The Catalan Minister Nadal highlights "the uniqueness" of facilities like the Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre in the research system that promotes "biomedical innovation"
This morning, the Catalan Minister of Research and Universities, Joaquim Nadal i Farreras, visited the facilities of the Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre of Catalonia (CMCiB), one of the strategic projects developed by the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), located at the Can Ruti Campus in Badalona. Accompanied by the CMCiB and IGTP teams, Minister Nadal learned about the activities carried out by this centre in the field of robotic surgery and bioimaging, which are part of the knowledge transfer efforts of the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute. The centre was established in 2019 at the Can Ruti Campus, which brings together over 5,000 professionals and more than a thousand researchers focused on healthcare, research, and innovation.
During the visit, Nadal emphasized the importance of having a centre like the CMCiB in Catalonia because "its uniqueness within Catalonia's research system fosters innovation in the biomedical field". Additionally, the minister stated that "the combination of the uniqueness of certain projects with the collaboration established within the Catalan research system is key to the positive results achieved by researchers conducting their studies in our country".
On his part, the general director of IGTP, Dr Jordi Barretina, highlighted that "innovation is crucial for the sustainability of our research system". With 8 spin-offs, over 160 active patents, and nearly 30 licensing agreements, IGTP positions itself as a reference centre for excellence and innovation in health. In this regard, he emphasized that "the CMCiB is a strategic project for us, with the potential to have a high impact on the value chain of the biomedical industry".
A leader in comparative medicine, bioimaging, and computational models
The CMCiB is an international reference for translational research and advanced surgical training. This centre is a multidisciplinary space that brings together several leading biomedical institutions engaged in generating scientific research at the national and international levels. Regarding surgical training, over 1,300 surgeons from more than 30 countries and 80 hospitals pass through its facilities annually. In its overall activities, 90% of its clients are external, and 60% come from the industry. The centre received funding from the Singular Grants awarded by the Ministry of Research and Universities through the University and Research Grants Management Agency (AGAUR) for the implementation of unique institutional R&D infrastructure projects, with a total of 6.75 million euros.
It is a state-of-the-art biomedical centre designed to support preclinical translational research, from the earliest stages to product development, in all fields of biomedicine. It provides services to a wide range of clients, from Catalan research groups and centres to international private companies, and has several strategic partners. It offers opportunities for advanced biomedical research, innovation in surgery, and technological development, with the support of expert consulting services and cutting-edge training programs for healthcare personnel and researchers worldwide.
The CMCiB is one of the few centres in southern Europe that is part of the European network of 3R centres, and since 2021, it has been accredited with Good Laboratory Practices (GLP). This accreditation has allowed the CMCiB to participate in the validation of various medical devices and products currently in the clinical validation phase or in the process of obtaining CE marking.