Page 16 - MemoriaEHD-Eng

SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMS

• A public HCV data base named HepatiC owned by Ciberehd has been conso-

lidated. An agreement with the AEEH (Spanish Association for Liver Disease)
has been signed to open Hepatic to all National Health professionals willing

to participate in the Project. The database received approval in the Boletín
Oficial del Estado BOE-B-2011-20823 June 20th 2011, and was registered in

the Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (AEPD). It is fully operative and

more than 500 patients have been introduced during 2013.

• Another fully collaborative study, sponsored by a Ciberehd platform, still on-

going during 2013 and entitled “Secuenciación a gran escala para el diagnós-
tico y planificación del tratamiento de hepatitis víricas” has finally succeed and

a collaborative publication has been obtained.

• IL28 polymorphism testing in chronic HCV patients has been implemented in

practice in all participating Clinical Hospitals.

• We have also succeeded in using subgenomic and genomic HCV replicons to

study HCV infection, replication, including the cloning of a fully replicating full-
length HCV genome (Dr. X.Forns’ group), and investigation of the effect of an- í

ti-viral drugs on HCV quasispecies dynamics (Drs. J.Gomez and E.Domingo).

• Non-invasive (ARFI) techniques to characterise hepatic fibrosis, including li-

censed software to analyse magnetic resonance images have been evaluated.

• Improvement of viral load detection of HDV is ongoing (Dr. Garcia Samaniego).

• Epidemiological studies focussed in HBV, HCV, HDV and recently in HEV infec-

tion has been reinforced including nosocomial HCV transmission studies thus

supporting the National Health Spanish System. We are also studying the viral
dynamics during antiviral therapy and during post-transplant recurrence and

we are also involved in developing cooperative multicentre assays for antiviral

treatments.

• Studies on DNA genomic polymorphisms in Interferon inducible genes (ISGs),

have reported its association as independent predictive factors of response to
anti-HCV treatment (Peg-IFN & Ribavirin) in chronic HCV (HCC) patients (Dr.

M.Garca Buey). Immune response and levels of expression of host proteins
have been implicated in progression to fibrosis/cirrhosis and development of

hepatocarcinoma.

• A three-year multicenter study including all hepatocarcinoma cases occurring

on NASH, HCV or cryptogenic cirrhosis, named FLIP (Fatty Liver: Inhibition of

Progression) started in 2010 (Dr. M Romero Gomez)

• Dr. J.Salmeron’s group participates in the European Project “Fatty liver: In-

hibition of Progression. “Prevention and treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver 13
disease (NAFLD)” that started in 2010.
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• A collaborative line of research involving three groups of our Area 2 and led R
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by Dr. J.Garcia-Samaniego has been consolidated, focussing in the study of E
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epigenetic interactions between the host’s genomic DNA and HBV or HCV ge- A
nomes.
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• A methodology for HCV subtyping has been developed using 454/GS-Junior /
platform. Automation of the protocol is ongoing to be implemented in the cli- HD
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nical routine laboratory “Hepatitis Pathology. Biochemistry Department. Hos- ER
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pital Vall d’Hebron Barcelona” (Dr. R.Esteban’ group).
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