Clinical Neuroimmuology – Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Catalonia
Clinical assistance, physical and cognitive rehabilitation, and clinical and basic research on multiple sclerosis.
Vall d’Hebron Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
Posted on May 12, 2024 • 3 minutes • 603 words
Table of contents
Contribution to the project:
VHIR will recruit 20 treatment-naïve patients with relapsing-remitting (N=18) and primary progressive (N=2) MS who produce EBV in throat washes, and 20 sex/age-matched controls. Blood samples and throat washes will be sent to several consortium partners. VHIR will also investigate the interactions between EBV and cytomegalovirus by performing single-cell RNA sequencing in peripheral blood cells from MS patients at the time of the first demyelinating event.
Team Members
Manuel Comabella López
Dr. Manuel Comabella earned his medical degree at the University of Barcelona, completed his neurology residency at the Neurology Department of the Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron (HUVH), and earned his PhD at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Since 2004, Dr. Manuel Comabella is the Head of the Clinical Neuroimmunology laboratory at the Fundació Institut de Recerca del HUVH. Since June 2008 he works as a clinical neurologist at the Department of Neurology / Neuroimmunology of the MS Centre of Catalonia (Cemcat), HUVH, Barcelona
From 1996 to 1998, Dr. Manuel Comabella was a Research Fellow in Neuroimmunology at the Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women´s Hospital, in Boston. In 2010 was awarded with the Ayudas Merck Serono in the multiple sclerosis research area. In 2011 was awarded by the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN) with the Biogen Idec Prize to the best publication on demyelinating disorders. In 2013 was awarded by the SEN with the Novartis Prize to the best oral communication and the best publication on demyelinating disorders. In 2014 received the Neurological Disorders Award, scientific modality, granted by the SEN. In 2016 was awarded with the Ayudas Merck Serono in the multiple sclerosis research area. From 2018 to 2020, Dr. Manuel Comabella was a collaborator of the Biomedicine area at the Division of Coordination, Evaluation and Scientific and Technical Follow-up of the State Research Agency, Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
Xavier Montalban Gairín
Dr. Xavier Montalban obtained his MD (1983) and PhD (1990) from UAB, and completed his postgraduate fellowship at St. Thomas’ Hospital and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London. He obtained a Diploma in Comprehensive of Healthcare Institutions Management from ESADE (2005). He is Chair of the Department of Neurology since 2012 and Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Catalonia (Cemcat) since 2007 at the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital. He is the head of the Neuroimmunology Research Group at Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) since 1995. He is also Professor of Neurology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) since 2006 and at the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC) since 2021. Since January 2023 he is the chair of the International Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials in Multiple Sclerosis sponsored by ECTRIMS and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS), one of the most influential Committee in MS worldwide.
Mar Tintore Subirana
Dr. Mar Tintore is a Neurologist and Head of Care at the Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Catalonia (Cemcat) of the Neurology/Neuroimmunology service of the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital. Since June 2023, she has been Head of Section at the Centre d’Esclerosi Multiple de Catalunya (Cemcat) of the Neurology/Neuroimmunology service of the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital. Since 2021 she has been a professor of Neurology at the University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC) and, since October 2022, Chair of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS). She has developed in particular the study of prognostic factors, multiple sclerosis of the child and adolescent, as well as family planning in women with multiple sclerosis. Currently she is a member of the Advisory Ethics Committee (CEA) of the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital.