ABOUT
The central theme of our work is the development of new insight and applications in chemical biology systems.
Our group’s research line is to detect, identify and validate biomarkers of disease. In particular, we focus on developing molecular imaging tools to identify abnormalities of cell metabolism in human disease and predict treatment efficacy.
In particular, we focus on Bioengineering solutions using Chemistry and Physics tools to study Biological problems. Specifically, we develop Magnetic Resonance (MR) molecular imaging methods to study the biochemical pathways in bioengineered systems and in vivo.
MR is already a well-known clinical technique in the form of 3D, non–destructive imaging of tissue and fluid composition in vivo (MRI). As a further benefit, MR spectroscopic imaging is chemically specific and can thus directly relate response of a single (or many) chemical compound to biological events in biofluids, cell suspensions in vitro, excised tissue and perfused organs ex vivo, animal models in vivo and clinical patients. The rich variety of MR experiments developed over the past decades permits quantification of metabolites concentrations, diffusion rates, perfusion, energetics and tissue oxygenation. These parameters represent a steady state fingerprint of the sample studied, which encodes physiological and pathological factors.
Our young team of passionate researchers works at the forefront of molecular imaging using a technique known as hyperpolarised MR (HP-MR), which increases the signal of MR more than 10.000 times. This dramatic increase means that we can now see molecular processes in real time, in situ, and non-invasively in a wide range of biological systems.
STAFF
All group members:
ibecbarcelona.euPROJECTS
| INTERNATIONAL PROJETCS | FINANCER | PI |
|---|---|---|
| BLOC · Benchtop NMR for Lab-on-Chip (2020 – 2022) | European Commission, FET OPEN | Irene Marco |
| NATIONAL PROJECTS | FINANCER | PI |
|---|---|---|
| Analisis metabolico en tiempo real de modelos de cultivo de celulas 3d de la enfermedad del higado graso no alcoholico: organos en un chip y resonancia magnetica nuclear (2020 – 2021) | MINECO, Acciones Dinamización Europa Investigación/EIN2020-112209 | Irene Marco |
| Junior Leader Programe (2018 – 2022) | Obra Social La Caixa, Junior Leader Program | Irene Marco |
PUBLICATIONS
For a list of publications prior to joining IBEC, visit the Google Scholar.
NEWS
Vitala, IBEC’s spin-off, selected for the WomenTechEU programme
Vitala, a spin-off co-founded by IBEC researchers Irene Marco Rius and María Alejandra Ortega, is one of the 134 European companies selected for the WomenTechEU program. It is an initiative … Read more
IBEC researcher James Eills to meet with Nobel laureates
Dr. James Eills, researcher at IBEC, has been selected to attend the prestigious Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting that brings together outstanding young scientists from around the world with Nobel laureates. … Read more
Experts in magnetic resonance meet in Barcelona for the BIR Symposium
The Barcelona Integrative Resonance Symposium, organised by the CCiTUB, the UB and IBEC, took place on 20 and 21 March. The event brought together about 100 people working with magnetic … Read more
Postdoctoral position / Senior Research Assistant at the Molecular Imaging for Precision Medicine Research Group
Main tasks and responsibilities / The successful candidate will develop research involving: Design and fabrication of lab-on-a-chip and microfluidic devices Development and implementation of a microfluidic platforms to study the … Read more
IBECer James Eills wins the Erwin Schrödinger Prize
BIST-FBA Fellow at IBEC, Dr. James Eills, is part of an international team that has received the Erwin Schrödinger Prize. Eills, current Postdoc at the Group of Irene Marco at IBEC, contributed in Germany to a technique that amplifies magnetic resonance signals.
Unique resonance technology in Spain to study cellular metabolism, hosted by IBEC
A Dynamic Nuclear Polarisation (DNP) Polariser for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) has been recently installed at IBEC, being the only one in operation in Spain, and among the few ones existing in Europe. This equipment can improve up to 10000 folds the signal compared to a conventional NMR procedure and allows for the study of cellular metabolism in real time.
Vitala is born, a spin-off of IBEC that offers innovative and more ethical solutions for health research
Vitala Technologies, a biotechnology-based company born in the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), will offer innovative solutions for the analysis of drugs during their development, as well as the possibility to know in advance and in a personalized way, what will be the response of a patient to a certain treatment.
IBEC researchers participate in the “European Researchers’ Night”
Last Friday, September 24, the “European Researchers’ Night” took place, an event that is held on a European scale in more than 300 cities in 30 different countries. The objective of this event is to publicize the diversity of science and its impact on the daily lives of citizens in a close and inspiring way. For yet another year, IBEC has not wanted to miss it and has been present at various activities.
Irene Marco and the Chemical Biology programme
Irene Marco-Rius, junior group leader at IBEC and doctor by the University of Cambridge is interviewed in “el Periódico” for her participation in “la Caixa” Foundation-BIST Chemical Biology programme.
JOBS
Postdoctoral position / Research Assistant at the Research Group Molecular Imaging for Precision Medicine
Ref: RA_IM // Deadline: 03/02/2023
Postdoctoral position at the Research Group Molecular Imaging for Precision Medicine (Ref: PD-IM)
Ref: PD_IM // Deadline: 28/12/2022
Postdoctoral position / Senior Research Assistant at the Molecular Imaging for Precision Medicine Research Group
Main tasks and responsibilities / The successful candidate will develop research involving: Design and fabrication of lab-on-a-chip and microfluidic devices Development and implementation of a microfluidic platforms to study the … Read more