Aims

Our research group is devoted to the study of basic and clinical aspects of liver diseases. The initial research line is dedicated to etiologic, epidemiologic and therapeutic aspects of viral hepatitis. The second research line is dedicated to chronic liver diseases and its complications (liver cirrhosis, portal hypertension and GI bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy and hepatocarcinoma) and liver transplantation.

”Hepatitis B, molecular biology and therapy .”
Coordinators: María Buti and Rossend Jardí 
Study of the genomic variability of hepatitis B virus (Genotypes) and its epidemiological implications. Analysis of mutations that provide resistence to antivirals. New therapies. Natural history.

”Hepatitis C, molecular biolgy, immune response and therapy .”
Coordinator: Joan Ignasi Esteban Mur
Genomic variability of HCV, quasiespecies, hipervariable regions. Immune response against HCV. Natural history. New therapies.

”Portal hypertension .”
Coordinator: Joan Genescà Ferrer
Molecular basis of splanchnic arterial vasodilation. Prophylaxis of variceal rebleeding.

”Hepatic encephalopathy and nutrition .”
Coordinator: Joan Córdoba Cardona
Experimental models of hepatic encephalopathy. Imaging and neurologic alterations in hepatic encephalopathy. Liver cirrhosis and nutrition.

”Liver transplantation and hepatocarcinoma ”
Coodinators: Víctor Vargas Blasco and Lluís Castells Fusté
Treatment of HCV recurrence postransplantation. New therapies in hepatocarcinoma.