Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia explained

Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC)
Founded Date:2005
Founder:Government of Catalonia, University of Barcelona, Technical University of Catalonia
Location:Baldiri Reixac, 10-12, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Key People:Josep Samitier (Director)
Focus:Bioengineering and nanomedicine research

The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC)[1] is an institution engaged in basic and applied research in bioengineering and nanomedicine, with experts working on tissue regeneration, biomechanics, molecular dynamics, biomimetics, drug delivery, organs ‘on-a-chip’, cell migration, stem cells, artificial olfaction and microbial biotechnology. The institute was created by the Government of Catalonia, the University of Barcelona and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in December 2005 and is located at the Barcelona Science Park (Parc Científic de Barcelona – PCB). The director of the institute is Prof. Josep Samitier, who took over from founding director Josep A. Planell i Estany in 2013. In 2014 IBEC was named a "Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence" by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness.[2]

Mission

The institute aims to pursue interdisciplinary research in bioengineering and nanomedicine which is combined with specific transfer targets to produce new applied technologies in the health sciences. It fosters collaborations with local organisations and international research institutes, provides high-level training to staff and students, promotes innovation and technology transfer, and engages the public through outreach and educational activities. IBEC's ultimate objective is to translate research results to the clinic to improve health and quality of life.

Location

Most administrative and scientific divisions of IBEC Barcelona are located at the Barcelona Science Park (Parc Científic de Barcelona – PCB). The Park also hosts the research centers of several biotech and pharmaceutical companies, as well as technical services and technology platforms. The institute also has two groups located at the Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge (Bellvitge University Hospital – HUB). Some of the institute's group leaders are also affiliated to the University of Barcelona or the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.

Organisation

Research Areas

The scientific and technological research at the institute is grouped into three core application areas: Bioengineering for Regenerative Therapies, Bioengineering for Future Medicine and Bioengineering for Active Ageing.

Research Groups

There are 23 individual research groups within IBEC, investigating a range of topics falling into one or more of the above research areas. Principal investigators or group leaders are listed in italics:

Core Facilities and Services

IBEC manages a Nanotechnology Platform which offers services in nanofabrication, nanomanipulation and nanocharacterization to its own scientists and to academic and industrial researchers from outside. The platform has 150m2 of class 10,000 cleanroom space and laboratories offering equipment for the fabrication and characterization of micro- and nanodevices and structures. In 2015 IBEC became the first institution in the south of Europe to acquire a 3D bioprinter that is suitable for industrial manufacture according to GMP guidelines.

Governance

Board of trustees

IBEC's board of trustees is composed of members of the founding institutions. It is responsible for overseeing research activities and the institutional strategy, approving the operating funds and ensuring that annual goals are met. Its president is the Minister for Health of the Government of Catalonia.

International Scientific Committee (ISC)

An International Scientific Committee (ISC) composed of scientists from the fields covered by IBEC's research plays a key role in providing strategic guidance and assessing the research directions taken.

The current ISC is made up of the following members: Samuel I. Stupp (president), Northwestern University, Chicago; Carljin Bouten, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands; Sergio Cerutti, Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy; Lim Chwee Teck, National University of Singapore; Roger Kamm, MIT; Luis de Lecea, Stanford University; Krishna Persaud, University of Manchester; Bernat Soria, Centro Andaluz de Biología Molecular (CABIMER), Seville; Molly Stevens, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London; Fiona M. Watt, EMBL Heidelberg, Germany; Heiko Zimmermann, Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Germany

Funding sources

IBEC receives most of its core funding from the Government of Catalonia through the Department of Health and the Department of Economy and Knowledge.

Further funds are provided through competitive grants obtained from the European Union under FP7 Horizon 2020 and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, among others.

IBEC's researchers also receive financial support from the University of Barcelona or the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), AXA and several other sources.

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.ibecbarcelona.eu/about-us/about-us/ About us section of IBEC website
  2. Web site: Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence . 2016-08-19 . 2012-02-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120207114906/http://www.micinn.es/portal/site/MICINN/menuitem.7eeac5cd345b4f34f09dfd1001432ea0/?vgnextoid=cba733a6368c2310VgnVCM1000001d04140aRCRD . dead .
  3. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-02-cancer-cells-hijack-healthy.html MedicalXpress: Cancer cells hijack healthy cells
  4. https://www.healthcanal.com/brain-nerves/parkinson/235545-researchers-find-new-therapeutic-target-slow-parkinsons-progression.html Health Canal: Researchers find a new therapeutic target that could slow Parkinson’s progression
  5. https://phys.org/news/2017-02-miniaturized-robots-propelled-biological-fluids.html Phys.Org: Miniaturized robots can be propelled through biological fluids
  6. http://www.ozy.com/rising-stars/he-wants-to-inject-your-bloodstream-with-healing-nanobots/70286 He Wants to Inject Your Bloodstream With Healing Nanobots
  7. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/06/160623065240.htm Science Daily: Mycobacterium in olive oil for cancer treatment
  8. Web site: Nanoscopy for nanomedicine. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  9. Web site: Molecular Bionics. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  10. Web site: Protein phase transitions in health and disease. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  11. Web site: Synthetic Morphogenesis. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  12. Web site: Biomaterials for regenerative therapies. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  13. Web site: Nanomalaria. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  14. Web site: Nanoscale bioelectrical characterization. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  15. Web site: Nanoprobes and nanoswitches. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  16. Web site: Biomedical signal processing and interpretation. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  17. Web site: Molecular Imaging for Precision Medicine. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  18. Web site: Signal and information processing for sensing systems. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  19. Web site: Biomimetic systems for cell engineering. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  20. Web site: Pluripotency for organ regeneration. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  21. Web site: Targeted therapeutics and nanodevices. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  22. Web site: Cellular and respiratory biomechanics. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  23. Web site: Biosensors for bioengineering. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  24. Web site: Molecular and cellular neurobiotechnology. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  25. Web site: Cellular and molecular mechanobiology. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  26. Web site: Nanobioengineering. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  27. Web site: Smart nano-bio-devices. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  28. Web site: Bacterial infections: antimicrobial therapies. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.
  29. Web site: Integrative cell and tissue dynamics. 2021-04-26. Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia. en-US.