by Comite Web | Nov 2, 2023
The EPINUT group is a multidisciplinary group composed of medical, nutritionist, nursing and other public health professionals. His main interest is focused on investigating the relationships of diet with major chronic non-communicable diseases, including cancer. In relation to pancreatic cancer, the principal investigator of the group conducted in the late 1990s a multi-cohort study on esophageal, stomach and pancreatic cancers, in which information was collected for some 199 esophageal, 414 stomach, and 165 pancreatic confirmed cases and 455 controls to investigate the main known risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, and other sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, with special interest in dietary factors. Asimismo, el grupo se ha incorporado al consorcio internacional PANC4 para investigar los factores de riesgo para el cáncer de páncreas agrupando los datos de los estudios realizados a nivel mundial.
At present, we are further investigating the effect of dietary factors on the risk of pancreatic cancer, based on dietary assessment using validated food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) that allow us to analyze the effect of food and nutrient intake and dietary patterns such as adherence to the Mediterranean diet and vegetarian patterns, and the more recently proposed EAT-Lancet pattern.
The group has a great capacity and experience in carrying out dietary assessment in epidemiological studies using validated CFA and specific software under intellectual property that we disseminate from the BIBLIODIETA platform on the group’s website (https://epinut.umh.es), which allows estimating habitual intake in the past and in the long term, and elaborating the main food quality indexes and dietary patterns.
www.bibliodieta.es
by Comite Web | Nov 2, 2023
The group focuses its research on genetic epidemiology, molecular diagnosis of cancer, prognostic markers, prediction of therapeutic response and identification of new therapeutic targets. In addition, they provide comprehensive assistance to oncology patients from a multidisciplinary approach (assessment, treatment, evolution, follow-up).
The team’s projects of interest include IMAGene (https://www.imagene.ieo.eu/), which aims to identify biomarkers for the follow-up of people at high risk of pancreatic cancer, and MicroPanc, which seeks to evaluate the role of the microbiome in pancreatic cancer. Also the development of predictive models based on artificial intelligence techniques to predict oncological outcomes.
by Comite Web | Nov 16, 2022
The Molecular Oncology group of the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria-Hospital 12 de Octubre (UFV-H12O) is interested in exploring the pathophysiology of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and the search for new therapeutic targets to improve the treatment of this type of tumor. To this end, we have focused on the study of transcriptional programs and epigenetic regulation of biological processes related to the development and progression of this type of tumor, such as cell proliferation, metabolic reprogramming and modification of the tumor microenvironment. Specifically, our group has focused on the study of the transcription factor c-MYC -amplified and/or overexpressed in ADP- and chromatin remodelers necessary for its transcriptional activity.
by Comite Web | Nov 16, 2022
The Hormones and Cancer research group is a consolidated IMIBIC group composed of basic, translational and clinical researchers. We investigate the cellular and molecular principles underlying natural neuroendocrine-metabolic regulatory processes and their dysfunctions in tumors and cancer. The group pays particular attention to the role of certain neuropeptide/receptor systems and their regulation by different mechanisms, especially alternative splicing and its related RNA control processes and associated signaling pathways, at the onco-endocrine interface. Currently, our work focuses on the pathophysiology of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of pancreatic origin (PanNETs), along with other types of neuroendocrine tumors, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), where we investigate the actions of various molecular regulatory systems (including somatostatin, ghrelin, etc.) and the specific role of alternative splicing and other processes involved in the regulation of RNA biology.
Our studies have led to the discovery and characterization of new receptors, splicing variants, functions and mechanisms of action for different neuroendocrine-metabolic signals and drugs that control hormone secretion, tumorigenesis or cell death and survival in different types of cancer. Specifically, recent studies have allowed us to identify specific genes, related to regulatory machinery of RNA metabolism in the cell, altered both in PDAC (as in the case of the SF3B1 gene) and in PanNETs (as in the case of the NOVA1 gene), thus having discovered genes that seem to play a key role in these pathologies.
Our ultimate goal is to contribute to the discovery of new biomarkers for early detection, improved diagnosis and predictive prognosis of the tumors studied, as well as to identify actionable targets for the design of innovative personalized therapeutic strategies, which together will advance precision medicine in NETs and pancreatic cancer.
by Comite Web | Nov 16, 2022
The Translational Research Unit (UIT) group is made up of translational and clinical research personnel, and has the facilities and equipment necessary to design and execute translational biomedical research projects in the lines established as priorities at the General University Hospital of Ciudad Real (HGUCR), among which the following stand out: 1) Obesity, eating disorders and food addiction; 2) Oncology (chemohyperthermia, new chemotherapeutic dosage formats, new drug combinations, tumor stem cells, miRNAs); 3) Sepsis and septic shock; 4) Biological evaluation of active principles of plant origin; 5) Non-melanoma skin cancer and cutaneous cancerization field; and 6) Study of epidermal barrier function and development of new drugs for the treatment of chronic inflammatory dermatoses and scarring. In addition, the ITU is designed to provide instrumental and scientific support to clinical researchers who require it, for which it has the necessary technology to carry out molecular and cellular biology studies in vivo and in vitro, as well as histological studies, experimental behavioral analysis and disease modeling in rodents.
The ITU also participates in projects, agreements and research contracts with external public and private entities, and collaborates with the teaching, dissemination and care activities of the HGUCR within its scope of action.
In the field of pancreatic cancer, there are several lines of work among which we can highlight:
- Study of a new therapeutic model characterized by the application of Hyperthermic Intraabdominal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) with gemcitabine in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
- Study of pancreatic tumor stem cells: isolation, search for new markers and new targeted therapies.
