Organisme finançador: INSTITUTO DE SALUD CARLOS IIIEfectos del tratamiento con Spiomet a mitad de dosis en niñas con pubertad adelantada y aceleración de la maduración ósea: Estudio multicéntrico, aleatorizado y controlado con placebo
Codi oficial: ICI21/00005 Start date:01/01/2022 Data fi: 31/12/2025 Investigador/a principal: ABEL LÓPEZ BERMEJO Organisme finançador: INSTITUTO DE SALUD CARLOS IIIAjuda de personal Suport als grups PERIS - Obesitat i risc cardiovascular en pediatria
Codi oficial: SLT028/23/000143 Start date:03/08/2023 Data fi: 31/12/2025 Investigador/a principal: ABEL LÓPEZ BERMEJO Organisme finançador: GENERALITAT DE CATALUNYA
