terre brain

2025 Annual Report

 

Mouse Scroll

2023 highlighted how important networks are in biology and research, driving progress in biomedicine. 

 

This report explores the interconnectedness that fosters innovation, from cellular systems to the patient, covering ambitious scientific collaborations with top research centres, companies, and hospitals.

[Copiado de 2023]

In 2025, with over 150 publications, IRB Barcelona has advanced our understanding of cancer, ageing, and therapy resistance, uncovering mechanisms that shape disease evolution.

2025 in numbers

book

150

SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS

microscope

29

RESEARCH GROUPS

coins

€41.1M

BUDGET

Research

book

76%

PUBLICATIONS IN D1 JOURNALS

IRB Barcelona has revealed how cells evolve and adapt in health and disease, from cancer initiation to ageing. Using experimental and computational approaches, we have shown how internal states and the environment shape disease, advancing knowledge for biomedical innovation.

Scientific projects

medal

€24.9M

EXTERNAL FUNDING

IRB Barcelona has secured competitive funding from national and international organizations, including la Caixa, BBVA, AECC, and FERO. These grants are supporting collaborative cancer research on tumour progression, immunotherapy resistance, and rare diseases, among other areas, reinforcing biomedical discovery and impact.

Maria Macias
“la Caixa” Foundation has backed research led by Dr. Maria Macias to develop new therapeutic strategies for Myhre…
BBVA support protein discoder research
The BBVA Foundation has awarded a Fundamentos Programme grant to IRB Barcelona researcher Dr. Xavier Salvatella, in…
1_1
IRB Barcelona is coordinating an international project led by Dr. Eduard Batlle to study why metastatic colorectal…
Nebreda
The FERO Foundation has awarded a competitive research grant to IRB Barcelona to support a project led by Dr. Ángel R.…
estomago
Dr. Eduard Batlle’s lab has joined an international consortium to accelerate colorectal cancer research through CRC-…
1740399687738
The Asociación Contra el Cáncer has allocated more than €2.4 million to five competitive research projects at IRB…

Innovation

building

6

ACTIVE SPIN-OFFS

IRB Barcelona’s innovation ecosystem has advanced the clinical adoption of the MAF Test for breast cancer, among other achievements. The test refines treatment selection, avoids overtreatment, and improves survival in high-risk patients, thereby strengthening our impact in precision oncology.

The MAF Test®, developed by IRB Barcelona spin-off Inbiomotion, has been adopted by leading public…

Nature has featured IRB Barcelona in a special report on the rise of Barcelona as a European biotech hub,…

Nuage Therapeutics, a spin-off of IRB Barcelona and ICREA co-founded by researchers Dr. Xavier Salvatella,…

People & Talent

couple

511

PROFESSIONALS

IRB Barcelona has reinforced its scientific community through multicentre training programmes with VHIO and EU doctoral initiatives. Researchers have received EMBO Young Investigator recognition and the Rei Jaume I Prize, while global networks and conferences have trained the next generation of biomedical leaders.

IRB Barcelona and the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) have launched a joint call to accelerate the…
Dr. Núria López-Bigas has been awarded the Rei Jaume I Prize for Biomedical Research and the Constantes y Vitales Award…
In November, the ADAPTMET training network held its annual meeting at IRB Barcelona, bringing together doctoral…
IRB Barcelona has secured €1.58 million from the European Union to launch a doctoral programme in advanced biomedical…
The 43rd Barcelona BioMed Conference, organized by Dr. Patrick Aloy and Dr. Trey Ideker (UC San Diego, US),  …

Communications & Public Engagement

speaker

2,940

Impacts in media

IRB Barcelona’s discoveries have reached society through a variety of channels, including media outlets, social media, and in-person activities. These efforts seek to bring biomedical science into public conversation, strengthen scientific culture, and foster dialogue—reaching both national and international audiences while reinforcing our role as a global voice in life-science research.

group

6,182

PARTICIPANTS IN IN-PERSON OUTREACH ACTIVITIES

Initiatives such as our annual Open Day and Artist in Residence Programme further promote dialogue with the public and offer hands-on experiences of science and research in the field of biomedicine.

Fundraising

logo icon

€5.1M

Raised since the launch of the Metastasis Challenge

IRB Barcelona has reached the €5 M milestone of the Metastasis Challenge, allowing us to advance our research. Moreover, this year was exceptional with respect to fundraising as we have raised €1.7 M through strategic collaborations and community initiatives supporting cancer research and biomedical innovation.

Thank you!

Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the scientists, staff, collaborators, and partner institutions whose passion and dedication made 2025 a year of breakthrough achievements.

We are especially thankful to the donors, patients, advocates, and community members who drive the Metastasis Challenge forward—every voice raised, every event organized, and every gesture of support brings us closer to our goal of beating metastasis and transforming lives.

DONATE