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Cancer

The “la Caixa” Foundation funds four health projects involving IBEC, two of them led by the institute

IBEC researchers Samuel Sánchez and Giuseppe Battaglia are leading two of the projects selected in the “la Caixa” Foundation’s 2026 health research and innovation calls. In addition, Pere Roca-Cusachs and Jordi Duran are members of the consortia behind two further projects. The four projects address challenges such as pseudomyxoma peritonei, bladder cancer, Lafora disease and frontotemporal dementia.

IBEC to take part in GLIOLIFE-AECC, the largest research consortium against glioblastoma

The group led by Irene Marco-Rius at IBEC is part of GLIOLIFE-AECC, a project funded with €10 million by the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) and its Scientific Foundation to increase survival in people with glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive brain tumour in adults. The IBEC team will lead the consortium’s innovative radiology line, which will use an advanced imaging technique to study the tumour’s metabolism without the need for invasive procedures.

IBEC showcases its leadership in biomedical innovation at MWC26 with three disruptive projects

Last week, Barcelona played host to MWC26, the world’s premier technology and connectivity event. The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia was in attendance, showcasing some of its spin-offs and state-of-the-art biomedical technologies, including: Nanobots Therapeutics, Lumiris Spectral Solutions, and Drug4Sight.

Three IBEC researchers receive grants from the Spanish Association Against Cancer

Three research projects led by IBEC researchers Xavier Rovira-Clavé, David Esporrín Ubieto and Aránzazu Villasante have been selected by the Spanish Association Against Cancer for its 2025 Grant Programme. The grant presentation ceremony, held in Barcelona today, recognised the momentum behind these initiatives, which range from advanced cell therapy platforms to smart nanomotors and innovative paediatric tumour treatment strategies.

IBEC research takes third place in the 2025 Vanguardia de la Ciencia Awards

A study led by IBEC has won the 3rd Vanguardia de la Ciencia 2025 Prize. The research, led by Samuel Sánchez Ordoñez and with Meritxell Serra-Casablanca as lead author, proposes an innovative bladder cancer therapy based on nanorobots loaded with radiopharmaceuticals. These nanorobots are capable of moving around the bladder using urine as a source of energy.

Two IBEC projects receive ERC funding to advance bioinks for 3D printing and cancer therapies

Manuel Salmeron and Xavier Rovira, who are both principal investigators at IBEC, have each been awarded an ERC Proof of Concept Grant. These prestigious grants are awarded by the European Research Council to explore the commercial and social potential of research projects carried out at European institutions. Salmeron’s project, FACTORINK, focuses on designing functional bioinks with biological activity for printing artificial tissues. Meanwhile, Rovira’s project seeks to develop the EVOaware platform, which is designed to address tumour resistance to therapies and accelerate the discovery and development of new cancer treatments.

IBEC receives funding from the prestigious Human Frontier Science Program

Illustration of a human cancer cell

The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) is participating in the international SOLFEGE project, which aims to explore how different cell types coordinate with each other through soluble factors in the tumour microenvironment. This project has been made possible thanks to funding from the Human Frontier Science Program. SOLFEGE is a consortium led by the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), with IBEC and the Duke University, as partners.

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.

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.

IBEC spin-off Nanobots Therapeutics receives IMPACTO grant from the Spanish Association Against Cancer

IBEC spin-off Nanobots Therapeutics has been selected in the AECC’s 2024 call for IMPACTO grants. This is an initiative of the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) aimed at technology-based micro-enterprises and SMEs to accelerate the arrival of new treatments in the clinic. The grants were awarded in Barcelona today.