IGTP marks the closing event of its 30th anniversary with the participation of the President of the Catalan Government
The event, held at CMCiB, brought together institutional representatives, the scientific community and healthcare professionals at the Can Ruti Campus
The president of the Government of Catalonia took part yesterday in the institutional closing event of the 30th anniversary of the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), held at the Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre of Catalonia (CMCiB), on the Can Ruti Campus in Badalona.
The event brought together institutional representatives, healthcare and research professionals, as well as members of the scientific community, in a gathering that highlighted the institute's trajectory and its role within the Catalan research system.
The institutional welcome was delivered by the scientific director of IGTP, Julia García Prado, and former director, Manel Puig, who placed the evolution of the centre within the broader development of the Catalan research system and the Can Ruti Campus.
García Prado highlighted that this is "a trajectory that reflects not only three decades of excellence in research, but also the centre's ability to grow in order to anticipate future challenges in the service of health". For his part, Puig underlined that "the construction of this institute could only be achieved through great effort, great enthusiasm, but also great ambition. These three conditions, which are inherent to the world of research, apply in capital letters to our campus and to its character over the past thirty years".
A collective project consolidated within the Catalan research system
Over the past three decades, IGTP has consolidated its position as a biomedical research centre linked to the Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, with a clear translational vocation: transforming scientific knowledge into real improvements in people's health.
During the event, it was highlighted that the institute's growth is the result of a collective project, built through collaboration between institutions, healthcare professionals and researchers, and fully integrated into the Catalan research and innovation system.
In this context, IGTP reaches this anniversary having recently obtained the highest rating (A) in the external evaluation of the Institució CERCA, a recognition that highlights the quality and impact of its scientific activity, as well as its positive development in areas such as scientific output, participation in international projects, and knowledge and technology transfer.
The event also included an address by Jaume Giró, former Minister of Economy and Finance of the Government of Catalonia, who offered an external perspective on the role of biomedical research as a strategic asset in health, innovation and the knowledge economy.
Giró noted that this event marked a double celebration: "we celebrate the unquestionable success of IGTP among Europe's leading research institutions, as well as the very model or structure of science, research and universities in Catalonia".
One of the central themes of the celebration was the role of the Can Ruti Campus as an ecosystem of excellence, where the proximity between hospital, research centres and scientific infrastructures facilitates knowledge transfer and accelerates innovation in healthcare.
This model enables the connection between research and clinical practice, generating a direct impact on patients and consolidating the campus as a strategic hub within Catalonia's healthcare and scientific system.
In this regard, the Institució CERCA evaluation also highlights the consolidation of CMCiB as a strategic asset, not only for the institute but for the Catalan research system as a whole.
Looking ahead
The director of IGTP, Jordi Barretina, closed the central part of the event with a forward-looking perspective, highlighting the need to continue advancing translational research, attracting scientific talent and strengthening the connection between research and the healthcare system. "This celebration is, above all, a collective recognition of the researchers who, through scientific excellence, perseverance and commitment, have built the prestige of IGTP over the past thirty years."
Barretina also emphasised the importance of the institutional ecosystem of the Can Ruti Campus and its surrounding environment: "This model, based on collaboration, proximity and mutual trust, is one of the key strengths of our collective project." Looking ahead, he added: "Moving forward means reinforcing what makes us distinctive. Hospital-based research institutes play a key role in connecting research with clinical practice and generating a direct impact on health."
The president of the Government of Catalonia, Salvador Illa, closed the event by underlining the role of centres such as IGTP within the Catalan scientific system. Referring to the COVID-19 pandemic, in which the institute played a significant role, the President stated that "it is in moments like these that all the work carried out becomes evident, as does the need to have well-prepared research centres". He concluded by stressing "the need to uphold and share science in a world undergoing very, very significant changes", adding that "we must not only focus on the risks, but also recognise the opportunities".
A year of commemoration: reflection and shared trajectory
The 30th anniversary of IGTP has been marked throughout the year with various institutional and community initiatives. On 5 November, the institute held its Annual Symposium, a meeting that showcased the progress achieved over the past three decades and strengthened ties within the campus scientific community. Later, on 11 December, the Christmas celebration brought together the IGTP community in an event recognising the institute's trajectory.
These initiatives have shaped a year of commemoration aimed both at highlighting past achievements and projecting future challenges. Full information on the activities organised as part of the 30th anniversary is available on the dedicated website.
About IGTP
The Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) is a public research centre located in Badalona (Barcelona metropolitan area), whose main objective is to advance scientific knowledge and translate it into solutions to improve the health and medical care of patients and the wider community.
The institute is affiliated with one of the major university hospitals in the Barcelona area, the Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, and is part of the Can Ruti biomedical campus. It is a CERCA centre and is also accredited as a centre of excellence by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII). The institute coordinates research management and scientific strategy across the campus, working in close collaboration with the other centres located there.