Researchers from the Gastrointestinal Oncology, Endoscopy and Surgery (GOES) research group met a few days ago at the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu in Manresa (Barcelona) to hold their annual scientific meeting. It was a session to share the group’s past, present and future projects, which are multidisciplinary and have several lines of research open in gastrointestinal oncology, endoscopy and surgery. The balance of the activity is very positive, and the synergies and collaborations between the group’s professionals stand out.
At the meeting, all members of the GOES research group presented their projects. Gemma Cuberas Borrós, head of the Research, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit at Althaia, and Juan Manuel Barroso Beltran, head of the Projects Unit at IRIS-CC, also spoke about IRIS and Althaia’s contribution to the group’s researchers.
In addition, it was highlighted that there are three doctoral theses in progress and that two professionals from the group have recently received their doctorates: Xavier Pla Sala and Òlbia Serra Solé.
At the moment, the group’s ongoing projects are:
- Study of diagnosis, management strategies and treatment in adult patients infected by Helicobacter pylori (Llum Olmedo Borjas and Anna Cano Català).
- Implementing new molecular diagnostic techniques for oncological studies (Carolina González Fernández).
- Evaluation of the quality of life of patients operated on for rectal cancer and with intestinal dysfunctions (Cristina Vidal Morral).
- Study of new therapeutic options for patients with pelvic floor dysfunctions (Geòrgia Romero Cullerés).
- Strategies to improve intestinal cleansing for colonoscopies to reduce the incidence of colon cancer and increase survival (Marco Antonio Álvarez).
- Evaluation of the association of faecal miRNAs with the presence of colorectal cancer in symptomatic patients and development and validation of a predictive model (Marta Matas Garcia, Nàdia Ascón Murcia, Carolina González Fernández, Mar Masanés Gilabert and Ignasi Puig del Castillo).
- Improving the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer through Artificial Intelligence (Ignasi Puig del Castillo and Nàdia Ascón Murcia).
- New molecular classification of gastric cancer to improve treatment indications and study of emerging biomarkers (Òlbia Serra Solé).
- Collaboration in developing new communication platforms that allow surgical proctoring and implementation of new robotic surgery (Pablo Collera Ormazábal).
- Participation in the registry of patients attended in the QDU of Catalonia to generate scientific evidence in quality diagnostic actions as a working group and consolidate the Althaia QDU as a quality care element achieving continuous research capacity (Xavier Pla Sala and Mar Masanés Gilabert).
- LODIP study. Validation study that aims to measure the sensitivity of optical diagnosis to predict deep invasion in colorectal polyps evaluated in colonoscopies performed in routine clinical practice for a year (Ignasi Puig del Castillo, Joao da Costa and Anna Cano Català).
- Applications of 3D printing in surgery include developing a replacement mesh with a new compatible material printed with 3D technology fully adapted to the complex incisional hernia wall defect and a 3D-printed ostomy fastener (Mercè Güell Farré).
