Research Grants and Transfer of Results

2016

Since January 2016, IMIM has submitted a total of 421 research grant applications, which means 40.8% more applications than were submitted in 2015, of which 24 are still awaiting a decision.

A total of 100 agreements have been signed with private companies to carry out services or for sponsorship and 127 agreements have been signed for carrying out clinical trials for an overall sum of six million euros.

Grants for Projects

All four projects submitted in the competitive calls for applications by the Spanish Ministry for Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) on CHALLENGES and EXCELLENCE have been approved.

Of the 52 project applications submitted to calls for research projects in health by the Carlos III Institute of Health (ISCIII), 24 projects have been obtained - a 46.15% success rate, which is considerably higher than the average for Spain (30%). A project on Development of Health Care Technologies was also obtained.

In the “2016 Grants for Cancer Research” call for applications by the Spanish Cancer Association (AECC), funding was obtained for a 5-year project coordinated by our center, with the participation of the Josep Carreras Foundation and the Barcelona Biomedical Research Institute. A project was also obtained from Barcelona City Council CECC, funded by pancreatic cancer associations. One of the center’s projects received funding as part of the Fundació BBVA scientific research teams call for applications.

For the first time, the Department of Health of the Catalan government has issued a call for grant applications in health care as part of the Strategic Plan for Research and Innovation in Health Care (PERIS). IMIM submitted a total of 63 grant proposals: 10 proposals for increasing nursing personnel, 20 for taking on technical and scientific staff, and 1 project aimed at research in primary care. In the call for applications as program coordinators, 2 proposals were submitted in personalized medicine, 1 in regenerative medicine, 4 in independent clinical research, and 4 in cohort studies.

In 2017, a total of 20 grants were awarded from the PERIS call for proposals: 6 proposals for increasing nursing personnel, 4 for taking on technical and scientific staff, and 4 projects aimed at research in primary care. In the call for applications as program coordinators, 1 program was awarded in personalized medicine, 1 in regenerative medicine, 2 in independent clinical research, 2 in cohort studies, as well as participation as subprojects in 2 programs coordinated by other centers.

As well as the applications submitted to the European Union (Horizon 2020 and other Directorates General), an increasing number of applications are being submitted to international foundations. A project was approved by Movember and another by Takeda. With regard to calls for applications of the European Union, the project Translational quantitative systems toxicology to improve the understanding of the safety of medicines, coordinated by the University of Liverpool and funded by Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) was approved.

Personnel Grants

In terms of personnel grants, the hiring of 3 researchers was approved by means of a Juan de la Cierva training grant and support contract for infrastructure was obtained.

The following were funded in the ISCIII human resources calls for applications: 1 personnel increase, 1 Río Hortega post-residence, 1 Sara Borrell postdoc, 2 PFIS predoctoral and 1 iPFIS, 2 Miguel Servet I researchers, and 2 researchers have moved to Miguel Servet II.

In relation to calls for grants by IMIM under the Programme Contract, management of the intensification programme, funded with €57,000, has made it possible to intensification for two doctors from Hospital del Mar. A Jordi Gras grant has also been awarded for training in research for doctors who will finish their residence in 2015 and a Javier Lamas memorial predoctoral grant has been awarded.

Furthermore, the call for applications for a grant for training in foreign research centers for specialist medical personnel at Parc de Salut Mar has been issued and the grant awarded for the third year running.

Figure 1, below, shows the grants obtained, by area:

Figure 1. Grants awarded in 2016, by areas

Transfer of Results

Activity surrounding protection of results has been maintained, and 2 new patents have been formalized and 1 notarial registration, which is expected to be available for use for a new spin-off.

A licence was obtained for a new patent in oncology at a European company in the field of biomarkers.

Of note is the new initiative Clubs de la Innovació (innovation clubs), an interdisciplinary meeting space that brings together personnel from the institution who are interested in innovation, with the aim of discovering new experiences and seeking out synergies.