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:

• Prevention of obesity and cardiovascular risk in childhood.
  • Molecular bases / pathophysiology of childhood obesity.
  • Study of cardiovascular risk markers in childhood.

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.

• Epigenetics of development.
  • Identification of the prenatal and postnatal bases of metabolic programming.
  • MicroRNAs study, DNA methylation and genetic imprinting.

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.

• New technologies applied to health
  • Application and utility of new technologies for the monitoring of new-borns.

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.

• Physiopathology and treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (POS) in adolescents.

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.