A study led by IBEC researchers reveals that cells reorganize their internal scaffolding in response to sustained stretching, forming supracellular networks and 'uncaging' their nuclei. This process is facilitated by interactions between keratin and actin filaments.
A new class of photoswitchable small molecule drugs has been developed to restore key visual functions in animal models of blindness. These compounds mimic the function of photoreceptor cells and show remarkable effectiveness at restoring sight using a simple and potentially patient-friendly approach.
The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) will participate in the ALIVE program, a six-year European grant focusing on the physics of living matter. The project aims to understand how tissues behave by measuring and modeling information flows.
A study by IBEC researchers found that dynamic protein usage, measured by endocytic turnover rate (ETOR), plays a critical role in blood–brain barrier function and is disrupted under inflammatory conditions. This discovery may lead to novel therapeutic strategies for restoring neurovascular health.
Researchers are developing a 'heart-on-a-chip' platform with sensors to track cardiac damage and fibrosis in real-time. The project aims to improve the understanding of cardiac involvement in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and speed up treatment evaluation.
Researchers at IBEC and EMBL develop a strategy to program tissue shape changes by controlling cell orientation. The team creates living tissues with reproducible three-dimensional structures, enabling applications in tissue engineering and biohybrid robotics.
A study by IBEC reveals how thousands of amylin mutations influence its tendency to form toxic aggregates in the pancreas, linked to type 2 diabetes. The researchers created a mutational map using deep mutational scanning, identifying variations that promote or hinder amyloid formation.
Researchers at IBEC have developed a compact, cost-effective NMR platform capable of direct observation of dynamic metabolic fluxes in microfluidic systems. This technology leverages hyperpolarization to bridge the gap between high-field NMR performance and lab-on-chip analysis.
The study provides detailed information on NrdR, a master regulator of ribonucleotide reductases in bacteria. It reveals how NrdR senses nucleotide levels and controls RNR expression, providing a new strategic entry point for antimicrobial development.
Researchers have developed a biointegrated material that resists hydration and increases in strength to values above commodity plastics when wet. The process does not alter the biological nature of chitosan, enabling seamless reintegration into natural ecological cycles.
The AMALIA project develops a scalable screening platform to identify anti-amyloid therapies, bypassing the challenge of studying amyloid nucleation. This approach enables parallel discovery campaigns on multiple targets, offering unprecedented speed and scalability.
The NeuroBRIDGE project aims to transform two-photon microscopy for studying neural circuits during natural behaviors. The miniaturized, fibre-optic-based microscope enables high-resolution studies under free-moving conditions.
The CAMP platform enables simultaneous analysis of up to 30 samples, increasing sensitivity by over 50% for rare diseases like hepatoblastoma. This technology facilitates advances towards personalized medicine through deeper and more accurate metabolic analyses.
The EMBL-IBEC conference brings together experts to discuss recent breakthroughs in multicellular living systems, including organoids and embryonic development. The event will focus on disease modeling, developmental biology, and regenerative medicine applications.
The SPINECRAFT project aims to create a cutting-edge, 4D human spinal cord construct that mirrors the architecture and functionality of the real spinal cord. This platform will enable detailed studies of spinal cord biology and integrate patient-derived cells to recreate disease-specific environments.
A new smartphone-based system can accurately diagnose sleep apnea in stroke patients, identifying 67% of those with moderate to severe apnea. The portable tool uses sensors and digital biomarkers to monitor breathing, oxygenation, and body position during the night.
Researchers developed a scalable method to produce human kidney organoids, combining them with pig kidneys outside the body for transplantation. The transplanted organs functioned normally and showed no signs of damage or toxicity.
Researchers developed a nanotechnology strategy that reverses Alzheimer's disease by targeting the blood-brain barrier and restoring its natural waste-clearing pathway. The therapy achieved a significant reduction in amyloid-β levels and improved cognitive function in mouse models, showing promise for treating dementia.
Researchers reveal protons and superoxide ions mediate long-distance charge transport between cytochrome c and respiratory complex III. This discovery improves understanding of cellular respiration regulation and could inspire new protonic devices.
Researchers at IBEC are developing new techniques to study enzymes that erase microtubule modifications, which have shown promise as therapeutic targets. The goal is to understand these mechanisms and develop new treatments for cardiac and neuronal disorders.
Human embryos exert significant forces during implantation to break down surrounding tissue and penetrate the uterus. The study reveals that effective invasion is associated with optimal matrix displacement, highlighting the importance of these forces in the implantation process.
The Fibrosens project aims to develop a novel platform for real-time monitoring of fibrosis biomarkers in muscular dystrophies using nanoplasmonic sensors. The project will enable faster and cheaper testing of anti-fibrotic drug candidates, as well as personalized drug screenings for patients with specific mutations.
Researchers at IBEC created an artificial cell that migrates towards specific substances like living cells do. The study demonstrates how microscopic bubbles can be programmed to follow chemical trails and explores the core principles behind chemotaxis.
IBEC researchers develop new bioinks that incorporate extracellular matrix proteins, preserving biological function and allowing growth factors to be retained. The FACTORINK project aims to realise the potential of these bioinks for printing artificial tissues with multiphase models incorporating stem cells and the immune system.
The EVOaware project aims to develop an innovative platform that addresses tumour resistance to therapies by using advanced tissue imaging technologies and integrating genetic screening, lineage tracing, and spatial omics techniques. This platform has the potential to accelerate the discovery and development of new cancer therapies.
A new technology using microscopic beads marked with stable isotopes enables the simultaneous detection of dozens of different antibodies in hundreds of samples. This expands the capacity of serological analysis for biomedical research, vaccine development, and epidemiological studies.
Researchers discovered a potential vulnerability in P. falciparum by inducing protein aggregation, leading to reduced parasite growth. The study may lead to novel antimalarial strategies targeting the parasite's internal protein folding machinery.
The SOLFEGE project aims to investigate how different types of cells coordinate with each other through signals in the tumour microenvironment. Researchers will develop novel experimental tools to observe the influence of soluble factors on cellular organisation and immune cell coordination.
A study found that co-infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Mycobacterium abscessus suppresses immune responses, leading to worsened lung function decline in patients with cystic fibrosis and COPD. The presence of both bacteria together reduces the production of key immune signalling molecules, effectively dampening the body's inflam...
The Micro Immune Response On chip (MIRO) replicates tumours and their environment, allowing researchers to study the efficacy of immunotherapy treatments. This technology has been tested with breast cancer samples and shows promise in understanding how the immune system interacts with tumours.
A new approach to cancer therapy is being developed by inhibiting mechanotransduction, a process that regulates processes such as tumour progression and wound healing. The INTROPY project aims to validate the potential of six molecules in blocking this process, offering a new strategy for cancer treatment.
Scientists at IBEC create a system to control formation of intestinal crypts and villi using protein printing technique, enabling controlled analysis of gut biology. The method allows for detailed study of cell regeneration and diseases such as cancer and inflammatory diseases.
Researchers developed a method to distinguish between similar odours by detecting small electrical changes in olfactory receptors. This innovation enables more precise sensors for industrial applications, such as odour screening.
Researchers developed novel 3D printed PLA-CaP scaffolds that support angiogenesis, reducing bone scarring and improving healing outcomes. In vitro tests showed stimulated vascular endothelial growth factor secretion and maintained calcium ion release, while in vivo testing demonstrated good integration and blood vessel infiltration.
Researchers at IBEC are developing Phagocytic Synthetic Cells (PSCs) to target antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The innovative cells use programmable membranes to eliminate harmful bacteria, offering a potential solution to the growing antimicrobial resistance crisis.
Researchers from IBEC have improved understanding of how MSCs sense environment viscosity, a key factor in differentiation into different tissue types. Viscosity affects cell behavior and promotes differentiation into softer tissues like cartilage.
Researchers found that human histones have antimicrobial activity against bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms, reducing bacterial mass by up to 70% and survival time in infected larvae by 50%. The study suggests using histones or parts of these proteins as a promising alternative to combat acute and chronic infections.
Researchers at IBEC have created optogenetically generated leader cells that challenge the traditional notion of a single leader cell directing collective cell movement. Instead, each individual cell plays an active role in controlling its speed and acceleration, suggesting a force-velocity relation for collective migration.
Researchers have developed a new bioink that can mimic human skin constructs using 3D bioprinting. The bioink, based on thiol-norbornene-pullulan formulations, was effectively used to create epithelized dermal skin constructs with high cellular viability rates.
A team of researchers has developed light-activated compounds that can inhibit nerve signals locally and on demand, offering a potential treatment for neuropathic pain. The compounds, which are activated by amber-colored light, show photopharmacological activity in animal models.
A new technique, METAPHOR, visualizes embryo metabolism to predict implantation success and full-term birth, increasing the probability of success in assisted reproduction processes.
Researchers at IBEC successfully generated kidney organoids with a complex vascular system, a breakthrough that could revolutionize disease modeling and drug screening. This achievement was made possible by combining 3D kidney organoids with endothelial organoids in a process that mimics the development of human kidneys.
Researchers from IBEC investigated how mechanical properties of colorectal cancer stem cells influence metastasis. Cells expressing LGR5 protein exhibit softer, less sticky properties and better adhere to blood vessel walls.
Researchers have developed a highly versatile 3D bioprinted gut-on-chip model with integrated electrodes, capable of simulating the formation of the intestinal barrier in real-time. This innovative device has potential applications in disease modeling and drug screening.
A new biomarker, miR-519a-3p, has been discovered to detect Alzheimer's disease in its asymptomatic stages. The molecule is linked to the expression of cellular prion protein, which is deregulated in people with neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers at IBEC have created in vitro models of neuroblastoma vasculature, replicating the tumor's characteristic blood vessel formation and identifying GB3 as a potential therapeutic target. The study uses stiffness-based models and microfluidic chips to explore treatments for this pediatric cancer.
A team of IBEC and ISGlobal scientists developed an innovative compound effective against both malaria and leishmaniasis. The compound, YAT2150, was originally designed as an antimalarial drug but showed high efficacy against leishmaniasis, making it a promising candidate for treating co-infections.
A study led by IBEC has developed a new methodology to map the local electrical potential along the structure of organic transistors used in bioelectronics. This allows for a detailed assessment of bottlenecks in charge transport, enabling optimization and enhancement of device operation.
Researchers successfully reduced bladder tumor size by 90% in mice using nanorobots propelled by urea. The nanomachines deliver a radioisotope to the tumour, attacking it with precision and efficiency. This breakthrough could lead to more effective bladder cancer treatments and reduced hospitalization costs.
The PHOTOTHERAPORT project develops luminescent implants that emit light when illuminated, targeting specific regions of the body. The goal is to treat inflammatory pain and neuromodulation therapies for epilepsy using photobiomodulation and photoswitchable drugs.