The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), based at the Parc Científic de la Universitat de Barcelona (PCB-UB), celebrated its 20th anniversary on October 21st with an institutional event at the Auditorium of the Joan Miró Foundation in Barcelona. The event brought together representatives from the Government, individuals who have led and supported the center since its inception, as well as IBEC researchers. During the event, two decades of research at the frontier of engineering and life sciences were reviewed, and a vision for the challenges of the coming years was shared.
Founded in 2005 by the Generalitat de Catalunya, the University of Barcelona (UB), and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), IBEC is part of the CERCA network and brings together over 400 people and 26 research groups. The event, attended by more than 100 people, was the central celebration of an anniversary year that has included other initiatives such as IBEC Day and the podcast IBEC On Air.
The director of IBEC, Manuel Salmeron, opened the event, recalling that the center was born from a shared commitment to put bioengineering at the service of health. He thanked the institutions for their support and acknowledged the work of previous directors, Josep A. Planell and Josep Samitier. The Minister of Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat, highlighted IBEC's trajectory of excellence and the importance of teamwork, presenting the center as a model to be promoted by the Government.
Following the screening of a commemorative video, Manuel Salmeron presented the reflection "Our Science, Our People," on IBEC's multidisciplinarity. The inaugural lecture was given by Xavier Trepat, principal investigator of the Integrative Dynamics of Cells and Tissues group at IBEC, who described the center's construction as a "bottom-up" process.
A round table brought together six key figures in IBEC's history: Josep A. Planell (founding director), Josep Samitier (director between 2013 and 2025), Pastora Martínez (initial scientific manager), Teresa Sanchis (Head of Strategy), Samuel I. Stupp (Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board), and Carlijn Bouten (member of the Scientific Advisory Board). They emphasized the importance of collaboration and talent management.
The event included performances by violinist Noemi Jakab and a live mural created by illustrator Carlotta Cataldi. The art and science project "Revelant l’invisible" was presented, featuring cyanotypes by photographer Roser Salarich based on images from the research groups.
