In Vivo - Issue 30 (May 2015) by IRB Barcelona

in vivo May 2015 | Issue 30

NEWSLETTER OF THE INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN BIOMEDICINE

Launch of an Alumni Network opens opportunities for the extended IRB Barcelona community

Colostage might predict metastasis A study published by Eduard Batlle’s group in Nature Genetics explains the basis for the classification of colon tumours into good or bad prognosis by analysing the tissue

ince IRB Barcelona was founded 10 years

globe, with a view to creating a solid and lasting

surrounding the tumour cells.

ago, more than 800 scientists and staff

Alumni Network. Membership is free-of-charge

The researchers are developing a

have passed through its labs and gone on

and open to anyone who has spent at least six

diagnostic test named Colostage to

months at IRB Barcelona. Alumni wishing to

identify patients at risk of relapse.

to take up positions in research institutes and organisations across the world. Together, the IRB Barcelona alumni represent an important and growing group, armed with invaluable expertise and experience. They have enormous potential

staying connected, can register as of mid May at www.irbbarcelona.org/alumni.

to create a useful network of support for IRB

The first gathering of Alumni Network is

Barcelona and for science and the scientific com-

set to take place at the IRB Barcelona 10th An-

munity in Barcelona, Spain and beyond.

niversary Scientific Symposium and Alumni

IRB Barcelona is taking steps to identify,

More on page 3.

Scientist Najate Benhra discusses research on Drosophila with young visitors at the Open Day. (Photo: L.T. Barone).

Grassroots support of IRB science

Training future medical doctors

PhD Symposium off the blocks

Miquel Duran, scientist and writer

A new network to connect Alumni

ince IRB Barcelona was founded in 2005, more than 800 scientists, stu-

community. Membership is open to anyone who has spent at least six

dents, and support staff have passed through its doors. Many of these

months at IRB Barcelona, and all alumni have to do to start taking ad-

people have gone on to take the next step in their careers in leading

vantage of the wide range of benefits of staying connected, is register.

institutes and organisations across the nation and the world. IRB Barcelona

alumni have several things in common - they have spent a significant part of

Once part of the network, alumni will have: •

their careers at the institute, and many feel a special connection to it. Upon

Access to a growing members directory to help maintain professional connections within the alumni community

leaving, many have also found themselves set-

• Reserved, free-of-charge spaces for

ting up a new life, professionally and personally,

alumni in IRB Barcelona conferences,

in a new environment - a task which brings with

workshops and training events

it challenges and opportunities.

• The opportunity to apply for the IRB

Together, the IRB Barcelona alumni repre-

Barcelona Alumni of Excellence Award, a

sent an important and growing group, armed

yearly prize recognizing outstanding alum-

with invaluable expertise and experience. They

ni research achievements

have enormous potential to create a useful net-

The first gathering of Alumni Network

work of support for IRB Barcelona and for science and the scientific community in Barcelona and beyond. To coincide with the celebration of its 10th

More than 800 researchers have passed through IRB Barcelona's doors to take up positions in labs across the globe. (Photo: G. Battista/M. Minocri).

anniversary, IRB Barcelona is launching an Alumni Network with the goal of creating a solid and lasting platform to support the Institute and its extended

is set to take place at the IRB Barcelona 10th Anniversary Scientific Symposium and Alumni Reunion, on Monday, 26 October. Don’t miss out!

Alumni corner: My life after IRB Barcelona Montse Soler López, Molecular Biology Lab Manager at the ESRF (France). At IRB Barcelona from 2008 to 2014.

ontse is a scientist and lab manager at the European Synchrotron Facility in

Alejandro Vaquero, Chromatin Biology Lab at IDIBELL (Spain). At IRB Barcelona from 2005 to 2008.

hen he joined Ferran Azorin’s lab from the US in 2006, Alejandro was looking

Gavin Whissell, Rare Genetic Disease Biologist at Agios Pharmaceuticals (USA). At IRB Barcelona from 2006 to 2013.

“T

here is life outside of academia.” After finishing his PhD, Gavin wanted to

Grenoble. In addition to helping beamline us-

for a “platform to become and independent sci-

move into industry. He now works as a scien-

ers, she leads a group of four researchers who

entist.” He became Group Leader at IDIBELL

tist for Agios, a small Boston-based company

use structural biology to study the molecular

in 2008, where he conducts research on sirtu-

specialised in metabolism. “You can do basic re-

pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s. “We use X-ray

ins, a family of proteins involved in chromatin

search here,” he observes, “but you are also close

crystallography and biophysical techniques to

regulation. “These proteins are linked to stress

to the bedside. You see a clear endpoint: to make

determine the 3D structures of proteins poten-

response at a cellular and organism level, and

patients’ lives better. In a small company it’s

tially implicated in the disease’s onset,” she says.

play a role in human diseases such as cancer,

easier to see the whole process.” The time spent

Heading up IRB Barcelona’s Experimental Bio-

neurological diseases, malaria, leishmaniasis

doing his PhD in Eduard Batlle’s lab, “helped

informatics Laboratory gave her strong man-

and hormone-related disorders,” he explains.

develop my scientific acumen,” which enabled

agement skills, she says. “It was a great learning

He believes that the Alumni Network can be

him to take this step in his career. “Networking

experience to work on a wide variety of proj-

a very powerful tool, especially if meetings are

is a very powerful tool,” he maintains. “Devel-

ects surrounded by top quality scientists.” She

held periodically where people can meet to talk

oping your career involves support from your

sees the Alumni Network as a valuable tool for

about science and other general issues of inter-

present and past colleagues. “Preserving friend-

keeping in touch and making new contacts: “It

est to the community. “It would be a perfect

ships and connections with former co-workers is

is an opportunity to spread the word about the

showcase for my research and for me to look

a must, and the reason why an Alumni Network

quality of the research at the Institute.”

for talent for my lab,” he concludes.

has such a great potential.”

in vivo

May 2015 | Issue 30

SCIENCE BITES

➲

dSysMap, a map of mutations leading to diseases

In February, the laboratory headed by ICREA researcher Patrick Aloy presented dSysMap

(“Disease-mutations

Systemic

Colon cancer, towards a simple test to predict metastasis

Mapping”) in the journal Nature Methods.

Patient-derived tumour organoids. (Image: A. Calon).

dSysMap is a computational tool that provides molecular details about how muta-

lows a greater understanding of the genetic

can we identify them. The tools currently

sue surrounding the tumour, we can identify the

causes of complex diseases such as cancer,

available in the clinic are not sufficient to

vast majority of patients who will experience

Alzheimer’s, and diabetes.

predict the development of metastasis.

relapse”, explains Alexandre Calon, first author

tions in certain proteins alter interactions with other proteins, thus affecting the correct functioning of cellular processes. It al-

➲

New function for the dDsk2 protein In April, Nature

Communications published an article on research into a group of proteins called ‘ubiquitin receptors’ done in the Chromatin Structure and Function Laboratory, headed by Ferran Azorín. The protein dDsk2 has been associated with protein degradation, and this paper now describes a new function linking it to gene regulation. This discovery opens up new research fronts on basic epigenomics, as well as on biomedical applications due to the link between dDsk2 and neurodegenerative diseases.

➲

New clues on embryonic development The Develop-

ment and Morphogenesis in Drosophila Laboratory, headed by Jordi Casanova, has reported a new critical step in the triggering of embryonic development. The journal Development has published their work on the translocation of specific proteins from the eggshell to the plasma membrane of the fly oocyte. In particular, the scientists analyse the role of the Torso receptor tyrosine

bout 40% of colorectal cancer pa-

identify those patients at risk of disease relapse,

tients relapse in the form of metas-

by measuring the expression of 4–6 genes. “By

tasis. The critical question is how

focusing on the genetic programme of the tis-

ICREA researcher Eduard Batlle and

of the article published in Nature Genetics. “The

his team have discovered that recently de-

advancement would allow better discrimination

veloped classifications of colon cancers that

of which patients to treat and follow up, as the

evaluate risk of relapse can be simplified and

use of radiotherapy or chemotherapy would

improved by looking exclusively at the genes

benefit only this group,” he states.

expressed in the tissue around the tumour,

The team also proposes to test a particular

known as the stroma or ‘tumour microenvi-

drug in patients that blocks the metastatic

ronment.’

capacity of colorectal cancers in mice. They

The team examined the genetic profile of

demonstrate that tumour cells communicate

around 1,000 tumours from patients world-

with the stroma through the hormone TGF-beta

wide. “The conclusion is indisputable. The

and that metastasis could be prevented in these

key to colorectal cancer relapse lies in wheth-

patients by interfering with this communication.

er the stroma is altered or not, and it is this

“The next step will be for researchers to explore

property that confers malignancy to colon

the possibility of using TGF-beta inhibitors to

tumours. Patients with unaltered stroma are

treat colon cancer,” says Batlle. These inhibitors

essentially cured after surgery,” says Batlle.

have been tested for colon cancer using

Their discovery could soon have an im-

novel technology that allows the growth of

pact in the clinical management of colorectal

‘organoids’—mini colon tumours derived from

cancer patients. These researchers are devel-

patient samples that reproduce the behaviour of

oping a diagnostic test named Colostage to

the original tumour. (sa)

ERC Consolidator for prostate cancer research

0,000 Europeans die of prostate cancer each year. ICREA scientist Xavier Salvatella will receive 2M€ of funding from the European Research Council to study a feature of protein

biology that might have implications in the treatment of this disease. The objective is to unravel

kinase in embryogenesis, whose as yet un-

the connections between distant points of a protein that ensure that motions in a certain site de-

known mechanism of activation depends

termine those in a distant part of the same molecule. Understanding these basic phenomena would

on the Torso-like protein. The work, co-

allow researchers to identify other valid sites in proteins towards which to direct drugs. This study

authored by Alessandro Mineo and Marc

might have implications for prostate cancer in particular, as it will be performed

Furriols, shows that Torso activation is

with the androgen receptor—the protein targeted by the drug currently used to

made possible by the translocation of the

treat this disease. This treatment loses efficiency in

Torso-like protein from the eggshell into

the mid-term because the site to which the drug

the plasma membrane by the time of egg ac-

binds mutates. “There could be many other

tivation. (sp)

sites on the androgen receptor to which drug

targeting would be equally efficient. The project will help us identify them,” he says. (sa)

in vivo

May 2015

| Issue 30

IRB Barcelona research continues to receive generous support from grassroot initiatives

RB Barcelona scientists are discovering that an increasing number of

celona. Pompe disease causes progressive muscle degen-

people are willing to actively support their efforts in research.

eration. It is estimated that in Spain, there are roughly

After the launch of the dance video in October, a number of initia-

tives in favour of IRB Barcelona science have sprung up. One very good exam-

400 people with this condition, of whom only 100 have been diagnosed.

ple is the “Swimming Against the Current,” a project led by Carlos Romero, a

The 8th Sant Joan Despí 10-km Fun Run is also col-

43-year-old telecoms engineer who has challenged himself to swim across the

laborating by spreading the word about IRB Barcelona

fierce waters of the Strait of Gibraltar in September to support IRB Barcelona

during their race on 23 May. On the same date, the char-

research into cancer and metastasis. He will swim the estimated 12,250 strokes

ity initiative ‘Vi per Vida’ is organising its 4th wine

it takes to cross the Strait to raise funds for IRB Barcelona. Carlos’ family has

tasting event in favour of IRB Barcelona research.

been affected by cancer on various occasions. Since he’s a passionate swimmer,

“It is encouraging and fulfilling to see how

he decided he could help in the fight against this devastating disease with a

the society is reacting to our efforts to bring

daunting challenge that only around 700 people have successfully met so far.

science closer to the people,” says Anna

Patients’ associations are also stepping up to help IRB Barcelona’s re-

Merlos-Suárez, IRB Barcelona Strategic

search. A recent example is the Spanish Association of Glucogenosis Patients

Projects and Philanthropy Officer.

(AEEG), which marked International Pompe day on 15 April by organising

“It motivates us to receive this sup-

activities throughout Spain to raise awareness about this rare disease and by

port, and it inspires us to work even

launching a fundraising campaign to co-fund a research project at IRB Bar-

harder.” (ltb)

IRB Barcelona’s new BioMed Perspective series launched

Science on the street for the “Live research” Fair

launched in March. Its goal is to provide insight into current research de-

velopments and the challenges facing scientists today to discover the medi-

Paula Martínez, from Zorzano’s Lab, and Arturo Rodríguez-Banqueri,

cine of tomorrow. Open to the public and free of charge, the series forms

alumnus of the Institute, presented a workshop in the 13th edition of the

part of the activities organised for IRB Barcelona’s 10th year anniversary

“Live Research” Fair, held in the CosmoCaixa on 8-10 April.

new public lecture series called ‘Science today for the medicine of tomorrow’, organised by IRB Barcelona and hosted by the CCCB (Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona), was

celebrations.

ireflies help scientists. The protein that lights up these little insects, luciferase, is indeed what scientists use to trace the activation of genes involved in diabetes and obesity. Armed with this surprising

fact, Ignacio Castrillón, Hilda Yuliana Enciso, Montserrat Romero, and

The fair aims to move scientists, together with some lab instruments,

The first of four conferences, given by Group Leader and ICREA re-

out of the research centres into a science museum where members of the

searcher Xavier Salvatella on 6 March, addressed rare diseases. The next

general public have the opportunity to do hands-on activities and tackle

one will be given by Elena Sancho on cancer and metastasis on 24 May.

questions using the scientific method.

Other speakers will be Group Leader and UB professor Ernest Giralt, on

The idea behind this initiative is twofold: to foster dialogue between

Alzheimer’s disease (17 September) and IRB Barcelona’s director Joan J.

the public and researchers and to inspire scientific interest among young

Guinovart, on diabetes (5 November).

people. This year’s fair was supported by the Obra Social ”la Caixa” and

the City Council of Barcelona. (hg)

IN BRIEF Gate2Brain at the starting blocks. The project “Gate2Brain, peptide

4th Annual meeting of the TRANS-INT. Ernest Giralt and Research

shuttles for replacement therapy for Friedreich’s ataxia”, led by Group Lead-

Associate Meritxell Teixidó, experts in the design of peptides with the ca-

er Ernest Giralt, and Javier Díaz Nido at the Centro de Biología Molecular

pacity to cross biological barriers, participated in the 4th annual meeting of

Severo Ochoa, has been awarded 78,000 € from the RecerCaixa Programme.

the consortium TRANS-INT, held in the PCB on 27-29 April. Involving

This project seeks to establish a new therapeutic approach to Friedreich’s

17 European members, including universities, research centres, and com-

ataxia, focussing on the use of peptide shuttles as transporters in order to

panies, the consortium seeks to tackle the challenge of developing a new

replace the frataxin protein that patients lack.

oral nanomedicine based on the transport of therapeutic proteins across the intestinal barrier.

in vivo May 2015 | Issue 30 p4 in vivo May 2015 | Issue 30 p4

First Open Day brings hundreds of citizens to visit the labs

RB Barcelona’s ten-year anniversary has been a perfect excuse to open the doors of the Institute. On 18 April, more than five hundred people, among them the donors who have supported the IRB Barcelona’s research, were invited to visit the labs where

our scientists do the research that will mark ‘the medicine of the future.’ Young scientists from across the Institute, members of the Administration staff and former Crazy About Biomedicine students volunteered their time and energy to share their passion for science and research with the public. Visits included lectures by Meritxell Teixidó, Antonio Zorzano, and Salvador Aznar Benitah on their research topics to three groups of people, which were followed by handson tours through the labs in small groups. At the end of the tour, everyone converged in a science fair, which showcased examples of our research and gave visitors a chance to learn more about the Institute’s main activities. In the science fair, kids were treated to special activities. They even made their own ice cream using liquid nitrogen, which was especially welcome on a sunny day.

A highlight of the day was a performance by ‘Clowntifics,’ a theatre group led by Helena González and Oriol Marimon, who thrilled the little ones with colourful and spectacular experiments. (ltb)

MORE OUTREACH NEWS

SECONDARY SCHOOL PROJECTS

Secondary school students Adrià

Moncusí, Cynthia Tramosa, and Molly Erin Geddis Berrow, mentored by IRB Barcelona researchers Alba Sabaté, Montserrat Romero and Mariana Muzzopappa respectively, were presented at a ceremony on 11 March at ‘La Pedrera’ with the “Recerca en secundaria” award. The programme is coordinated by the PCB with the support of the Catalunya-La Pedrera Foundation, and offers students in their final year of secondary school the possibility of carrying out their research project at the PCB. This year IRB Barcelona researchers supervised 39 of the 66 projects within the programme. The winners presented their work at the “Live Research” Fair, on 8-10 April, and in the

“Youth ExpoRecerca” Fair, on 26-28 March.

BARCELONA’S SCIENCE FAIR IRB Barcelona’s scientists continue to

participate in various science fairs and events aimed at bringing science closer to citizens and promoting scientific vocation among young people. Delia Ricolo, Ana Igea, Lada Murcia, and Begoña Cánovas took part in Novum 2015, Barcelona’s Science Fair, with the scientific game “Create your own monster”, where the public had to use basic Around 150 volunteers, including IRB Barcelona scientists, former Crazy About Biomedicine students and Administration staff,participated actively in the Open Day. (Photos: L.T. Barone)

concepts in genetics to solve a puzzle. (sp)

Seeds against antibiotic resitance. Núria Bayo, Meritxell Teixidó

bring researchers, business people, and entrepreneurs together to share experi-

and Ernest Giralt received 24,000 € from AGAUR, the Catalan Agency

ences about how to identify and exploit opportunities to convert science into

that supports University and Research, in the first LLAVOR (‘seed’)

business ventures.

2014 programme whose objective is to support tech transfer. The funded project aims to bring a new antibiotic molecule against Gram-negative bacteria closer to the market to help fight antibiotic resistance. “Science is business”. On 23 February, IRB Barcelona co-organised the event hosted by the PCB, “Science is business,” that sought to

Giralt receives distinction from the City Council. The highest recognition that the city gives to its citizens, the “Ciutat de Barcelona” prize, has gone to Ernest Giralt for his research on a cytotoxic peptide from wasp venom and the applications of this molecule in innovative therapies for cancer.

in vivo in vivo

May 2015 | Issue 30 May 2015 | Issue 30

p5 p5

Training future medical researchers

our biomedical research centres in Barcelona have joined forces to

a future thesis on the metastatic spread of colorectal cancer, with the

bridge the gap between research and clinical practice.

objective to improve the current dismal prognosis for this cancer. Roger

The Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), IRB Barcelona,

Gomis’ lab project seeks to uncover the molecular and cellular mecha-

the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), and

nisms of metastatic dormancy in breast cancer. The hope is that this line

the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)—the last two linked to the

of research will stimulate the design of new drugs that inhibit or delay

Hospital Clínic and Vall d’Hebron Hospital, respectively—have designed

metastatic growth.

a training programme called “PhD for Medical Doctors – PhD4MD.” This

The last two projects involve liver diseases. One future thesis, of-

pioneering initiative seeks to speed up the transfer of results generated by

fered by Patrick Aloy’s lab, aims to investigate the molecular pathogen-

biomedical research activities in Spain to clinical practice—a process com-

esis of cirrhosis through the development of a computational liver

monly known as translational medicine.

model. The other project, in Raúl Méndez’s

This first call, which will serve as a pilot programme, will offer four

lab, looks at the relationship between obesity

fellowships for medical doctors who want to be trained in research and to

and chronic liver disease. The idea is to find

do a PhD over three years. The four participating centres will work on col-

effective therapeutic approaches targeting an-

laborative projects that involve a basic research group (at IRB Barcelona or

giogenesis and the CPEB family of proteins in

CRG) and a translational or clinical research team (at VHIR or IDIBAPS).

chronic liver diseases, particularly when they

Among the four projects chosen in collaboration with IRB Barcelona science, two involve cancer and metastasis. Eduard Batlle’s lab is offering

A hundred young scientists gathers for the second Postdoc Day at IRB Barcelona

are accompanied by obesity, an important risk factor for these diseases.

Trustee Duszyński elected President of the Polish Academy of Sciences Biochemist Jerzy Duszynski, member of IRB Barcelona’s Board of Trustees and head of the Laboratory of Bioenergetics and Biomembranes at the Nencki Institute, has been elected to serve as the next

he entire postdoctoral community of Barcelona was invited to the

President of the Polish Academy of Science. Duszynski will occupy

second edition of the Postdoc Day on 16 April. Of the around 100

this position for four years until 2018. The Polish Academy of Sciences

participants, 20% were from centres in the Barcelona area.

is the national learned society for Poland and a major national scien-

Aurelio Vázquez de la Torre, from Ernest Giralt’s lab, serves on the Postdoctoral Council and co-organised the event. He is very happy

tific advisory body. IRB Barcelona wishes to congratulate Professor Duszynski on this prestigious appointment.

about the feedback received. “In general,” he says, “people told me that these kinds of gatherings are ideal not only to become familiar with the research that is going on, but also for networking and the possibilities they offer to forge new collaborations. And these were precisely the objectives of the organisers.” The one-day programme included three invited speakers, Renée

. .

LATEST CALLS NEW POSTDOC CALL The new IRB Barcelona Interna-

Schroeder, head of the Biochemistry and Cell Biology Department of

tional Postdoctoral Fellowships call is open. Interested postdoctoral

the University of Vienna and world expert on ribonucleic acids, Gonzalo

fellows have time until 15 June to send their applications. To find out

Polavieja, head of the ‘Collective Behavior Group’ at the Champalimaud

more: www.irbbarcelona.org/postdoccall

Foundation in Lisbon, and Marcus Buschbeck, Group Leader at the Josep Carreras Institute for Leukemia Research in Barcelona. Lectures were followed by 10 talks by selected postdocs. Aurelio emphasises the energy and passion that the organisers dedicated to the preparation of this event. “It was a very important learning experience for me,” he maintains, “I think the coordination with the others in the team

May 2015

| Issue 30

April and soon nine new PhD students will become IRB Barcelona members. 3 CALLS OPENED FOR UNDERGRADUATES INITIA-

The talks were all

opened their calls: ‘Math4Life,’ especially aimed at math and statis-

of a high level and

tics students, a ‘Future in Biomedicine,’ to start a science career at

in vivo

selected group of applicants was interviewed during the month of

TIVES Three initiatives addressed to undergraduate students have

able.” (ltb)

the IRB Barcelona International PhD Programme fellowships. A

worked quite well.

easily understand-

Aurelio discusses his presentation with other attendees of the Postdoc Day (Photo: L.T. Barone)

PhD INTERVIEWS 263 applications have been received for

IRB Barcelona, and the ‘Spend the Summer at the Park’ to perform research projects at institutes within the PCB. To find out more: www.irbbarcelona.org/undergraduates

Olga Torres Foundation continues to support colon cancer research

EXCHANGES

“If you don’t have a bike in Cambridge you are nobody”

or the fourth consecutive year, IRB Barcelona scientists who work on colorectal

cancer

have

received

funds from the Olga Torres Foundation

ílvia Vilaprinyó is about to finish her thesis.

pendent,” she explains. “I find that both meth-

She is a PhD student in Ernest Giralt’s lab and

ods have advantages and disadvantages, and I am

(FOT). Founded in 2003, the FOT is a pri-

her expertise lies in the aggregation process of the

vate organisation based in Catatonia and

beta-amyloid peptide, one of the most important

devoted to promoting cutting-edge research

There is another important difference with her

molecules associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

on colon cancer—it is the only organisation

lab at IRB Barcelona. “Of course, in a Chemistry

She spent 3 months at the end of 2014 working in

Department there are more people working on

the Department of Chemistry at the University of

the same line of research. In addition, I find that

Cambridge, UK.

IRB Barcelona devotes more efforts to developing

here that fosters investigation specifically on this type of cancer. Postdoctoral researcher Raquel Batlle, member of the Signalling and Cell Cycle Laboratory led by Ángel R. Nebreda, will start a two-year project to study the potential of p38 protein as a therapeutic target or

“In my lab there is an important tradition of

pleased to have been able to experience both.”

a student community than over there,” she notes.

scientific training periods abroad,” she explains,

Sílvia liked Cambridge, “It’s a small town, but

“and I wanted to take advantage of this oppor-

very active on the cultural front. But if you don’t

tunity.”

have a bike you are nobody,” she says.

as a diagnostic indicator in colorectal cancer.

She split her time between two labs. In the

She took the opportunity of her stay to take

Before her, projects undertaken by Jelena

Klenerman Group, she applied single-molecule

some swing dance classes and to visit the sur-

Urosevic in Roger Gomis’s lab, and Enza

methodology to study the aggregation of amy-

Lonardo and Anna Merlos-Suárez, both in

roundings with IRB Barcelona alumnus, Jordi

loid with a high-resolution microscope. In the

Eduard Batlle’s lab, were also beneficiaries

Lanuza. “I really liked the landscape of the Cots-

Knowles Group, she concentrated on the kinet-

wolds hills,” she recalls. (ltb)

of funding from the FOT.

ics of this process. “I’m especially interested in

The 11th Olga Torres Foundation call

obtaining a global view of aggregation using the

for grants to develop research projects on

experimental and the theoretical approaches,” she

colon cancer has just been published. The

deadline for applications is June 30, 2015. The conditions of the call can be consulted at www.fundacioolgatorres.org. (sa)

explains. As is often the case, the stay helped Sílvia to become familiar with a different way of working on the same things. “In my lab here, the work is more organised; there, researchers are more inde-

Sílvia (second from right) was joined in Cambridge for a visit by fellow PhD students at IRB Barcelona Giorgia Testoni, Lorena Pereira and Giulio Chiesa.

4th IRB Barcelona PhD Student Symposium gets off the blocks Sixteen students from the five research programmes at IRB Barcelona have been busy in recent months preparing the next IRB BarJunqueras in Lluís Ribas’ lab (Photo: L.T. Barone)

celona PhD Symposium, the fourth of the series. As members of the Organising Committee for this event, they have selected the topic

Oriol Junqueras pays a visit

and the speakers, looked for sponsors, and found an attractive ven-

year. During the event, international scientists meet a community of

riol Junqueras, leader of Esquerra Repúblicana de Catalunya, together

with parliamentarian Marta Vilalta, visited IRB Barcelona on 12 February to find out more about the centre and its research. He met some of our group leaders and the Director Joan J. Guinovart.

ue. The Symposium will be held on 12-13 November at the Col·legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya, in Barcelona. The IRB Barcelona PhD Student Symposium is held every other passionate young scientists and discuss the latest advances in fields of biomedicine. This year, the theme focuses on the link between the

The poster for the Symposium was designed by 30-year-old Aileen Gostling, who won a competition among design schools in Barcelona for the best logo.

molecular mechanisms responsible for tissue homeostasis and their deregulation, which leads to pathologies such as cancer, ageing, and metabolism-related diseases. Registrations will begin at the end of May. In the meanwhile, you can check out the website, www.irbbarcelona.org/irbphdsymposium, and the promotional video the students have prepared to encourage young scientists to join them in November.

in vivo

May 2015 | Issue 30

NEW AT IRB BARCELONA IRB Barcelona’s new maintenance officer is Sergi Ca-

ñero (Barcelona, 1978). He joined the Purchasing Department the first week of May. After training in electronical engineering, he focussed his professional interest on the field of electromedicine. “I began very early on to work in hospitals and private laboratories,” he says. “I like technology and electronics, and I enjoy offering service to people. I have always wanted to be more than just a TV repair guy.” Sergi wanted to work in a field where he felt he was doing something useful. “Although working with robots and machines is usually very cold, I am motivated by the fact that I am also helping people and scientific advances,” he explains.

SPOTLIGHT

Scientific method for novel writing Bioinformatician Miquel Duran, in Patrick Aloy’s lab, received the prestigious Catalan literary award ‘Premi Crítica Serra d’Or’ at the end of April for his first novel, Més o menys jo

iquel is not comfortable in front of a tape recorder. But the unusual literary success of a very scientifically prolific PhD student was a good enough reason for him to

Sergi previously worked for lab supplier, Dako/Agilent Technologies, and

overcome his reluctance and answer some questions about how he

he decided to take the opportunity to join IRB Barcelona “because of its

combines his two passions—science and humanities.

prestige as a top research centre in Spain and Europe,” he adds. “I am so looking forward to being part of the team!”

Is there a difference between writing a novel and doing science? I think there are many similarities. First of all, I am not a writer, I do not have the intuition to see what the prose will look like. So I ap-

Aikaterini Symeonidi (Athens, 1982) joined Sal-

ply trial and error. I put together many sentences, with no preconcep-

vador Aznar’s lab on 1 April as a Research Assistant.

tions — in science we would say, “with no assumptions.” For every

“I am still very new and adapting to a completely new

final sentence 15, were sacrificed along the way. It took me three years

environment — in all senses,” she says. She studied elec-

to write those 160 pages.

tronic engineering and computer science in Greece, and obtained her PhD in bioinformatics in Freiburg, Germany. She then worked for one year at the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research in the same city where she became an expert in nextgeneration sequencing. “These new sequencing techniques, along with the traditional ones, can extend our views of the whole genome, transcriptome

Any other way science got in your book? I looked for very exact, technical, cold sentences. In a way, I am used to scientific articles, and in my book I used few adjectives, just plain language. Things have to speak for themselves. It’s the eternal fight between saying and showing. Another way science enters in my

and epigenome,” she explains. She moved to Barcelona because she was

book is as an excuse to make the main character, Marc, look a bit out

attracted by the quality of the research of her new lab. “The Human Re-

of place—sometimes too intelligent, sometimes awkward. He uses

sources Department at IRB Barcelona was very helpful,” she adds. “They

complex scientific concepts in completely inappropriate contexts. Sci-

made my life much easier and I am very grateful!”

ence was the way for me to show this side of his character.

ON THE MOVE

Marc is indeed a social misfit with a strange family in a surrealist environment. Could you become his friend? I think I probably could. I know him well. He is a weak person,

Òscar Flores (Calella de Mar, 1985) did not expect

and I have a weakness for weak people that are genuine. He thinks

to become a scientist when he was studying to be a soft-

and is affected by what surrounds him. And he has goals.

ware engineer. By chance, his final project was on bacterial taxonomy and he ended up working as a bioinformatician in Modesto Orozco’s lab. His PhD thesis in 2014 was on nucleosome-positioning chromatin using bioinformatic techniques. But during his stay at IRB Barcelona, he also worked towards a Master in Business Administration at ESADE, “and one day I will also finish a degree in Psychology, which I am studying online,” he adds. “My restlessness makes me feel like I always want do something new.” So he decided to put his business-oriented skills to good use and in March he set up GenomeCore, where he serves as CEO. His goal is to create a computational platform for clients to manage their own genomic information, and he is looking for investors. “What I like the most about my new life as an entrepreneur is that I never know what is going to happen tomorrow,” he concludes.

And what is your goal? When I was younger, I used to think that one’s goal was just to be happy. Now I value it less. I would like to create something, however small, to leave a tiny fingerprint. I love what I do as a scientist and I come to work with enthusiasm every day. And writing is another thing I love to do. Are you working on a new novel? Yes, even though it will take a while. This time the story

will take place in a scientific context. I am still working on ideas, images, and sentences. The story will come afterwards. This is how I write. (ltb)

Miquel combines his life as a scientist with his passion for writing.

In vivo, issue 30. Published by the Institute for Research in Biomedicine. Office of Communications & External Relations. Barcelona Science Park. c/Baldiri Reixac, 10. 08028 Barcelona, Spain.  Web: www.irbbarcelona.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/irbbarcelona - Twitter: @IRBBarcelona Editorial committee: Luca Tancredi Barone (ltb), Sarah Sherwood (ss) (editors), Sònia Armengou (sa). Contributors: Helena González (hg), Sílvia Pineda (sp). Graphic Production: Grupo Sifu. Legal deposit: B 19148-2014. This document has been printed on recycled paper. To subscribe or unsubscribe from in vivo, e-mail: info@irbbarcelona.org. © IRB Barcelona 2015.