Pablo Herrero: “We work long term with companies and we believe that we can provide them with ideas from physiotherapy that they can transfer to the market”

The researcher from IIS Aragon and the University of Zaragoza talks in this interview about his work leading the 'iHealthy' Group (GIIS105) and the challenges they face

Pablo Herrero Gallego joined the University of Zaragoza in September 2020 and, in January of the following year, he began his research activity in the IIS Aragon. Created the group iHealthy, focused on invasive physical therapy and technology applied to physical therapy. “Thanks to the great support of the people who work at the IIS Aragón we have managed to develop a very relevant research activity, an aspect that was not easy since when I changed universities I had to create a team practically from scratch and that is always complicated. Above all, to get projects financed,” explains Herrero. 

The Doctor of Physical Education and Sports Medicine highlights that the research seems creative And allows develop many ideas that without it they would not see the light. He also highlights that “it is a field that allows you get out of your comfort zone and surround yourself with people from very distant fields but with similar concerns”. His motivation leads him to collaborate with other researchers and support new professionals, thus returning the help that he himself received at the beginning. 

What lines of research are being worked on in your group?

Currently there are three main lines of research. On the one hand, of Invasive physiotherapy which aims to analyze the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different invasive physiotherapy techniques such as dry needling, electrolysis or percutaneous neuromodulation in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain and other alterations of the central nervous system. On the other hand, that of Personalized physiotherapy which seeks to implement new technologies to improve clinical practice and the quality of life of patients through diagnoses, evaluations and treatments. And thirdly that of telerehabilitation and digital health which Its objective, complementing in-person rehabilitation, is to improve the population's accessibility to the rehabilitative treatment they need and in this way provide a solution, especially to populations with mobility limitations, who live in rural areas or who require long-term treatments.

In addition to these consolidated lines that have different funded projects, others have been started, still emerging, such as the “Vision and Movement".

What is the main challenge your research group is currently facing?

The main challenge is to obtain funding so that young researchers can join the research team and develop a research career, as well as research of interest that can be developed due to the lack of resources. 

Any ongoing projects that you would like to highlight?

The most notable project is Stroke-POC, a European study led by the IIS in collaboration with the University of Antwerp and McGill University. It focuses on comparing dry needling with botulinum toxin to treat spasticity and improve walking in patients with stroke, incorporating advanced technology to measure results and analyze cost-effectiveness. This project, in turn, has been a great challenge as it is a study that has had to be managed as a clinical trial with medicine, something that, being international, has required a great effort due to the different regulations that govern the participating countries.  

In addition to the realization of tele-rehabilitation projects in patients with COVID-19, achieving positive results and generating new research initiatives, despite the lack of funding.

What profiles make up your research team?

We are mainly physiotherapists (with a clinical profile and others with a more teaching and research profile), but there are other profiles such as doctor, occupational therapist, optician-optometrist and pharmacist for the analysis of cost-effectiveness of treatments, as well as data engineers .

Why should companies bet on research, and specifically, on your group?

Currently we have developed different products and services related to physiotherapy that are on the market, and we continue working with these companies on new projects or the improvement of existing ones. We work long term with companies and we believe that we can provide them with ideas from physiotherapy that they can transfer to the market. We also support companies in the preparation of projects to request financing, which is generally something highly valued by them, and whose joint work is very noticeable in the success when it comes to obtaining this financing. 

Advice for someone starting out in healthcare research?

I would give you two pieces of advice. On the one hand, if it is what they like, they should persevere, because it is a long and hard path, but very rewarding. Both for the personal challenges you face and what you learn from them, and for everything you can help other people and society in general with your work. On the other hand, I would tell them to look for a group that is similar to what they want to investigate or that has a certain fit. It is more important to fit 100% with your researchers, their way of doing things, and be aligned with the group's objectives and way of acting. My recommendation would be that you try to spend some time collaborating with a group, so you can experiment if you fit well, if you like it and if it motivates you. It is an important decision and nothing better than experiencing it firsthand to realize if it is how you imagined it.