Research

Area 2

Clinical and Experimental Respiratory Immunoallergy (IRCE)

Team leader

Strategic objectives

1. Investigation of the mechanisms regulating inflammatory response and remodelling in bronchial asthma, rhinosinusitis and pulmonary interstitial diseases.

2. Investigation of the mechanisms underlying food allergies.

3. Investigation of the mechanisms involved in anaphylaxis of complex etiopathogenesis.

4. Investigation of the mechanisms involved in loss of smell.

Main lines of research


1. Molecular and cellular bases of the inflammatory response in asthma, rhinosinusitis and pulmonary interstitial diseases.

2. Role of the MUC genes in the modulation of mucosal secretion in respiratory diseases, and glucocorticoid regulation.

3. Role of arachidonic acid metabolites (prostaglandins and leukotrienes) in the etiopathogenesis of asthma, rhinosinusitis and pulmonary interstitial diseases.

4. Role of the angiotensin system in lung fibrosis.

5. Study of the mechanisms regulating the response to glucocorticoid treatment in inflammatory respiratory diseases.

6. Study of the mechanisms involved in severe asthma and relationship with alterations in glucocorticoid receptor function.

7. Study of the relationship between upper airway disorders (nasal and sinuses) and alterations of the lower airway (asthma, bronchiectasia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

8. Study of the mechanisms regulating the response to food allergens and relationship with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and arachidonic acid metabolism.

9. New therapeutic modalities (endothelin, proteosome and COX-2 inhibitors; prostaglandin E2 receptor 3 agonists) in asthma, rhinosinusitis and pulmonary interstitial diseases based on in vitro models and animal models of asthma and pulmonary fibrosis.

10. Study of the mechanisms of anaphylactic reactions of multiple origin (indolent mastocytosis, predisposing genetic alterations).

11. Study of quality of life in nasosinusal pathology.

12. Loss of smell: role of nasosinusal inflammation, Parkinson’s disease and congenital alterations.

Grups

Nasosinusal Inflammatory and Olfactory Research Group (INGENIO) (Associated)

MULLOL, JOAQUIM

(IDIBAPS)

In this group we investigate different aspects of inflammatory nasosinusal disorders (allergic and non-allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal polyposis):

• We explore the physiopathological mechanisms of nasosinusal mucosal hypersecretion and the regulation of mucins and MUC genes.

• We analyze the physiopathological and clinical association of nasosinusal disorders with asthma, atopy, NSAID intolerance and bronchiectasia, and their impact upon patient quality of life.

• We evaluate olfactory alterations and their mechanisms of action as diagnostic and severity markers. We have validated a proprietary olfactometric test (BAST-24), and have carried out an epidemiological study (OLFACAT) on olfactory function in the Catalan population.

• We use an eosinophil and epithelial cell culture model for testing and comparing the antiinflammatory action of different drugs employed in situations of respiratory inflammation, such as corticosteroids, antihistamines and antileukotrienes.