This research group is made up of people from different disciplines or areas of knowledge such as speech therapy, psychology, linguistics, dentistry and neurology, who carry out their professional work in different countries such as Chile, Portugal, France and, of course, Spain, more specifically in Valencia. All these professionals have in common the study and multi-disciplinary research in the field of speech therapy, more specifically in the following areas: disorders of vision and resonance, speech disorders of central aetiology, speech disorders of organic origin and orofacial motility.
The Linguistics, Discourse and Cognition Research Group, LINDICO, assumes cognitive approaches to combine at all times strictly theoretical linguistic reflection with the necessary promotion of various applied fields, from the conviction that the ultimate goal of the (necessary) grammatical and pragmatic theory is to serve as a basis for subsequent applications and actions of scientific transferability to society.
Although the research caarried out by the members of the group in the different competitive R&D projects covers many fields, the most consolidated studies refer mainly to two lines of work: the field of clinical linguistics and the analysis of political and media discourse. Throughout its trajectory, the group has been consolidating its own theoretical model, with a pragmatic-functionalist orientation, which is framed within the framework of Cognitive Linguistics. Thus, the theoretical areas addressed include all the disciplines of linguistics: phonology, morphosyntax, semantics, pragmatics, typology and universals, psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics. The applied fields include, among others:
- Analysis of discourse in the public sphere, according to different variables and context (politcal discourse, media discourse, digital discourse), with special attention to the argumentation and persuasion that pragmatically characterise the registers of the media and political issuers (parties and leaders) in the different media and communication channels (written press, social media, television, advertising and propaganda, etc.).
- Clinical linguistics: description of language (grammar and pragmatics) in different pathological situations based on ecological data. This line of research has resulted in initiatives such as
- the elaboration of specific corpora of child language and deficient language based on ecological data;
- the description of the language of pathological situations such as aphasia, Williams syndrome, ADHD, Alzheimer's type dementias, or right hemisphere lesions;
- the development of various language assessment tests and profiles, and of communication guides for interlocutors of speakers with deficits.
All these lines of research are complemented by the appropriate R&D&I dissemination and management activities, such as conferences, seminars, etc.
The main objective of the EXINH research group is the design, application and execution of interventions based on physical exercise, as well as the study of the effects that this can have on people's health, whether at a preventive, therapeutic or simple physical conditioning level. The fields of action in which our research activity is currently being developed are varied, from the clinical field in collaboration with various public hospitals of the Valencian health system, the study of work-related problems in health personnel (orderlies, nursing staff, physiotherapists), non-health personnel (musicians, administrative staff, lorry drivers) and the effect of interventions with physical exercise on these problems, as well as in the field of sport. In view of the above, various lines of research have been underway for some time, and at present, numerous projects are being developed, with various scientific publications in prestigious journals, as well as participation in national and international congresses on subjects related to exercise and its effects on people's health.
Deteriorating environmental conditions, mainly caused by human activities, are a major health risk. Pollution, environmental degradation, deforestation and biodiversity loss are not only affecting ecosystems and climate, but also have serious consequences on the production of safe and quality food and on the population.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the safety of the food we consume and the environment where we live in has become a top priority for consumers and public authorities alike. The Research Group on Food and Environmental Safety (SAMA-UV) is dedicated to research in environmental and food sciences and provides state-of-the-art technology and analytical services for the determination of contaminants and natural compounds, focusing its activities in the areas of environmental health, food quality and safety as well as risk assessment and human exposure studies. The pollutants with which the research group works and for which it has advanced analytical methodology include both regulated and emerging pollutants and their degradation products (ex. pesticides, drugs of abuse, human and veterinarian medicines, perfluorinated compounds, flame retardants, etc…).
The results of this activity has enabled the research group to interact and collaborate with other national and European teams researching similar topics through the attendance and paper presentation at numerous international meetings and conferences and articles in scientific journals. As a whole, the research activity carried out has generated 15 book chapters and more than 180 publications in international CSI journals with a high impact rate such as Analytical Chemistry, TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, Journal of Chromatography, Analytica Chimica Acta, Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, Food Chemistry, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, etc.
The group’s research is mainly funded through research projects within the framework of grants for R&D projects at both regional and national level, and also within the framework of various integrated actions with the cooperation of other research groups in the European Union. The group also has collaborations and agreements with companies in the food and environmental sector.
The overall aim of the group is to search for metabolomic biomarkers, either individually or in combined profiles, of disease for early detection, new subgroups, patient stratification, prognosis and prediction of response to therapy. To achieve this, the group has developed proprietary analytical tools that allow it to address a wide range of biomedical problems.
The group has a joint publication record (55 publications in 10 years) and has had its own uninterrupted public funding since 2007 (>1.6 million euros).
It has achieved a cumulative impact factor of 185 for its publications over the last 7 years. It also receives more than 150 citations per year. It has participated and participates in 5 European projects (eTUMOUR, HEALTHAGENTES, FRAILOMICS, EUMASCARA and GUTMOM). The group's work has been published during this period in prestigious specialised journals (Gut, Hepatology, International Journal of Epidemiology, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Journal of Proteome Research and Cancer Research, among others).
The progressive incorporation of researchers to the group over the last 7 years has allowed it to increase its capacities and solve new problems, obtaining high quality research results. The translation of research results to clinical practice is achieved through established collaborations and the experience of more than 10 years of joint work with clinical groups at the Hospital Clínico de Valencia.
Since its creation in 2007, the group has characterised more than 12,000 biomedical samples of different nature (serum, plasma, urine, biopsies, tears, saliva, faecal extracts, culture medium, cells, etc.) for more than 30 national and international collaborations. The principal investigator has more than 22 years of experience (h-index 25) in the area of biomedical applications of NMR, has been invited to give numerous lectures on the subject, including the plenary Keynote Lecture at the recent congress of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH2017, Milan, >4500 participants; Gut microbiota and cardiovascular risk). He has also been scientific manager of a European project with 21 institutions and a budget of 7.5 million euros.
His research has been recognised with several awards and recognitions, including the Certificate of Merit of the European Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and Biology; and the I3 Certification for outstanding scientific career from the MICINN.
For years we have been working and publishing on the biological basis of personality, especially the brain and genetic mechanisms that underlie human behaviour. In this process we have proposed a theory on the General Personality Factor, and we have created an instrument to assess it. We have also proposed and investigated psychological intervention techniques (based on classical conditioning and suggestion) to modify personality and emotional states. At the same time, we have created complex mathematical models to study the dynamics of personality in the face of external stimuli, especially drugs. In this sense, we have mathematically modelled brain reactions to different drugs as a function of individual differences, while at the same time we have created a dynamic model that explains drug addictions.
The group has been active since 1999 in following fields:
- Heterogeneity of the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), we have worked on defining the number and structure of the content dimensions that characterise obsessive intrusive thoughts and clinical obsessions, analysing the cognitive and metacognitive features that differentiate these dimensions, as well as their implications for the diagnosis and treatment of the OCD.
- Cognitive models of the OCD. We are working on analysing the validity of different cognitive explanatory proposals for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- Transdiagnosis.- We are working on finding out which variables or factors operate transdiagnostically in the various dimensions and/or subtypes of OCD and in other disorders of the emotional spectrum. Specifically, we focus on the comparative study of unpleasant mental intrusions (IMD) with obsessive, dysmorphic, hypochondriacal, eating, and relational contents, and their respective functional consequences (i.e., appraisals, emotional impact, interference, and neutralisation/control strategies).
- Transculturality.- We are working on the cross-cultural validity of the explanatory cognitive model of the OCD, and we are currently examining the above-mentioned IMDs in different cultural and religious contexts (in connection with other research groups in Canada, Italy, Argentina, Iran, Israel, and Turkey).
- O-C Spectrum.- We are working on examining the comparative validity (in psychopathological terms) of the various current approaches to O-C spectrum disorders, specifically, those derived from the DSM-5, those proposed by the WHO (ICD-11), and those proposed by cognitive psychological research (e.g., approaches to the dysphoria vs. euphoria and harm avoidance/compulsivity vs. impulsivity/NJREs continuum). Specifically, we focus on the study of the OCD, body dysmorphic disorder, hypochondriasis and anorexia nervosa (psychopathology, diagnosis and treatment).
- Treatment.- We have worked on testing a cognitive treatment programme (TCE), derived from cognitive theories of the OCD and specifically designed for this disorder. We have compared its efficacy with that of Exposure with Response Prevention; we have analysed the efficiency in the application of the treatment and compared the application in individual and group format; as well as according to the type of obsessions and compulsions. In recent years we are developing, exploring and testing virtual reality procedures that can support conventional treatments.
- Family relationships.- We are examining whether dysfunctional beliefs, held by parents about unpleasant mental intrusions of obsessive, hypochondriacal, and dysmorphic content, have any impact/influence on those of their children.
- Stigma: We have sought to combat the stigma associated with mental illness in general, and O-C spectrum disorders in particular, by disseminating current knowledge and the possibilities for effective treatment and recovery from these disorders.
We have worked on all these lines thanks, among other things, to the funding obtained in national (BSO2002-02330; SEJ2006/03893-PSIC; PSI2009-10957; PSI2010-18340; PSI2013-44733-R) and regional (GVAE2007-011; AE/07/022; SMI 6-2008; SMI 3/2008; PROMETEO 2013/066) competitive calls. We have published more than 50 articles in high-impact scientific journals, and made more than 100 presentations at national and international conferences with a selection committee.
Thirteen PhDs related to the objectives of the group and directed by the group leader have been defended, 5 of which obtained the extraordinary award in their respective calls.
The fundamentally basic research activity of the ParaSalut group covers different aspects of the relationship between health and parasites, in both humans and animals carrying parasitic diseases or their models. The group presents lines of work on parasitic diseases caused by Protozoa, as well as Helminths and Arthropods. All the lines are already in progress and have numerous publications, as shown on the group members’ resumes.
Protozoa: One of the group’s research lines focuses on the influence of intestinal parasites (mainly protozoa) on human nutrition, given that said parasites interfere directly or indirectly with the nutrient absorption processes, maldigestion and / or malabsorption. Therefore, this line consists of two main objectives: 1) study on the relationship between intestinal parasites and food intolerances to carbohydrates, and 2) studies on the relationship between intestinal parasites and mother-child nutrition, as well as the analysis of the nutritional status of mothers and children and the effect of parasitosis on child development.
Helminths: Different aspects of helminthic diseases are addressed with a focus on epidemiology, ecology and parasite-host relationships.
Epidemiology / ecology: There are two lines addressing aspects on epidemiology and ecology of diseases caused by helminths. One of them analyses the study on biological cycles, transmission and population dynamic of helminths in murine models that have shown to be good bio-indicators of the parasite-host relationship. These studies are complemented by the line working on the creation of Geographical Information Systems with the use of satellite images and thematic maps for epidemiology modelling and the transmission of human and animal parasites, and the influence of climate change on them. Likewise, studies on food-transmitted parasitic diseases are addressed in another line in which the study of anisakiasis in fish for human consumption represents its basic pillar.
Parasite-host relationships: the establishment of a parasitic disease results from the parasite succeeding over the host. The analysis for the established relationships between both are fundamental to know the factors said establishment depends on, thus enabling the implementation of adequate preventive measures. Likewise, the specificity of this relationship is a tool for the improvement of current diagnostic methods. In these parasite-host relationships, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have lately proved to be a valuable instrument for these purposes.
The ParaSalud group develops a line on the study of EVs in different helminths of human and veterinary interest. Said EVs are isolated and characterised by their composition (proteins, miRNAs) and their use as target molecules for diagnosis, treatment and / or vaccination is experimentally evaluated. This previously undertaken research line is reinforced by other lines from the group working on the study of parasite-host relationships by techniques generally referred to as “omics”, including genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics.
The line on human Taeniasis / Cisticerosis is part of both aspects: epidemiological studies of materials from different countries, and ultrastructural as well as secretomics studies of the infective form of human cisticerosis, the egg.
Arthropods: Equally important are ectoparasite arthropods, considering that in addition to being vectors of parasitic diseases, they have their own pathogenic potential. The Medical Entomology line carries out the diagnosis and epidemiologic analysis of mosquitos populations, lice, bedbugs and myisis cases.
Application of work and recovery techniques for musculoskeletal injuries through the use of scientific methodology and modern and up-to-date technological and statistical management. This group includes experts from the fields of physiotherapy, physical education, electronic engineering, physicists and public health experts. Tendon and muscle behaviour will be studied by means of anthropometric assessment, blood and genetic studies, ultrasound scanning and dynamometry by statistical analysis of neural networks and organised maps.
Today, a more sustainable health system is being pursued in which the individual takes an active role in his or her health care, while adopting healthier lifestyles that prevent secondary pathologies and co-morbidities.
In this sense, this group considers, as a research activity, to determine ways of promoting health from Physiotherapy, taking into account the perspective of continuous change to which society is subjected on a daily basis. Specifically, this research group is characterised by its multi-speciality in the field of Physiotherapy, with the advantage that this entails in bringing together various new specialities in this area of health.
This group' s research activity aims, from the perspective of various physiotherapy specialities, to address different areas of assessment and intervention in healthy people (health promotion), in health problems of various kinds (chronic pain, haemophilia, neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory and musculoskeletal pathology, women's health) in different population groups, as well as in aspects related to professional ethics and health in physiotherapy.
Overall, the research activity of our working group has focused on the assessment of cognitive functioning in patients with mental disorders, the development of alternatives to facilitate the assessment of their intellectual functioning, the specific study of implicit memory in these same patients to determine to what extent the types of tasks and the parameters used to assess the functioning of this memory system condition the results of such assessment and, finally, the evaluation of the effectiveness of rehabilitation programmes of cognition in mental disorders, especially in schizophrenia. This work has been carried out for more than two decades with the support of research projects funded by the Universitat de València, the Consellería de Educación, the Consellería de Sanidad and the Ministerio de Educación. This research has resulted in the publication of numerous works which are listed in the attached CVs.
More specifically, our research activity has been developed through the following lines of work:
- Cognitive assessment in schizophrenia. This line of research focuses on the evaluation of neurocognitive functioning, including social cognition, in the mental disorder in order to determine the interrelationships that exist between the different cognitive domains, and to assess the extent to which they determine the social functioning of the patient. In the context of this line of research, our attention has focused on the neurocognitive domains of attention, episodic memory and executive functioning, and within social cognition, on the domains of emotional perception, theory of mind, social perception and attributional style. Although they could be framed within the field referred to in our research line nº1, our research team has been developing two more specific lines of research (lines nº2 and nº3).
- Intellectual functioning in schizophrenia. This line of research focuses on the development of abbreviated versions of the classic tests used to assess intellectual functioning, with the aim of facilitating their use in patients with mental disorders and allowing rapid screening of the patient.
- Implicit memory in schizophrenia. In general terms, scientific evidence indicates that implicit memory functioning is preserved in mental disorder. However, sometimes the evidence is contradictory and the reason may lie in the disparity of tasks used in the assessment of implicit memory and in the methodological conditions that occur within each test. In this line of research, our work focuses on clarifying which tasks are the most appropriate and which methodological conditions should be considered within these tasks in order to validly assess implicit memory. Assessment of cognitive deficits in people with different diagnoses of mental disorder, basically schizophrenia, by means of tasks widely used in experimental psychology such as lexical decision and fragment completion.
- Psychological intervention in cognition in schizophrenia. In this line of research our work focuses on the evaluation of programmes focused on the rehabilitation of neurocognition and social cognition to improve the social functioning of people with mental disorders (e.g. IPT, Gradior, EMT).
Our research focuses on the psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery of people with long-term mental disorders such as schizophrenia and other psychoses and bipolar disorder. Over the last 20 years, we have worked on the clinical, neurocognitive, social cognition and social functioning assessment of this group of people with the aim of analysing the main deficits and implementing appropriate intervention programmes for the improvement of psychosocial functioning. These assessments and interventions aim to improve the process of psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery of people with these difficulties.
It is a research group dedicated to the study of tumours of the central nervous system, addressing clinical, neuropathological, genetic, molecular and metabolomic aspects. These studies are carried out in both "in vivo" tumours and "in vitro" experimental models, with a translational orientation with the aim of biopathological characterisation towards the identification of molecular targets with application to diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutics.
The group's multidisciplinary research ranges from quantitative and radiological anatomy, together with medical imaging techniques applied to the identification of the anatomical bases of the pathology, to geometric morphometry. In terms of the anatomical bases of pathology, we specialise in the study of vertebral anatomical variants and their association with clinical symptoms (pain, neuropathies, dizziness, etc.) in both modern sapiens and extinct human species (Homo Neanderthalensis). Geometric morphometry has been used to investigate hominin craniofacial biology (morphological integration), with a special interest in the cranial base as an interface between the brain and the facial skeleton. A "systems model" of human evolutionary anatomy has been developed, which conceptually employs an organism-based perspective on craniofacial and postcranial variation in hominins.
The group has also focused in recent years on the form, function and integration of the respiratory apparatus, which is an anatomical system connecting the skull and postcranium, of the human organism, as well as on the relationship between thoracic form in osteogenesis imperfecta and respiratory function, and on variations in form and their association with pain at both the cervical and lumbar levels.
The group is also investigating the development of the trunk at the evolutionary level in both extinct hominins and modern sapiens. Members of the group are also specialising in the study of geometric shape and anatomical variants in fossil records of Homo Neanderthalensis, Homo Naledi and Australopithecus Sediba.
The UIRFIDE research group has been working since 1995 in the 3 main classic lines that make up the world of physical and sporting performance. Sport and Physical Activity Management, where research is carried out and specific interventions are proposed on problems such as those related to the quality of sports services or event management (from small local events to large international events).
Sports Performance, where again research is carried out and interventions are proposed related to the needs of athletes with a view to improving their performance, whatever their starting level and their stage of development.
And finally, on the world of Physical Activity and Health, focusing especially on those populations with greater adaptation needs in physical and sporting practice, such as older adults or people with disabilities.
