IBEC researchers show that physical forces activate genes involved in cancer Blog Post

IBEC’s researchers at PCB, led by Pere Roca-Cusachs, reveal how forces trigger the expression of certain genes by increasing the activity of a protein called YAP in the nucleus of the cell.  The results of the study, published in Cell, have shown how these forces ‘switch on’ the expression of genes that may result in cancer.

 

An increase in low density lipoproteins would favour insulin resistance Blog Post

A study led by the University of Barcelona proved that low-density proteins (VLDL) can worsen insulin resistance, a disease that favours the development of type 2 diabetes. The study, published in the scientific journal Diabetologia , has been carried out by the research group led by Manuel Vázquez Carrera, researcher from the Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry and the Institute of Biomedicine of the UB (IBUB), located at the Barcelona Science Park.

 

Catalan biomedical companies attracted €153.1 million in investment in 2016 Blog Post

Catalan biomedical companies were able to attract €153.1 million in investment in 2016, a record figure for the sector. This is the main takeaway from the first Study on investment in the Biomedical industry in Catalonia 2017: Achievements and future challenges presented by CataloniaBio, based at the Barcelona Science Park, and EY at the Cercle d’Economia before some seventy members of the association, entrepreneurs, investors and other professionals. 

 

Barcelona Science Park to take part in 1st ENABLE symposium Blog Post

The Barcelona Science Park (Parc Científic de Barcelona, PCB) will be well represented at the first ENABLE symposium, a three-day international biomedical event organised by doctoral students and postdoctoral scientists from all over the world to underpin their professional futures in the European setting. The project is coordinated by the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (Institut de Recerca Biomèdica, IRB Barcelona) from its headquarters at the PCB and has been awarded €500,000 by the Horizon 2020 SwafS – Celebrating European Science programme. 

 

Three innovation projects at IRB Barcelona are granted funding for market development Blog Post

The Catalan’ Government’s Agency for Management and of University and Research Grants (Agencia de Gestió i Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR)) has awarded around 220,000 euros to three innovation projects underway at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) at the Barcelona Science Park. These funds have been provided through the 2016 Knowledge Industry grant call, a programme cofunded by European Regional Development Funds (ERDFs) devoted to Catalonia in the period 2014-2020.

 

ERC Starting Grant for IBEC researcher Lorenzo Albertazzi and IRB scientist Fran Supek Blog Post

The European Research Council (ERC) will award its ERC Starting Grants, worth a total of €605 million, to 406 early-career researchers throughout Europe. IBEC researcher Lorenzo Albertazzi and IRB Barcelona researcher Fran Supek at the Barcelona Science Park (PCB) are among this year’s awardees by these grants, which reward researchers with 2-7 seven years of experience since completion of the PhD (or equivalent degree), a scientific track record showing great promise and an excellent research proposal.

 

Histone 1, the guardian of genome stability Blog Post

Scientists from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) at the Barcelona Science Park, headed by Ferran Azorín, have discovered why histone 1 is a major protection factor against genomic instability and a vital protein for the organism. Genomic instability is the main risk factor for tumour development in humans. Therefore understanding its origin and exploring therapeutic targets is paramount.