Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia

17th IBEC Symposium
2024-10-21 15:00 - 2024-10-22 18:00 (Europe/Madrid) | AXA Auditorium, L'illa Diagonal, Av. Diagonal 547 , Barcelona, 08029
The 17th IBEC annual Symposium brings together high-profile international experts for an open forum for interdisciplinary discussions and networking. This year the symposium is dedicated to Bioengineering for emergent and advanced therapies, one of IBEC’s three major application areas.
Scientific community is invited to participate. Attendees from IBEC and abroad are welcome to present their research or projects in poster format. Moreover, some of these contributions will be selected by the scientific committee for an oral flash presentation.
POSTER SESSION
As a new initiative this year, the poster session will be held in a pre-symposium event on October 21st at Citilab.
The poster session will provide an opportunity to showcase your work to the IBEC community in a relaxed environment. We will also enjoy refreshments during the poster session.
SATELLITE EVENT
To bring our research closer to the society we have organized a satellite outreach session, where selected researchers will have the opportunity to present their poster to secondary school students. The best outreach speech will receive a prize, which will be awarded during the symposium. If you are interested in participating in this satellite activity, please select this option in the registration form.

For those interested in participating, our Strategy and Communication units will conduct a workshop to help you adapt your poster content for a secondary school. audience.

Information and registration here.

nanoBio&Med2024
2024-11-05 08:00 - 2024-11-07 17:00 | Auditori Antoni Caparrós, PCB, Tower D, c/Baldiri Reixac 4-8, Barcelona, Spain
The nanoBio&Med2024 International Conference (www.nanobiomedconf.com) will take place in-person in Barcelona (Nov 05-07, 2024). This event is going to present again the most recent international developments in the field of Nanobiotechnology and Nanomedicine and will provide a platform for multidisciplinary communication, new cooperations and projects to participants from both science and industry.
The call for abstracts is currently open (deadline: September 13, 2024) and abstracts can be submitted online through the website.
Upcoming Deadlines
Abstract Submission (Oral request): September 13, 2024
Student Grant (Travel bursary) Request: September 13, 2024
Author Submission Acceptance Notification: September 16, 2024
Student Grant Notification: September 16, 2024
Early Bird Registration Fee: September 20, 2024
Abstract Submission (Poster request): September 20, 2024

The conference will offer during this week an impressive list of Invited, Keynote & Plenary speakers.

Thematic Network Workshop: “AI for Bioengineering”
2024-11-08 09:00 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Thematic Network Workshop: “AI for Bioengineering”
Today, healthcare technology collects a huge amount of raw data whose interpretation and analysis are beyond human capabilities. AI integration into bioengineering and personalized medicine is crucial to allow complex data analysis, to enhance predictive models, to integrate multiscale data, and to automate tasks. These capabilities are vital for advancing biological understanding and disease management.
IBEC “Artificial Intelligence for Bioengineering” Thematic Network (NET-AI) aims to equip IBEC researchers with knowledge about the latest machine learning (ML) techniques for bioengineering and create a specialized ML toolkit tailored for IBEC’s needs. Through a series of designed workshops, NET-AI aims to address common challenges and integrate machine learning at IBEC.
The aim of this first workshop is to explore and share AI use cases and needs within IBEC groups. Each group will have the opportunity to present its AI use cases and needs. Groups willing to participate should prepare a brief presentation (10-15 min max). After the presentations, we will engage in an open discussion to exchange ideas and identify future opportunities for collaboration and workshops.

Join us to shape the next steps in AI for bioengineering together!
Workshop held in the framework of the IBEC Thematic Networks.

Programme
09:00 – Welcome and introduction
09:15 – Presentations by the network groups
10:30 – Coffee break
10:50 – Presentations by other IBEC groups
11:45 – Roundtable discussion
13:00 – Closure

Registrer here (mandatory)

Workshop 1 NET-NANO: Tools to study biological systems
2025-02-03 09:10 - 16:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
This first workshop will focus on cutting-edge tools and techniques used to investigate cellular processes and disease. The event will feature two plenary lectures by leading external experts, along with a series of presentations by IBEC researchers.
Speakers will present on a range of topics, including nanomechanics, atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy, surface nanopatterning, membrane protein function, interprotein charge transfer, and single-molecule imaging. The event will offer numerous opportunities for networking, discussion, and knowledge sharing.
Scheduled Programme:
09:10 – Marina Giannotti, IBEC group “Nanoprobes and Nanoswitches”, “Nanomechanics in seek for disease indicators”
09:40 – Aurora Dols Pérez, IBEC group “Nanoscale Bioelectrical Characterization”, “AFM as a tool for the study of drug delivery systems”
10:10 – Nisha Pawar, IBEC group “Molecular Bionics”, “Liquid phase Transmission Electron Microscopy and Machine Learning to understand structure and protein aggregation”
10:40 – Plenary: Elisabetta Ada Cavalcanti-Adam,University of Bayreuth (Germany), “Surface Nanopatterning for Investigating Receptor Clustering and Crosstalk in Cell Adhesion and Migration”
11:40 – Coffee Break & Challenge Board
12:10 – Anna Lagunas, IBEC group “Nanobioengineering”,“Unveiling membrane protein function with nanotools”
12:40 – Pau Gorostiza, IBEC group “Nanoprobes and Nanoswitches”, “Interprotein charge transfer in respiratory and photosynthetic chains”
13:10 – Networking Lunch
14:10 – Plenary: Prof María García-Parajo, Institute of Photonic Science (ICFO) & Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), “Single molecule imaging tools to unravel spatiotemporal compartmentalisation in living cells”
15:10 – Roundtable Discussion 15:40 – Farewell from Network Representatives

Plenary talks details:
Prof. Elisabetta Ada Cavalcanti-Adam, Chair of Cellular Biomechanics, Faculty of Engineering Science, University of Bayreuth, Germany.

Surface nanopatterning for Investigating Receptor Clustering and Crosstalk in Cell Adhesion and Migration
Advances in nanotechnology have provided powerful tools for precisely controlling the physical and chemical microenvironment and for guiding cellular behavior and communication. This talk will explore the use of surface nanopatterning techniques and their functionalization with adhesive ligands to study receptor clustering and its implications for crosstalk in the adhesion and migration of single and collective cells. We aim to elucidate the mechanisms underlying integrin signaling, cadherin-mediated cell-cell junctions, and their interplay during migration. Examples will highlight how these approaches provide understanding of fundamental cell biology and their potential implications in tissue regeneration and cancer metastasis.
Prof. Dr. E. Ada Cavalcanti-Adam is currently a full professor for Cellular Biomechanics at the University of Bayreuth, Germany. Education: doctor degree in Dental Medicine from Italy, M.Sc. degree in Biology from University of Pennsylvania (USA) and PhD in Biosciences at Heidelberg University.
She was Postdoctoral Fellow and later project leader at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart. After completing her Habilitation, from 2017 until 2023 she was research group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg and head of the Central Scientific Facility “Cellular Biotechnology; she also served as adjunct faculty at the Heidelberg University.
In 2004 she received the Marie Curie Intra-European fellowship, in 2008 a fellowship from the „Christiane Nüsslein-Volhardt Foundation“ and the Prize „For Women in Science“. Her research focuses on the mechanobiology of cell adhesion, investigating how cells interact with their physical environment at the molecular level.

Prof. Dr. María García-Parajo, Institute of Photonic Science (ICFO) & Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA).
Single molecule imaging tools to unravel spatiotemporal compartmentalisation in living cells
Organisation by compartmentalisation is a general property of natural systems that efficiently facilitates and orchestrates biological events in space and time. Super-resolution microscopy and single molecule dynamic approaches have revealed that compartmentalisation starts at the nanometre scale with molecules organising and interacting transiently with each other following modularity principles. In this talk, I will provide an overview of recent super-resolution and single molecule dynamic approaches ideally tailored to study biological systems with exquisite spatiotemporal resolution. I will describe the combination of multicolour single particle tracking (SPT) at different labelling densities to resolve in real time multi-molecular interactions in living cells. Low density SPT conditions allows to reconstruct the mobility of individual molecules and their transient interactions, while high density conditions provide unique information on the spatial and temporal length scales of cellular regions re-visited (or forbidden) for molecules. We find that molecular diffusion, transient multi-molecular interactions and dynamic re-modelling of the environment play key roles regulating biological function.
Maria Garcia-Parajo is an ICREA Research Professor at ICFO-Institute of Photonic Sciences, leading the Single Molecule Biophotonics group. Her research focuses on the development of advanced optical techniques to the study of biological processes at the single molecular level on living cells. She obtained her PhD in Physical Electronics in 1993 at Imperial Colleague, UK. Previous experience includes research at L2M-CNRS Paris (France) and University of Twente (The Netherlands). To date she has published more than 200 publications and delivered more than 250 talks at international conferences and workshops upon invitation. She coordinates several international research projects, and is member of various international scientific advisory, executive and editorial boards. She has received several prestigious awards, including the Young Academy Research fellow award from the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences (1998), National Prize in Biophysics (2017), Advanced ERC grant (2017) and Emmy Noether Laurate from the European Physical Society (2020). She is co-coordinator of the Winter School in Advanced Microscopy Techniques for the Master in Interdisciplinary Sciences at BIST. Maria is actively involved in (inter)national actions to promote gender equity in Science.

Workshop 1 NET-RARE: Advancements in Personalized Therapies for Rare Diseases
2025-02-27 09:30 - 13:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
In this first workshop, we will explore how various IBEC groups and external researchers are using new technologies to develop personalized therapies for rare diseases. The opening seminar features Adriana Gonzalez from IBEC’s “Molecular Imaging for Precision Medicine” group. She will explain how the group studies myotonic dystrophy type I, a rare muscular disease, using nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. Next, Silvia Muro from IBEC’s “Targeted Therapeutics and Nanodevices” group will present recent progress in using targeted nanotechnology to deliver drugs for treating genetic lysosomal disorders. We are also pleased to welcome Frances Platt, professor of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford (UK). Her group studies fundamental disease mechanisms in lysosomal disorders to identify novel clinical interventions strategies. They use small molecule drugs to target unique steps in the pathogenic cascade and test them as mono-therapies or in combination with other therapies. After a networking break, Belen Perez Dueñas from VHIR’s “Therapeutics and Innovations in Neuropediatrics” group will describe her team’s efforts to address rare neuromuscular disorders through molecular diagnostics and personalized genetic therapies. Finally, Eduard Torrents Serra, leader of IBEC’s “Bacterial Infections: Antimicrobial Therapies” group, will talk about his research on antimicrobial treatments for cystic fibrosis.
Scheduled Program:
09.30-09.40: Welcome and short introduction to the workshop
09.40-10.10: Silvia Blanco, IBEC group “Molecular Imaging for Precision Medicine”
10.10-10.40: Silvia Muro, IBEC group “Targeted therapeutics and nanodevices”
10.40-11.30: International invited speaker: Frances Platt, professor of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford (UK).
11.30-12.00: Coffee Break and Networking
12.00-12.30: National invited speaker: Belen Perez Dueñas from the VHIR group “Therapeutics and innovations in neuropediatrics”.
12.30-13.00: Eduard Torrents Serra, IBEC group “Bacterial Infections: Antimicrobial Therapies”
13.00-13.10: Remarks and Closing

Workshop 1 NET-CNS. “Neurodegenerative Diseases: Unraveling Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms to Advance Prevention and Treatment
2025-05-09 09:30 - 16:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Exploring the molecular and cellular mechanisms of neurodegeneration and CNS pathology, as well as emerging therapies and prevention strategies.
Schedule for workshop:

9:20 – 9:30 Welcome from Network coordinator
9:30 – 10:00 Mariano Martin, IBEC, “Amyloids ‘at the border’: deep mutagenesis and random sequence extension reveal an incomplete amyloid-forming motif in Bri2 that turns amyloidogenic upon C-terminal extension”
10:00 – 11:00 Salvador Ventura, Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, “A structure-based approach to tackle protein aggregation in Parkinson’s disease”
11:00 – 11:30 Coffee Break and Networking
11:30 – 12:30 Amaia Arranz, Achucarro, “Divergent Effects of APOE3 and APOE4 Human Astrocytes on Key Alzheimer’s Disease Hallmarks in Chimeric Mice”
12:30 – 13:30 Roundtable – Moderated by network chairs to debate the issues discussed
13:30 – 14:30 Lunch
14:30 – 15:00 Amayra Hernández, IBEC, “Dynamics of Axonal Degeneration in Alzheimer’s Disease Induced by Tau or Amyloid Beta Aggregation”
15:00 –15:30 Karolina Zimkowska, IBEC, “Neuronal Activity and p-Tau: Lessons from Primary Cultures to Cortical Organoids Modeling FTLD-17”
15:30 – 16:00 Closing remarks and end of the Workshop

To register, click here

Research4talent
2025-05-16 10:30 - 13:00 | Auditori Antoni Caparrós, PCB, Tower D, c/Baldiri Reixac 4-8, Barcelona, Spain
The event offers you the opportunity to engage with our researchers and inquire about their day-to-day work in the lab, career trajectories, work-life balance, mobility, etc.
In 2024, IBEC signed more than 140 internship agreements for undergraduate and master’s students with a wide range of national and international universities.
If you are interested in IBEC’s eleventh edition of reSEARCH4TALENT, please register here.

NET-QUASI: Workshop 1: Biophysical Principles of Self-Assembly and Self-Organization Across Living and Synthetic Systems
2025-05-23 09:00 - 16:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Self-assembly and self-organization are fundamental principles that govern the formation of complex structures and functions across biological systems. This workshop will explore how these processes emerge in nature, how they contribute to the organization of life, and whether similar behaviors can be replicated in engineered systems. By bringing together perspectives from biology, chemistry, and physics, our speakers aim to uncover the underlying mechanisms that drive self-organized processes in living matter across scales. A deeper understanding of these principles could not only provide insights into the fundamental organization of biological systems but also lead to the design of adaptive and responsive materials.
Scheduled Program:
09:15 – 09:30 – Registration
09:30 – 09:40 – Opening
09:40 – 10:30 – Keynote speaker: Prof. Jan Brugués, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany, “Self-organization of the cytoplasm by physical instabilities”
10:30 – 10:50 – Dr. Pau Guillamat, IBEC, Barcelona, Spain. “ From cells to smart surfaces: steering living nematics into shape”
10:50 – 11:20 – Invited speaker: Prof. Alejandro Torres-Sánchez, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Barcelona, Spain, “ Break to build: how mechanical fracture patterns the beating heart ”
11:20 – 12:00 – Coffee break
12:00 – 12:30 – Invited speaker: Prof. Jordi Ignés-Mullol, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, “Emerging phenomena and symmetry breaking in active nematics”
12:30 – 13:00 – Invited speaker: Prof. Maria Guix, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. “ Harnessing emergent behavior in living robotic systems”
13:00 – 13:20 – Miguel González-Martín, IBEC, Barcelona, Spain. “ Development of mechanosensitive molecules for the mechanical control of transcription”
13:20 – 13:40 – Dr. Nina Kostina, IBEC, Barcelona, Spain. “From Assembly to Action: Programming Shape and Motion in Synthetic Vesicles”
13:40 – 14:00 – Dr. Vladislav Petrovskii, IBEC, Barcelona, Spain, “Charge–density-mediated self-assembly in vesicles of polyelectrolyte–surfactant complexes”
14:00 – 14:50 – Lunch
14:50 – 15:20 – Prof. Samuel Sánchez Ordóñez, IBEC, Barcelona, Spain. “Collective behavior of chemically powered nanomotors”
15:20 – 15:50 – Dr. Valentino Barbieri, IBEC, Barcelona, Spain. “ Supramolecular Architects: Engineering Self-Assembled Nanodrugs”
15:50 – 16:20 – Invited speaker: Prof. Katherine Villa, Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), Tarragona, Spain. “ Programmable Self-Assembly in Photoactive Colloidal Motors via Light Shaping”
16:20 – closing remarks
To register, click here.

NET-NANO. Workshop 2: Selective targeting and biological barriers
2025-06-13 09:00 - 16:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
IBEC’s Next-Generation Nanomedicine Network (NET-NANO) is dedicated to bridging nanomedicine research with practical applications, enhancing our ability to diagnose and treat human diseases effectively. As part of this initiative, a series of thematic workshops are being organised. The second workshop, scheduled for June 13th, will delve into nanomedicine design for selective targeting and overcoming biological barriers. Leading international experts and IBEC researchers will present on topics ranging from nanoparticle design strategies for penetrating barriers like the blood-brain barrier, retina, and bacterial biofilms, to innovative targeting approaches using lipid nanoparticles, multivalent polymeric nanoparticles, and enzymatic nanomotors.
Scheduled Program:
09:00–09:10 – Welcome from Network Coordinator
9:10–09:40 – Prof. Silvia Muro (Targeted therapeutics and nanodevices, IBEC)“Isoform-dependent targeting and its relevance for the design of drug delivery strategies”
09:40–10:10 – Dr Núria Blanco-Cabra (Bacterial Infections: Antimicrobial Therapies, IBEC)“Targeting and crossing bacterial biofilms with nanomedicine to overcome chronic infections.”
10:10–11:10 – Plenary: Prof. Katrien Remaut (Ghent University, Belgium)“Investigating and overcoming biological barriers to lipid nanoparticle mediated messenger RNA delivery to the retina”
11:10–11:40 – Coffee Break & Challenge Board
11:40–12:10 – Marco Basile (Molecular Bionics, IBEC)“Multivalent Nanoparticles as Modulators of the Blood–Brain Barrier: A New Paradigm for Superselective Nanomedicine”
12:10–12:40 – Dr David Esporrín Ubieto (Smart Nano-Bio-Devices, IBEC)“Enzymatic nanomotors with enhanced motion in viscous media for advanced biomedical applications”
12:40–13:10 – Dr Sílvia Pujals (IQAC-CSIC and IBEC)“Super resolution methods for nanomedicine”
13:10–14:10 – Networking Lunch
14:10–15:10 – Plenary: Pablo Scodeller (Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Spain)“Identifying targeting peptides and biomarkers using phage-display”
15:10–15:40 – Roundtable Discussion
15:40–15:45 – Farewell from Network Representatives

5th Annual Meeting of the ISMRM IBERIAN CHAPTER
2025-07-02 08:00 - 2025-07-04 18:00 | Auditori Antoni Caparrós, PCB, Tower D, c/Baldiri Reixac 4-8, Barcelona, Spain
The ISMRM Iberian Chapter is blooming maturely as a shared environment between scientists and clinicians in the magnetic resonance imaging field. The meeting will be an opportunity for academic and social interaction, and we will be honored to have the following distinguished speakers.
In this 5th meeting, we will offer an exciting 2-day scientific program. Plenary lectures will feature leading experts in clinical, preclinical, and computational MRI. In addition, oral sessions and poster sessions will showcase the latest research findings in our community, while industry will have the opportunity to showcase their latest technological innovations in the field and contact future users.
As we believe in the importance of networking, there will be ample opportunities to connect during the coffee breaks.
I look forward to meeting you in Barcelona!

Workshop 2. NET-RARE: Humanized Models for Studying Rare Diseases
2025-07-04 09:30 - 13:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
NET-RARE second workshop will explore how humanized and bioengineered models can replace 2D cultures and murine models to better understand and replicate rare disorders. The goal is to examine the latest approaches for studying rare diseases in personalized human models.
The opening seminar will feature Juanma Fernández (IBEC). He will present a 3D model designed to study various muscular diseases, along with Organ-on-Chip (OOC) technology and a biosensor platform for detecting biomarkers of the pathology. Next, Anna Collado Gimbert (VHIR) will introduce their new personalized model for studying rare anaemia disorders. Her team, in collaboration with IBEC, has developed a spleen-like microfluidic filtering unit to model disease progression and create a diagnostic device for prognosis and patient stratification.
Following this, international speaker Francesco Saverio Tedesco (University College London) will present his research on enhancing muscle regeneration to develop treatments for severe and incurable childhood diseases, like muscular dystrophies. His team has developed a novel human engineered muscle model for advanced in vitro modelling of muscle disorders involving extracellular matrix, including COL6-related dystrophies.
After a networking break, the next talk will be given by Laura Siles (Instituto de Microcirugía Ocular) in Barcelona. The group develops 3D retina models using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and has extensive expertise in gene editing with CRISPR technology applied to patient-derived iPS cells. Finally, Marc Riu-Villanueva(IBEC) will share their research on neurodegenerative diseases.
Join us to explore the next steps in bioengineering using humanized models to advance biomedical research!
Workshop held in the framework of the IBEC Thematic Networks.
Registration (below) is mandatory.

Scheduled Program:
09:20 – Registration
09:30 – Welcome and introduction
09:40 – Juanma Fernández-Costa, IBEC Group “Biosensors for Bioengineering”, “Next-Gen preclinical models: Muscle-on-Chip meets nanoplasmonic biosensors for drug evaluation in muscular dystrophies”
10:10 – National invited speaker: Anna Collado Gimbert from the VHIR group “Childhood Cancer and Blood disorders”, “Deep characterization of red blood cells in sickle cell disease and other rare anemia disorders by microfluidics and machine learning algorithms”
10:40 – International invited speaker: Francesco Saverio Tedesco, professor of Neuromuscular Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London (UK), “Advanced in vitro modelling of neuromuscular diseases and therapeutics”
11:30 – Coffee break and Networking
12:00 – National invited speaker: Laura Siles from the Instituto de Microcirugía Ocular (IMO), “Retinal organoids and gene editing in Inherited Retinal Dystrophies: disease modeling using patient-derived iPSCs and potential therapeutic approximation”
12:30 – Marc Riu-Villanueva, IBEC group “Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology”, “Biochemistry and functional analysis of P301L Tau in human brain cortical organoids modelling tauopathies of the FTLD spectrum”
13:00 – Remarks and Closing

To register click here

Reformant l’avaluació de la recerca per afavorir la qualitat i l’impacte científic
2025-07-17 09:30 - 13:30 | Auditori Antoni Caparrós, PCB, Tower D, c/Baldiri Reixac 4-8, Barcelona, Spain
Hi ha un gran consens entre la comunitat investigadora en general sobre la necessitat de reformar les pràctiques d’avaluació de la recerca. L’avaluació de la recerca, els investigadors i les organitzacions de recerca han de reconèixer els diversos resultats, pràctiques i activitats que maximitzen la qualitat i l’impacte de la recerca. Això, requereix basar l’avaluació principalment en dades qualitatives, per al qual la revisió per parells és central, recolzada per l’ús responsable d’indicadors quantitatius.
Per avançar cap a aquesta reforma de l’avaluació de la recerca, ja hi ha diferents iniciatives. Entre elles, CoARA, la Coalició per a l’Avenç de l’Avaluació de la Recerca.
Es tracta d’un esforç col·lectiu en què totes les institucions, des de les universitats, les organitzacions de recerca fins a les agències avaluadores i els finançadors, han de treballar juntes.
En aquest workshop aprendrem de les experiències de diferents institucions en la implementació dels principis CoARA i discutirem com podem avançar cap a un sistema de recerca d’avaluació més just i impactant.
To register cilck here

SEMIT 2025. First conference of the Spanish Society of Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering
2025-10-02 08:00 - 2025-10-03 17:00 | Auditori Antoni Caparrós, PCB, Tower D, c/Baldiri Reixac 4-8, Barcelona, Spain
The Spanish Society of Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering (SEMIT) was founded as a society in 2024 to address the need to advance the development and application of these promising fields in Spain .
The inaugural SEMIT 2025 Congress, held on October 2-3, 2025, at the Parc Científic de Barcelona, will mark the beginning of a leading platform for knowledge exchange among researchers, clinicians, and companies in the field. This event will bring together prominent national and international experts to di scuss the latest advances and challenges in bioengineering, advanced biomaterials, biofabrication and many others, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and the transfer of technology into clinical practice. In addition, this year we will count with the attendance of four internationally recognized plenary speakers: Abhay Pandit, Maria Pau Ginebra, Manuel Salmerón and Aitziber Cortajarena.
Be part of the future of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering and become a member of the society. Join SEMIT 2025 and connect with the community that is transforming science into real solutions for health.
To register click here

NET QUASI. Workshop 2 : Mimicking and Reprogramming Life: From Synthetic Cells and Active Matter to Smart Therapeutics
2025-10-10 09:20 - 15:00 | Baobab room, Floor 11, Tower 1
9:20 – Registration
9:30 – Opening — Nina Kostina

Session chair: Nina Kostina
09:40 – Keynote speaker: Prof. Bert Poolman (University of Groningen, NL) “Synthetic, out-of-equilibrium cell-like systems for directing reaction networks and maintaining homeostasis”
10:30 – Dr. Rosa Martinez-Corral (Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain) “Context-dependency in gene regulation”
11:05 – Prof. Marino Arroyo (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain) Title pending
11:40 – Dr. Mohit Kumar (University of Barcelona) “Active Phospholipid Vesicle as Cellular Membrane Mimic”
12:15 – Coffee break

Session chair: David Esporrín Ubieto
12:45 – Keynote speaker: Prof. Giuseppe Battaglia (IBEC, Barcelona, Spain) “Mimicking biological emergent properties for biomaterial design: principles and applications”
13:30 – Carles Prado (IBEC, Barcelona, Spain) “Crossing the Skin Barrier: A New Role for Enzymatic Nanobots”

14:00 – Closing remarks

18th IBEC annual Symposium
2025-10-16 08:00 - 2025-10-17 17:00 | AXA Auditorium, L'illa Diagonal, Av. Diagonal 547 , Barcelona, 08029
The 18th IBEC annual Symposium brings together high-profile international experts for an open forum for interdisciplinary discussions and networking. This year the symposium is dedicated to Bioengineering for precision medicine, one of IBEC’s three major application areas.
All scientific community is invited to participate. Attendees from IBEC and abroad are welcome to present their research or projects in poster format. Moreover, some of these contributions will be selected by the scientific committee for an oral flash presentation.
This year, the Symposium will also have a day exclusively dedicated to posters. The 16th of October the Symposium will be celebrated at the AXA Auditorium. The poster session will be celebrated the day after, 17th of October at Sant Pau Recinte Modernista.

NET-CNS. Workshop 2: Neuroengineering: Input-Output Interfaces and Interventions
2025-10-23 09:00 - 16:00 | Baobab room, Floor 11, Tower 1
IBEC’s Bioengineering Approaches to Understand, Model, and Modify Healthy and Pathological central nervous system CNS Network (NET-CNS) brings together IBEC researchers to explore cutting-edge developments in CNS research — from fundamental studies to innovative therapeutic strategies. This initiative promotes interdisciplinary efforts to address CNS diseases and conditions and explore new therapeutic avenues.

This second workshop on October 23th will focus on emerging neurotechnologies to interface with the CNS, including innovative strategies to record, stimulate, and modulate neural activity for both fundamental research and therapeutic interventions. The event will feature three lectures by leading experts:

John Rogers (Northwestern University, Chicago) developing flexible and bio-integrated electronic devices to monitor health, interface with the nervous system, and advance medical therapies.
Josep Maria Font Llagunes (Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (IRIS-UPC), Barcelona) developing computational methods for the analysis and prediction of human movement, innovative robotic exoskeletons and wearable monitoring technology.
Aureli Soria-Frisch (Starlab, Barcelona), Director of Neuroscience at Starlab, a deep tech company that develops wireless platforms and AI tools to find biomarkers to diagnose and treat brain disorders, with applications ranging from neurodevelopment to cognitive decline in aging.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with leading experts in this field and explore groundbreaking CNS research!

When? Thursday 23/10/2025·09:00h – 16:00 h
Where? Baobab room

Registration is mandatory!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Workshop held in the framework of the IBEC Thematic Networks.

Programme
09:00 – Registration
09:20 – Welcome from Network Coordinator
09:30 – IBEC speaker: Nicolò Accanto, Nonlinear Photonics for Neuroscience Group, ” Advanced Two-Photon Microscopy for Decoding Neuronal Circuits “
10:00 – Invited speaker: John Rogers, Northwestern University, Chicago, “Bioelectronic Systems as Neural Interfaces”
11:00 – Coffee Break and Networking
11:30 – Invited Speaker: Aureli Soria-Frisch, Starlab, Barcelona, “From Starlab to Neuroelectrics, a neurotechnology transfer success case”
12:30 – IBEC speaker: Mònica Mir, “Integrated sensors in humanized models on a chip to study neurodegeneration”
13:00 – Lunch Break
14:15 – Invited speaker: Josep M. Font-Llagunes, “From Biomechanics to Clinical Impact: Exoskeleton and Monitoring Technologies in Neurorehabilitation”
15:15 – IBEC speaker: Silvia Pittolo, Nanoprobes and Nanoswitches group, “Exploiting new technologies to read and control brain cells and circuits in real time”
15:45 – End of the Workshop

Abstracts of the plenary talks will be available here (Network programme).

Innovations in High-Plex, Single-Cell and Spatial Targeted-Proteomics
2025-10-28 09:30 - 14:30 | Auditori Antoni Caparrós, PCB, Tower D, c/Baldiri Reixac 4-8, Barcelona, Spain
In a joint effort to advance proteomics research, Standard BioTools and the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) are proud to present the symposium “Innovations in High-Plex, Single-Cell and Spatial Targeted-Proteomics”, which will take place on the morning of October 28, 2025, at the Parc Científic de Barcelona (PCB Auditorium).
This seminar will feature in-depth presentations from leading experts and industry professionals, showcasing how high-plex proteomic and cytometric technologies are driving progress in translational research.
Attendees will explore:

How high-dimensional flow cytometry enables deep immune profiling at the single-cell level

How Imaging Mass Cytometry (IMC) reveals spatial tissue organization and cellular interactions

How high-throughput proteomics and antibody profiling are unlocking new opportunities in biomarker discovery and disease mechanism studies

These innovative tools are already being integrated into a wide range of clinical and preclinical projects — come and discover how they are shaping the future of precision medicine.
The agenda includes expert talks on these core technologies and their applications, featuring a guest lecture by Jolanda Sarno from the Tettamanti Research Center, and will conclude with a panel Q&A session and a networking lunch to foster collaboration and exchange among participants.

Thematic Network. NET-QUASI Workshop 3: Designing Life-like Function
2025-11-21 09:20 - 16:20 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Part of the IBEC Thematic Network “Quasi-living systems: Merge and Emerge” (NET-QUASI), this third workshop explores how life-like function can be designed into synthetic and hybrid systems. By merging molecular, material, and biological approaches, researchers are uncovering how responsiveness, adaptability, and collective behavior emerge across scales—from molecular assemblies and delivery systems to tissues that sense and reorganize.
This session gathers leading voices in synthetic biology, materials science, and mechanobiology to discuss how bridging the living and synthetic worlds can inspire a new generation of functional, adaptive systems.

Agenda

09:30 – Opening Remarks. Nina Kostina (Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, Spain)
09:40 – Keynote Lecture: Prof. Wilhelm T. S. Huck (Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands) “Towards Molecular Networks that Learn”
10:35 Invited Lecture: Dr. Benjamí Oller (IQS, Barcelona), “Engineering conditionally active proteins and synthetic receptors for precision delivery”
11:20 – IBEC Lecture: Dr. Subhadip Ghosh, “Motility of Enzyme-Powered Protocells”
11:55 – Coffee Break
12:25 – Keynote Lecture: Prof. Kerstin Göpfrich (Center for Molecular Biology, Heidelberg University, Germany), “RNA design for quasi-living cellular systems”
13:10 – IBEC Lecture: Prof. César Rodríguez-Emmenegger, “Phagocytic Synthetic Cells: Non-Living Predators to Fight Bacteria”
14:00 – Lunch Break
14:50 – Early Career IBEC Lecture: M.Sc. Aina Albajar, “Studying the mechanical regulation of nucleocytoplasmic transport using Single Molecule Tracking”
15:25 – IBEC Lecture: Prof. Xavier Trepat, “Synthetic mechanobiology of epithelial shape and migration”
16:10 – Closing Remarks. Nina Kostina

REGISTRATION

Innovació científica i tecnològica en salut: transferència de resultats per a la medicina del futur
2026-02-17 09:00 - 15:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
i millorar la qualitat de vida de la ciutadana, però sense transferència no hi ha impacte. Catalunya és un referent en recerca biomèdica i biotecnològica, però el gran repte és transformar aquest coneixement en solucions reals que arribin a la clínica i al pacient.
En el marc de la Barcelona Health Innovation Week 2026, des de l’Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya (IBEC) organitzem aquesta jornada per demostrar que és possible connectar l’ecosistema de recerca amb el sistema de sanitari i empreses per impulsar la medicina personalitzada, les teràpies avançades i les tecnologies que milloren el diagnòstic i el tractament.
Aquesta sessió posa el focus en la transferència tecnològica i en l’impacte real de la recerca. Presentarem els resultats del Pla Complementari de Biotecnologia aplicada a la salut a Catalunya, un programa que ha fomentat la col·laboració entre centres de recerca i instituts sanitaris per desenvolupar solucions disruptives en salut. A més, comptarem amb experts i expertes en transferència tecnològica, inversió i gestió de la innovació que compartiran estratègies per accelerar la translació de coneixement cap al mercat i la clínica així com casos d’èxit que ja estan marcant el camí de la medicina del futur.
Si vols conèixer de prop les claus de l’èxit en la translació de la medicina personalitzada, connectar amb agents de l’ecosistema d’innovació i formar part de la conversa sobre el futur de la nostra salut, no et perdis aquesta oportunitat única per entendre com la col·laboració i la inversió en innovació poden generar valor per a la societat.
Activitat gratuïta. Registre obligatori aquí.

4th edition EMBL-IBEC Conference Egineering Multicellular Systems
2026-03-11 08:00 - 2026-03-13 17:00 | PRBB (Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona), Ramon y Cajal Room
EMBL and IBEC aim to contribute to the discussion on challenges and opportunities in the expanding field of engineered multicellular systems.
Recent breakthroughs in stem cell biology, organ-on-chip assays, 3D bioprinting, and cell mechanobiology have revolutionized our ability to design and assemble multicellular living systems, from organoids to embryos.
This biennial series will focus on how engineering such systems is advancing our understanding of tissue and organ function, with applications in disease modeling, developmental biology, and regenerative medicine.
To register click here

Research4talent
2026-04-30 10:45 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
The event offers you the opportunity to engage with our researchers and inquire about their day-to-day work in the lab, career trajectories, work-life balance, mobility, etc.
In 2025, IBEC signed more than 140 internship agreements for undergraduate and master’s students with a wide range of national and international universities.

PROGRAMME · 30th April 2026

10:45
Welcome

11:00
Deputy talent and training director talk. Elisabeth Engel, “What is IBEC?”

11:20
People Management Speech

11:30
PhD Committee presentation

-Coffee break-

11:45
Careers Fair*: a chance for participants to mingle and chat with our researchers.

13:00
Labs visits

If you are interested in IBEC’s twelfth edition of reSEARCH4TALENT, please register.

Thematic Network. NET-NANO Workshop 4: Towards clinical translation
2026-05-08 09:00 - 16:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
The Next-Generation Nanomedicine Network (NET-NANO) is hosting its fourth workshop on May 8th, focusing on the theme of clinical translation. This event will address the critical challenges of bridging the in vitro-to-in vivo and bench-to-clinic gaps.
We are honoured to welcome Prof. Twan Lammers (RWTH Aachen University Clinic, Germany) as our Plenary Speaker. The workshop will also feature talks from both internal IBEC researchers and leading external experts, including Dr Ibane Abasolo (IQAC-CSIC), Dr Marta Soler (Nanobots Therapeutics), and Dr Judit Morlà-Folch (ICMAB-CSIC), bringing together a diverse range of perspectives on clinical translation and entrepreneurship, including experience in founding spin-off companies.
Join us for a day of insightful presentations, a challenge board, and a roundtable discussion designed to network and explore the future of nanomedicine. This event will be particularly interesting for PhD students and Postdocs eager to explore the world beyond pure academia, or for anyone with a great taste for science and innovation and a willingness to have a good time.

Schedule programme
09:15-09:30 Registration
09:30-09:40 Welcome from Network Coordinator
09:40-10:15 Dr Rosalba Sortino (Nanoprobes and Nanoswitches, IBEC) – “Restoring vision: from fundamental research to therapeutic strategies”
10:15-10:50 Eulàlia Negre (Nanobioengineering, IBEC) – “Advancing Clinical Translation: A Scalable Blood-Brain Barrier-on-a-Chip Model for Nanomedicine and Drug Testing”
10:50-11:25 Coffee Break & Challenge Board
11:25-12:00 Prof. Samuel Sánchez and Dr. Marta Soler (IBEC and Nanobots Therapeutics) – “Nanobots: Therapeutics in Motion”
12:00-12:35 Invited Speaker: Dr Judit Morlà-Folch (NANOMOL-Bio, ICMAB-CSIC) – “Talk title to be confirmed”
12:35-13:10 Prof. Giuseppe Battaglia (Molecular Bionics, IBEC) – “Talk title to be confirmed”
13:10-14:00 Networking Lunch
14:00-14:35 Invited Speaker: Dr Ibane Abasolo (Nanomaterials for Therapeutic Applications, IQAC-CSIC) – “Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Magnetic Hyperthermia in Pancreatic Cancer: Translational Lessons from Preclinical Development”
14:35-15:35 Plenary Speaker: Twan Lammers (RWTH Aachen University Clinic, Germany) – “How to Promote Cancer Nanomedicine Clinical Translation”
15:35-16:05 Roundtable Discussion
16:05-16:15 Farewell from Network Representatives

To register click here.

Thematic Network. Final Retreat NET-CNS
2026-05-08 10:00 - 19:30 | Auditori Antoni Caparrós, PCB, Tower D, c/Baldiri Reixac 4-8, Barcelona, Spain
Program Overview
Morning Session (10:00–13:00) Chair Amayra Hernandez
10:00–10:15 – Welcome & Introduction
10:15–10:30 – Thematic Network Achievements
10:30–11:00 –Flash presentations, 2 min each
11:00-11:30- Coffe Break
Session 1- 11:30-13:00h Chair Daniel Carter
11:30–12:15– Invited Speaker: Marc Martinell, PhD
CEO, Minoryx Therapeutics S.L., TecnoCampus Mataró-Maresme, Barcelona
Open Discussion & Q&A
12:15–13:00 – Invited Speaker: Adrià Tauste
Associate Professor, Department of Physics, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Co-fundador de la spinoff BrainFocus Labs
Open Discussion & Q&A
13:00–14:30 – Lunch
Midday Session (14:30–16:30), Chair Nicolo Accanto & Monicar Mir
Session 2– Future Directions in CNS
14:30–15:00 – Speaker: Antoni Matilla-Dueñas, BSc MB DSc
Head of the Functional and Translational Neurogenetics Unit
Director of the Neurogenetics Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience
Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP)
15:00-15:30 Open Discussion & Q&A
Session 3– From Advanced Models to Translational Therapies & Discussion
15:30–16:00 – Speaker: Rosa Monge-Benochip, PhD
CEO and co-founder of BEONCHIP S.L, Zaragoza
16:00-16:30 Open Discussion & Q&A
16:30–17:00 – Coffee Break
Afternoon Session (17:00–18:00) Chair Jorge Oliver and Mariana Azevedo
Session 4: Roundtable Discussion
Closing Remarks
18:00-19:30 Networking
Flash Presentations: Participants are invited to present their work in 2-minute flash presentations. During the retreat registration, you will have the option to indicate your interest in presenting and to upload your abstract. This is a great opportunity to share ideas, foster collaborations, and increase visibility within the network.

Alumni IBEC - 20 Years of Community
2026-06-18 17:30 - 21:00 | Auditori Antoni Caparrós, PCB, Tower D, c/Baldiri Reixac 4-8, Barcelona, Spain
On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of IBEC, we are pleased to invite the entire Alumni community to a special event taking place on June 18th at 5:30 pm at the Auditori Antoni Caparrós (PCB).
This gathering aims to reconnect all those who have been part of IBEC over the past 20 years, share professional journeys, exchange experiences and strengthen a diverse and active Alumni network with impact across many fields.
It will be an afternoon to meet again, enjoy meaningful networking, discover new professional stories shaped by IBEC, and collectively celebrate the path travelled and the talent that has grown within the institute.
The event will conclude with a cocktail reception from 7:00 pm, offering a relaxed environment to continue conversations and build connections.
