18/01/2016 - Press release
Researchers from the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM) in collaboration with scientists from Pompeu Fabra University, the Pasteur Institute andPierre and Marie Curie University, have discovered a crucial neural mechanism that explains the process of nicotine reward and addiction. Nicotine, the principal psychoactive component of tobacco, is quickly absorbed through the nasal, oral and respiratory membranes and takes 7 seconds to reach the brain where the receptors are located. It is there where it acts on the central nervous system as well as the autonomic nervous system. This almost immediate relationship between the inhalation of the smoke and its effect at a cerebral level is one of the factors contributing to the highly addictive nature of nicotine. This is explained by the fact that the nicotine exerts its psychopharmacological effects by activating receptors that are very abundant in several specific regions of the brain, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR).
Més informació "A novel brain mechanism for nicotine addiction"
01/12/2015 - General information
The co-existence of mental illness and psychoactive drug or other substance use problems — otherwise known as ‘comorbidity’ or ‘dual diagnosis’ — is an issue which has been on the radar of the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) for over a decade. This agency aims to provide objective and reliable information concernint drugs and their consequences.
Més informació "New EMCDDA report explores combined mental health and substance use disorders"
09/10/2015 - Institutional news
In its mission to protect and promote clean athletes, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is financing and backing seven innovative research projects in the fight against doping, which include a project by Dr Jordi Segura, coordinator of the research group on bioanalysis and analytic services at IMIM. The project is entitled ‘Developments for improving compliance with blood testing, a fundamental but minimally implemented tool in doping control (EASY BLOOD)’ and its purpose is to explore and validate the applicability of the use of new matrices (dried blood spot and capillary sampling) to replace the blood sample collection methods that are currently used to control doping (which are whole blood, plasma and serum). The seven projects funded are from Australia, Spain and the United Kingdom and were selected from among the applications received from throughout the world in the two calls opened by the IOC.
Més informació "IMIM receives funding from the IOC to conduct innovative anti-doping research"
20/12/2012 - Institutional news
On Friday the 14th of December, the Bioanalysis and Analytical Services Research Group from IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute) was visited by a delegation from the China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA). This visit is framed within the longstanding collaboration between the Anti-Doping Control Laboratory and IMIM and the Beijing Anti-Doping Laboratory and the China Anti-Doping Agency for research projects on doping control in sports.
Més informació "A delegation from the China Anti-Doping Agency visits IMIM"
11/12/2012 - Press release
An international project with the participation of researchers from IMIM has, for the first time ever, deciphered the mechanism by which a substance called anophelin binds to an enzyme (thrombin) involved in the process of blood coagulation. This discovery opens the door to, on the one hand, designing a new generation of anticoagulant drugs with a totally different functioning to current ones and, on the other hand, fighting against the spreading of malaria by designing inhibitors for this substance.
Més informació "New anticoagulant discovered based on the same used by malaria vectors to feed on"
27/11/2012 - General information
Two studies led by researchers from the neuroimaging research group at IMIM led by Òscar Vilarroya, and which also involved researchers from UAB and the Hospital de la Vall d’Hebron, have been cited in the “Consensus Report of the APA Work Group” as international reference works in the area of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conferring upon these researchers the status of world leaders in this field.
Més informació "IMIM researchers world leaders in neuroimaging and ADHD research"
23/07/2012 - General information
From the 27th of July until the 12th of August the London 2012 Olympics will be taking place. Once again, and thanks to an agreement between King’s College in London and the IMIM Foundation, as of the 23rd of July a group of technicians from the IMIM Bioanalysis and Analysis Services research group will join the Official Antidoping Laboratory of the London 2012 Olympics.
Més informació "The IMIM Antidoping Control Lab in London 2012"
08/05/2012 - Press release
A group of researchers from the IMIM (Hospital del Mar Research Institute) and from the INAD (Hospital del Mar Neuropsychiatry and Addictions Institute) has participated in an international study aiming to give a general overview at a chemical, pharmacological and behavioural level of a recently appeared new chemical compound, according to the Recreational Drugs European Network, as a new abused drug: methoxetamine (MXE).
Més informació "Internet and new drugs: a challenge for Public Health"
8/03/2012 - General information
Jordi Segura, Director of the Laboratory for Anti-Doping Control of the Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), was recently appointed President of the World Association of Anti-Doping Scientists (WAADS) for a two-year period and member of the Scientific Committee of the Catalan Ministry of Sport.
Més informació "Scientific scope of the IMIM’s anti-doping laboratory"
14/10/2011 - Institutional news
During approximately one month, some twenty professionals of the Anti-Doping Control Laboratory of the IMIM (Hospital del Mar Research Institute) will be moving to Mexico to carry out the tests for anti-doping control at the games.
Més informació "The Pan American Games begin: The Anti- Doping Lab of IMIM moves to Mexico."
© Institut Hospital del Mar
d'Investigacions MèdiquesLegal Notice and Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Site Index | Accessibility | Find Us | Contact
