Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia

Workshop 1 NET-NANO: Tools to study biological systems
2025-02-03 09:10 - 16:00 (Europe/Madrid) | 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.

Contexto y oportunidades de cooperación científico-tecnológica con China
2025-02-04 09:30 - 12:00 | PCB
This event will be held in Spanish.
Nanomed Spain junto con CDTI organizan esta jornada para ofrecer una visión integral del estado actual de la cooperación científica entre España y China, incluyendo los avances de la hoja de ruta acordada en la Comisión Mixta Bilateral de octubre de 2024 y las nuevas líneas estratégicas de colaboración. También se presentarán oportunidades de financiación para proyectos conjuntos, como las derivadas del reciente Memorando de Entendimiento firmado entre la Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) y la Fundación Nacional de Ciencias Naturales de China (NSFC), y se discutirán los retos relacionados con la securización de la cooperación internacional. Una excelente oportunidad para avanzar juntos en la innovación y la colaboración internacional.
Registro e información aquí.

Nanodía Mundial Contra el Cáncer
2025-02-07 09:30 - 13:00 | Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Pg. de la Vall d'Hebron, 119-129, Horta-Guinardó, Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
This event will be held in Spanish.
El Nanodía Mundial Contra el Cáncer es un evento organizado en el marco del Día Mundial contra el Cáncer donde se darán a conocer las últimas innovaciones en materia de NANOMEDICINA contra el CÁNCER, con temas que van desde el diagnóstico precoz, la liberación controlada de fármacos o la radioterapia con nanopartículas.
Un año más, expertos en NANOMEDICINA de diferentes campos -investigadores, empresarios, médicos oncólogos, pacientes, etc.-, expondrán los últimos avances y nos darán la oportunidad de descubrir el generador de progreso que la NANOMEDICINA significa para la salud como creador de nuevas oportunidades en el diagnóstico y el tratamiento del cáncer y como podemos contribuir en la misión Europea contra el cáncer.
NANOMED Spain organiza la edición de este año con el Vall d’Hebron Instituto de Investigación (VHIR).
Registro e información aquí.

Complementary Skills session: "Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Practice: From Research Labs to Lecture Halls"
2025-02-07 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
“Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Practice: From Research Labs to Lecture Halls”
Salva Ferrer, Eduscopi, Barcelona.
Discover how AI is reshaping the landscape of scientific research, teaching, and public engagement. This seminar covers a wide range of uses for AI, including content generation, data analysis, and information management tailored to scientists’ needs. Attendees will learn prompt engineering techniques, compare AI models suited for reliable scientific text generation, and navigate key ethical challenges like transparency and legalities. Featuring real-world tools for research, social media, and educational applications, this session provides a comprehensive overview of responsible AI use in science. (Of course, this title and description were generated by an AI).

IBEC Seminar: Prof. Joo H. Kang and Prof. Jinmyoung Joo
2025-02-14 12:00 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Microfluidic Approaches for Infection Treatment and Vascularized Tissue Regeneration
Joo H. Kang, Ph.D., Associate Professor Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology
Extracorporeal blood treatments for severe bacteremic sepsis have shown limited success, primarily due to the lack of effective strategies to remove various pathogenic materials from the bloodstreams. This presentation will focus on two of the most recent approaches addressing this challenge. The first utilizes red blood cell (RBC) membrane-coated superparamagnetic nanoclusters (RBC-SPNCs) that target a broad spectrum of bacteria and viruses in infected whole blood. In a swine sepsis model, these RBC-SPNCs demonstrated rapid capture and magnetic separation of various pathogens, even at high blood flow rates. Treatment of swine infected with multidrug-resistant E. coli significantly alleviated severe bacteremia-induced organ dysfunction within 12 hours, suggesting potential therapeutic utility in large animal models and possibly in human sepsis treatment. The second approach enables efficient bacterial removal by leveraging RBC deformability, which induces their axial migration and promotes bacterial margination, thereby enhancing capture efficiency within the microscale flow path of the extracorporeal device.
Toward the end of the presentation, we will discuss fully vascularized implants created using autologous blood plasma through a microfluidic device. Our results show that implanting theses vascularized scaffolds onto cutaneous wound sites significantly facilitated wound healing in a rodent model, resulting in increased collagen deposition, higher hair follicle numbers, and improved wound closure rates. The microvascular structures we implanted were anastomosed with the host’s blood vessels, enabling rapid deployment of neutrophils to the wound site and promoting the polarization of M2 macrophages, which further facilitated the wound healing process.

Engineering functional nanoparticles for translational and precision medicine
Jinmyoung Joo, Associate Professor Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology
Nanotechnology is of great importance to molecular biology and medicine because life processes are maintained by the action of a series of biological molecular nanomachines in the cell machinery. Recent advances in nanotechnology offer great potential applications in biomedical research and clinical diagnostics, and the development of a novel toolkit is critical to understand the inner world of complex biological nanosystems at cell, tissue and whole-body level. In particular, the unique combinations of material properties that can be achieved with nanomaterials provide new opportunities in biomedical applications, in which a number of functional nanomaterials have been investigated and become a new interdisciplinary frontier between biomedical science and materials engineering.
In this talk, self-destructing hybrid nanoparticles based on porous inorganic scaffolds and lipids will be discussed. The material allows a modular approach to the design of imaging or therapeutic agents, which includes features such as: intrinsic photoluminescence; singlet oxygen sensitization; capacity for a wide range of payloads such as magnetic nanoparticles, large proteins, or oligonucleotides; tunable degradation rates; and large external surface to provide multivalent targeting. Luminescent nanoparticles offer a non-toxic alternative to heavy metal-based quantum dots, and they have been shown to be biodegradable and to safely image tumors and organs in live animals. The addition of a targeting ligand that selectively interacts with tissues can improve the efficacy of imaging and drug delivery. These effects can be further enhanced if the nanoparticle contains more than one copy of the targeting ligand, enabling multivalent interactions with the targeted tissue. The use of the feasible functionality and biodegradable characteristics of the nanoparticles for in vitro and in vivo imaging and drug delivery systems will be highlighted.

Barcelona Health Innovation Week 2025
2025-02-19 12:00 - 14:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Al Barcelona Health Innovation Week, explorarem casos reals de dos projectes que estan fent el salt del laboratori a la clínica i al mercat per generar un impacte tangible a través de la col·laboració público-privada i la creació d’spin off. Coneixerem la iniciativa liderada per Catalunya per accelerar l’adopció de la medicina personalitzada als estats membres de la Unió Europea, i analitzarem les estratègies clau per assolir la transferència del coneixement a la societat.
Aquesta sessió serà una cita imprescindible per als que volen 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.

Aquest esdeveniment tindrà lloc en català.

IBEC Seminar: Dr Stefano Angioletti Uberti
2025-02-20 10:00 - 11:00 | Torres I, Floor -1, Room 3
Multivalent interactions: Old concept, new tricks
Dr Stefano Angioletti Uberti, Senior Lecturer at Imperial College London
Arguably,multivalency has been used since the 1970s as a mechanism to increase the binding strength while using weak ligand-receptor pairs. While this (somewhat naive) view as a general approach to increase binding strength must be taken with a pinch of salt but, it also downplays the importance of multilvalent interactions for selectivity. In fact, multivalent interactions become crucial to obtain binding selectivity in scenarios where targets vs non-target entitites (cells, viruses, …) do not differ by the presence or lack of a specific receptor, but by receptors’ spatial distribution. In this seminar, I will describe some of our most recent research into this topic, focusing on two intriguing cases: the use of multivalent binding to enhance targeting in drug-delivery, and its (potential) role as a general mechanism to regulate how cells “sense” and react to their environment.

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

IBEC Seminar: Loïc Lannelongue
2025-02-28 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Green Disc: open-access community-driven Digital Sustainability Certification scheme
Loïc Lannelongue, Research Associate at University of Cambridge
From genetic studies and astrophysics simulations to AI, scientific computing has enabled amazing discoveries and there is no doubt it will continue to do so. However, the corresponding environmental impact is a growing concern in light of the urgency of the climate crisis, so what can we all do about it? We will discuss how the new Green DiSC framework can support scientists and institutions in making their (computational) research more sustainable. We will present the scheme and the logistics of taking part, and answer any questions you may have.
You can registere here.

Nano Rare Diseases Day
2025-03-07 10:00 - 12:30 | Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Pg. de Sant Joan de Déu, 2, Esplugues de Llobregat
This event will be held in Spanish.
El Nano Rare Diseases Day es un evento organizado en el marco del Día Mundial de las Enfermedades Minoritarias donde se darán a conocer las últimas innovaciones en materia de Nanomedicina con temas que van desde el diagnóstico precoz, la liberación controlada de fármacos o el desarrollo de nuevas terapias.
Durante esta jornada, expertos en Nanomedicina de diferentes campos -investigación, empresa, práctica clínica, autoridades sanitarias, pacientes, etc.-, expondrán los últimos avances y nos darán la oportunidad de descubrir el generador de progreso que la Nanomedicina significa para la salud como creador de nuevas oportunidades en el diagnóstico y el tratamiento de las enfermedades minoritarias.
Registro e información aquí.

IBEC Seminar. Science and poetry
2025-03-21 00:00 - 13:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
El pròxim 21 de març, coincidint amb el Dia Internacional de la Poesia, l’IBEC ha programat una sessió poètica especial conduïda per Mireia Casanyes. Aquesta activitat forma part de Ciència Radical, un programa cultural creat en col·laboració amb el CCCB, que busca explorar les connexions entre ciència, humanitats i arts per repensar la realitat que ens envolta. El seminari s’inscriu també dins la residència poètica de Mireia Casanyes a l’IBEC.

Workshop 2. NET-AI: AI fundamentals and use cases in healthcare
2025-03-28 09:00 - 14:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
In this second workshop of the AI for Bioengineering thematic network (NET-AI), an introduction, both theoretical and practical, to the fundamental concepts and main algorithms of artificial intelligence applied to bioengineering will be given. To this end, a first seminar will introduce the fundamental concepts of AI. This will be followed by a practical programming activity in Python, in which attendees will be able to bring their laptop to practice the implementation of simple AI models. Finally, a second seminar will offer a more specific vision of AI use cases in the healthcare field for decision-making.

Schedule programme
09:00 – Registration and Welcome
09:15 – Santiago Marco, IBEC group “Signal and Information Processing for Sensing Systems”, “AI fundamentals”
10: 15 – Coffee Break
10:45 – Moritz Marquardt, University of Stuttgart, AI practical activity (own computer required)
12:15 – Short break
12:30 – Plenary: Alexandre Perera, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC),“From Ontology-Based Classifiers for Rare Conditions to Transformer-Based Models for Type 2 Diabetes – Opportunities and Risks”
13:30 – Final remarks and closing
To register, click here.
Health Data Science: From Ontology-Based Classifiers for Rare Conditions to Transformer-Based Models for Type 2 Diabetes – Opportunities and Risks
Alexandre Perera
Health data science is transforming disease prediction and diagnosis through advanced AI models. This talk explores two key frontiers: ontology-based classifiers for rare diseases and transformer-based models for type 2 diabetes prediction. Ontology-based methods, such as those leveraging the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO), enhance diagnostic precision in rare conditions by mapping patient-reported symptoms to expert-curated knowledge bases (Manzini et al., 2022). Initiatives like Share4Rare promote citizen science and collaborative rare disease research, fostering data sharing and patient engagement (Radu et al., 2021). Additionally, expert models aid in the early identification of inherited kidney diseases, integrating clinical expertise with machine learning (Fayos de Arizon et al., 2023) For prevalent conditions like type 2 diabetes, deep learning models excel in trajectory prediction using longitudinal health records. Attention-based encoders and deep clustering approaches have demonstrated high accuracy in forecasting disease progression and personalizing treatment strategies (Manzini et al., 2022, 2025). However, the integration of AI in clinical decision-making presents both opportunities and risks, including model bias, explainability challenges, and ethical concerns regarding data privacy. This discussion highlights the transformative potential of AI-driven disease prediction while addressing the need for robust validation, transparency, and responsible deployment in healthcare.

Ibec Seminar. Emma Puighermanal Puigvert
2025-04-04 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Clearing the Haze: Cannabinoids in Brain Research and Therapy
Dra. Emma Puighermanal Puigvert, Group Leader at the Neuroscience Institute, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
Cannabinoids—compounds found in the cannabis plant—are powerful modulators of brain function that interact with the brain’s endocannabinoid system, a key player in processes like memory, mood, and neural communication. Two of the best known cannabinoids, THC and CBD, have gained increasing attention for their exciting therapeutic potential, and in the case of CBD, complete lack of psychoactive effects. Understanding how these compounds affect neuronal processes is key to optimizing their medical use while minimizing side effects. In this talk, Dr. Puighermanal will take us inside the neural circuits to explore how cannabinoids act at the cellular and molecular level. She will reveal how repeated THC exposure reshapes gene expression and synaptic function in memory-related brain circuits, and how this can explain some of its cognitive effects. Shifting gears, she will then present compelling evidence for CBD’s disease-modifying action in mouse models of Leigh syndrome—a severe pediatric mitochondrial disorder with no approved treatments to date. From decoding memory modulation to uncovering novel therapeutic pathways, this research sheds new light on the brain’s response to cannabinoids—and what it could mean for future medicine.

AFM BioMed Conference 2025
2025-04-08 - 2025-04-11 | University of Barcelona, Historical Building Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 585. 08007 Barcelona
AFM BioMed Conference 2025

Atomic Force Microscopy in life sciences and nanomedicine
The AFM BioMed Conference focuses on the application of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) in life sciences and nanomedicine, exploring how AFM addresses key biological challenges and offers innovative solutions in healthcare.
The conference connects international academic and industry experts in life sciences, bringing together those involved in AFM technology and medical or biological research. It covers a range of length scales, from single molecules, membranes, and cells to multicellular systems and interfaces, integrating imaging and force measurements, and highlights technical developments and the integration of AFM with other analytical techniques. The meeting offers a thorough and insightful overview of advancements in these fields through keynote presentations, lectures, poster sessions, and discussion forums.
#AFMBioMed2025

PHD Discussion: Miquel Bosch
2025-04-11 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Force transmission in embryonic-like epithelia
Miquel Bosch (Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics Group)
Developing an adult organism from an embryo is a complex task. Cells need to divide, differentiate and arrange themselves in complex three-dimensional structures, a process known as morphogenesis. Apical constriction is a conserved morphogenetic mechanism in the animal kingdom, but the role of cellular forces during it remains understudied, especially in the human case. For this reason, we use human PSCs expressing a novel optogenetic tool, OptoShroom3. This tool allows to induce apical constriction in vitro on demand, with precise spatiotemporal control. We study force transmission within the cell layer and to the substrate and find that, contrary to our intuition, the apical and basal layer are effectively mechanically decoupled. This decoupling enables long range force transmission in this epiblast-like epithelia. Secondly, we can study the rheology of the tissue on multiple time and length scales by analyzing the induced deformation field. Since the state of the art for development and disease modelling relies heavily on stem cell systems, we foresee our study will have broad implications in the field whenever morphogenesis comes at play.

Ciència Radical. Debat: "Editar la humanitat" amb Katherine A. High i Salvador Macip
2025-04-22 18:30 - 20:00 | Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB)
La pionera i experta mundial en teràpia gènica Katherine A. High i el metge i escriptor Salvador Macip reflexionen sobre el futur de la nostra espècie en l’era de l’edició genètica en una sessió que s’obrirà amb CRISPR, una performance dels artistes digitals Bromo.
Aquesta activitat forma part de Ciència Radical, un programa cultural creat en col·laboració amb el CCCB, que busca explorar les connexions entre ciència, humanitats i arts per repensar la realitat que ens envolta.
Preu: 3€ (a l’ibec tenim un descompte pels nostres treballadors. l’han de demanar per e-mail)
Registre: https://entrades.cccb.org/muslinkIII/venda/index.jsp?lang=1&nom_cache=CCCB&property=CCCB&codiActiv=276&codiCicle=4

International Satellite Event. Sustainable Research: Fit For The Future
2025-04-29 08:30 - 19:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
IBEC, in collaboration with SuRe-CAT (Sustainable Research Catalonia network), Parc Científic de Barcelona (PCB) and Nanomed Spain, is hosting an in-person satellite event of “Sustainable Research: Fit for the Future”, an event organized at EMBL Heidelberg together with EMBO, the Sustainable European Laboratories Network (SELs), and with support from the European Union’s Climate Pact.
This event provides an opportunity to engage in critical discussions on sustainability in scientific research, bringing together professionals from various research institutions across Catalonia.
The symposium will explore the vital role of sustainable practices within the scientific community. As researchers tackle global challenges, adopting environmentally responsible and socially equitable research methodologies is more important than ever. Topics covered will include green laboratory practices, the power of grassroots movements, organizational sustainability strategies, and the role of funders, all with a focus on the future of sustainable science.
Through keynote presentations and panel discussions, participants will connect with leading experts, exchange experiences, and collaborate across disciplines. By fostering a culture of sustainability in science, we can reduce our ecological footprint, enhance research integrity, and ensure the long-term viability of scientific progress.

Why join the Satellite Event?
This satellite event will serve as a hub for networking and collaboration within the local research community. It will be a dynamic platform where attendees are encouraged to share best practices in sustainable labs, addressing common challenges, and collaboratively exploring innovative solutions by submitting a candidature to participate in the “Sustainable research experience sharing” session (see abstract submission link). Through interactive round tables, expert-led discussions, and case studies from leading institutions, participants will gain practical insights and actionable strategies for integrating sustainability into their work. The event will also provide opportunities to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and collectively address sustainability challenges in research environments.
Attending a satellite event instead of travelling to the main symposium at EMBL Heidelberg allows for active engagement in meaningful discussions while reducing carbon footprints. Local participation minimizes the need for long-distance travel, making it a more sustainable choice for those living or working nearby.
By coming together, the research community can drive impactful sustainability initiatives, exchange innovative ideas, and pave the way for more environmentally responsible scientific practices.
Join us at PCB and take part in the movement toward a more sustainable future in research!
The on-site event will be in Spanish while the online event will be in English.

Visit of the Wageningen University Delegation
2025-05-05 09:00 - 15:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Next Monday we are hosting a group of researchers from the Laboratory of BioNanoTechnology at Wageningen University.
Join us for an engaging morning of scientific exchange, with presentations from both their team and ours.
If you’re interested in attending, you can access the event program.

Programme:
09:00 – 09:10 Sesión de bienvenida
09:10 – 09:30 Irene Marco-Rius, Molecular Imaging for Precision Medicine Group at IBEC
09:30 – 09:45 Lluís Mangas, Ph.D Student of Molecular Imaging for Precision Medicine Group at IBEC. “A DIY Bioreactor for in Situ Metabolic Tracking in 3D Cell Models via
Hyperpolarized 13C NMR Spectroscopy”
09:45 – 10:00 Gergő Matajsz, Ph.D Student of Molecular Imaging for Precision Medicine Group at IBEC. “Developing Optimized C Metabolic Imaging Methods for Chorioallantoic
Membrane (CAM) Assays”
10:00 – 10:20 Mònica Mir Llorente, Nanobioengineering Group at IBEC
10:20 – 10:35 Floris Dekker, Ph.D Student at Wageningen University. “Magnetic Field Mapping with a 3D printer – using 3D printers as lab robots”
10:35 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 11:15 David Castañeda, Ph.D Student at Wageningen University. “T-Cup: A Cheap, Rapid, and Simple Home Device for Nucleic Acid
Amplification”
11:15 – 11:35 Julia Krug and Aldrik Velders, Group Leaders at BioNanoTechnology Laboratory.
11:35 – 11:50 Paulien Sterken, Ph.D Student at Wageningen University. “Visualizing electroactive biofilms using MRI”
11:50 – 12:05 Julia Wenink, Ph.D Student at Wageningen University. “Ultra-high field MRI of plants
12:05 – 12:25 Elisabeth Engel López, Biomaterials for Regenerative Therapies Group at IBEC
12:25 – 12:45 Vittorio Saggiomo, Associate professor within the BioNanoTechnology Group
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 15:00 Laboratories visit

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

PhD Discussion: Ángela Martínez-Mateos and Alice Perucca
2025-05-16 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
DnaA as a key regulator of ribonucleotide reductase genes in P. aeruginosa.
Ángela Martínez-Mateos, Bacterial Infections and Antimicrobial Therapies Group
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a highly adaptable opportunistic pathogen that exhibits both acquired and innate antibiotic resistance mechanisms. Due to its survival capabilities in various environments, discovering new therapeutic strategies is essential. Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs), essential enzymes for dNTP synthesis, have become promising targets for fighting P. aeruginosa infections. There are three main RNR classes (I, II, III), each distinguished by how their radical is generated, the metal required, cofactor type, structure, and oxygen needs. P. aeruginosa encodes all three RNR classes in its genome and understanding them is crucial for comprehending its metabolic adaptability under different growth conditions, such as planktonic, during infection, or biofilm formation.
Our laboratory previously discovered that class Ia (nrdAB) is regulated by AlgR, a positive transcriptional regulator that controls mucoidy in P. aeruginosa, and by NrdR, the master negative regulator of RNR that regulates all three classes. However, significant gaps remain in our understanding of the regulatory network of the class Ia RNR, and we don’t fully understand which transcriptional regulators are involved in the fine-tuning of gene regulation for the different RNR classes.
This project aims to identify new transcriptional regulators through genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic approaches. It has been suggested that DnaA, among other transcriptional regulators, could be involved in the regulation of these pathways. Comprehensive studies of these regulators are necessary to elucidate the complex regulatory networks and hierarchical organization of these factors. Understanding these interactions is crucial for developing effective strategies to combat P. aeruginosa infections

Engineering the tumour ecosystem on a chip: a new tool to test cancer immunotherapies
Alice Perucca, Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics group
Immunotherapy has emerged as a revolutionary approach in cancer treatment, offering the potential for durable responses and improved patient survival. However, a significant proportion of patients fail to respond to these therapies, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of the factors that govern treatment success. The tumour microenvironment, a complex ecosystem comprising various cell types and extracellular components, plays a critical role in shaping anti-tumour immune responses and influencing immunotherapy efficacy. Understanding the intricate interplay between tumour cells, stromal components, and immune cells within this microenvironment is essential for identifying the mechanisms underlying treatment resistance and developing strategies to overcome it. This project focuses on the development of a novel microfluidic “cancer-on-chip” device, a promising approach to model and study these intricated interactions in vitro. The device recapitulates key aspects of the tumour microenvironment, including spatial organization and cellular interactions, including cells of the immune system. By recreating an in vivo-like environment, this platform provides insights into immune cell behaviour in the tumour ecosystem and facilitates the screening of novel immunotherapeutic strategies.

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.

8th Mutational Scanning Symposium
2025-05-21 08:00 - 2025-05-23 19:00
8th Mutational Scanning Symposium
Mapping and Modelling Variant Effects at Scale
Mutational scanning technologies and Multiplex Assays of Variant Effects (MAVEs) are key to variant interpretation and transform our understanding of the human genome.
At the 8th annual meeting of the ‘Mutational Scanning Symposium’, experts in the fields of functional genomics, protein science, precision medicine, variant interpretation, and computational genetics came from around the world to meet, present their work, discuss new methods and provide insights on the future of this science.
The conference will be a two and a half days hybrid meeting with onsite or virtual attendance. Discussions will center on a variety of exciting topics, including variant effect prediction, saturation mutagenesis, sequence/structure/function relationships and protein engineering, along with conversations about emerging technologies for functional assays and biophysical modelling.
#VariantEffect25

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.

Nanomed Europe
2025-05-27 08:00 - 2025-05-30 17:00 | Universitat de Barcelona / Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
NME25 celebrates the 20th anniversary of ETPN and Nanomed Spain, hosted across multiple venues in Barcelona. This landmark event brings together ETPN’s vast network of scientists, innovators, industry leaders, and clinicians to advance nanotechnologies and HealthTech.

Ciència Radical. Debat: “La medicina del futur” amb Jorge Volpi i Josep Samitier
2025-06-11 18:30 - 20:00 | Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB)
Josep Samitier, director de l’Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya i expert en nanomedicina, conversa amb l’escriptor Jorge Volpi, autor de l’assaig La invención de todas las cosas, sobre com la biomedicina transformarà el cos i l’intel·lecte de la humanitat.
Aquesta activitat forma part de Ciència Radical, un programa cultural creat en col·laboració amb el CCCB, en el marc del Pla Complementari de Biotecnologia, que busca explorar les connexions entre ciència, humanitats i arts per repensar la realitat que ens envolta.
Tenim un codi de descompte per a les entrades. Per més informació, escriu-nos a: ibeccommunications@ibecbarcelona.eu
Registre aquí.

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

IBEC Seminar. Prof. Brendan Kennedy
2025-06-13 10:00 - 11:00 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Optical coherence elastography: imaging cell and tissue mechanics on the micro-scale
Professor Brendan Kennedy. Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Western Australia. Group Leader, BRITElab, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Western Australia. Institute of Physics, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland
Abstract: As the importance of mechanical properties in the origin and progression of disease becomes ever clearer, new elastography tools are required to map cell and tissue mechanics on the micro-scale. Elastography has been developed over a wide range of spatial scales, from the cellular, for example, using atomic force microscopy, through to the whole organ, using ultrasound elastography and magnetic resonance elastography. However, existing techniques are not capable of probing tissue mechanical properties on the intermediate micro- to milli-scale: a scale critical in the onset and progression of many diseases. Optical coherence elastography (OCE) aims to bridge the scale gap in elastography techniques. Through the utilization of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to measure tissue motion, OCE is endowed with spatial resolution as high as 1-10 mm, much higher than is possible using ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging, and a sensitivity to tissue displacement on the nanometer-scale, providing the prospect to detect much finer changes in mechanical properties.
In this talk, I will describe methods we have developed at The University of Western Australia and Nicolaus Copernicus University to quantify tissue elasticity, ranging from mechanical loading methods to signal processing techniques to map the full strain tensor. I will focus on main two application areas. Firstly, the application of OCE to tumour margin assessment in breast cancer, where we have developed both ex vivo and in vivo OCE methods to detect tumour during surgery to enable surgeons to more accurately remove cancer. Secondly, in mechanobiology, I will describe the development of optical coherence microscopy-based elastography for imaging sub-cellular mechanics in three dimensions. I will describe a study we performed on tumour cell spheroids that reveals distinct stiffness in non-metastatic and metastatic spheroids embedded in both soft and stiff hydrogels.
Short Bio: Prof. Brendan Kennedy is Professor in the School of Engineering at The University of Western Australia (UWA) and is Head of BRITElab at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, also in Western Australia. He is currently Visiting Professor in the Institute of Physics at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. Prof. Kennedy received his PhD from Dublin City University, Ireland, in 2006. His doctoral thesis focussed on the use of nonlinear polarization rotation in semiconductor optical amplifiers for all-optical switching. His current research focusses on the development of optical coherence tomography and optical elastography and their application in a range of fields, particularly in surgery, mechanobiology and tissue engineering. He has published 1 book, 15 book chapters and >100 peer-reviewed journal papers. Prof. Kennedy has delivered >30 invited talks at national and international conferences. He has been Principal Investigator on competitive research funding of >€12 million and industry-sponsored research contracts of >€3 million. His work has been cited >8,000 times and he has a H-index of 39 (source: Google Scholar). He has won a number of awards and recognitions, including being elected as Optica Fellow in 2025. Prof. Kennedy is co-founder of OncoRes Medical, a medical device company developing OCE for use in surgery. He served as Chief Scientific Officer at OncoRes from 2017 to 2021. OncoRes has received >€30 million in venture capital funding and currently employs >40 people. In 2021, the company received the breakthrough designation from the US Food and Drugs Administration. Prof. Kennedy holds >40 granted patents from 8 patent families.

4ª Jornada Anual del GIPS
2025-06-17 09:00 - 17:00
El IBEC es el coorganizador de la Jornada Anual de este año, que se celebrará el próximo 17 de junio y lleva como título ‘Investigación traslacional en tecnología y salud’. La jornada, que tendrá lugar en el Auditorio Antoni Caparrós del Parque Científico de Barcelona, será ya la cuarta edición y cerrará un curso 2024-25 lleno de éxitos.

Sessió de cloenda de «Ciència radical»
2025-06-18 18:30 - 20:00 | Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB)
La catedràtica de Harvard i escriptora Naomi Oreskes reflexiona sobre el valor del coneixement científic al segle XXI en una sessió que s’obre amb l’estrena de l’audiovisual de nova creació de Hamill Industries i Maria Arnal i es clou amb la presentació del poemari científic Magmes.

Ibec Seminar. Dr. Maribel Vazquez
2025-06-26 12:30 - 13:30 | Sala Dolors Aleu, Cluster II, IBEC, Baldiri i Reixac, Barcelona
Microfluidic Modeling of Aging Retina
Dr. Maribel Vazquez,, Professor of Biomedical Engineering Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. https://vazlab.org
The dramatic rise of chronic and age-related eye diseases is expected to increase the number of adults with vision loss by 50% in the next decade. Health Disparities with age, sex, and geography will further exacerbate impacts of vision loss worldwide. The retinal neurovascular unit plays critical roles in preserving vision from dysfunction caused by common diseases of diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Our group has developed micro-physiological systems to examine cellular and molecular dysfunction across blood retinal barriers produced by food-derived, advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in circulating blood. Current projects measure changes in the permeability and resistivity of diabetic retinal barriers, evaluate the use of electric fields to replace photoreceptors in the macula, and examine newfound roles of glia in mediating retinal integrity within age-related and chronic, pathological environments. Results highlight the role of microfluidics-based systems in identifying mechanisms of neurovascular response and evaluating effectiveness of pharmacology at different stages of disease. The laboratory also highlights the blending of Health Disparities in the development of biomedical therapies and training of biomedical engineers.
Dr. Vazquez is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. She began her career in industry at Intel Corporation and then completed a Doctor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She is an inducted Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineers (AIMBE) and Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) for the contributions of microfluidic systems in the visual system. She received the 2023 AIMBE Professional Impact Award for the inclusion of Health Disparities within under/graduate training and was honored as the 2024 Plenary Speaker to the BMES Council of Chairs for integration of health disparities in Biomedical Engineering. She is an invited speaker in the special session of Retinal Engineering at the 2025 Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS).
