Mind the byte concludes the biggest round of biotech crowdequity in Spain Blog Post

In just 43 days, bioinformatics company Mind the Byte, which specializes in products and services for computational drug design and is located in the Barcelona Scientific Park (PCB), has concluded an investment round totalling €234,310 through the crowdequity platform (for investment crowdfunding) Crowdcube. This figure represents not only more than double the funding target set by the company (234%), but it is also the largest round of crowdequity achieved in the biotech industry in Spain, with 115 private investors. The average investment amount was €2,037, with a maximum investment of €80,000.

 

A study applies iPSC technology to Sanfilippo syndrome research Blog Post

Sanfilippo type c syndrome is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the HGSNAT gene that leads to progressive neurodegeneration. A study, which has just been published in the journal Stem Cell Reports, has generated patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) which can contribute to know better disease’s pathological mechanisms and design new therapeutic options. A group of researchers from the Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB) and Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) at PCB has participated in the study. 

Protein NBS1 is crucial for macrophage functional activity Blog Post

Protein NBS1, which plays a key role in DNA damage repair, is required for macrophage functional activity. This is one of the conclusions of a scientific paper published in the journal Blood—considered one of the best scientific publications in the field of haematology— and signed by a team of experts from the Faculty of Biology of the University of Barcelona (UB), Consolidated Research Group Macrophage Biology –located at the Barcelona Science Park (PCB)– and the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona). The protein also has implications for understanding the immune defects observed in patients with Nijmegen breakage syndrome and other related disorders.

 

A study led by IBUB proves that a hormonal factor, present in breast milk, plays a key role in regulating newborn metabolism Blog Post

A scientific team led by Francesc Villarroya, director of the Institute of Biomedicine of the UB (IBUB) –located at the Barcelona Science Park (PCB)– together with the Biomedical Research Networking Centres on Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERobn) and the Danone Institute, has proved that a compound found in breast milk, named fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), plays a key role in neonatal nutrient absorption and intestinal function. FGF21 also contributes to improve newborn growth and metabolic profile.

 

Jordi Quintana, member of the Executive Board of IRDiRC´s ‘Data Mining and Repurposing Task Force’ Blog Post

Jordi Quintana, head of the Drug Discovery Plaform at the Barcelona Science Park (PCB), has been appointed member of the Executive Board of the Data Mining and Repurposing Task Force of the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC). Spain was the first European country to join the consortium promoted in 2011 by the European Commission and the National Institute of Health of the US aimed at fostering international cooperation in the research of more than 7000 rare diseases recorded to date.

 

Sylvie Bove, new CEO of EIT Health Blog Post

Sylvie Bove has been appointed as new CEO of the EIT Health, the Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) for healthy living and active aging, promoted by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). The Spanish node, EIT Health Spain, headed by the University of Barcelona (UB) with the support from Biocat, has its headquarters at Barcelona Science Park (PCB) and is composed of 50 core partners and 90 associate partners from the public and private sectors, leaders in their fields and committed to innovation in health. Bove took on the position on September 1

 

The 14th edition of the Spend the Summer at the Park! starts Blog Post

The welcome ceremony to participants of the Spend the summer at the Park! program was held today, Wednesday, July 1. The aim of this initiative –organized annually by the Barcelona Science Park (PCB)– is to bring research closer to students of any university in the world through their participation in projects currently being carried out in research groups, research centers and companies based at the PCB.

The Ordesa Foundation collaborates with Doctors Without Borders to improve the nutrition of Congolese children Blog Post

The Ordesa Foundation will finance 34,000 units of prepared therapeutic food (RUTF) that Doctors Without Borders (MSF) will distribute to children suffering from severe acute malnutrition in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The partnership is part of the work conducted by the Ordesa Foundation to provide funding and advocacy, through direct aid, to projects aimed at children without resources. Since 2007, the Ordesa Group has R&D&i center at Barcelona Science Park (PCB), from which it is actively involved in clinical studies and national and international programs to improve people´s health and quality of life, especially in maternal and infant stage.

 

Ordesa saw turnover grow to €112.4 millions, up 4.7%, in 2014 Blog Post

Laboratorios Ordesa today announced its results for the 2014 year, which reveal a growing trend mainly due to increased sales, cutting structural costs, implementing more efficient sales policies and consolidating foreign markets the company had opened in previous years. Since 2007, the Ordesa Group has a R&D&i center at Barcelona Science Park, from where the company actively participates in clinical studies and national and international research projects in the areas of immunology and cognitive development. The elaboration of hydrolyzed cereals, liquid milk, or the launching of the first porridge with bifidus effect, and supplemented infant formulas are some of the results from these projects.