The brain can teach artificial intelligence a lesson or two: the neural mechanism of autonomous learning uncovered by researchers at IBEC
Research news
Towards a treatment for myotonic dystrophy: the first 3D model with patient cells
IBEC researchers led by Javier Ramón and Juan M. Fernández develop the first three-dimensional model for myotonic dystrophy, a rare disease that currently has no cure. The model combines patient cells and bioengineering techniques and represents a major advance over the use of animals and cell cultures. This new model will help in the design of personalized and more effective treatments, and for drug testing in a much more efficient way.
IBEC researchers contribute to discover the cause of epilepsy and neurodegeneration in Lafora disease
The accumulation of abnormal glycogen in glial cells of the nervous system causes inflammation and degeneration of the brain. The study, led by IRB Barcelona and with contribution of Arnau Hervera and Jose Antonio del Río from IBEC, has been recently published in the journal Brain.
Next generation of swimming living robots can self-train, showing striking speed and strength
Researchers at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) led by Samuel Sánchez achieve a breakthrough in the field of biological robots by developing new biobots based on muscle cells that can swim at unprecedented velocities.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms and their partners in crime
A comprehensive review led by IBEC researchers from the “Bacterial infections: antimicrobial therapies” group highlights the clinical relevance of the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its presence in bacterial biofilms.
IBEC researchers develop a non-invasive method to assess pulmonary diseases
A team of researchers led by Raimon Jané from IBEC, together with international partners at imec in the Netherlands and a Hospital in Belgium, develops an innovative procedure to evaluate pulmonary diseases.
Observed in vivo the collective movement of nanorobots
A team of researchers led by Samuel Sánchez from IBEC has monitored, for the first time, the behaviour of a swarm of nanorobots inside living mice. The study, published in the prestigious journal Science Robotics, reveals a coordinated movement, which could result in a very promising future in the field of precision medicine.
First comprehensive map of amyloid plaque mutations opens new avenues for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease
A study published in the journal eLife made all the possible mutations in the amyloid beta peptide and tested how they influence its aggregation into plaques, a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.
IBEC researchers propose a cheaper and more ethical model for toxicological studies
A new study by IBEC’s Bacterial Infections: Antimicrobial Therapies and Molecular and cellular neurobiotechnology groups shows that Galleria mellonella larvae can be effective to test the toxicity of nanoparticles. This work thus paves the way toward a new animal model for toxicity studies that represent an inexpensive and more ethical alternative to rodent testing.
Willpower is the key to enhancing learning and memory: researchers uncover the mechanism
