On World Stroke Day, we highlight the importance of research into the genetic and epigenetic factors underlying ischemic stroke, with a particular focus on sex differences. Funded by La Marató de TV3, the Gen-X Project is now entering its final stage, with scientific manuscripts based on its findings beginning to take shape.
Ischemic stroke occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is interrupted, potentially causing long-term disability or death. Despite advances in prevention and treatment, it remains a major public health challenge. Understanding the factors that influence stroke susceptibility is essential to improving prevention strategies and moving towards more personalized approaches to care.
Importantly, stroke risk and outcomes may differ between women and men. However, the biological mechanisms underlying these differences, particularly those involving genetic and epigenetic factors, remain incompletely understood.
The Gen-X Project, led by Dr. Jara Cárcel-Márquez and carried out together with predoctoral researcher Paula Boldo, both from the Pharmacogenetics and Stroke Genetics group at the Sant Pau Research Institute, and by Dr. Beatriz López from the eXiT group at the University of Girona (UdG), aims to address these knowledge gaps. The project investigates the genetic and epigenetic factors associated with ischemic stroke susceptibility, with a particular focus on sex-specific differences.
By integrating genomic and epigenomic analyses with clinical data, the team aims to identify genetic variants, biomarkers and biological pathways involved in stroke risk. This work may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying ischemic stroke and provide a foundation for future personalized prevention and treatment strategies.
As the project enters its final stage, the team is beginning to develop scientific manuscripts to share its findings with the research community. This marks an important step in translating the research carried out throughout the project into scientific knowledge, while highlighting the importance of considering sex differences in stroke research.
On World Stroke Day, we reaffirm our commitment to research that advances our understanding of ischemic stroke and contributes to better prevention and care for those affected by it.
Funding: The Gen-X Project is funded by La Marató de TV3.
