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Communications and Administrative Manager for Knowledge Innovation Community

techApplication Deadline: 31/12/2016
Ref: AM-MP

The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) is looking for a Communications and Administrative Manager to support the Spanish Health Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) for healthy lifestyle and active aging of EIT Health. The position is funded by the Acciones de dinamización “Redes de Excelencia” 2015 of the – Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO).

Record-breaking nanojets that use safe fuel

samuelrecordIBEC group leader and ICREA research professor Samuel Sanchez’s latest nanojets have set a new world record for the smallest man-made jet engine ever.

As well as using a safe new method of propulsion, the tubular nanoscale engines are also three times smaller than the previous Guinness Book of Records entry – which was also set by Samuel, in a collaboration with colleagues at the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research in Dresden.

IBEC and GENOMICA present NEDxA, first fruit of their collaboration, in Germany

drawing2_nedxafor-webIBEC’s Technology Transfer Unit was in Germany this week to present a new product developed by the IBEC-GENOMICA Joint Unit that carries out analysis to detect Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in a cheap, quick and convenient desktop device.

Head of Technology Transfer Xavier Rubies, as well as representing IBEC as a research centre related to health, joined forces with representatives from GENOMICA S.A.U. to reveal NEDxA, a nano-electronic diagnostic array, at the MEDICA World Forum for Medicine in Düsseldorf on 14th-17th November.

Samuel wows crowd with nanorobots talk

samcharlaYesterday evening, an audience of nearly a hundred enjoyed a special public seminar by IBEC group leader and ICREA research professor Samuel Sánchez.

The Smart nano-bio-devices group leader’s talk, Nanorobots de la ciència-ficció a la realitat, which took place in the PCB’s Sala Dolors Aleu, was one of this year’s Setmana de la Ciència events.

Young and old alike enjoyed Samuel’s evolution of the nanorobots he has been working on for the past few years – their shape, speed and controllability improving all the time, as well as finding new and better methods of propulsion – and he began by dispelling some science fiction myths about what sort of things such nanomachines might expect to encounter on their journeys through the human body.

INPhINIT programme now open for applications

inphinit_newspicThis week a new PhD programme at IBEC funded by the Obra Social “La Caixa”, INPhINIT, opens for applications.

INPhINIT aims to attract international early-stage researchers to the top Spanish research centres in the areas of the life and health sciences, physics, technology, engineering and maths.

In each call, INPhINIT recruits 57 candidates of any nationality, who enjoy a three-year employment contract at the participating research centre of their choice, all of which have been designated by the Spanish ministries as Severo Ochoa, Maria de Maeztu or Carlos III Centres or Units of Excellence.

PhD Positions at IBEC within “la Caixa” INPhINIT Programme

phdApplication Deadline: 02/02/2017

INPhINIT is a new doctoral fellowship programme devoted to attracting international Early-Stage Researchers to the top Spanish research centres in the areas of Bio and Health Sciences, Physics, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. INPhINIT recruits per call 57 Early-Stage Researchers of any nationality, who enjoy a 3-year employment contract at the Research Centre of their choice among those selected and awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (“Severo Ochoa” centres of excellence and “Maria de Maeztu” units of excellence) and the Spanish Ministry of Health (“Carlos III centres of excellence”).

New advanced therapies initiative in Catalonia

advancecatLast week saw the launch of the ADVANCECAT project, led by the University of Barcelona.

Part of the RIS3CAT community, ADVANCECAT aims to accelerate the development of advanced therapies – medicines based on cell therapy, gene therapy and tissue engineering – in Catalonia from basic research to clinical or industrial transfer.

Formed by 18 organizations in the field of health including two universities, twelve biomedical research institutes – including IBEC – and four companies and private foundations, ADVANCECAT, which is integrated in the NextHealth community and coordinated by Biocat, will bring together public and private sectors for better management of resources in order to get the most out of the Catalan health system.

Molecules activated by light to control glutamate receptors

immunoliposomes Researchers at IBEC, IQAC-CSIC and CNRS have developed molecules that can modulate the activity of glutamate receptors in the central nervous system, with important applications in biomedicine.

For the last few years the collaborators have been working on the development of molecules called targeted covalent photoswitches (TCPs), whose structure can be changed using light. This change in shape causes the molecule to be recognized – or not – by a biological receptor as a key is to a lock. This coupling activates the receptor or not, triggering the activity.