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
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.
The new “la Caixa” Foundation – BIST Chemical Biology Programme launches a hub in Barcelona for the design of new drugs
The “la Caixa” Foundation and BIST are creating a chemical biology programme to promote two new cutting-edge research groups at IBEC and IRB (both centres are members of BIST). The initiative aims to attract talent from the field of chemical biology, and to create an ecosystem that fosters research excellence in improving health.
Great success of the 100tífiques event
Last February 11, on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, more than 20 IBEC researchers gave talks in different schools around Catalonia. The objective of the meetings between researchers and students was to bring science closer to schools and to vindicate female scientific talent.
IBEC researchers awarded for their communication activities
Several researchers from IBEC have been awarded for their quality in spreading the word of bioengineering. From scientific talks, to videos and posters, IBEC scientists and engineers show their talent inside, but also, outside the lab.
Irene Marco and Núria Torras from IBEC winners of the second edition of “To the Mothers of Science” programme
IBEC researchers Irene Marco and Núria Torras, together with eight more female scientists, have won the programme “To the Mothers of Science” organized by The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), supporting them along the way to greater responsibility positions.
IBEC leads three new European projects
Bioengineering is a core discipline for the medicine of the future, and Europe knows that. Proof of this is that the European Union (EU) has granted during the last months the coordination of three European projects to the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) to continue combining medicine, science and technology with the aim of improving people’s health. The first one is the BRIGHTER project that is led by Professor Elena Martínez, the head of the ‘Biomimetic Systems for Cell Engineering’ group. The EU has contributed to this initiative that will be used by the consortium partners to develop an innovative high resolution 3D bioprinting technology able to fabricate 3D cell culture substrates which could be useful to produce artificial organs in the future.
IBEC emphasizes the role of women in science
Within the framework of the “International Day of Women and Girls in Science” the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) has brought their researchers to different Catalan schools to assert the role of women in science and promote STEAM careers to young people as an attractive vocation. Today February 11, IBEC has joined the initiative “100tíficas” organised by the Fundació Catalana per a la Recerca i la Innovació (FCRi), in collaboration with the Department of Education of the Generalitat de Catalunya, to claim the role of women in science.
IBEC leads a European Project to evaluate drug response in organ-on-a-chip devices
A group of researchers from the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) leads the European project BLOC, an initiative led by researchers Javier Ramón and Irene Marco that seeks to evaluate the response to different drugs in metabolic diseases using organ-in-a- chip by using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). For this, the consortium will have a budget of almost 3 million euros, financed by the Horizon 2020 FET Open program.
How to choose the best drug for each cancer patient? Irene Marco featured at BigVan La Vanguardia
Irene Marco explains at BigVan, the scientific section of La Vanguardia journal, how thanks to microfluidics and research based on the use of “organ-on-a-chip” devices, we can go a step forward towards personalized medicine.
Five IBEC researchers awarded “la Caixa” grants at ceremony
IBEC researchers were in the limelight today at the awards ceremony for the “la Caixa” fellowships and grants for research and innovation calls. Anna Labernadie and Irene Marco, postdocs in the Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics and Biosensors for bioengineering groups respectively, won fellowships under the first Junior Leader “la Caixa” call, which helps excellent researchers of any nationality who wish to continue their research career in Spanish or Portuguese territory. Anna was one of 10 postdocs to win a ‘Retaining’ grant for candidates who are already residing in the countries, and Irene was awarded one of 20 ‘Incoming’ positions for those coming from elsewhere.