Research news Archives - Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia

May 8, 2025

Common lung bacteria team up to evade immune defences

A study led by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has uncovered how co-infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Mycobacterium abscessus, two common lung pathogens, can suppress immune responses and worsen outcomes in patients with respiratory diseases. The findings, published today in the journal Virulence, provide new insight into why polymicrobial infections are particularly difficult to treat and open the door to new therapeutic strategies.

April 30, 2025

“Explainable” AI cracks secret language of sticky proteins

The new AI is able to predict when and why protein aggregation occurs, a mechanism linked to Alzheimer’s and 50 other diseases that affect 500 million people. The results show great potential for research into neurodegenerative diseases and for improving drug production, reducing costs and increasing efficiency. The study, published today in Science Avances, is the result of a collaboration between the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) and the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC).

April 9, 2025

New advances in the fight against the most common form of lung cancer

From left to right, Fernando Martín and Joan Montero at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. / Credit: University of Barcelona

A study led by the University of Barcelona in collaboraiton with the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia reveals that the functional assay dynamic BH3 profiling (DBP) can predict whether specific treatments will be effective in non-small cell lung cancer patients. The technique helps determine which therapy will be most effective by testing it directly on living cells, improving personalised therapies.

February 27, 2025

Novel nanomotors improve bladder cancer immunotherapy

A study led by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in South Korea describes the development of urea-powered nanomotors that improve immunotherapy for bladder cancer. The nanomotors activate the immune system more efficiently and exceed the efficacy of currently used treatments, opening up new possibilities in oncology.

February 6, 2025

Researchers develop a device that replicates tumours to study the efficacy of immunotherapy treatments

The Micro Immune Response On chip (MIRO) allows tumours and their environment to be replicated in order to understand their response to treatment. The device, which has already been successfully tested on breast cancer samples, could be key to developing new treatments and determining the most appropriate therapy for each patient in a personalized way. The work, published in Nature Communications, is the result of a collaboration between the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia and the Research Institute of the Hospital del Mar.

January 20, 2025January 20, 2025

Printing proteins to recreate the gut in the lab

An IBEC-led study describes the development of an innovative method to control the formation of crypt-like structures and villi in the intestine using a contact protein printing technique. This model will make it possible to study in detail key processes such as cell regeneration or changes associated with diseases such as cancer and chronic inflammatory disorders.

December 20, 2024

Biosensors based on olfactory receptors to decipher the human sense of smell

A study led by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and the CIBER’s Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN) describes a method that mimics the physiological response to smell. The system makes it possible to discriminate between odours with very similar characteristics based on the binding interaction with the receptor, which causes a change in the capacitive response of the receptor. The application of this methodology opens the door to the development of highly selective olfactory biosensors.

January 15, 2025December 19, 2024

Innovative 3D printed scaffolds offer new hope for bone healing

Critical bone defects resulting from trauma, tumor resection, or congenital conditions present significant challenges in medical treatment due to high rates of graft failure caused by inadequate blood supply. To address this issue, researchers at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia have developed novel 3D printed scaffolds made from polylactic acid and calcium phosphate. These innovative scaffolds promote blood vessel formation, ensuring better healing and regeneration of bone tissue.

November 15, 2024

Viscosity of materials key to cell differentiation

An IBEC-led study has revealed how mesenchymal stem cells respond to the viscosity of their environment, a key aspect in their differentiation process. The research, published in Nature Communications, provides new insights that could revolutionise the design of biomaterials for regenerative medicine applications.

October 29, 2024

Histones against bacterial infections

Research led by IBEC has analysed the antimicrobial activity of human histones against various bacteria, both in solution and in biofilm. The results are very promising and open the door to finding new, more effective treatments, particularly against Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. This bacterium is mainly responsible for the development of chronic wounds and lung failure in patients with cystic fibrosis and other respiratory diseases.