The IDIBGI has begun a study on the causes of the physical and cognitive disability associated with multiple sclerosis

Led by Dr. Ramió Torrentà, the study has recruited a young researcher and winner of the Granés Fundació Grant to foster research in disability

The IDIBGI is researching the contribution by changes in the function of the mitochondria, the cells’ energy producers, to the neurodegeneration associated with multiple sclerosis and the main cause of physical and cognitive disability in people with this disease.
Led by Dr. Ramió i Torrentà, this study is being carried out within the framework of the Biomarkers of Mitochondrial Dysfunction and their Relation with Neurodegeneration and Disability Project.

Granés Fundació and the Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI) are supporting these grants, which will be called every other year to foster research in the field of disability. This first Grant, awarded in January, is intended to support the research carried out at the Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI). With this grant, the researcher Albert Miguela, with a bachelor’s degree in Biomedicine (Berga, 1996), will join the Neurodegeneration and Neuroinflammation research group, led by Dr. Ramió i Torrentà, within the Biomarkers of Mitochondrial Dysfunction and their Relation with Neurodegeneration and Disability Project.

The grant programme seeks to facilitate the recruitment of young researchers, who will join
research groups at the IDIBGI with the goal of improving the quality of life of people with disabilities and/or prevent the diseases that cause them.

The Granés Fundació grants are endowed with 30,000 euros per year, with each researcher being recruited for a period of four years. As the grants are biannual, the total investment will amount to €300,000 during the next six years.

With the support of the Granés Fundació grants, the research groups affiliated with the IDIBGI will be able to select researchers who will develop their doctoral thesis in research related with disability, and/or the factors that cause it.

The IDIBGI’s different research areas share in common the prevention and treatment of a series of diseases that may cause disabilities.
These grants materialise the Granés Fundació’s and IDIBGI’s shared focus and objectives; as such, they will provide additional resources for research in disability and open new lines in the Institute’s research groups.

IDIBGI
The Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI) is a CERCA research centre run by the Catalan Government. Its goal is to support, perform, manage, transfer and disseminate biomedical research, scientific and technological knowledge, and teaching and training in the field of life sciences and health, mainly in the Girona area.

Granés Fundació
Granés Fundació was created in 2017. Its purpose is to provide social support for people with physical and intellectual disabilities and help young people undertake specialised courses of study or university master’s degrees or research projects.
The intention of this grant programme is to bring together the Foundation’s two purposes, by awarding grants to young researchers in the field of disability and/or the diseases that cause it.