Molecular Biology & Research Laboratory (LBMiR) at the Hospital de Tortosa Verge de la Cinta

The LBMiR was created in 2007 and is located in the basement of the Hospital de Tortosa Verge de la Cinta (HTVC). It occupies an area of 89 square metres with 5 different spaces (3 laboratory areas, one area for microscopy and an office for work reporting). This laboratory has an assigned biologist, a laboratory technician and 2 grant students. The LBMiR serves all the investigators (doctors, nurses, biologists....) from the Terres de l’Ebre ICS Territory management, in addition to the Primary Care Unit of the HTVC.

The vision of the LBMiR is of an area dedicated to highly specialized personnel whose mission is to introduce and to carry out highly sophisticated innovative techniques necessary for aiding diagnosis or for research. In this way, a more effective transfer can be achieved of the scientific advances in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the most prevalent health problems in our field.
Molecular Biology techniques that are currently being developed at the LBMiR are:

• A technique for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Chlamydia trachomatis i MARSA in biological samples through real-time PCR.
• In situ hybridisation with fluorescence (FISH) for the detection of specific chromosomal anomalies in lymphomas through the use of different probes - BCL2, IGH, MYC, TCRAD i CCND1.
• The FISH technique for the detection of the HER2 gene amplification in breast cancer.
• The technique for the determination of 13 types of high-risk of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) in cervico-uterine samples.

The researchers of the Terres de l’Ebre Health Region coordinate and conduct various types of investigation in both competitive and emergent research lines. The different Research Groups collaborate with research networks of national and international fields of excellence. They are linked to the large national research centres in a fast, flexible way that enables them to react to any advances made by the National Health service, seeking the best moment for their work to have direct clinical affect for the benefit of all our citizens.

Contact:
Marylène Lejeune
Àrea de Biologia Molecular i Recerca
Hospital de Tortosa Verge de la Cinta
C/ Esplanetes 14
43500 Tortosa
Tel/Fax. 977 519 104 (ext. 2304)
E-mail: mlejeune.ebre.ics@gencat.cat