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Giuseppe Battaglia

Group leader

IBEC and IQS host the 3rd Barcelona Blood-Brain Barrier Conference

The third edition of the Barcelona Blood-Brain Barrier (B4) Conference, jointly organised by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and the Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), took place from 3 to 5 November 2026 at the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB). Over three days, 200 researchers from across the world shared their latest work on the blood-brain barrier (BBB), from how it forms and functions to its role in disease and new strategies to deliver therapies to the brain.

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 launches IBEC On Air, a podcast exploring bioengineering beyond the lab

The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) has today released the first episode of IBEC On Air, its new science communication podcast and one of the activities marking the institute’s 20th anniversary. Across seven episodes of around 20 minutes each, researchers from the institute talk about their work, the questions that drive it and the journey behind each project. The podcast is available on Spotify, iVoox, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

IBEC brings two advanced therapy projects to the ATMP Catalyst accelerator

The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) currently has two projects in the ATMP Catalyst acceleration programme, run by Biocat: AdCerebri, from the Molecular Bionics research group led by Giuseppe Battaglia, which joined the programme’s second call this week, and Aegisome Bio, from the Quasi-living Materials group led by César Rodriguez Emmenegger, selected in the first edition and now moving into its second phase. Both projects were presented on Thursday 10 September 2026 at ATMP Day 2026, the event organised by Biocat to showcase the programme’s new cohort.

From the classroom to the laboratory: summer stays at IBEC

As every year, as soon as the school year ends, IBEC’s laboratories fill up with a new generation of future scientists. This summer, more than 20 secondary school, high school and undergraduate students took part in various programmes, gaining first-hand experience of the day-to-day work of bioengineering research in nine of the centre’s laboratories.

New study reveals how protein behaviour drives blood–brain barrier specialization

The research, led by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, reveals that the blood–brain barrier is defined not only by the proteins it expresses, but by how it uses them, through a dynamic property known as endocytic turnover rate (ETOR). This discovery shows that brain endothelial cells have a unique molecular behaviour that distinguishes them from other blood vessels and can be disrupted during inflammation. The results provide new insight into how the barrier functions and fails in disease which may help identify novel therapeutic strategies to restore neurovascular health.

IBEC staff gather for IBEC Day to mark the institute’s 20th anniversary

Over 200 people took part in IBEC Day 2026, an event designed to encourage sharing, connection and celebration in honour of the institute’s 20th anniversary.

IBEC showcases cutting-edge biomedical innovation at the Health Revolution Congress 2026

The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia brought together researchers, investors and industry leaders with its event “IBEC Health Revolution Day: Engineering the Future of Medicine”, as part of the Health Revolution Congress. Through expert panels, technology pitches and scientific talks, the event showcased cutting-edge biomedical technologies and discussed how to translate scientific discoveries into real-world healthcare solutions.

BIST calls for reforms to turn scientific discoveries into European industry

The BIST Forum 2026 brought together scientists and representatives from academic, economic and social institutions to discuss how frontier research can help build Europe’s industries of the future. The event also announced the recipients of the BIST To the Mothers of Science and Ignite programmes.