A study with the participation of CNAG shows that Neanderthals and modern humans crossbred much earlier than was previously thought Blog Post

An international research team has find first genetic evidence of modern human DNA in a Neanderthal individual. The discovery –published in Nature– confirms the interbred between Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis and suggests that it happened 100.000 years ago, before the 65.000 years ago previously documented. This earlier genetic exchange, which may have taken place in the Near East, has not been detected in European Neanderthals. The study, led by the Max Planck German Institute, counts among its authors with researchers of CNAG-CRG located at the Barcelona Science Park (PCB).  

 

The University of Barcelona sets up a crowdfunding platform Blog Post

The University of Barcelona (UB), through the Barcelona Institute of Entrepreneurship (BIE), has launched a crowdfunding platform to promote solidarity or research projects that do not receive public funding. The first call has been announced this month of February in collaboration with Verkami. Three projects will compete to achieve the financial resources that they need. The initiative is part of the strategic plan of the BIE– promoted by the UB and Bosch and Gimpera Foundation (FBG), from its headquarters offices at the PCB–with the aim of making tools and resources available to entrepreneurs within the framework of Group UB.

 

The 4th edition of the ‘Crazy about Biomedicine’ kicks off Blog Post

On Saturday, the 24 students chosen from more than 200 applicants for the ‘Crazy about Biomedicine course‘ at IRB Barcelona will have their first theory class in the centre, with the collaboration of the Barcelona Science Park (PCB). In fact, the success of first course in this field of science in 2013, an initiative of IRB Barcelona, led the Catalunya–La Pedrera Foundation to increase the number of disciplines on offer and to set up new courses, all of which fall under the umbrella of the ‘Crazy about Science Programme‘. 

 

Scientists in Barcelona discover a potential treatment for cirrhosis Blog Post

Scientists from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) at PCB and the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS) reveals a therapeutic target to prevent the development of the many abnormal blood vessels that cause gastrointestinal bleeding—the main complication in cirrhosis. The results of the study have been published in the most recent issue of Cirrhosis is the main risk factor for liver cancer. The same target may be the key to preventing and treating this condition.

 

d·HEALTH Barcelona now a University of Barcelona Masters degree Blog Post

The Design Health Barcelona (d·HEALTH Barcelona) program, promoted by Biocat to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the biomedical arena, is now an accredited masters degree offered through the University of Barcelona (UB). d·HEALTH Barcelona, inspired by the Biodesign Innovation Fellowship at Stanford University, is an initiative of Biocat, with support from Sanofi and collaboration from UB, Barcelona Science Park and Danish school KaosPilot, that has become a global benchmark for its disruptive methodology. The third edition begins on 18th January. “Probably the best healthcare innovation accelerator in Europe” according to Health Startup Europe, the first two editions of this program have led to several business projects and 100% of the fellows are still working in the health sector.

 

New computational approach to predicting adverse drug reactions with higher confidence Blog Post

A new integrated computational method helps predicting adverse drug reaction—which are often lethal—more reliably than with traditional computing methods. This improved ability to foresee the possible adverse effects of drugs may entail saving many lives in the future. The study that is being conducted by researchers from IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), and the company Chemotargets at PCB, within the framework of the European eTOX project, was chosen for the cover of the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology.

 

Spain and France join the European Consortium Elixir for managing and analysing biological data Blog Post

At their meeting today in Hinxton (UK), the Board unanimously accepted Spain and France as full members of Elixir, the largest infrastructure of life science data in Europe. The National Bioinformatics Institute (INB), which acts as the Spanish scientific node, will coordinate the Spanish scientific partner institutions. These comprise top-level institutions such as CNAG-CRG and IRB Barcelona, located at PCB. The National Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCII) will coordinate the Spanish scientific partner institutions.

 

The 20 Severo Ochoa Centers of Excellence organise 100xCIENCIA Forum Blog Post

The 20 Spanish research centers accredited with the Severo Ochoa Excellence distinction– two of which are the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), based at PCB–  met for the first time and for three days, to analyze the current situation of Spanish science and its key actors under the framework of ‘100XCIENCIA Communicating frontier science. The event, which was held from 7 to 9 October in Santa Cruz de la Palma, was closed a clear message: Science has to be conveyed to society for continued growth.

 

Registration starts for the 2015-2016 ‘Recerca en Societat’ program at the Barcelona Science Parc Blog Post

This upcoming 8 October, the Barcelona Science Park (PCB) opens the enrollment period to participate in the experimental workshops ‘Fes recerca!’ (Do Research!) and ‘Descobreix la recerca!’ (Discover Research!), which gives the start to the 15th edition of ‘Recerca in Societat’ (Research in Society). This proposal of PCB to bring science to the public and encourage vocations among young people includes over 80 activities, involving annually about 5,000 people, including the ‘Fira Recerca en directe’ (Live Research Fair), which will take place during the month April at CosmoCaixa Barcelona.