Center type: Research

The Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) is an international biomedical research institute of excellence, created in December 2000. The mission of the CRG 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 the groundbreaking science of today. This requires an interdisciplinary scientific team focused on understanding the complexity of life from the genome to the cell to a whole organism and its interaction with the environment, offering an integrated view of genetic diseases. CRG is an international institute, with 60% of the researchers being non-nationals.

Excellence and recognition awards

• In 2017 joined the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST)
• Since 2012 – “Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence” seal by the Ministry of Research, Development and Innovation of Spain
• In 2013: awarded with the “Human Resources Excellence in Research” seal by the European Commission.
• Awarded 20 European Research Council (ERC) grants

Ranking positioning

• Position 5 worldwide according to Mapping Scientific Excellence ranking 2018 (‘best journal rate’ indicator)

The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) is a research center which carries out excellent interdisciplinary research at the highest international level which, by conducting research at the frontiers of engineering and life sciences, helps to improve health and quality of life and generate wealth.

IBEC’s research groups investigate in the frontiers of engineering and life sciences and cooperate with industry and clinicians on the development of new systems for diagnosis or treatment. Beneficiaries of the IBEC include universities, research centers, the scientific community, the business sector that drives research in bioengineering, and society in general.

Excellence and recognition awards

• In 2017: joined the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST).
• In 2015: awarded with the “Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence” seal by the Ministry of Research, Development and Innovation of Spain.
• In 2015: awarded with the “Human Resources Excellence in Research” seal by the European Commission.
• In 2014 and 2015: IBEC’s Communications and Outreach Unit awarded with funding for a year of outreach activities under FECYT’s call “Convocatoria de Ayudas para el fomento de la cultura científica, tecnológica y de la innovación 2014”.
• In 2014: accepted into FECYT’s Red de Unidades de Cultura Científica y de la Innovación (UCC+i), a network of centres accredited for their contribution to scientific culture.

Ranking positioning

The Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) is a public institution engaged in basic and applied research at the unique interface between molecular and cell biology, computational and structural biology and chemistry, with experts in proteomics, genomics, biostatistics and advanced digital microscopy. 

Research at IRB Barcelona is carried out by 23 groups, organized in 5 programs, which work together with the common goal of conducting multidisciplinary projects that address important biomedical problems that affect our society. Approximately 450 scientists and technical and administrative staff from 35 countries currently work at IRB Barcelona. The institute was created by the Government of Catalonia and the University of Barcelona (UB) in October 2005 and is located at the Barcelona Science Park.

Excellence and recognition awards

• In 2017: joined the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST).
• In 2015: awarded with the “Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence” seal by the Ministry of Research, Development and Innovation of Spain
• In 2014: awarded with the “Human Resources Excellence in Research” seal by the European Commission.
• In 2012: awarded with the “Narcís Monturiol” award by the Government of Catalonia.
• Awarded 10 European Research Council (ERC) grants.

Learn more about IRB Barcelona at https://www.irbbarcelona.org/en

The laboratory of Synthetic Perceptive Emotive Cognitive Systems (SPECS) is part of the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), a research center whose purpose is to carry out interdisciplinary research at the highest international quality level which, by creating knowledge, helps to improve health and quality of life and generate wealth.

SPECS mission is to understand mind, brain and behavior through constructing synthetic perceptive, emotive and cognitive systems. SPECS performs interdisciplinary research in the domains of technology, cognitive science and humanities, and has a long-standing tradition in the domains of computational neuroscience, cognitive science and interactive systems. SPECS group is a multidisciplinary group founded in 2005 by the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA) research professor Paul Verschure.

Excellence and recognition awards

• In 2017: joined the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST).
• In 2015: awarded with the “Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence” seal by the Ministry of Research, Development and Innovation of Spain.
• In 2015: awarded with the “Human Resources Excellence in Research” seal by the European Commission.
• In 2014 and 2015: IBEC’s Communications and Outreach Unit awarded with funding for a year of outreach activities under FECYT’s call “Convocatoria de Ayudas para el fomento de la cultura científica, tecnológica y de la innovación 2014”.
• In 2014: accepted into FECYT’s Red de Unidades de Cultura Científica y de la Innovación (UCC+i), a network of centres accredited for their contribution to scientific culture.
• In 2014: awarded with “Consolidated Research Group” by the Government of Catalonia.
• In 2014: awarded with “Excellence in Knowledge Transfer” to Paul Vershure by the UPF Social Committee for the development of the Rehabilitation Gaming System (RGS).
• In 2014: recognized with a European Research Council (ERC) advanced grant for the “CDAC – The role of consciousness in adaptive behaviour: A combined empirical, computational and robot-based approach” project.
• In 2012: awarded with “Finalist Award” by Pasion (Instituto de Empresa, Madrid) for the Rehabilitation Gaming System (RGS) research project.
• In 2012: “Social Media and Creativity” award of the Campus Milenio Event.

Ranking positioning

The Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) started its research activities in 2014. Since its creation, ICIQ aimed at becoming a center of excellence, and it is internationally known as a leading institution in the field of chemistry committed with performing research at the frontiers of knowledge.

ICIQ research groups conduct to top quality research on two main areas: catalysis and renewable energies.

Excellence and recognition awards

• Since 2014 (renewed in 2020): “Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence” seal by the Ministry of Research, Development and innovation of Spain.
• In 2012: awarded with the National Research Award for the public-privat partnership between ICIQ-Henkel-Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
• In 2010: awarded with the “Narcís Munturiol” seal by the Government of Catalonia.
• Since 2017: awarded with the HR Research and in Research by the European Commission.
• Member of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) since 2017.

Ranking positioning

• In 2018: in its fourth release, the web application Mapping Scientific Excellence ranks ICIQ in first position in “Best Journal Rate” (ratio of papers published in the most influential journals) and third in “Best Paper Rate” (proportion of highly cited papers published by an institution) in the field of Chemistry worldwide.
• In 2014: ranking in the SCIMAGO Worldwide Rankings of Universities and Research Institutes in terms of Excellence with Leadership.
• In 2010: 3rd position on Best Journal Rate in the Mapping Scientific Excellence worldwide ranking in the field of Chemistry. 
• In 2006: 2nd on Best Paper Rate. 

Learn more about ICIQ at: https://iciq.org/

The Institute of High Energy Physics (IFAE) was founded in 1991 by a consortium of the Government of Catalonia and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). IFAE has two main divisions, experimental and theory, which develop frontier research in Fundamental Physics, and a third division developing Applied Physics.

The Institute is placed in the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) Campus and it is a member of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST). IFAE is involved in international experiments like the ATLAS project at the LHC, the T2K neutrino experiment in Japan, the MAGIC telescopes in La Palma and the Dark Energy Survey project in Chile, among others. IFAE also work at the cutting edge of detector technology developing new instrumentation like telescope cameras and detectors for medical imaging.  Our center is involved in different outreach activities and also promotes initiatives such as the education web app “Gamma Ray Hunters”.

Excellence and recognition awards

• In 2016: joined the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST).
• In 2013 and 2016: awarded with the “Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence” seal by the Ministry of Research, Development and Innovation of Spain.
• In 2013: awarded with the “Human Resources Excellence in Research” seal from the European Commission.

Ranking positioning

From 2012 to 2016: H-index value 114

The Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute – IDIBAPS) is a center for research of excellence that tackles high-prevalence, high-morbidity and high-mortality diseases. Founded in 1996, it is a public consortium whose members are the Catalan Government, the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, the University of Barcelona’s School of Medicine and the CSIC Biomedical Research Institute in Barcelona.

It represents over 1,000 research professionals organized into around one hundred research groups. Its combination of basic and clinical research allows for a more effective transfer of the scientific advances obtained in the laboratory towards patients. With close to 1,100 articles published each year and an impact factor of over 6,000 points, it is Spain’s principal biomedical research center.

Excellence and recognition awards

IDIBAPS leads the ranking of ISCIII grants in Catalonia between 2000 – 2012

The Research Observatory of the Institute of Catalan Studies (OR-IEC) published in his blog a report analyzing data from biomedical research projects granted by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) in recent years. The data suggest that Catalonia has a great capacity to raise funds within Spain, and that the IDIBAPS plays a major role in this capacity.

According to the report, between 2000 and 2012, the ISCIII has awarded 9,020 research projects in Spain, 2,890 (32%) of which granted in Catalonia. Major health groups are the leaders of the ranking, with their participation in research institutes and/or foundations. The IDIBAPS – Hospital Clínic tandem was awarded with 671 projects.

Ranking positioning

ICFO is a research center of excellence with research lines that encompass diverse areas in which photonics plays a decisive role.  The institute was founded in 2002 by the Government of Catalonia and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC). These institutions are members of its Board of Trustees along with the Cellex and Mir-Puig Foundations, philanthropic entities that have played a critical role in its advancement since 2007.

Theoretical and experimental scientists come together at ICFO and are currently organized in 26 research teams working in  80 state-of-the-art research laboratories, with an emphasis on basic and applied themes relevant to medicine and biology, advanced imaging techniques, information technologies and a range of environmental sensors, tunable and ultra-fast lasers, quantum science, photovoltaics and the properties and applications of nano-materials such as graphene, among others.

ICFO proactively fosters entrepreneurial activities and spin-off creation.

Excellence and recognition awards

• ICFO Is a CERCA institute and part of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) scientific community

• The institute has been awarded three consecutive accreditations of the Severo Ochoa national program for top research excellence

• “Human Resources Excellence in Research” seal by the European Commission.

• ICFOnians have been awarded 16 elite ICREA Professorships as well as 50 European Research Council grants to date
• To date, ICFO has helped create 12 start-up companies

The Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) is an independent research institution devoted to leading-edge research in plant and farm animal biology, genetics and genomics.

Currently, CRAG hosts 23 research groups, and approximately 60 PhD candidates and 30 postdocs coming from more than 20 different countries.

The research emphasizes:

• The molecular basis of genetic characters of interest in plants and farm animals;
• The applications of molecular approaches for breeding of important species for agriculture and food production.

Excellence and recognition awards

• In 2015: awarded with the “Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence” award by the Ministry of Research, Development and Innovation of Spain.
• In 2015: awarded with the “Human Resources Excellence in Research” award by the European Commission.

Ranking positioning

90,5% of CRAG publications are in 1st quartile journals

Learn more about CRAG at https://www.cragenomica.es/

Bellivitge Hospital University (HUB) was opened in 1972 and is located in the city of Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona) and belongs to the Catalan Health Institute (ICS). The HUB is one of the only five hospitals in all Catalonia certified as third level center, allowing to treat high level complexity cases, and is of reference to more than 2 million of people.

For more than 25 years, the hospital has been an educational center linked to the University of Barcelona (Campus Bellvitge) within the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, recognized as International Health Campus (HUBc). The hospital is a state of the art research center and member of the Biomedical Research Institute of Bellvitge (IDIBELL), one of the few government owned centers certified with the highest research level by the Carlos III Research Institute. 

Excellence and recognition awards

• Several consecutive years awarded with the TOP 20 (Best Hospitals in Spain).
• Best Ideas Awards (Diario Médico)

Ranking positioning

Number 16 in the TOP 20 of 2018- Ranking Spanish Hospitals