ICS 2024 Career Achievement Award and Best Research Poster at the 15th ICS Conference, focused on respiratory diseases

Thursday, 24 October 2024 - Campus Can Ruti, Conferences, Institutional

The 15th Research Conference of the Catalan Institute of Health (ICS), under the theme "Breathing the Future: Challenges and Research Strategies in Respiratory Diseases", focused on the latest advances related to these conditions. This year, Dr Josep Trueta University Hospital and the Dr Josep Trueta Biomedical Research Institute of Girona (IDIBGI) hosted the event at the Mercè Cultural Centre in Girona. Professor Manel Puig, leader of the Endocrinology and Obesity Research Group at the Germans Trias Research Institute (IGTP) and former director of the institute from 2013 to 2020, was awarded the ICS 2024 Career Achievement Award for Hospitals, while student Carlos Mateos, from the Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics Research Group (CGE), received the ICS 2024 Best Research Poster Award.

Once again, the conference brought together more than 200 professionals in a space to discuss and understand the challenges and frontiers of research, sharing strategies and knowledge that could have an impact on health. As stated by Josep Pomar, General Manager of ICS, "This event is a great opportunity to get to know and value the careers of those who dedicate themselves to research. It is a moment where the recognition of young talent, the careers of our professionals, and the diversity of research in our institution converge."

The opening lecture, "Neutral Studies: Life Lessons", was delivered by Ferran Barbé Illa, Clinical Director of Chronic Respiratory Diseases in Lleida, Director of the Translational Research Group in Respiratory Medicine at the Lleida Biomedical Research Institute (IRBLleida), and Professor at the University of Lleida, who was also awarded an ICREA Academia 2023. Barbé, who also received the ICS 2022 Career Achievement Award for Hospitals, emphasised that "in research, the most important thing is the question you ask, the rigour, and the team you work with every day."

Advanced therapies and precision medicine, artificial intelligence applied to respiratory diseases, the importance of networking, or the challenges of social care and ageing in the field of research were some of the key topics discussed during this 15th edition.

The event also unveiled the winners of the 2024 ICS Research Awards, granted by the ICS Scientific Council. In this edition, six of the eight awards went to female researchers. The awards recognise significant contributions to the development of health sciences research, with the aim of fostering and acknowledging high-quality biomedical research, both preclinical and clinical, conducted within the institution and at the affiliated research institutes.

ICS 2024 Career Achievement Award

ICS 2024 Career Achievement Award for Hospitals: Manel Puig (IGTP), for his distinguished research career and in recognition of his role as former director of IGTP from 2013 to 2020.

The Endocrinology and Obesity Research Group is coordinated by Professor Manel Puig-Domingo, who is currently Head of the Endocrinology and Nutrition Service at Germans Trias Hospital and Professor of Endocrinology at the Germans Trias Unit of the Faculty of Medicine at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. With 265 published articles and 20 doctoral theses supervised, he has received multiple distinctions for his scientific impact. He has been President of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition (SEEN) and participates in national and international scientific committees. He received the Medal for Research Merit from the Official College of Doctors of Barcelona in 2011 and the SEEN Medal in 2018.

ICS 2024 Young Researcher Award: Jessica González (IRB Lleida), for her merits in publications, resource acquisition, and leadership skills.
ICS 2024 Nursing Career Achievement Award: Esperanza Zuriguel (VHIR), for her research career in the professional development of nurses and the improvement of care.
ICS 2024 Primary Care Career Achievement Award: Concepció Violán (IDIAP Jordi Gol), for her research on multimorbidity and frailty in adults, which is highly relevant to clinical practice.

ICS Research Impact Award

The Maternal and Fetal Medicine Group at VHIR, led by Elena Carreras, won this award for their work "The use of the cervical pessary to reduce preterm birth in Catalan centres", which has had a significant impact on reducing preterm birth rates and neonatal morbidity.

Best Health Sciences Research Article Award

The Scientific Council decided to award the prize ex aequo to:

Judit Prat (VHIR), for the article "Paper-based microfluidic electro-analytical device (PMED) for magneto-assay automation: Towards generic point-of-care diagnostic devices", published in Biosensors and Bioelectronics.
Sara Calvo (IDIBELL), for the article "Evolution of invasive pneumococcal disease by serotype 3 in adults: a Spanish three-decade retrospective study", published in The Lancet Regional Health.
Regarding the Best Article presented by an ICS professional in training through the residency programme, the Scientific Council decided to award the prize to:
Ignasi Sacanella (IISPV), for the article "A Real-World Data Observational Analysis of the Impact of Liposomal Amphotericin B on Renal Function Using Machine Learning in Critically Ill Patients," published in Antibiotics.

ICS 2024 Best Research Poster Award

The two awardees for the ICS 2024 Best Research Poster were Jordi Estarlich, from the Primary Care Research Institute Jordi Gol (IDIAPJGol), and Carlos Mateos, from the Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics Research Group (CGE) at IGTP.

15th Research Conference of the Catalan Institute of Health (ICS)

The annual research conference of the Catalan Institute of Health aims to showcase the research being conducted at the research institutes that are part of ICS. In this edition, the conference will focus on respiratory diseases. During the event, participants will be able to discuss the challenges and frontiers of research, and share strategies and knowledge that could have an impact on the health system. Additionally, with the aim and commitment to fostering research careers within ICS, a space will be provided to highlight research careers within the institution, as well as to analyse the challenges and opportunities within the system.