The inaugural ceremony was led by the Minister of Health of the government of Catalonia, Marina Geli Fábrega. Also present were Jordi Alberch, Research Vice-Chancelor of the University of Barcelona; Joan Roca, General Director of Research of the Ministry of Innovation, Universities and Enterprises; Antoni Giró, Rector of the Technical University of Catalonia; Juan M. Vianney Pons, from the Program of Research and Innovation in Health Sciences.
All IBEC researchers participated in the Symposium, including those belonging to its associated groups. Several internationally renowned scientists were invited as keynote speakers: Dr. Martin Bennink, of the University of Twente, in the Netherlands; Professor Alan Gelperin, of the Monell Chemical Senses Centre, in Philadelphia; Profesor Frederick Grinnell, of the Southwestern Medical Center at the University of Texas; Professor Michael Sheetz, of Columbia University; Professor Keita Ito, of Eindhoven University, in the Netherlands; Professor Nongjian Tao, of the Arizona State University; and Angel Raya, of the Centre of Regenerative Medicine, in Barcelona.
The Symposium lasted two days (14th & 15th April) and was attended by nearly 300 researchers.
