Yesterday, Thursday 11 July, the contract was signed to formalize the agreement whereby IDIBAPS will occupy 530 m2 of the PCB, the University of Barcelona's research and knowledge transfer complex. It is expected that around 70 IDIBAPS staff members will use this cutting-edge space to advance their translational research.
The event was attended by Elías Campo, director of IDIBAPS, Josep Mª Campistol, general director of the Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Joan Guàrdia, rector of the University of Barcelona, Maria Terrades, director of the PCB, and Quique Bassat, director of ISGlobal. ISGlobal, meanwhile, will also transfer part of its research to the PCB, where it will occupy 400 m2 to house groups linked to the Neglected Parasitic Diseases Programme. It is expected that the teams from the two institutions will start to set up at the PCB in early 2025, once the areas that will house them have been completed.
According to Elías Campo, "for IDIBAPS and the research groups that will move to the PCB, this is a unique opportunity. It corresponds to our growing need for more research laboratory space, given the total saturation of our current locations. Moreover, the Barcelona Science Park ecosystem provides a clear added value, as it should allow us greater interdisciplinary cooperation with other institutes, the attraction and retention of scientific talent, and the creation of joint projects to address complex scientific problems with a more holistic vision”.
IDIBAPS currently occupies a total surface area of around 17,000 m2, distributed over 16 different locations. The increase in activity in recent years, which has involved both the incorporation of staff and scientific equipment, has worsened the space problems of an institution located in the Eixample District of Barcelona, where the possibilities for growth are very costly and limited. This is why the management team continues to look for solutions, such as renting space at the PCB, which will guarantee the growth of IDIBAPS in the coming years.
