The Department has awarded almost two million euros to support 20 innovative projects across Catalonia under the PERIS 2022–2027 program. The call aims to promote the validation and early clinical application of new technologies, devices, and therapies to transform the healthcare system and improve patient care.
Four projects led by Clínic-IDIBAPS professionals have been selected, within two categories: medical and digital health technologies, and advanced drugs and therapies innovation.
Experimental development of surgical devices and assisted surgery
In the field of medical technology, two out of the twelve funded projects come from Clínic-IDIBAPS.
The first focuses on developing an innovative surgical retractor for minimally invasive surgery of complex skull base tumors, treating them through transorbital endoscopic procedures. The project is led by Alberto Di Somma, neurosurgeon at Hospital Clínic and researcher with the Clinical and Experimental Respiratory Immunoallergy (IRCE) group at IDIBAPS.
The second project, VISOR, is coordinated by Aida Niñerola, biomedical engineer at Clínic and researcher with the Multimodal Imaging Biomarkers group at IDIBAPS. It aims to enhance radioguided surgery by integrating real-time SPECT/CT imaging with mixed reality technology, improving surgical accuracy and safety while optimizing lesion localization and removal.
Progress in cell therapies and resistant immunotherapies
Under the advanced therapies and drug innovation category, Clínic-IDIBAPS is also leading two key projects.
One focuses on developing CAR-T therapies resistant to cellular exhaustion, aimed at improving the effectiveness and durability of these immunotherapies in solid tumors. The project is coordinated by Sònia Guedan, head of the Cellular Immunotherapies for Cancer group at IDIBAPS.
The second project is working on the generation of a Master Cell Bank of CD5CAR-positive NK cell lines, designed for off-the-shelf use in invasive fungal infections. This innovative approach could broaden the application of cell therapies in infectious diseases. It is led by Francisco Lozano, head of the Immune receptors of the innate and adaptive system group at IDIBAPS.
Turning innovation into patient benefit
Thanks to the support of the Clínic-IDIBAPS Innovation Team, which accompanies healthcare professionals in developing high-impact and high-quality projects, these initiatives reflect the institutions’ strong commitment to patient-centered innovation and translational research. Participation in the PERIS program reinforces Clínic-IDIBAPS’ position as a leading center in biomedical research and helps accelerate the translation of new devices and treatments that can improve people’s health and quality of life.
