Dr Puig has served as a Gastroenterology Consultant at Althaia Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa since 2011, and as Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya since 2019.

He obtained his PhD under the supervision of Dr Xavier Calvet and during his post-doctorate period was mentored by Dr Maria Pellisé. He learned optical diagnosis of diminutive colorectal polyps at VA Palo Alto Health Care System, CA (USA) with Dr Tonya Kaltenbach, and the invasive pattern with magnification at the National Cancer Center, Tokyo (Japan) under the supervision of Dr Taku Sakamoto. In 2021 Dr Puig received training in advanced endoscopic techniques at the Endoscopy Unit of King’s College Hospital, London (UK), under the supervision of Dr Bu Hayee and Dr Amyn Haji.

In 2019 Dr Puig became the Scientific Director of AEG-REDCap, an online research platform that promotes the design, development and management of eCRF for data collection in multicentre studies. More than 2,500 researchers use this platform in over 400 hosted projects. Between 2019 and 2022, he also collaborated with the European Registry on the management of Helicobacter Pylori infection as Scientific Director. More than 6,000 patients were enrolled each year, and more than 50,000 patients from 29 countries were included (www.hpeureg.com).

His lines of research are focused on advanced endoscopic imaging and therapeutics of gastrointestinal lesions, and the management of Helicobacter Pylori infection.

In his free time, one of the things he likes most is enjoying a good conversation over some “tapas”. The simple things in life…

Dr Álvarez has been Head of the Digestology Service at Althaia Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa since 2021, and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona since 2014, where he has supervised one doctoral thesis and five final degree projects.

He has broad expertise in basic and advanced endoscopy (with more than 20,000 colonoscopies, 15,000 gastroscopies, 400 endoscopic mucosal resections, 300 ERCP, 300 enteroscopies and 200 small bowel capsule endoscopies) and in outpatient assessment, diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal and liver disorders.

Dr Álvarez also has extensive experience as a speaker at international and national scientific meetings, having given more than 50 lectures on topics including cirrhosis, celiac disease, colonoscopy, advanced imaging in GI endoscopy, artificial intelligence in GI endoscopy, colorectal cancer and endoscopic removal of colon polyps, which represent his main lines of research. He is the author of more than 40 papers published in leading scientific journals and he has taken part in more than 15 clinical trials as PI or collaborator.

As regards his participation in professional associations, Dr Álvarez takes a very active part in the work of the Societat Catalana de Digestologia. He served as an expert on the organization’s scientific committee for endoscopy and pancreas until 2021 and is currently working on the society’s strategic plan on advanced endoscopy. He has also joined the Endoscopic resection working group of the Sociedad Española de Endoscopia Digestiva, as a board member and scientific adviser to the group’s multicentre studies.

Marco Antonio enjoys fencing (épée), playing football and travelling with family and friends.

Ascón has worked at Althaia, Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa since 2007. Her first steps focused on pediatric care, but she finally moved to endoscopy and, since 2015, she has been the nurse manager of the Colorectal Cancer Screening Technical Office and the Hereditary Cancer Unit.

Ascón is also an active member of Althaia’s Gastrointestinal Pathology Committee. Her line of research focuses on the follow-up of patients with a high personal risk of colorectal cancer. She teaches on early detection of colorectal cancer training programmes for other nurses.

Nàdia enjoys trekking and travelling.

Dr Collera has worked as a surgeon at Althaia, Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa since 1998. He became head of the Service of General Surgery in 2018, and joined the Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya in 2019 as Associate Professor.

In 2010, he expanded his expertise in coloproctology at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York (USA), under the supervision of Dr W. Douglas Wong. In 2020, he also stayed at the Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi (UAE) broadening his skills in obesity surgery. In 2018, he guided a mentorship programme in TaTME approach technique at the Francisco Gentil Oncology Institute in Oporto (Portugal).

His lines of research are surgical and post-surgical treatments of colorectal cancer. Currently, Collera is also participating in several studies evaluating the impact of Covid-19 in postoperative period and the effectiveness and safety of surgical procedures. He has published more than 20 clinical studies in the last three years focused on these topics.

Collera has been Vice President of the Societat Catalana de Cirurgia since 2019.

Pablo loves to play basketball and spends his free time with his family and friends at home or visiting new cities.

Dr Da Costa has worked at the Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa as a gastroenterology consultant since 2021. Previously, he worked at Althaia, Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa, from 2019 to 2021.

During his stay at Althaia, he learned optical diagnosis of colorectal lesions and the invasive pattern with magnification with Dr Ignasi Puig and, at the same time, he began his involvement in Dr Puig’s lines of research. Da Costa is working towards a PhD on the Medicine and Biomedical Sciences programme at the Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya under the supervision of Dr Puig and Dr Pellisé. His lines of research focus on endoscopic recognition of the invasive pattern in colorectal polyps.

João is a geography enthusiast and, in his spare time, he loves travelling and scuba diving.

Dr González is a specialist in clinical biochemistry and, since 2019, head of the Tumour Markers and Molecular Biology area at Althaia, Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa.

At the same time, since 2020, she has been teaching the Master’s Degree in Health Emergencies and Emergencies at the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya and tutoring trainees in the Althaia Laboratory.

González developed her first stage as a researcher in the Clinical Biochemistry group at the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute, mainly focused on studying Hepatitis B.

Her current research focuses on tumour markers while he continues her investigation with her former group in the field of hepatitis.

Carolina is passionate about travelling and discovering new cultures, and, for the past few months, she has been enjoying her new motherhood.

Dr Güell has worked as a surgeon at Althaia, Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa since 2001. She specializes in gastroesophageal surgery.

Güell is currently working towards a PhD on the Medicine and Biomedical Sciences programme at the Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya under the supervision of Dr Puig and Dr Xuriguera. She studies materials engineering, and is currently engaged in finding a 3D printable biomaterial for mesh configuration in large abdominal wall defects.

Mercè is a devoted long-distance runner, and she loves visiting big cities and competing in marathons.

Mar Masanés has worked at Althaia, Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa since 1989. After starting her career as a hospital nurse in the Internal Medicine, Oncology and Surgery services, in 2005, she initiated, together with a multidisciplinary team, the project of the Rapid Diagnosis Unit for Digestive Medicine and Cancer, of which she is currently the nurse manager.

In 2005, Mar obtained a Master’s Degree in Bases on Care and Education for People with Diabetes, taught at the University of Barcelona. Subsequently, she obtained a postgraduate diploma in Oncology Nursing from the Escola Universitària de l’Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in 2008.

Her main teaching responsibilities include her participation in the postgraduate course in anaesthesia and resuscitation at the Escola Universitària de Ciències de la Salut de Manresa (2001-2006).

Mar Masanés is also an active member of the Colorectal and Gastrointestinal Tumour Committee.

Her hobbies include hiking and she is a devoted reader of good literature.

Matas has worked at Althaia, Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa since 2018. She is currently a PhD student in the Medicine and Biomedical Sciences programme at the Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya under the supervision of Dr. Ignasi Puig and Dr. Meritxell Gironella (Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, IDIBAPS). Her line of research focuses on analysing the expression of microRNAs in faeces to assess it as a potential biomarker for the development of colorectal cancer.

She obtained a Master’s Degree in Molecular Oncology at the Centre for Biosanitary Studies and Rey Juan Carlos University (Madrid, Spain).

Marta is a very active person who enjoys trekking, cycling and the tradition of “castells” – human towers.

Dr Olmedo began her career as an assistant doctor in the Surgery Department of the Hospital General de Manresa in 1996. At the end of her residency as a specialist in Family and Community Health, in 2000, she continued as an emergency surgeon until 2005, spending two years as a member of the outpatient emergency air team. Since 2003, Olmedo has been working as a Family doctor at ABS Manresa 3 (Althaia, Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa). Since 2012, she has been a lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine of the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, giving the course entitled “Family and Community Medicine”.

She is currently pursuing a doctorate at the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya under the supervision of Dr Emili Gené and Dr Xavier Calvet. Her line of research focuses on digestive pathology in Primary Care and the treatment of Helicobacter Pylori.

In her free time, Llum organizes weddings and events (she trained as a wedding planner at the Universitat de Girona), but what she likes most is celebrating every little moment with family and friends: for her “the best life is a shared life”.

Dr Pla has been Clinical Head of Althaia’s Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa Internal Medicine outpatient area since 2021. He joined the centre in 2019 as an internal medicine specialist. He also became Associate Professor at Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya in the same year.

Pla obtained his Master’s degree in Systemic Autoimmune Diseases from UB-SEMI (Universidad de Barcelona – Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna) in 2017. At the University Hospital of Vic, where he worked between 2010 and 2018, he created the Rapid Diagnostic Unit at the Medical Day Hospital and set up the cooperation programme between Primary attention and Internal Medicine Department. He is currently working at the Medical Day Hospital and Rapid Diagnostic Unit and is a member of the Gastrointestinal tumour pathology committee.

He is an active member of GEAS – SEMI (Grupo de trabajo de enfermedades autoinmunes sistémicas – SEMI) and RESCLE (Registro español de ESCLErodermia).

Xavi likes to travel and discover new places, especially riding his motorcycle.

Dr Romero has worked as a rehabilitation doctor at Althaia Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa since 2005; and as an associate professor at the Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya since 2014.

Her lines of research focus on pelvic floor rehabilitation and the treatment of incontinence. As a result of this work, Romero obtained the European patent for the PelviBex Strenght, registered in 2015. It is an instrument capable of measuring pelvic floor muscle strength. Romero is currently working on a new patent in collaboration with the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, a penile clamp device for male urinary incontinence.

Dr Romero has an extensive track record as a participant in scientific meetings, with some fifty communications to congresses and some forty papers. She is also the author of some twenty international and national publications.

In the associative framework, Romero is the Coordinator of the pelvic floor working group of the Societat Catalana de Medicina física i Rehabilitació and Secretary of the working group on chronic pelvic pain of the Societat Catalana de Ginecologia.

Georgia is happy enjoying her free time with her friends and family.

Dr Rosiñol has been an active member of the Gastrointestinal Pathology Committee at Althaia, Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa since she arrived at the institution in 2009. She participates in the tumor committee and clinical sessions in which endoscopic and pathological images are correlated and she carries out histological assessment in research projects. Rosiñol is also a member of the SEAP (Societat Espanyola d’Anatomia Patològica) and the ACMCB (Acadèmia de Ciències Mèdiques de Catalunya i Balears), affiliated to the Societat Catalana d’Anatomia Patològica, and she teaches on the training programmes that these bodies organize.

Rosiñol manages the training activities of the Pathology service for technicians and pathologists and the rotations of residents of other specialities. She has also been internship tutor for students on the Advanced Vocational Training programme at her unit since 2019.

Òria loves nature and walking in the woods. 

Dr Serra has worked at Althaia, Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa since 2021. Previously, she spent a large part of her professional career at the Institut Català d’Oncologia (ICO), from 2012 to 2021.

Her lines of research include the molecular classification of cancer and the search for the most effective treatments for the patients. Currently, she is working towards a PhD on the Biomedicine programme at the Universitat de Barcelona under the supervision of Dr Ramon Salazar and Dr Núria Sala. Since 2011, Serra has participated in three research projects funded by FIS grants awarded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III and the Horizon Europe Framework Programme of the European Commission, all of which have focused on biomedicine. She also has extensive experience in clinical trials.

Serra has taken an active part in drafting several medical guidelines on gastric, pancreatic and esophageal cancer commissioned by the ICO and the Institut Català de la Salut. She is also is a member of the EORTC Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer Group.

Òlbia loves traveling and going on family outings.

Vidal has been working at Althaia, Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa since 1992. She works as a stomal therapy nurse, specializing in managing ostomies and incontinence, her main lines of research.

The social aspect is essential in her activity. Faced with the need and demand she received from people with an ostomy, in 2018, Vidal created the Associació Catalana d’Ostomitzats Catalunya Central (ACOCC). She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Associació Catalana d’Ostomitzats (ACO).

Vidal also participates as a nurse expert in the GESTO working group, formed by stomal therapy nurses from all over the state, whose objective is to share research projects, educational material, action protocols, and visibility campaigns with professionals in the field. She is also a member of the scientific group Puntos de encuentro de Cataluña.

At the teaching level, Vidal teaches in training programs on transanal irrigation, pelvic floor, ostomies, and cures for other nurses; and she is a tutor for the practical training of students of Nursing Degree and Resident Nurses of the Multiprofessional Teaching Unit AFIC Catalunya Central.

Vidal obtained her Master’s Degree in Nursing in Coloproctology and Stomatherapy from UFV Universidad Francisco de Vitoria in 2019.

Cristina loves hiking and enjoying family and friends.

Cano has worked as Technical Project Manager of the research group since 2017. She provides support for all aspects of projects, including communication needs. She also provides technical support on project management in Althaia’s Research and Innovation Unit. She is the administrator of AEG-REDCap, as well as the technical manager of the European Registry on the management of H. pylori infection (Hp-EuReg).

Cano has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and has worked mainly in written press and communication agencies since 2000. In 2007, she became the head of Sports and Culture sections in local newspaper Diari d’Igualada-Regió7. At the same time, she managed the communication department of the Zoom European TV movies festival for four years, and contributed to the national newspaper La Vanguardia as a photographer and editor. She then moved to the healthcare sector and has been working at Althaia, Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa since 2014.

Consult Anna if you need to know anything about movies, series and travel.