Joint press release from the Hospital del Mar and the Centre of Genomic Regulation

New forum to address clinical needs through collaboration between basic investigation and medical researchers

• First symposium bringing together scientists from the CRG with clinical researchers from the Hospital del Mar and others from the cancer research programme at the IMIM

How can science reduce the distance between basic knowledge and unfulfilled clinical needs? What is the most effective way of going about this? The meeting “From fundamental research to medical unmet needs”, to take place in the afternoon of Wednesday, November 23, 2011, at the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB), will bring together scientists and research groups from the Hospital del Mar, IMIM and Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), as well as companies in the sector.
Through presentations by the speakers (11), the participants and attendees will endeavour to identify diseases in which basic scientific knowledge and the clinic can collaborate to find new therapeutic strategies. Once areas of synergy have been detected, the intention is to collaborate in research projects related to real clinical needs that can only be approached from the perspective of high-level basic scientific research.
One example of the kind of research that will be encouraged is the agreement, signed nearly a year ago, between Roche, the Hospital del Mar and the CRG to investigate triple negative breast cancer, with the aim of identifying new therapeutic targets and biomarkers sensitive to chemotherapy.
The importance of this type of partnership is due to its position at the junction of the biomedical industry with clinical researchers and scientists whose ultimate aim is to improve the quality of life of the general public. This is why it is a clear example of the role which the biomedical sector plays as a driving force of the new economic model and as a generator of wealth and dynamism in the current economic climate.
Due to the warm reception given the initiative by professionals in these areas, it is anticipated that a second edition of the meeting will be organised in the near future. Between the two sessions, it is expected that over 20 researchers will participate.
About the speakers

• Joan ALBANELL: Head of the oncology service and director of the cancer programme at the Hospital del Mar and IMIM
• Montserrat ANDREU: Head of the gastroenterology service and coordinator of the de Hereditary Colorectal Cancer research group at the Hospital del Mar and IMIM
• Esther BARREIRO: Consultant in the pneumological service and coordinator of the Molecular Mechanisms of Lung Cancer Predisposition research group at the Hospital del Mar and IMIM
• Carles BESSES: Head of the haematology service and coordinator of the Applied Clinical Research in Haematological Malignances research group, Hospital del Mar and IMIM
• Blanca ESPINET: Consultant biologist in cytogenetic services and member of the Translational Haematology Cancer research group, Hospital del Mar and IMIM
• Thomas GRAF: Coordinator of the Differentiation and Cancer research group, Centre for Genomic Regulation.
• Bill KEYES: Head of the Cancer and Ageing research group, Centre for Genomic Regulation.
• Luis SERRANO: Director of the CRG and head of the Design of Biological Systems research group, Centre for Genomic Regulation.
• Francesc SOLÉ: Head of the cytogenetics section and member of the Translational haematology cancer research group, Hospital del Mar and IMIM
• Gian Gaetano TARTAGLIA: Head of the Gene Function and Evolution research group, Centre for Genomic Regulation.
• Juan VALCÁRCEL: Head of the Regulation of Alternative pre-mRNA Processing research group, Centre for Genomic Regulation.

About the meeting
Place: Marie Curie Room (Access through the internal patio), Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB)
Address: Dr. Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona
Time: 3pm – 6pm
Further information: www.crg.eu/HdM_CRG_workshop
Blanka Wysocka
About the Hospital del Mar and its cancer research programme
The Hospital del Mar is a general, university, and active hospital, with research activity undertaken in the IMIM (Instituto de Investigación del Hospital del Mar). It is one of the country’s most important scientific production centres and its projects involve the daily application of science to public health. For this reason it has a cancer research programme that aims to improve disease prevention and diagnosis, to increase both cure rates and quality of life. It undertakes pioneering research in areas such as the detection of treatment response markers and aims to optimise treatments from their beginning, thus avoiding ineffective therapies with multiple side effects, everyday moving nearer towards the so-called "a la carte" treatments entailing personalised medicine of both high technical and human quality.
The cancer research programme consists of 15 groups that are classified into three main fields: basic, preclinical and disease-oriented research.
About the CRG
The CRG is an international biomedical research institute of excellence, whose mission is to discover and advance knowledge for the benefit of society, public health and economic prosperity.
The CRG believes that the medicine of the future depends on innovative science today. This requires an interdisciplinary scientific team focused on understanding the complexity of life, from the genome of the cell, to the entire organism and its interaction with the environment, which offers an integrated view of genetic diseases.
The combination of the know-how of top scientists from around the world and the availability of cutting-edge equipment, make the CRG a unique centre with a high-level of scientific production in an international context with the best scientific and technical services for research.
One of the fundamental themes of the CRG activity is its commitment to technology transfer and the return of knowledge to society. It has a dedicated technology transfer office and a team of professionals with experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical businesses. This office manages the intellectual property generated in the institute and facilitates its transfer to the companies within the sector as patents and licenses that enable the development of innovative products and services. The spirit of collaboration inherent in the centre encourages relationships with these companies as well as the medical sector, and boosts economic growth in the biomedical sector in Catalonia.