Periode 2000-2007

In 2000 the Research Group on Biomedical Informatics participated in visualization of the genomic sequence of Drosophila melanogaster providing the “gff2ps” software application, a visualization tool used for genomic analysis.

This software was developed for use in their own research, but when it was made public through the web, it became known by Celera Genomics. The collaboration of IMIM, a public organization, is purely scientific and academic. In March the results were published in the journal "Science".

In October of 2000 the Research Group on Biomedical Informatics participated in the visualization of the Human Genome sequence, with the "gff2ps" software application, already used by Celera Genomics in the visualization of Drosophila melanogaster. In the case of the Human Genome, the program was adapted due to the dimensions of this genome. In February 2001, it was published in the journal "Science"

Affiliation to the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) as a University Institute Since July of 2000 IMIM has been affiliated to the University Pompeu Fabra (UPF) by a decree of the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan Government). In conjunction with IMIM's status as a University Institute, IMIM’s presence today would be hard to fathom without its direct link to the University Pompeu Fabra and specifically to the newly created Health and Life Sciences studies.

IMIM handed over the space to UPF thus these studies were launched in IMIM's premises. The result has been an academic unfolding leading to the creation of the Department of Experimental and Health Sciences (Dept. CEXS) at the UPF with a highly qualified new faculty that is building new research groups in the same setting. Thus not only are general and technico-scientific services shared but also the scientific environment was fostered because new faculty were added every year consisting of university level teachers whose expertise encompass the fields of Intracellular Signalization, Genic Regulation, Genetics and Genomics, among others.

IMIM participated very actively in UPF's academic programs such as the Doctorate Program in Health and Life Sciences, a program to train researchers that stands out for its multidisciplinary character. The program offers three possible lines of specialization in the fields of basic research, clinical research and research in Public Health, respectively.

Elaboration of the Code of Good Scientific Practice In 2000, scientists from both institutions (IMIM and the Dept. CEXS of the UPF) provided themselves with a Code of Good Scientific Practice. This is a relevant initiative consisting of rules adopted freely and voluntarily by scientists not only to preserve the integrity of the research they conduct but also to guarantee its best quality and excellence. Joint agreement for the beginning of the PRBB

IMIM is one of the main institutions driving the creation and start up of the Biomedical Research Parc of Barcelona (PRBB), a scientific and innovative project aiming at ranking Barcelona as one of the main biomedical research capitals in Europe. To make the project possible an agreement was signed on April 11 of 2000 between the Barcelona City Council, the Departments of Universites, Research and Information Society (DURSI) and the Department of Health and Social Security of the Generalitat of Catalonia, the Universitat Pompeu Fabra and IMAS.

On September 23, 2000 the minister of Science and Technology, Anna Birules and Barcelona's Mayor, Joan Clos, presided the ceremony to open the construction site. The PRBB, a university scientific parc, has a strategic objective consisting of bringing together and optimizing human, technico-scientific and logistic resources to achieve excellent research, innovative and outstanding teaching and the highest quality health care.

The following institutions create the Principal Scientific Core: Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica (IMIM) Department of Experimental and Health Sciences (Dep. CEXS) of the UPF, and the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG). El PRBB will concentrate their scientific research in the following fields: Cancer and Celullar Differentiation, Genomics and Genic Regulation, Epidemiology and Public Health, Physiopathology and Therapeutic Developments, Bioinformatics and Biomedical Informatics. Creation of the PRBB Foundation

The Fundació PRBB was created on June 22, 2002, by the foundations of the University Pompeu Fabra, the Municipal Institute of Medical Research and the Center for Genomic Regulation. The Honorable Minister Andreu Mas-Colell, who was the President of the Center for Genomic Regulation Foundation, presided over the PRBB Foundation. Professor Rosa Virós, who was the Rector of the University Pompeu Fabra and Mr. Jose I. Cuervo, Deputy Mayor of Barcelona and the President of the Municipal Institute of Medical Research Foundation, were also distinguished members of the Board of the Fundació PRBB. The Director is Dr. Jordi Camí.

In June 2005 Dr. Josep Mª Antó became Director of IMIM. At the end of this year the Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL) was created, an initiative of the Generalitat de Catalunya with the collaboration of the Parc de Salut Mar de Barcelona and the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF). This center is the heir of a trajectory in environmental epidemiological research initially promoted by the Respiratory and Environmental Research Unit (URRA) of IMIM.

The move to the new facilities of the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB) began in July 2006. The first group to relocate was the Research Unit on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), which moved into the fourth floor of the building. This part of the move was highly complicated, especially where the computer servers were concerned, since it was done without any downtime.

In the middle of October 2006, all the administration and management groups were moved, as well as the research groups without a laboratory, i.e. the Epidemiology research groups. This second phase was completed at the end of October with the relocation of these groups to the first floor of the new centre.

In October 2006, Dr. Miguel López-Botet, Professor of Immunology at Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) and until then Director of the Molecular Immunopathology Research Unit of the Department of Experimental and Health Sciences at UPF, became the new Director of IMIM and new Director of Research at IMAS.

In 2006 the Generalitat de Catalunya became a member of the Board of Trustees of the IMIM Foundation.

The last phase of the move, involving the groups that did have laboratories, began in January 2007 and ended in February. A delicate aspect of this phase was the -80 º freezers, as they were moved with samples inside, and the samples in the -20 º freezers, which were relocated using carbon dioxide snow and special containers in order to prevent any damage.

Thanks to the coordination efforts of the General Services teams, the coordinators from the Research Units and the specialised companies that participated, the move was a complete success.