Transferring scientific breakthroughs to patients

Currently, the research being carried out includes a firm commitment to translational research, in other words, transferring discoveries made in the laboratories to the hospital. This involves strengthening ties with the Hospital del Mar, which is now undergoing an ambitious process of architectural, digital and healthcare transformation. A search for proximity with a commitment to new therapies, such as those based on CAR-T cells and NK cells in cancer; new approaches in the field of infectious diseases after the outbreak of the COVID-19 andemic; and a deeper understanding of the brain, mental health and intellectual disability in the field of neurosciences.

The centre is committed to young scientific talent, destined to revolutionise future research and attract well-established, internationally recognised researchers. It also spearheads the European Commission's strategic lines, the EU Missions, specifically the one focused on cancer, known as "Beating Cancer". Strategic alliances are also being strengthened to deliver research of excellence, including research into Alzheimer's disease and other dementias with the Pasqual Maragall Foundation. And this is all focused on one main goal: to carry out top-level research that will repay society for its investment in the IMIM-Hospital del Mar.

The future Hospital del Mar and research

Hospital del Mar is undergoing a fundamental transformation in terms of its history. An ambitious expansion project is underway, which will almost double the centre's original surface area. A 360º transformation that will consolidate the institute as a benchmark of clinical excellence, a leader in research and innovation, as well as humanisation, recognised for its sensitivity in caring for people. Research must play a fundamental role, because research begins and ends with patients.

Research internationalisation

Research has always been international, and Barcelona is a hub that attracts talent. Over the last five years, we have collaborated with researchers from more than 150 countries, mainly from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Canada. The centre's scientific excellence and its unbeatable location in Barcelona make it an interesting destination for many researchers.

We are committed to young scientific talent

We have always been committed to young talent, to attracting young researchers who are the future of science. These are some of them:

We study the brain to understand how thoughts, memories and feelings are generated

We want to delve deeper into how the brain represents reality. And through this exploration, we want to make a leap forward in the field of neuroscience. That is why we have brought in the Argentinean researcher Rodrigo Quian Quiroga, an expert in measuring neuronal activity in epilepsy sufferers. One of his studies, in which he identified specific neurones that encode concepts and are essential for generating memory in the brain, was considered one of the most outstanding scientific stories by Discover magazine.

We improve intellectual disabilities and diseases that cause cognitive impairment

We are heading up the ICOD project, a clinical trial to improve cognition in people with Down's syndrome that may also be useful for other intellectual disabilities or other diseases that cause cognitive impairment, such as neurodegenerative diseases. This is the first time that the European Union has funded such an initiative in the field of Down's syndrome.

We are taking part in the EU Cancer Mission 2030

We are committed to participating in the EU Missions, strategic research and innovation initiatives from the European Commission, which determine EU research investment priorities. A highlight is our participation in the Cancer Mission, with the target that by 2030, 70% of people diagnosed with this disease will survive.

Working together to build alliances of excellence

With the Barcelona Brain Research Center of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation to create a mixed clinical and research neuroscience unit. A partnership that has already borne fruit through studies that have identified biomarkers for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease.

We have joined forces with the Blood and Tissue Bank and the VHIO to launch a clinical trial using the patient's own cells (lymphocytes), modified in the laboratory, to recognise tumour cells and help eliminate cancer.

An alliance has been set up to train the doctors of the future in a privileged biomedical environment. Pompeu Fabra University has chosen Hospital del Mar for its Bachelor's Degree in Medicine. Students will not only benefit from the proximity of a large hospital, right next to their classrooms, but will also have access to one of the most important research hubs in Barcelona, the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB), where the UPF and the IMIM carry out their innovative work.