Researchers from CNAG-CRG and IDIBAPS receive a €8.3 million ERC Synergy Grant Blog Post

The European Research Council (ERC) today announced the results of the 2018 ERC Synergy Grants Call. A project, the BCLL@las, of four research groups from the Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG-CRG) –based in the Barcelona Science Park and integrated into the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)– and the Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) have received this prestigious grant to unravel the genomics and epigenomics of chronic lymphocytic leukemia – the most frequent adult leukemia in the Western world– at unprecedented resolution using single-cell analysis. 

 

A study identifies forty genes related to aggressive behaviour Blog Post

An international study published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry has identified forty genes related to aggressive behaviour in humans and mice. Participants in the study, which could contribute to shape future pharmacological targets, are the researchers Bru Cormand and Noèlia Fernàndez Castillo, from the Faculty of Biology at the University of Barcelona and the Institute of Biomedicine of the UB (IBUB), present at the Barcelona Science Park.

 

Starts the third edition BIYSC Blog Post

Today and until July 20 will take place the third edition of the Barcelona International Youth Science Challenge (BIYSC), an international program of excellence for young people passionate about science organized by Fundació Catalunya–La Pedrera and with the support of Fundació Víctor Grífols i Lucas. Once more, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) –both headquartered at the Barcelona Scientific Park–  participate in the event. The objective of the initiative is to stimulate the talent of pre-university youth from around the world and connect them with leading researchers from international research centers based in Barcelona to promote their enthusiasm for science.

 

Biomedical industry in Catalonia raises €102 million in investment in 2017 Blog Post

Catalan biomedical companies attracted €102 million in investment in 2017, with €3.4 million per operation, on average. This will allow them to push forward in the development of drugs and innovative medical technology, as reflected in the Study on investment in the Biomedical industry in Catalonia: Achievements and future challenges presented by CataloniaBio & HealthTech, based in Barcelona Science Park, and EY on Tuesday at the Círculo de Economía in Barcelona. The event drew a crowd of more than 60 entrepreneurs, investors and professionals from the sector.

 

Bionure initiates a Phase 1 clinical trial of its lead compound BN201 in the United Kingdom Blog Post

Bionure, a biotech company based in the Barcelona Science Park that develops neuroprotectant agents to treat neurodegenerative diseases primarily focusing on rare ophthalmologic diseases, announces today the initiation of a Phase 1 clinical trial of its lead compound BN201 in the United Kingd. BN201 is a first-in-class treatment that promotes remyelination and neuroprotection, offering a game-changing solution for neurodegenerative diseases. Both actions make BN201 a promising solution for rare ophthalmologic diseases  and open a research pathway to treat other neurodegenerative diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). 

 

DTI Foundation: A decade promoting research and training in donation and transplant Blog Post

Yesterday, DTI Foundation (Donation &Transplantation Institute) celebrated its 10th anniversary at Barcelona Science Park. The Foundation —created in Barcelona in 2008— was conceived with the aim of providing consultancy, training and support to professionals from public and private organisations in creating, developing and strengthening networks, programmes and services in the area of organ, tissue and human cell donation and transplantation worldwide. Since its formation, the organization has trained over 14,000 healthcare professionals in the area of organ and tissue donation and transplantation in over 100 countries worldwide. 

 

RAC1 protein could be a new therapeutic target to fight neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease Blog Post

A new research study reveals RAC1 protein could be a new therapeutic target to study the molecular mechanisms related to the neurodegenerative processes in Parkinson’s disease. The study, published in the online edition of the journal Molecular Neurobiology, is led by Antonella Consiglio –head of the Laboratory of Stem Cells and Neuroplasticity at the Institute of Biomedicine of the UB (IBUB) in the Barcelona Science Park and researcher at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the University of Barcelona and the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL)– and Esther Dalfo, from the Univesitat Autònoma de Barcelona and Universitat de Vic – Universitat Central de Catalunya.

 

IRB Barcelona paves the way to the use of immunotherapy to treat aggressive colon tumours and their metastasis Blog Post

A team headed by ICREA researcher Eduard Batlle, from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) at the Barcelona Science Park, discovers that immune system-stimulating treatments combined with a TGF-beta inhibitor are effective against colon cancer. In a study published today in the journal Nature, scientifics explain that the hormone TGF-beta is responsible for the “blindness” of the immune system to colon cancer cells. The work paves the way for the development of the first treatment based on immunotherapy for patients with metastatic colon cancer and for those patients with poor prognosis but who have not yet developed metastasis.

 

Bioinformatics company Mind the Byte acquires Intelligent Pharma Blog Post

Mind the Byte a pioneer in the development of technologies based on artificial intelligence, cloud and big data for computational drug design, has acquired 100% of Intelligent Pharma, one of the leaders in Spain in chemoinformatics services for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. Both bioinformatics companyies are headquartered in the Barcelona Science Park (Parc Científic de Barcelona, PCB) which will help the integration process under which Mind the Byte expects to reach €2 million in turnover by 2019.