The 1st Translational Collaboration Day between the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR) and the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), held on 21st November, was an opportunity to learn about the projects and research lines of both institutions and to promote interaction between professionals.
The S+T+ARTS Symposium: Exploring the intersections of Arts, Science, Technology and Society as catalysts for change took place on 29-30 October. There, Teresa Sanchis, IBEC’s Head of Strategy, had the opportunity to explain the Institute’s Arts and Science programme and discuss the importance of effective intermediaries and metrics for measuring the impact of projects that combine creativity and scientific innovation.
IBEC researchers Benedetta Bolognesi, Xavier Fernàndez Busquets and Xavier Trepat have been selected in the CaixaResearch 2024 call to lead their own research projects. The grants will provide financial support for the scientists to carry out their research in key areas such as cancer, malaria and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
The latest developments in nanotechnology, biotechnology and medicine were presented at the NanoBio&Med 2024 International Conference, held this week at the Barcelona Science Park (PCB) from 5 to 7 November. This is an annual event designed to establish new collaborations and promote innovative projects in the scientific-industrial sector.
The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) has joined organisations from nine European countries in the Heidelberg Agreement to promote environmental sustainability in the funding of scientific research. The agreement discusses the adoption of practices that ensure environmentally sustainable research and how to move towards this model.
IBEC’s 17th Annual Symposium focused on ‘Bioengineering for Emergent and Advanced Therapies’, one of IBEC’s key application areas. Around 300 people attended the event, including local and international researchers. It was a multidisciplinary environment in which experts from other centres and the IBEC community itself had the opportunity to present their projects and share knowledge.
IBEC is one of the partners in the ambitious European project UNLOOC, a public-private collaboration involving 51 organisations from 10 countries with a budget of €68 million. The consortium aims to develop Organ-on-Chips technologies to reduce the use of animals in drug development and testing, and to improve the accuracy and personalisation of medical treatments.
IBEC principal investigator Zaida Álvarez has received funding from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop stem cell-based models of the spinal cord. The project, coordinated by Northwestern University with the participation of IBEC and IDIBELL, will make it possible to study neurodegenerative diseases and develop new treatments for spinal cord injuries and other neurodegenerative pathologies.
The second IBEC-WCH Precision Medicine Conference took place last week in Chengdu, China. This is a partnership between the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and the West China Hospital (WCH) of Sichuan University, which aims to strengthen scientific collaboration between the two countries.
IBEC researcher Samuel Sánchez has received a Leonardo Grant from the BBVA Foundation. The funding will help him take his research a step further and use organic and biocompatible materials to develop his nanorobots, which will be used as drug carriers to treat bladder cancer.