Presentation of the UB-Gilead Chair of HIV-Viral Hepatitis

Participants in the UB-Gilead Chair of HIV-Viral Hepatitis.
Participants in the UB-Gilead Chair of HIV-Viral Hepatitis.
Institutional
(28/04/2021)

Yesterday, Tuesday, April 27, a new edition of the UB-Gilead Chair of HIV-Viral Hepatitis was presented. The chair was created by the University of Barcelona in collaboration with the company Gilead Sciences. The chair is focused on training, research, research transfer and scientific dissemination on the development of research and training strategies in the field of aids, hepatitis C and other viral hepatitis.

Participants in the UB-Gilead Chair of HIV-Viral Hepatitis.
Participants in the UB-Gilead Chair of HIV-Viral Hepatitis.
Institutional
28/04/2021

Yesterday, Tuesday, April 27, a new edition of the UB-Gilead Chair of HIV-Viral Hepatitis was presented. The chair was created by the University of Barcelona in collaboration with the company Gilead Sciences. The chair is focused on training, research, research transfer and scientific dissemination on the development of research and training strategies in the field of aids, hepatitis C and other viral hepatitis.

Participants in the presentation were Joan Guàrdia, rector of the UB; Josep Mallolas, director of the Chair, lecturer at the Department of Medicine of the UB and head of the Department of HIV-Aids in Hospital Clínic-IDIBAPS; María Río, vice-president and general manager of Gilead in Spain; Antoni Trilla, dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the UB, and UB professors Josep M. Campistol, general manager of Hospital Clínic and Antoni Castells, medical director of Hospital Clínic.

In his speech, the rector Joan Guàrdia highlighted that "the chair is a great balance of attendance, teaching and research and all the corners that build up the university and clinical fact that reflect the concept of cross-sectional character linked to health.

2021 marks the 40th year of the first description of a case of HIV infection in a human being. Nowadays, this epidemic is still one of the worst pandemics in humanity. There are 37 million people with HIV worldwide, and in 2019, about 2,700 new cases were detected in Spain (85% of these being men). Also, viral hepatitis, specially type C hepatitis, was very common among people who were infected by HIV about fifteen years ago, and it was the main cause of death in patients with this virus.

“Over the last years, efforts in research and reached advances with antiretroviral treatments made this infection to be considered a chronic pathology”, noted Josep Mallolas. The director of the Chair highlighted the benefits of this alliance: “The collaboration agreement which will enable us to improve the future health of patients who are infected by HIV and viral hepatitis. Moreover, the Chair has a great team of experts from the Hospital Clínic and the UB with an excellent academic and research experience”.

Also, María Río, vice-president and general manager of Gilead Spain, expressed her satisfaction for the collaboration with the University of Barcelona in this Chair. “Gilead has developed treatments that changed the life of the patients with aids or viral hepatitis. However, we believe there are important challenges to treat in these pathologies and the collaboration with a prestigious institution such as the University of Barcelona will enable us to step forward in the research and creation of knowledge to put it at the service of our society”.

At the moment, the University of Barcelona carries out several high quality teaching and research activities and scientific development in the field of health, which includes studies of bachelorʼs degrees, as well as a masterʼs degree on Aids.