Empar Lurbe, MD, PhD
Innovation in Paediatrics and Technologies (IPEDITEC) group
Fundación de Investigación del Hospital General Universitario de Valencia
Avda. Tres Cruces, 2 (acceso B3, 4ª planta)
46014 Valencia, Spain

The "Paediatric, Innovation, Translation and Technology in Childhood Obesity" group of the Unit Against Cardiovascular Risk in Children and Adolescents, within the Consorcio Hospital General Universitario Valencia, is a Centre of Excellence of the European Society of Hypertension for the study of cardiovascular risk factors in youth. It is also a member of CIBERObn.

It combines clinical aspects (study of blood pressure components, phenotyping of large vessels, target organ involvement in arterial hypertension, evaluation of body composition, cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness) with research into cell cultures of umbilical cord blood vessels and genetic studies as well as oxidative stress and metabolomics. Information and communication technologies have been incorporated into clinical practice in the comprehensive approach to childhood obesity.

It has extensive experience in the development of clinical programs for prevention and treatment of childhood obesity, being responsible for the Comprehensive Care Program for Childhood Obesity (PAIDO), in which personalised medical care is extended with the development of actions involving the family, educators, nutritionists, physical education teachers and other social agents of various kinds. This program was awarded the NAOS Strategy Prize in the field of health in 2010 by the Spanish Ministry of Health.

The head and PI in the project, in close collaboration with J. Alvarez-Pitti and other team members (3 members), will work mainly in the recruitment of the core INTEGRActiv cohort of children and adolescents, sample collection, metabolic and physical activity (PA), and cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness measurements and in the intervention and follow up of the cohort. They are clinical pediatricians with long-standing experience in integrating clinical and basic research and promoting translational transfer to improve the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases, in particular for obesity management through PA and integrated programs in children and adolescents.