President Illa inaugurates new first generation CCiTUB microscopy equipment at the Barcelona Science Park
The President of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Salvador Illa, and the Catalan minister for Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat, inaugurated the new first-generation electron microscope of the University of Barcelona (UB), which is located at the facilities of the Scientific and Technological Centers of the UB (CCiTUB) at the Barcelona Science Park (PCB). The device has had a cost of 3.35 million euros, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund of the European Union within the framework of the FEDER Operational Program of Catalonia. This unique infrastructure represents a fundamental leap forward in positioning the UB as a leader in electronic microscopy.
The president Salvador Illa and the councilor Núria Montserrat have known the powerful features of the microscope, accompanied by Joan Guàrdia, rector of the University of Barcelona; Juan Fran Sangüesa Ferrer, director of the CCiTUB; and Francesca Peiró, director of the Department of Electronic and Biomedical Engineering of the University of Barcelona and scientific coordinator of the UMEAP node (ICTS ELECMI). The device combines the maximum performance of a high-resolution and analytical microscopy equipment with innovative features, which gives a strong impetus to interdisciplinary projects.
During the institutional speeches, Salvador Illa stated that his objective “is to generate shared prosperity, socially and territorially; for this reason, research, knowledge and talent are key”. Furthermore, he stated that “in a world increasingly dominated by brute force” it is essential that “technology is at the service of institutions and citizens, and not the other way around”. In this sense, he gave the example of the inauguration of the microscope at the University of Barcelona, “a public institution” with a vocation to serve the public. Finally, the president took advantage of his presence at the University of Barcelona Science Park to call for “an ambitious approach and leadership of Catalan research on an international scale”: “We can afford it,” he said.
The rector of the University of Barcelona, Joan Guàrdia, has valued three fundamental elements for research: “collaboration between institutions, trust of public institutions towards research, and commitment”. “From now on, with the new microscope everything will become more complex, because new questions will be opened,” said Guàrdia.
The director of the Barcelona Science Park, Maria Terrades, pointed out that “this microscope is part of the unique scientific structures of the country”. “This new site is another step in the consolidation of the PCB as a reference space in the city and the country in the field of life sciences. It is a space that brings together a community of 3,600 people working in an ecosystem of more than 120 entities,” said Terrades.
On the other hand, Francesca Peiró and Juan Fran Sangüesa explained the potential of the new microscope. Peiró emphasized the fact that “with this infrastructure, it will be possible to explore dynamic phenomena of materials and life sciences”. Sangüesa highlighted “the great impact that the microscope will have on research personnel”, and listed the main applications of this device as the battery sector, advanced therapies and microchips.
A leading-edge equipment at the PCB
With this microscope it is possible to modify the sample temperature, apply an electrical polarization and work on liquid media. Therefore, it is possible to see the structural or chemical changes that take place with nanometric or even atomic resolution in processes such as the degradation of electrochemical batteries or the synthesis of nanoparticles, among others. The possibility of working with highly sensitive and ultra-rapid direct detection cameras opens the door to reconstruct biomolecules and viruses in three dimensions; to dynamically observe the distribution of proteins, viruses or nanoparticles in cell membranes, and to analyze protein interactions at the nanometric scale to understand aggregation or stabilization phenomena of substances of therapeutic interest.
With this infrastructure, the UB complements the microscopy facilities of the CCiTUB, and is endowed with unique first-rate equipment. It thus becomes a strategic reference center for the instrumental and methodological development of these advanced microscopy tools applied to challenges at the frontier of knowledge.
The new device has been recognized as a singular scientific and technical infrastructure (ICTS) at state level, and is part of the CCiTUB’s list of services and of the ICTS ELECMI network. Therefore, it is accessible to the entire scientific community, public research institutions and the business sector. The incorporation of this microscope is part of the MERIT project (electron microscopy for research, innovation, and technology transfer), a consortium led by the UB and involving the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), the Bosch i Gimpera Foundation (FBG), the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS) and the Sant Joan de Déu Foundation.
At the beginning of the visit, the rector explained to the president and the councilor the main strategic projects that the UB has planned for the coming years, such as the MIES project and the new Campus Diagonal Clínic-University of Barcelona, as well as the key role that the Barcelona Science Park represents in the European knowledge ecosystem.
