PhD Discussion. Margherita Gallano and Carles Prado Morales
2026-06-05 10:00 - 11:00 (Europe/Madrid) | Baobab room, Floor 11, Tower 1
Nuclear Envelope Remodelling under Mechanical Perturbation
Margherita Gallano, predoctoral researcher in the Cellular and Molecular Mechanobiology Group
Cells experience mechanical loads during many fundamental processes, including growth, differentiation, and migration. These forces are transmitted to the nucleus and can influence gene expression, ultimately modulating cell behaviour and determining cell fate. The Nuclear Envelope (NE) plays a critical role in this process, as it has been shown to sense cell size variations and activate mechanosensitive signalling pathways. Yet, the phenomenology of NE responses to mechanical stimuli remains largely unexplored. In this project, we aim to characterize the dynamic response of the NE under both stretch and compression, and to unravel the associated mechanosensing mechanisms. To do so, we employ a custom-made microfluidic device to apply controlled stretch to HeLa cells nuclei and a nanoindenter to subject cells to compressive loads. Using single cells and isolated nuclei as model systems, we aim to distinguish active from passive processes of NE remodelling. Our results demonstrate that isolated nuclei undergo NE remodelling upon strain application, characterised by flattening of nuclear envelope wrinkles and increase in nuclear volume. In indentation experiments on intact HeLa cells, we observe rapid NE wrinkling upon release of the compressive load, followed by a gradual restoration of the original nuclear morphology.

Topical enzyme-powered nano-mRNA vaccines
Carles Prado, Smart Nano-Bio-Devices group
The skin constitutes the body’s primary defensive barrier, a function attributed to its complex and highly dense architecture. Beyond its protective role, the skin also represents a promising route for drug delivery and vaccination. Current vaccination strategies primarily rely on injectable administration, which targets tissues with relatively low densities of antigen-presenting cells (APCs). This approach can result in limited efficiency, reduced patient compliance, increased infection risk, and higher healthcare costs. In contrast, skin contains a dense network of resident APCs, making it an attractive target for immunization. However, most topical delivery approaches require physical disruption of the stratum corneum (SC) to overcome the barrier, causing adverse effects and local tissue damage. To address these limitations, we have developed a novel needle-free delivery platform based on enzymatically powered nanomotors capable of actively and non-disruptively penetrating the skin barrier. Through self-propulsion and local modulation of the lipid organization of the SC, these nanomotors enhance transport into the viable epidermis and dermis. Our goal is to employ this technology to topically deliver mRNA to epidermal Langerhans cells and dermal dendritic cells and to evaluate its performance in a human relevant model.

Ibec Seminar. Santiago A. Rodríguez-Seguí
2026-06-12 10:00 - 11:00 | Baobab room, Floor 11, Tower 1
Epigenomic Control of Pancreatic β-Cell Development and Fate: Toward Engineering a Vascularized Organoid-on-Chip Platform
Santiago A. Rodríguez-Seguí1,2
1 Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-UBA-CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2 Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The human genome encodes the instructions for the vast cellular differentiation required for embryonic development and adult homeostasis. Some developmental programs are reactivated during regeneration upon tissue damage. Decoding this regulatory logic demands integrated approaches: the development of suitable human tissue models, genomic characterization of transcriptional and epigenetic programs, and experimental validation. State-of-the-art bioengineering technologies — including microfluidic and biomaterial platforms that recapitulate tissue microenvironments — are enabling insights into human biology that would otherwise be difficult to achieve.
Diabetes is associated with malfunction of pancreatic β-cells. Our work, based on pioneering ChIP-seq and scRNA-seq studies in human and mouse pancreatic samples — adult islets, embryonic pancreas, and iPSC-derived progenitors — has identified regulatory mechanisms controlling β-cell development and fate. We mapped the enhancer landscape of human islets, uncovered enhancer mutations causing pancreatic agenesis, and demonstrated that TEAD and YAP regulate key enhancers during pancreatic development. More recently, we showed that glucocorticoid receptor activation modulates early differentiation in pancreatic progenitors, and that HNF1B mutations disrupt this process in iPSC-derived models. From the regenerative angle, we reported that the peptide INGAP-PP signals to multiple islet cell types, including β-cells and endothelial cells, suggesting that its effects depend on multicellular crosstalk poorly captured by conventional culture.
Building on this foundation, we are now developing a vascularized pancreatic endocrine organoid-on-chip platform that recapitulates the β-cell vascular niche. This platform, developed in collaboration with the University of Barcelona and IBEC, integrates human β-cells, endothelial cells, and stromal cells in a perfusable microfluidic device. It will enable epigenomic dissection of how vascular niche signals modulate the enhancer landscape underlying β-cell fate in a controlled human microenvironment. Our long-term vision is to translate this mechanistic understanding into precision medicine approaches for diabetes.
Santiago Rodríguez Seguí is a Principal Investigator at the Institute for Physiology, Molecular Biology, and Neurosciences (IFIBYNE), affiliated with the National Scientific and Technical Research Council of Argentina (CONICET) and the University of Buenos Aires. He holds a degree in Bioengineering from the University of Entre Ríos, Argentina, and a PhD in Biomedicine from the University of Barcelona, Spain.
His research focuses on pancreatic beta cell development and regeneration. He has authored more than 20 publications, with significant contributions to the field published in high-impact journals such as Nature Genetics, Nature Cell Biology, and Development. His work has been recognized with awards from the National Academy of Medicine of Argentina and the Honorable Senate of the Argentine Nation.

Ibec Seminar. Dr. Le Cam
2026-06-12 11:15 - 12:15 | Baobab room, Floor 11, Tower 1
The p53 pathway and metabolism: implications in normal tissue homeostasis, aging and cancer progression
Dr. Le Cam , Montpellier Cancer Research Institute (IRCM)
Mutation of the TP53 gene is the most frequent genetic alteration in human cancers. Tumor suppressive functions of p53 have been linked to its ability to control cell division, cell death and cellular senescence. However growing evidence indicates that the metabolic functions of p53 play important roles in cancer progression. Our team has been studying the metabolic functions of the p53 pathway for many years and highlighted previously unknown functions of several key components of this molecular cascade in pyruvate, amino-acid, and nucleotide metabolism. Beyond cancer development, I will illustrate how deregulation of these metabolic networks impacts on normal physiological responses in the liver, contributes to cancer development and leads to inborn metabolic disorders.
Relevant publications:
1- Riscal R. et al (2016) Chromatin-bound MDM2 regulates serine metabolism and redox homeostasis independently of p53. Mol. Cell. Jun 16;62(6):890-902.
2- Arena et al. Mitochondrial MDM2 regulates respiratory complex I activity independently of p53. Mol Cell 2018
3- Cissé et al. Targeting MDM2-dependent serine metabolism as a new therapeutic strategy for liposarcoma. Sci Trans Med 2020
4- Lacroix et al. The multifunctional protein E4F1 links p53 to lipid metabolism in adipocytes. Nat Comms 2021
5- Di Michele et al. E4F1 coordinates pyruvate metabolism and the activity of the Elongator Complex to ensure protein translation fidelity. Nat Comms 2025

Dr. Le Cam earned his Pharmacy thesis and his PhD in Science from Montpellier University (France) in 1999. From 1999 to 2004, he spent four years as a postdoctoral fellow in Professor Sicinski’s laboratory at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston (USA), where he studied cell cycle and mouse genetics. He then joined the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) as a researcher at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of Montpellier in Dr. Claude Sardet’s laboratory. In 2008, he became a group leader at the Montpellier Cancer Research Institute (IRCM), where he was appointed deputy director in 2022. His team investigates the metabolic functions of p53, the most frequently mutated tumor suppressor across many cancer types, and how their deregulation impinges on metabolic disorders, aging and cancer progression.

IBEC Day
2026-06-18 09:00 - 15:00 | Auditori Vèrtex – UPC
IBEC Day brings together the entire IBEC community for a day of exchange and connection, designed to share, connect and celebrate together.
This year’s edition is particularly meaningful, as it forms part of the celebration of IBEC’s 20th anniversary, marking an important milestone for the institute and offering an opportunity to look back, recognise the journey so far, and continue building the future in a shared way.
Throughout the day, we will present relevant updates and developments across the institution, learn about ongoing initiatives, and create spaces for conversation in an informal setting.
IBEC Day aims to strengthen our sense of belonging, foster dialogue, and offer an opportunity to experience a day that helps us feel more connected as an institution.

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.

Ibec Seminar. Ezequiel Coscueta
2026-06-19 10:00 - 11:00 | Baobab room, Floor 11, Tower 1
Bioactives Beyond Screening: From Molecular Potential to Local Gut Function
Bioactive molecules are often selected through simplified screening assays, where antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory or cytotoxic responses provide an initial indication of biological potential. However, in the gastrointestinal context, this potential can be profoundly reshaped by digestion, solubility, mucus, microbiota metabolism, epithelial interactions and the local biochemical conditions of health or disease. Moving beyond screening therefore requires asking not only whether a molecule is active, but whether it can remain accessible, transform into relevant metabolites, interact with biological barriers and produce function where it is needed.
This talk will discuss how bioactives from complex biological matrices can be studied across this transition from molecular potential to gut-relevant function. Drawing on examples involving peptide-rich fractions, peptidomics, phenethyl isothiocyanate, gastrointestinal simulation, microbiota-oriented assays and delivery systems, the talk will reflect on the experimental challenges of assigning biological meaning to bioactive molecules intended for local action in the gut.
The broader aim is to present a nutraceutical and molecular biotechnology perspective that connects naturally with current questions in gastrointestinal health, local delivery and human-relevant models. In this context, emerging biopolymeric and biocatalytic micro/nanosystems will be introduced as part of an ongoing effort to design bioactive-based strategies that respond more closely to the inflammatory gastrointestinal microenvironment.

Ezequiel Coscueta is an Assistant Researcher at the Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina (CBQF) and an Invited Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Biotechnology, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, in Porto, Portugal. He is currently undertaking a three-month research mobility at IBEC as a Visiting Researcher in the Smart Nano-Bio-Devices Group, through an ongoing collaboration with the group leader, Samuel Sánchez Ordóñez. He holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina, and a BSc in Biotechnology from Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Argentina. His research combines molecular and analytical biotechnology, peptidomics, bioactive characterisation, gastrointestinal digestion and colon fermentation models, microbiota-oriented assays, and bio-based delivery systems.
His scientific trajectory has evolved from bioprocessing and the study of complex biological matrices toward a broader interest in how bioactive molecules can become functionally relevant within the gastrointestinal environment. Rather than focusing only on simplified bioactivity screening, his work addresses how digestion, bioaccessibility, microbial transformation, biological barriers and local inflammatory conditions influence the functional potential of bioactives.
He is Principal Investigator of gBiOT, a project funded by FCT, the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal’s national public agency for science, technology and innovation. He was also Co-Principal Investigator of GastroCure, an ERDF-supported project, funded through the European Regional Development Fund, focused on bioactives for gastrointestinal inflammatory disorders. His current research explores bioactive-based strategies, biopolymeric systems and biocatalytic micro/nanosystems designed for local action in inflammatory gastrointestinal microenvironments. In parallel, he is working on bioactive peptides as modulators of the gut-skin axis, with a particular focus on psoriasis, expanding his research from local gastrointestinal function toward systemic inflammatory communication. Together, these lines create natural points of contact with human-relevant models, biological barriers, local delivery and nanomedicine-oriented research.

Ibec seminar. Dr Remy Chiaffarelli
2026-07-03 11:30 - 12:30 | Baobab room, Floor 11, Tower 1
Hybrid PET/MR Imaging of Tumour Physiology: from Perfusion to Extracellular Lactate
Dr Remy Chiaffarelli, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen

Tumour progression is driven by metabolic and vascular changes that shape the tumour microenvironment. We developed new hybrid PET/MRI probes to detect and quantify tumour physiology and its compartmentalization, with a focus on extracellular lactate and perfusion. By combining responsive CEST MRI contrast agents with PET-based quantification, these probes provide complementary functional and quantitative information for preclinical metabolic imaging. Our findings demonstrate the value of these approaches for characterising tumour heterogeneity and metabolic dynamics, providing insights into cancer biology and supporting the development of more precise imaging biomarker.

Transversal Skills: Marta Rotxés and Alexia García
2026-07-17 10:00 - 11:00 | Baobab room, Floor 11, Tower 1
Clinical Trials: Understanding the Journey from Research to Patient Care. Clinical trials are at the heart of medical innovation, helping to bring new treatments and technologies to patients. In this seminar, Marta Rotxés and Alexia García, from Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), will explore the different phases of clinical trials, the variety of trial designs used in oncology research, and the key role of medical devices in advancing patient care. They will also discuss why effective patient communication is essential throughout the research process and share insights into the realities of conducting clinical research today
Marta Rotxés works as a Study Coordinator at the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), where she is involved in clinical oncology research. She also participates in project management activities and multidisciplinary initiatives related to clinical trial development. Her work focuses on early drug development, including Phase I clinical trials, investigator-initiated trials, and advanced therapies such as Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) and CAR-T cell therapies.

Alexia Garcia works as a Study Coordinator at the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), where she is involved in clinical research in breast cancer. Her work focuses on Phase II and Phase III clinical trials, supporting the coordination and implementation of studies aimed at improving treatment options for patients. She also participates in initiatives focused on patient engagement and the development of educational resources to improve communication and access to information for patients involved in clinical research.

Thematic Network. Final Retreat NET QUASI: Ways of Seeing
2026-09-17 14:30 - 18:30
Ways of Seeing
Nature is a master designer, shaping molecules, materials, organisms, and ecosystems through interactions across scales. Yet many of its most remarkable strategies remain hidden in plain sight, waiting to be revealed through careful observation. Scientific discovery often begins not with a hypothesis, but with a way of seeing: the ability to notice patterns, ask unexpected questions, and look at familiar phenomena from a different perspective.
With this retreat, we would like to celebrate observation as a catalyst for curiosity, understanding, discovery, and innovation. Together, we will reflect on how attentiveness to the natural world inspires new ideas, challenges existing assumptions, and opens pathways to scientific and technological breakthroughs. Through the exchange of perspectives and experiences, we hope to explore how careful observation can transform wonder into understanding, and how insights from nature can inspire entirely new ways of designing.
Agenda
14:30 – 14:45 : Opening Remarks
14:45 – 16:00: Keynote Lecture Prof. Saad Bhamla (Georgia Institute of Technology, USA)
16:00 – 17:30 : Documentary Screening: Observer. Director: Ian Cheney
In the 95-minute doc, Cheney brings a series of keen-eyed observers — scientists, artists, and a hunter — to a range of locations around the world and asks them to describe what they see. What unfolds is a thought-provoking journey into the simple but transformative act of observing.
17:30 – 18:15: Round Table Discussion Ways of Seeing: What Can Nature Still Teach Us?
18:15 – 18:30: Closing Remarks
18:30 : Networking Reception & Refreshments

To register click here.

Thematic Network. NET-QUASI Workshop 4
2026-09-18 09:30 - 15:30
Constructing Biological Complexity: Engineering Interactions Across Scales
Biological systems achieve remarkable functionality through interactions that span multiple scales, from molecular assemblies and cellular compartments to tissues and complex microenvironments. Understanding how these interactions give rise to emergent behaviors is a central challenge in contemporary bioengineering and synthetic biology.
This workshop brings together researchers exploring how biological complexity can be reconstructed, controlled, and harnessed through engineering approaches. Topics range from the biochemical reconstitution of cellular processes and the design of synthetic cellular systems to mechanobiology, collective cell behavior, immune microenvironments, and advanced therapeutic technologies.
Agenda:
09:30 – 09:40 Opening Remarks
09:40 – 10:35 Keynote Lecture I – Prof. Dr. Germán Rivas (CIB Margarita Salas, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain)
Title: Synthetic Cell Division via Biochemical Reconstitution
10:40 – 11:25 Invited Lecture I – Dr. Margherita Staykova (Department of Physics, Durham University, UK)
Title: TBA
11:25– 12:00 Coffee Break
12:00 – 12:55 Keynote Lecture II – Prof. Oskar Staufer (INM – Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbrücken, Germany)
Title: Building Immunity from the Bottom-Up: Synthetic Cell-Based Tumor Immune Microenvironments
13:00 – 13:30 Early Career IBEC Lecture – M.Sc. Inés Macías Tarrio (Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, Spain)
Title: Nanomotors Boost FGFR3-Targeted Therapy in Bladder Cancer
13:30– 14:30 Lunch Break
14:30 – 15:15 IBEC Lecture I Prof. Dr. Pere Roca-Cusachs (Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, Spain)
Title: TBA
To register click here

Jornada informativa 2026: Oportunidades de financiación para proyectos de investigación en salud
2026-09-22 09:00 - 13:30
Nanomed Spain e IBEC organizan esta Jornada Informativa para acercar a la comunidad investigadora y empresarial las principales oportunidades de financiación para proyectos de I+D+i en salud.
A través de las intervenciones de representantes del CDTI y de la Fundación Científica de la AECC, la jornada presentará las próximas convocatorias del programa Horizonte Europa, los instrumentos nacionales de apoyo a la innovación y otras iniciativas de financiación estratégicas para impulsar la investigación, la transferencia de tecnología y el desarrollo de soluciones innovadoras en salud.
La jornada culminará con una sesión de networking diseñada para identificar sinergias, promover nuevas colaboraciones y facilitar la generación de consorcios para futuras propuestas nacionales e internacionales.
Una oportunidad única para mantenerse al día de las novedades en financiación y ampliar la red de contactos dentro del ecosistema de innovación en salud.

Para registrarse hacer click aquí

11th International Workshop on Technologies for Optogenetics and Neurophotonics
2026-10-12 08:00 - 2026-10-14 17:00 | PRBB (Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona), Marie Curie Room (PRBB inner square)
The OPTOGEN conference brings together the most active scientists and technologists to discuss recent progresses and future challenges in technologies for in vivo optogenetics and optical neural interfaces: from new implantable devices to latest molecular tools developments.

IMPORTANT DATES
Abstract submission open till: 31st of July
Early bird registration open till: 31st of July
Registration open till: 1st of October

To register click here
