Doping Control Research Group
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Neurosciences Programme
Group Leader
Rosa Ventura Alemany
The Doping Control Research Group performs scientific research to contribute to the progress of doping control in sports, with the objective of ensuring doping-free sport and protecting the health of athletes. It is formed of personnel belonging to the Catalan Antidoping Laboratory.
The research group was recognized by AGAUR (Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca, Generalitat de Catalunya) as a consolidated research group (2017 SGR 81; Principal investigator: Rosa Ventura Alemany).
The research focuses on the development and improvement of analytical methods to detect the misuse of doping agents and on the study of new markers to improve the detection of substances and methods prohibited in sport. In addition, the group works on new mass spectrometry techniques for detecting and quantifying drugs and their metabolites, and endogenous metabolites in biological fluids to study pharmacokinetics, metabolism and pharmacodynamics. The team also collaborates with other research groups in determining environmental pollutants in biological samples.
The group’s main areas of interest in research are the following:
• Metabolism of anabolic androgenic steroids (long-term metabolites).
• Detection of the administration of endogenous steroids.
• Study of the factors influencing the endogenous steroid profile.
• Discrimination of prohibited and permitted uses of glucocorticoids.
• Discrimination of prohibited and permitted uses of β2-agonists.
• Detection of the use of blood transfusions.
• Detection of growth hormone releasing peptides.
• Use of dried blood spots in doping control.
Moreover, members of the Doping Control Research Group are actively involved in training programs in chemistry and toxicology for graduate and undergraduate students (Pompeu Fabra University, University of Barcelona, Basque Country University).
Finally, the Group includes the Catalan Anti-doping Laboratory, one of the 30 accredited laboratories in the world to perform anti-doping tests. The Laboratory obtained the renewal of the following accreditations in 2019:
• World Anti-Doping Agency, to perform anti-doping analyses in athletes.
• ISO17025, to perform anti-doping and toxicology assays.
• Association of Official Racing Chemists, to perform anti-doping analyses in animals.
Research group
Members
Rosa Leonor Bergés Casas (Researcher)
Élida Alechaga Silva (Technician)
María del Rosario Álvarez García (Technician)
Indira Anselmo Castellano (Technician)
Laura Benítez Gracia (Technician)
Claudia Bressan (Technician)
Belén Cano Ávalos (Technician)
Sergi Coll Camenforte (Technician)
Ignacio Coll García (Technician)
Albert Contreras Llin (Technician)
Susana Cuadras Navarro (Technician)
Immaculada Figuera Figuera (Technician)
Lorena Garrostas Carreño (Technician)
Marta Gómez Gijón (Technician)
María Lázaro Miguélez (Technician)
Sonia Leal Xalma (Technician)
Núria Monfort Mercader (Technician)
Montserrat Núñez Maroto (Technician)
Sílvia Petit Guiral (Technician)
Laura Pont Villanueva (Technician)
Jordi Puigdemasa Pérez (Technician)
Rosalía Ramírez Llanelis (Technician)
Lídia Requena Tutusaus (Technician)
María Pilar Sáez Hernández (Technician)
Elia Sanjuán Estaún (Tchnician)
Alejandro Terrero González (Technician)
Marta Vicén Morales (Technician)
Daria Navarra Alcrudo (Research Assistant)
Main Publications
• Coll S, Matabosch X, Llorente-Onaindia J, Carbó M, Pérez-Mañá C, Monfort N, Monfort J, Ventura R. Elimination profile of triamcinolone hexacetonide and its metabolites in human urine and plasma after a single intra-articular administration. Drug Test Anal 2019; 11(11-12): 1589-1600. IF 2.799. Q1.
• Esquivel A, Alechaga E, Monfort N, Ventura R. Sulfate metabolites improve retrospectivity after oral testosterone administration. Drug Test Anal 2019; 11(3): 392-402. IF 2.799. Q1.
• Esquivel A, Alechaga E, Monfort N, Yang S, Xing Y, Moutian W, Ventura R. Evaluation of sulfate metabolites as markers of intramuscular testosterone administration in Caucasian and Asian populations. Drug Test Anal 2019; 11(8): 1218-1230. IF 2.799. Q1.
• Coll S, Monfort N, Alechaga E, Matabosch X, Pérez-Mañá C, Ventura R. Additional studies on triamcinolone acetonide use and misuse in sports: Elimination profile after intranasal and high-dose intramuscular administrations. Steroids 2019; 151: 108464. IF 2.136. Q1.
Ongoing Research Projects
• Evaluation of alternative glucocorticosteroid metabolites for the discrimination between legal and forbidden administration routes
- Financing institution: World Anti-Doping Agency (13D22RV)
- Period: from 2014 to 2019
- Principal investigator: Ventura Alemany, Rosa
• Improving detection of anabolic steroids: new screening based on the direct analysis of phase II metabolites using LC-Q-HRMS
- Financing institution: World Anti-Doping Agency (15A15RV)
- Period: from 2016 to 2020
- Principal investigator: Ventura Alemany, Rosa
• Studies on intra-articular and peri-articular administrations of glucocorticoids
- Financing institution: World Anti-Doping Agency (16C11RV)
- Period: from 2017 to 2020
- Principal investigator: Ventura Alemany, Rosa
• Improving Detection of Endogenous Anabolic Steroids misuse by measuring endogenous Sulfate metabolites (IDEASS)
- Financing institution: World Anti-Doping Agency (17D09RV)
- Period: From 2018 to 2019
- Principal investigator: Ventura Alemany, Rosa
Theses
• Coll S. Studies on glucocorticoids in sports drug testing. Universitat Pompeu Fabra
- Director: Ventura Alemany, Rosa
- Date of defense: 10/12/2019
Outreach
Dissemination to Society and Initiatives of Citizen Participation
• Sergi Coll, Élida Alechaga. Guided tour of the Catalonian Antidoping Laboratory to students of Narcís Monturiol Institute. ACCÉS Project (Bringing Science Closer to Secondary Schools) included in the Escolab Project. Barcelona Science Programme of the Institute of Culture. 5 April 2019.
• Sergi Coll, Élida Alechaga. BioJunior 2019. An Open Day only for students. Guided tours of the Catalonian Antidoping Laboratory to High School students. 3 May 2019.
• Élida Alechaga, Laura Pont, Lídia Requena. Guided tours of the Catalonian Antidoping Laboratory. Open Day of the Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona (PRBB), 5 October 2019.
2019
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info@imim.es