New evidence on molecular mechanisms involved in psoriasis outset Blog Post

Two translational research studies published in the high impact scientific magazines Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and Journal of Investigative Dermatology have described new immunologic mechanisms in psoriasis, a chronic cutaneous inflammatory disease which affects around the 2% of the population. The studies have been led by Lluís Francesc Santamaria, Director of the group of Translationary Immunology of the University of Barcelona (UB) based at the Barcelona Science Park, together with researchers of the Hospital del Mar and the Municipal Institute for Medical Research, among others.

 

Catalan biotech sector to meet in Stockholm Blog Post

The sixteenth edition of the BIO-Europe Spring (BES), the main springtime partnering conference of the sector, takes place this year in Stockholm from 4th to 6th April. The Catalan delegation, coordinated by Biocat once again, will be formed by 24 companies and entities –among which are the companies BioingeniumEsteveIntelligent Pharma and Iproteos, based at the Barcelona Science Park (PCB)–, representing more than a half of the Spanish participation at the event.

IBEC and UB scientists achieve first-ever catalysis of a chemical reaction using an electric field Blog Post

Researchers at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), the University of Barcelona (UB) and two universities in Australia have introduced a new way of catalysing-speeding up- chemical reactions by applying an electric field between the reacting molecules. This opens the door for the fabrication of of chemical compounds, used in pharmaceutical products and materials, in a fast and cheaper way, and could revolutionise the way we produce chemicals for daily life applications.

 

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.

 

Renewal of IRB Barcelona’s ‘Severo Ochoa’ Accreditation of Excellence Blog Post

This morning the Secretary of State for I+D+I has announced that the first eight ‘Severo Ochoa’ Centres of Excellence‘ ─whose strategic research plans for the period 2016-2019 have been positively evaluated─ have been awarded this distinction again, which has won them  a grant of 1 million euros a year for a further four years. One of these centers is the Institute for Biomedical Research (IRB Barcelona), which received the news during its 10th year anniversary institutional event at the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB). Last March, the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) was granted the Severo Ochoa accreditation, which means that Barcelona Science Park (PCB) now is home to two of the centers that have been presented with this distinction.

 

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.