During 2019, the IMIM Foundation presented a total of 412 grant applications for research.

In relation to contracts with private enterprises, it should be highlighted that 99 contracts were signed for the provision of services, 43 contracts of patronage, and 142 contracts for the conducting of clinical trials for a global total amount of over nine million euros. Another 60 contracts were signed as coordinators of trails with other centres.

Grants for Projects

With respect to the competitive calls from the State Agency for Research, within the framework of the modalities of Challenges in Research and Generation of Knowledge, 5 proposals were presented.

Twenty-four projects were obtained from the 50 presented for the call for Health Research Projects made by the Carlos III Health Institute (Instituto de Salud Carlos III-ISCIII), which means a success rate of 48%, a percentage higher than the Spanish average (35%).

In 2019, the Government of Catalonia, from its Ministry of Health, resolved the third call for research grants in Health within the Strategic Plan in Health Research and Innovation (PERIS) and two proposals were obtained for Intensifications of nursing staff and a proposal for Intensifications for medical staff.

A sub-project at the centre was approved in the La Caixa Health Research call.

As for international projects, three H2020 projects were approved, despite it being necessary to highlight that the number of requests continues rising, reaching 12 proposals.

Staff Grants

Two pre-doctoral candidates were incorporated through AGAUR subsidies for the hiring of novice research personnel (FI).

With respect to the human resources calls of the ISCIII, the results were exceptional. The personnel funded were: 3 intensifications, 4 post-residency Río Hortega grants, 3 Sara Borrell post-doctoral grants, 5 Pre-doctoral Training Grants in health research (PFIS), 2 Miguel Servet researcher contracts and 2 Juan Rodés Grants.

In relation to grants self-funded by the Institution, three Jordi Gras grants were awarded for training in research of doctors completing their residency in 2019. The grant for training at research centres abroad for specialist medical staff of the Parc de Salut Mar was called and awarded.

Below are the breakdowns of the grants achieved by areas, programmes, and funders.

Grants awarded in the year 2019 by fields

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Grants awarded in the year 2019 by research programme

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Projects for funders of the national sphere in force in 2019

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Projects for funders in the international sphere in force in 2019

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Transfer of Results

Activity in transferring research results continues to increase, with 5 European patents presented, of which 3 were in co-ownership with other centres.

The Innovation Clubs initiative was maintained. This is an interdisciplinary meeting space that, once a month, brings together institution staff interested in innovation with the aim of learning about new experiences and seeking synergies.

The subjects proposed were:

• 3D innovation at the Hospital del Mar.

• Photonic technologies in the healthcare sector.

• Transforming the digital experience: Chatbots in health.

• Extraction of information through text mining: application to medical histories and social media networks.

• Artificial intelligence: Everything a doctor should know.

Since the summer, an Innovation Bulletin has been published bimonthly, as a tool for technological surveillance and to raise the visibility of initiatives carried out within the centre.

The Board of Trustees approved the creation of a spin-off company, based on the DISGENET platform, on which work has been done over the course of the year. The researchers participating in the company are Ferran Sanz, Laura Furlong and Janet Piñero, from the Research Programme in Biomedical Informatics. The company will be working on added-value data mining technologies.

A transfer agreement was signed in relation to some software and 2 more were signed for the use of the dual diagnosis screening interview (ECDD) digital questionnaire. Furthermore, 4 students from the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) spent time at the centre as part of their Final Projects for their IT, Multimedia and Telecommunications Studies (EIMT), thanks to the collaboration agreement established with the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) so that IMIM researchers can co-direct proposals for Final Projects in IT, Multimedia and Telecommunications Studies (EIMT) with application to the field of research and health.

Our innovation funnel now contains: 17 new ideas, 3 innovations at analysis phase, 19 in development and 2 at transfer phase.

The Parc de Salut Mar (PSMAR) has incorporated a Director of Innovation and Digital Transformation who has determined that the priority lines in this sphere are as follows:

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