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Institutional news

Research centres in Catalonia have conducted 20,000 PCR tests to date

The Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG), the National Center for Genomic Analysis (CNAG-CRG), part of CRG, the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) have analysed more than 20,000 samples to date using the PCR technique. In this regard, 17,547 samples have been tested at the CRG node and 5,248 at the PCB node.

The analyses are part of the Orfeu Programme, the mass screening initiative driven by the Government of Catalonia. As of today, the public health system in Catalonia can carry out up to 17,000 PCR tests every day. This number does not include the capacity of the Orfeu Programme, which can process up to 4,000 samples per day.

IBEC receives funding from Carlos III Health Institute to fight COVID-19 using bioengineering

The COVID-19 Fund managed by the Carlos III Health Institute has awarded more than 300,000 euros to the “ACE2-ORG” project led by ICREA research professor Núria Montserrat at IBEC.

The resources are intended to study COVID-19 and specify new therapeutic approaches against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona and the University of Navarra also participate in this project.

IBEC supports the EU initiative “Coronavirus Global Response”

The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) supports the EU initiative to pledge funds for collaborative development of solutions against COVID19. Carmen Hurtado, from the Group of ICREA Professor Núria Montserrat at IBEC contributes to spread the word of “Coronavirus Global Response” initiative in a video for the European Commission.

The European Union and its partners are hosting an international pledging marathon that started last Monday 4 May 2020 and will be running until the end of May 2020.

IBEC’s director contributes to the new National Agreement for a Knowledge-based Society

On May 13, the new National Agreement for a Knowledge-based Society was presented at the appearance of the President of the Catalan Government and the Minister for Business and Knowledge.

This pact proposes the public policies that would have to be carried out so that Catalonia to becomes a leader in research and innovation at the international level.

IBEC stays connected – find out our online activities!

The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) has been readjusting its activities due to the Covid-19 health emergency. In this context, not only the research projects and facilities have been adapted to face the actual health crisis, but also the management, events, outreach and communication activities.

Since this confinement started, IBEC has launched different online initiatives, from scientific webinars to YouTube live experiments for the whole family.

Fausto, always in our thoughts

IBEC is saddened to announce the decease of Fausto Sanz, founding Group Leader of IBEC and Professor at the University of Barcelona. Professor Sanz took an active part in the creation of the Catalan Reference Center in Biomedical Engineering (CREBEC) and after in 2005, in the birth and development of IBEC as research institute.

Professor Sanz was always an enthusiast scientist and a pioneer in Catalonia in the field of electrochemistry, nanoscience, and the use of tunneling and atomic force microscopies. In memorandum of Professor Sanz, we recall this piece by Vienna Leigh.

Catalan research labs repurposed for mass COVID-19 testing service

Laboratories in three Catalan research centers, including IBEC, will be adapted as Covid-19 mass detection services.

The Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) is coordinating a task force with the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), as requested by the Generalitat de Catalunya, to set up mass testing for citizens to stop the spread of the new coronavirus outbreak.

Javier Ramón, new ICREA professor at IBEC

Javier Ramón, Group Leader of the “Biosensors for Bioengineering” group at IBEC, has been appointed new Research Professor at the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, ICREA. Currently IBEC hosts 8 ICREA Professors out of 22 group leaders.

Since last April 1, Dr. Javier Ramón, Group Leader at IBEC, has become part of the ICREA Research Professors community. ICREA is a foundation funded by the Catalan Government aimed at recruiting the most extraordinary and talented international scientific researchers. With this appointment, IBEC hosts 8 ICREA Professors and 2 ICREA Academia (UB affiliated professors), one of the highest numbers among all research centres in Catalonia.

Xavier Trepat receives the ERC Advanced Grant to lay the basis of a new generation of biological robots

The researcher at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Xavier Trepat, has received the prestigious ERC Advanced Grant awarded by the European Research Council (ERC) worth 2.5 million euros.

Thanks to this grant the expert and his group will be able to study the mechanical properties of the epithelium in 3D and to lay the foundations for a pioneering technology called “Epifluidics”, which will allow the design of biological robots.

IBEC researchers contribute to an international study to regenerate infarcted hearts

Within the EU project BRAVƎ, experts at Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) combine cell therapy and bioengineering to design a biological device that recovers cardiac functionality in people with cardiovascular diseases.

Researchers at IBEC led by the ICREA Professor Núria Montserrat contribute to the EU project BRAVƎ, an initiative for cardiac regeneration that combines cell therapy and bioengineering to design a biological device capable of recovering cardiac functionality in people with coronary heart disease.