Clinical and Molecular Phenotyping (CMP)

About Us

The Clinical and Molecular Phenotyping Group at IRBLleida is a translational research team dedicated to bridging the gap between molecular discovery and clinical application. We transform unmet clinical needs into actionable, laboratory-based biomarker solutions that improve patient management and support evidence-based decision-making in real-world healthcare settings.

Our Approach

We follow an integrated translational pipeline: clinical need → cohort-based discovery → assay development → validation → implementation readiness. Quality and reproducibility are ensured through three pillars: standardized pre-analytics, robust molecular assays and reproducible bioinformatics/biostatistics pipelines. This framework supports multicenter comparability and helps move biomarker findings toward clinical evaluation across different disease areas, including infectious diseases, cardiovascular disease, oncology and complex critical care syndromes.

Our Expertise

The group integrates molecular and clinical information to develop actionable diagnostic, prognostic and predictive tools, including risk-stratification strategies. We are internationally recognized for our work on circulating microRNAs and focus on non-coding RNA biology, also incorporating other RNA species such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and tRNA-derived fragments. Beyond targeted approaches, we apply transcriptomic strategies (including RNA-seq-based analyses) and targeted proteomic platforms to define molecular signatures with translational value.

A distinctive focus is the study of pathogen-derived non-coding RNAs, including viral-encoded microRNAs and other small RNAs, as innovative markers of infection-related complications and host-pathogen interactions.

Beyond the Bench

We are committed to innovation and knowledge transfer, and we actively engage in:

• Technology transfer and clinical implementation activities
• Outreach and dissemination for patients, healthcare professionals and the broader community
• National and international collaborative networks
• Close partnerships with clinical teams to accelerate translation and maximize societal impact
• Open science practices, including transparent reporting, use of public datasets for validation and sharing selected outputs in open repositories when appropriate

Collaboration and Contact

We welcome collaborations with clinical teams, research institutions, industry partners and patient organizations. The group maintains an extensive portfolio of national and international partnerships and is open to new opportunities that advance our shared mission: improving patient care through molecular innovation.