Group information

The cardiovascular cell therapy group at the Hospital Clínico San Carlos is made up of clinical and interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, haematologists, cell biologists, and cardiac imaging specialists (total of 5 professionals). The aim of this group is translational research in the field of cell therapy, to demonstrate the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of this novel therapeutic alternative in patients with advanced cardiovascular diseases with no other therapeutic options. The ultimate goal of this group is to improve the symptomatology and prognosis of this group of patients with high morbidity and mortality. It has professionals specially trained in the techniques for obtaining, isolating, and administering stem cells to the heart, and has extensive experience in the development of randomised clinical trials.

Its current activity consists of a phase I-II clinical trial evaluating the safety and feasibility of transendocardial injection of autologous circulating CD 133+ endothelial stem cells. These cells are injected after electromechanical mapping of the left ventricle (NOGA XP platform), aiming at of promoting angiogenesis in patients with refractory angina without options for revascularisation. This trial also includes a molecular biology study that studies the functionality of the stem cells we administer to the patient to assess the individual regenerative capacity and correlate it with the therapeutic response.

Other lines of research of the group include the study of cardiovascular cell therapy in the subgroup of diabetic patients, and the study of endothelial stem cell kinetics after percutaneous coronary intervention and its implications in the process of arterial wall repair after stent implantation. These lines have already given rise to published articles and will generate two doctoral theses.