Metabolic diseases of pediatric origin
Research Program
Where we are
SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital
Related websites
SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital We are a multidisciplinary group of physicians, nutritionists, biologists and biochemists. This allows us to carry out both basic and patient-centred translational research. Our main focus of interest are the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of metabolic diseases of paediatric origin.
Over the last five years, and in close collaboration with the Endocrinology Unit of the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital, we have created a solid structure of clinical research with the aim of facilitating the conduct of translational projects. We also avail of these clinical research projects as the basis for the training of the Unit's clinical staff and ultimately in the completion of their doctoral theses.
We have been recognised by the Government of Catalonia as a consolidated research group (SGR 845) since 2017.
Research lines
- Role of the composition of breast milk in the risk of childhood obesity (Principal investigator: Carles Lerín).
- Clinical research in childhood obesity (Principal investigator: Carles Lerín).
- Animal childhood obesity models (Principal investigator: Josep Jiménez).
- New treatments for type 1 diabetes (Principal investigator: Josep Jiménez)
Scientific objectives
- To study the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of childhood obesity and diabetes.
- To identify new early biomarkers of risk of obesity and associated metabolic diseases.
- To design new strategies for the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity.
Area/Field of expertise
Our research focuses on gaining a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms linking nutrition and growth during the very early stages of life with the subsequent development of childhood obesity and metabolic diseases in adulthood. This paradigm is known as the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). To accomplish this, we have a highly multidisciplinary group of physicians, nutritionists, biologists, biochemists and laboratory technicians. Together we carry out eminently translational research characterised by:
- The development and characterisation of experimental (mouse) models that closely recapitulate human pathophysiology.
- The conduct of clinical trials to develop new preventive and treatment strategies.
This research is bidirectional in that it enables the transfer of questions arising in clinical practice to experimental models and, vice versa, the transfer of the knowledge acquired in the laboratory to clinical studies.
For the past five years, we have been working on "omic" techniques to gain a further understanding of these processes and to identify early biomarkers. More specifically, we are conducting (i) targeted and non-targeted metabolomics in breast milk of women with and without obesity, and (ii) analyses of the metabolome, epigenome and, more recently, metagenome in a clinical cohort of prepubertal children with obesity.
We are currently evaluating the physiological role of these biomarkers through in vitro and in vivo animal cell models. Our aim is to better understand their possible involvement in the pathophysiology associated with metabolic diseases and then propose new nutritional-therapeutic interventions for the treatment of childhood obesity and associated metabolic disorders.
Group members
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Jefe de Grupo Senior
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Investigador
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Jefe de Grupo Senior
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Investigador
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Investigador colaborador
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Investigador
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Investigador
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Investigador post-doc
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Montserrat Amat Bou
Investigador
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Investigador pre-doc
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Investigador
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Investigador pre-doc
Last Publications
- Juton C, Lerin-Martinez C, Homs C, Casas Esteve R, Berruezo P, Cárdenas-Fuentes G, Fíto M, Grau M, Estrada L, Gómez SF and Schröder H Prospective Associations between Maternal and Child Diet Quality and Sedentary Behaviors. Nutrients . 13(5): .
- Juton C, Castro-Barquero S, Casas R, Freitas T, Ruiz-León AM, Crovetto F, Domenech M, Fàtima Crispi Brillas, Vieta E, Gratacós E, Estruch R and Schroder H Reliability and Concurrent and Construct Validity of a Food Frequency Questionnaire for Pregnant Women at High Risk to Develop Fetal Growth Restriction. Nutrients . 13(5): .
- Indolfi G, Stivala M, Lenge M, Díaz-Naderi R, McIntosh J, Ricard Casadevall Llandrich, Gannon J, McGreevy KS, Trapani S, Miettinen P, Lahdenne P, Desborough L, Pavare J, van Rossum A, Zyska D, Resti M and Zanobini A Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic and Strategies for Resumption of Activities During the Second Wave of the Pandemic: A Report From Eight Paediatric Hospitals From the ECHO Network. Frontiers in public health . 9: 630168-630168.
Projects
- Project name:
- El microbioma intestinal como diana terapéutica en el síndrome de Prader-Willi: efectos metabólicos y en el comportamiento de los pacientes
- Leader
- Marta Ramon Krauel
- Funding entities:
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
- Code
- PI20/00301
- Starting - finishing date:
- 2021 - 2023
- Project name:
- Obesidad infantil: La bola de nieve que precede la avalancha metabólica (una aproximación epigenómica)
- Leader
- José Carlos Jiménez Chillarón
- Funding entities:
- Fundación Salud 2000 (Merck Salud)
- Code
- PCP00284
- Starting - finishing date:
- 2020 - 2022
- Project name:
- BetAkk: Microbiota intestinal durante las primeras etapas de la vida y riesgo de obesidad y enfermedades metabólicas a largo plazo
- Leader
- Carles Lerin Martinez
- Funding entities:
- Ministerio de Economía Y Competitividad (MINECO)
- Code
- SAF2017-88005-R
- Starting - finishing date:
- 2018 - 2022
Theses
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Papel de la microbiota intestinal en el tratamiento del síndrome de Prader-Willi
- Author
- Amat Bou, Montserrat
- Institution
- UNIVERSIDAD DE BARCELONA
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Estudi de l'oncostatina M i de la termogènesi del teixit adipós marró, abans i després de la cirurgia bariàtrica
- Author
- Piquer García, Irene
- Institution
- UNIVERSIDAD DE BARCELONA
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Nutrició perinatal i programació de risc metabòlic a llarg termini: estudi de possibles mecanismes i intervencions en models d’experimentació animal
- Author
- Ramon Krauel, Marta
- Institution
- UNIVERSIDAD DE BARCELONA
News
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Human milk from women infected and vaccinated for coronavirus has antibodies against COVID-19
Human milk from infected women and vaccinated for coronavirus has antibodies against COVID-19, according to two published studies in the medRxiv repository and launched by the scientific consortium MilkCorona,
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Supplementing the maternal diet with betaine during lactation may reduce the risk of childhood obesity
Decreased levels of betaine in breast milk are associated with accelerated growth in babies during the first few months of life, a risk factor for childhood obesity. Study led by a research team from the Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu and SJD Barcelona Children’s Hospital, published in the scientific journal Science Translational Medicine.
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First scientific conference on nanotechnology and rare diseases
The Spanish nanomedicine platform (Nanomed Spain), together with the Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute and the IBEC (Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia), organised an event within the framework of the Rare Disease Day at which they presented the latest innovations in the field of nanomedicine for the treatment and diagnosis of these diseases.