Albert Rosso Llorach, doctor at GRIMtra: "We are proud of the achievements made and we look to the future with good prospects"

 

Albert Roso Llorach is one of the new IDIAP doctorate and a professional who dedicates his scientific research to multimorbidity. And it does so by being part of a reference group in this field, the GRIMtra Group, created from the old GRENSAP group, led by Dra. Conception Violant. Through his specialty in biostatistics, the recent doctorate Albert Roso Llorach has achieved, together with his colleagues, great milestones.

But in addition, Roso Llorach is the author of more than fifty articles and holds other positions within the IDIAP Jordi Gol. Let's get to know him a little more.

 

 

What was the thesis that you defended to get your doctorate and enter GRIMtra about? Who has mentored you and what has it meant to you?
My thesis deals with the study of the evolution of multimorbidity patterns, the presence of 2 or more chronic diseases in a person, using different statistical and Machine Learning techniques. For this thesis we used data from the Swedish population cohort SNAC-K with more than twelve years of follow-up.
My thesis was directed by Dr. Concepció Violan, IP of the GRIMtra group, with whom we have worked, arm in arm, for more than ten years in studies carried out with the SIDIAP database. Personally, it has been a very rewarding experience that has culminated so many years of dedication and study to multimorbidity.

 

 

You are a member of the Chronic Illness Impact Research Group. What does it mean to you? What is the work of this group?

For me, being part of the group has been a very important milestone that has been consistent with my research trajectory. We are a group that has been working together for many years in the study of Multimorbidity and in recent years we have obtained much recognition both at the state and international level.

My thesis is part of a collaboration that we started in 2018 with the people of the Aging Research Center at Karolinska. I was able to work with a stay in Stockholm and the collaboration has continued since then.

Currently, we have 2 FIS projects underway at the Spanish level and an international project with the United Kingdom, specifically with the University of Exeter, which makes us proud of the achievements achieved and look to the future with good perspectives.

 

 

Where should the search for GRIMtra go? What are the objectives of this group?

My thesis concludes one of the chapters that allowed us to take a big step forward, becoming pioneers in the methodology of multimorbidity trajectories. Recently, we have incorporated two predoctoral students who will help us define new trajectories of multimorbidity by incorporating new analysis techniques and the inclusion of different factors that influence the appearance of multimorbidity such as frailty, genetic and socioeconomic variables.

 

 

You have been part of IDIAP for more than ten years. What have been your tasks within the organization?

My work in the IDIAP began very briefly in the USR of Terres de l'Ebre. But in a short time I landed in the Transversal Research Unit, in 2012. Since then, I have developed my work providing statistical support to different projects, mainly in multimorbidity, but I have also participated in projects of the Drug Studies Unit, Hypertension of Dr. . Ernest Vinyoles, etc. and I have provided methodological support to several projects that have been carried out in IDIAPJGol.

On the other hand, I am also the coordinator of the IDIAPJGol Statistical Support Network (XEST) and coordinator of the Formation Unit, which manages the portfolio of IDIAPJGOL training courses. I am also a teacher of the R statistical software course that we offer in the portfolio.

 

 

The work carried out in the GRIMtra group, led by Concepció Violant, is impressive. What results have you achieved during these years?

The truth is that since I landed in IDIAPJGOL the group has done a tireless task. We have published around 30 articles related to multimorbidity in the last ten years and have won multiple FIS projects and now recently an international project with the UK. We are very happy with all the achievements.

From the beginning, our objective has always been to study multimorbidity and its complexity and to be able to change the paradigm from the individual study of diseases to the global study of the individual with all their burden of disease. In this sense, we are very pleased to have placed multimorbidity in the research focus.

You have been in other hospitals and institutions. What does the IDIAPJGol mean to you in the field of research?

For me, IDIAP is an exceptional institute, since there is practically no institute with similar characteristics, with Primary Care being its priority. Our proximity to the population and being able to work with a database as unique as that of SIDIAP makes us a benchmark in many fields. In recent years we have gained a lot of recognition both nationally and internationally and, having been in the institution for so many years, you realize this growth. I believe that we are going in a very good direction and we must continue promoting research in the field of Primary Care.

What perspectives do you have with your career as a researcher?

Now I'm still putting up my thesis presentation, but I know that we have many projects underway and that this is a point and followed. I have many prospects of continuing to develop as a postdoc researcher at IDIAPJGol, which is like my second home. Our objective will always be to make our results in the study of multimorbidity reach the population, especially in the Primary Care Area.