• General Aims
• Doctorate Structure
• Lines of Research
• Doctoral Thesis Directors
• Admission
• Contact
• Departament in charge of the management of the doctoral programme
• Collaborating departments

General Aims of the Doctorate

The main aim of the doctorate is to produce doctors for high quality and advanced research in Biomedicine. To this end, the general aims of the course are the following:

• To incorporate the students into a research group.
• To broaden their skills so that they can specialize in different aspects of the lines of research set out in the programme.
• To foster general individual and team working abilities, participation in research projects, bibliographical database management, etc.
• To produce a doctoral thesis.

Structure of Doctorate

The formation period of the doctorate programme is linked to the following Master's degree introduced on the University (in order to the RD 1393/2007):

• Master's Degree in Neurosciences (coordinated by UB)
• Master's Degree in Mental Health: Research in Psychiatry, Neurotoxicology and Psychopharmacology
• Master's Degree in Nutrition and Metabolism

Research Lines and Thesis Supervisors

FOOD, NUTRITION, GROWTH AND MENTAL HEALTH

Research lines

1. Nutritional State of the Population. Dietary consumption and nutritional intake. Food patterns and habits. Risk of malnutrition in different population groups.
2. Nutritional state during the reproductive process. Preconception period. Evolution of the indicators of nutritional state during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Risk of folate and iron deficiency. Weight gain during pregnancy, risk of retarded intrauterine growth.
3. Genetic-nutritional interactions in homocysteine metabolism. Prevalence of MTHFR polymorphisms in the Mediterranean population. Determinants of homocysteine levels in the population.
4. Nutritional state of iron: deficiency and overload. Genetic and nutritional determinants of iron overload in the general population.
5. Psychopathology in adolescence: longitudinal epidemiological study. Prevalence, occurrence and natural course of depression. Comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders during this stage.
6. Influence of prenatal factors on behavioural and cognitive development up to 6 years. List of primary behavioural and cognitive indicators with subsequent psychopathology.
7. Nutritional state and psychosocial characteristics in preadolescent and adolescent schoolchildren with different levels of severity in changes in their dietary behaviour.

Thesis Supervisors
Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences:
Maria Victoria Arija Val, Joan Domènech Fernández Ballart, Michelle Murphy, Nuria Aranda Pons, Enric Aragonès Benaiges, Josep Lluís Piñol Moreso

HUMAN ANATOMY

Research lines

1. Effects of static electromagnetic fields on embryonic development.
2. Morphometric studies of the human organism.

Thesis Supervisors
Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences:
Pedro Cobos Carbó, Maria Montserrat Jové Sans, Verónica Piera Lluch, Miguel Torrente Parra.

BIOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY

Research lines

1. Assessment and impact of the presence of potentially pathogen bacteria in water and/or food.
2. Application of molecular techniques in taxonomy and epidemiology of Aeromonas and/or Arcobacter
3. Pathogen opportunistic fungi for human: antifungal sensitivity, experimental infection and treatment
4. Morphologic and molecular characterization of microscopic fungi of clinical and/or environmental interest

Thesis Supervisors

Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences:

Josep Guarro Artigas, Maria Josefa Figueras Salvat, José Francisco Cano Lira, Josepa Gené Díaz, Francesc Xavier Pastor Molas, Alberto Miguel Stchigel Glikman, Javier Capilla Luque, Dania García Sánchez, Isabel Pujol Bajador, Kendra Catalina Rodríguez Morejón, Roxana Béaz Hidalgo, Emilio Manuel Mayayo Artal.

CELLULAR PHARMACOBIOLOGY

Research lines

1. Indicators of oxidative stress in healthy and sick populations.
2. Alternative Methods to Research involving Animal Experimentation.
3. Excitotoxicity, neurodegeneration and neuroprotection in in vitro and in vivo models.
4. Skin Immunity and Photoprotection.
5. Establishment of methodologies for the design, evaluation and validation of functional foods for use in the treatment of Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular diseases.
6. Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of pharmacological, nutritional and physiotherapeutic treatments.
7. Health education.

Thesis Supervisors
Maria Cabre Bargalló (Dpt. of Biochemistry and Biotechnology), Josep Callizo Tomás (Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery), Jaume Folch López (Dpt. of Biochemistry and Biotechnology), Montserrat Giralt Batista (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences), Maria Rosa Nogués Llort (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences), Maria Francesca Ortín Font (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences), José Luis Paternáin Suberviola (Dpt. of Biochemisty and Biotechnology), Marta Romeu Ferran (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences ), Francesc Xavier Sureda Batlle (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences).

HISTOLOGY AND NEUROBIOLOGY

Research lines

1. Cellular Neurobiology: Synaptogenesis and Plasticity of Neuronal Connexions
2. Study of neurotransmission in patients and experimental models of acute and chronic neurological and neuromuscular diseases
3. Pain in craniocervical pathology

Thesis Supervisors
Jose Maria Tomàs Ferré (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences), Manel Santafe Martinez (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences), Maria Angel Lanuza Escolano (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences), Maria Rosa Fenoll Brunet (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences), Maria de les Neus Garcia Sancho (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences), Nicolau Antoni Ortiz Castellón (Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery), Josep Ma. Olivé Plana (Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery).

TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

Research lines

1. Studies of acute, subacute and chronic toxicity in rats and mice
2. Chelating agents, antidotes, distribution studies, animal excretion
3. Effects on reproduction, embryo-toxicity, foetal-toxicity, teratogenesis, studies of perinatal and postnatal toxicity
4. Stress, memory, learning, activity, resistance, motor coordination, neurodevelopment and neurobehaviour
5. Environmental contamination with heavy metals. Biological monitoring
6. Persistent and emerging organic compounds and exposure through the diet
7. Evaluation of risks to human health through environmental and workplace exposure to chemical and microbiological contaminants

Thesis Supervisors
Mª Luisa Albina Chicote (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences), Montserrat Bellés Mateu (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences), Josep Lluís Domingo Roig (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences), José Luis Esparza Martín (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences), Núria Ferré i Huguet, Francisco García Sayago (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences), Maria Mercedes Gómez Arnaiz (Dpt. of Biochemistry and Biotechnology), M. Victòria Linares Vidal (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences), Roser Martí Cid, Martí Nadal Lomas (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences), Arturo Ortega Pérez (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences), Domingo José Sánchez Cervelló (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences).

MEDICAL PHYSICS

Research lines

1. Doses given to patients during CT scans and image quality.
2. Simulation of the transport and interaction of X-ray photons in voxel models by means of the Monte Carlo method.
3. Dose and image quality in digital radiology.
4. Radiological protection of people and the environment.
5. Development and biomedical applications of a fractional Tuli laser.

Thesis Supervisors
Marçal Salvadó Artells (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences)

BIOMECHANICS

Research lines

1. Biomechanics of the locomotor apparatus
2. Ergonomics
3. Evaluation of bodily damage in the locomotor apparatus
4. Sport
5. Physiotherapy in patients with musculoskeletal pain
6. Use of tools for functional evaluation in physiotherapy
7. Research in physical medicine and rehabilitation

Thesis Supervisors
Dpt. of Medicine and Surgey
Rodrigo Miralles Marrero, Antonio Ruiz Guillén, Luis Francisco Franco Bonafonte, María Isabel Salvat Salvat, Juan Jacobo Aguilar Naranjo, José Francisco Santos Andrés.

OPHTHALMOLOGY

Research lines

1. Epidemiological study of diabetic retinopathy
2. Histological study of diabetic macular oedema
3. RETINABANK study: study of MCP-1 factor deficiency in diabetic retinopathy
4. Corneo-EPOC study: study of corneal endothelium in patients with COPD after cataract surgery
5. Levels of vascular growth factor and Monocyte Chemoattractant protein 1 factor (MCP-1) in vitro and their relation to the development of diabetic retinopathy and macular oedema

Thesis Supervisors
Pedro Romero Aroca, Josep Callizo Tomas (Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery)
Oscar Gris Castellón (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)

PSYCHIATRY

Research lines

1. Molecular bases of psychiatric illness
2. Molecular bases of Alzheimer’s disease

Thesis Supervisors
Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery:
Antonio Labad Alquezar, Lourdes Martorell Bonet, José Alfonso Gutiérrez Zotes, Elisabet Vilella Cuadrada, Antonio Infante Fuentes

SURGERY

Research lines

1. Obesity surgery in experimental animals
2. Minimal invasive surgery on chronic venal insufficiency
3. Correction of defects in the abdominal wall and the associated energy expenditure
4. Biological response to attacks on different materials on the abdominal wall
5. Morbid obesity surgery and hormonal response in experimental animals
6. Thoracic surgery

Thesis Supervisors
Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery:
Daniel Del Castillo Déjardin, Mercè Hernández González, Jesús José Sánchez Pérez, Fátima Sabench Pereferrer, Vicente Vicente Guillén, Fernando Sebastián Quetglas, Carles Olona Casas

INFECTIOUS DISEASES, SEPSIS AND VIH

Research lines

1. General molecular epidemiology
2. Diagnosis, prevention and treatment.
3. Inflammation, hipoxia, ventilatory support and metabolism
4. Sepsis

Thesis Supervisors:
Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery:
Jordi Rello Condomina, Emilio Díaz Santos, Emilio Canalís Arrayàs, Carles Llor Vila, Alejandro Hugo Rodríguez Oviedo, Maria Amparo Bodí Saera

External professors:
Sílvia Hernández Anadón (EAP Jaume I)

Ángel Vilà Córcoles (Primary Attention Research Department in Valls, Catalan Government)

Research lines

1. Infectious Diseases and VIH / AIDS

Thesis supervisors:
Francisco Vidal Marsal (Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery)

Research lines

1. Inflammatory processes and pharmacogenetics in AIDS patients

Thesis supervisors
Jorge Joven Maried (Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery)
Carlos Alonso Villaverde (Universitat de les Illes Balears)

Research lines

1. Lipid metabolism and cardiovascular risk in AIDS patients

Thesis Supervisors
Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery
Luis Masana Marín, Josep Ribalta Vives

PEDIATRICS

Research lines

1. Premature metabolic programming
2. Nutrition and infant and child development
3. Lung function and infection during infancy
4. Medicine based on evidence. Systematic revisions

Thesis Supervisors
Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery:
Joaquín Escribano Subias, José Alberto Balaguer Santamaría, Albert Feliu Rovira, Ricardo Closa Monasterolo, Natalia Ferre Pallas, Verònica Luque Moreno, María Anunciación Martín Mateos

ONCOLOGY

Research lines

1. Multicentric clinical trials in the context of cooperative groups.
2. Phase II and phase III clinical studies.
3. Clinical research into predictive factors of cancer.
4. Epidemiological research
5. Descriptive epidemiological studies based on the Tarragona Cancer Register and other collaborative studies into the occurrence, mortality and survival rates of cancer.
6. Secondary prevention studies regarding breast cancer screening.
7. Genetic research and basic research
8. BRCA and breast cancer studies
9. ATM and breast cancer
10. Psychology and cancer
11. Genetic counselling studies
12. Breast cancer prevention studies

Thesis Supervisors
Joan Lluís Borras Balada, Josep Gumà Padró (Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery)
Antonio Garcia-España Monsonís (Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili)
Arturo Pereira Saavedra (Hospital Clínic de Barcelona)
Marylène Marie Lejeune (Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences)

OTOLARYNGOLOGY

Research lines

1. Audiometry and hearing tests in the elderly in Tarragona.
2. Research into diseases in the fields of otology, rhinology and the head and neck.

Thesis Supervisors
Department of Medicine and Surgery:
Enric Figuerola Massana

METABOLISM, OBESITY, NUTRITION, DIABETES AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK

Research lines

1. Obesity, diabetes and associated metabolic disorders
2. Predictive factors of sudden death in patients with cardiac insufficiency
3. Molecular biology of bladder cancer. Role of regulatory proteins in the cell cycle
4. Inflammatory diseases

Thesis Supervisors

Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery
Francisco Vidal Marsal, Juan José Vendrell Ortega, Alberto Martínez Vea, Alfredo Bardají Ruiz, Ana Megía Colet, María Inmaculada Simón Muela, Juan Carlos Quer Boniquet, Miguel Papo Berger, Xavier Aguilar Bargalló, Juan José Sirvent Calvera, Jesús Miguel López Dupla.

Dpt. of Basic Medical Sciences
Jordi Camps Andreu

External professors
Francesc Formiga Pérez (Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute), Bernardo Costa Pinel (Department of Research of Primary Attention in Valls of the Catalan Government).

Research lines

1. Alcohol and Liver. Enzymology and Molecular Biology
2. Diabetes, Metabolic Diseases and Genetic Risk
3. Insulin resistance and associated metabolic alterations
4. Adipocyte biology and adipocytokine production

Thesis Supervisors
Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery:
Cristobal Manuel Richart Jurado, Maria Teresa Auguet Quintillà, Montserrat Maria Broch Montané.

Research lines

1. Molecular and physiological bases of arteriosclerosis
2. Molecular and physiological bases of hepatic diseases
3. Diagnostic aspects of the Clinical Laboratory Sciences
4. Generation of transgenic and knockout mice

Thesis Supervisors
Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery:
Jorge Joven Maried, Josep Maria Alegret Colomé, Vicente Martín Paredero, Anna Rull Aixa, Raúl Beltrán Debón

Research lines

1. Molecular bases of the hyperlipidaemias and arteriosclerosis

           1. Genetic and environmental interaction

           2. Genetic bases of the hyperlipidaemias

           3. Modified lipoproteins

      2. Nutrition and arteriosclerosis

           1. Diet, lipoprotein modification and lipoprotein metabolism

           2. Diet and lipoprotein kinetics

      3. Lipoproteins and thrombosis

      4. Methodologies for design, assessment and validation of foods and other factors so that  to reduce the chronic diseases.

Thesis Supervisors
Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery:
Luis Masana Marín, Josep Ribalta Vives, Rosa Maria Solà Alberich, Antoni Castro Salomó

DERMATOLOGY

Research lines

Research into dermatology

Thesis supervisors

Dpt. of Medicine and Surgery:

Pedro Zaballos Diego

Coordinator
Dr. Fina Gené Department of Basic Medical Sciences (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences) 977 759 306  josepa.gene@urv.cat  Dr. Alfredo Bardají Ruiz Department of Medicine and Surgery 977 759 305 alfredo.bardaji@urv.cat

Department in charge of the management of the doctoral programme
Department of Medicine and Surgery (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences) 977 759 305 sdmc(ELIMINAR)@urv.cat

Collaborating departments

Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology

Department of Basic Medical Sciences

Department of Medicine and Surgery

Further information

• Regulations for doctoral programmes
• On-line pre-registration
• Administrative procedure
• Suggestions and complaints
• Economic questions

Official Postgraduate Programme: Biomedicine

• Quality Assurance Mechanisms
• Bodies responsible for monitoring the Doctoral Programmes