The Institute for Neurosciences (IN), a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) of Elche, held today the first edition of IN.Pulse Connect, an event organized by IN.Pulse, the IN Scientific Unit for Business Innovation, with the support of the Institut Valencià de Competitivitat i Innovació (IVACE+i). The initiative aims to strengthen ties between academic research and the biotechnology business sector. The meeting was attended by the director of the UMH Scientific Park, Tonia Salinas Miralles, and the UMH Deputy for Research Management and Transfer, Javier Sáez Valero, the Head of the UMH Knowledge Transfer Service, David Úbeda González, and the Innovation Officer of the Elche and District Business Circle (CEDELCO), Rafael Hernández Stark, among other authorities.

The meeting, held in the Assembly Hall of the IN, brought together researchers from the Institute and representatives of twelve companies from the pharmaceutical, nutritional, and biomedical diagnostics sectors. Its purpose was to explore future public–private collaborations focused on technological development and the transfer of knowledge generated at the Institute. “At the IN, we want the knowledge we generate to directly contribute to improving people’s lives. IN.Pulse Connect was conceived as a space for encounter, trust, and opportunity, where science and industry can design real solutions together”, said Juana Gallar, Director of the Institute for Neurosciences, during the institutional welcome.

Photo: The Director of the CSIC-UMH Institute of Neurosciences, Juana Gallar, during the welcome session of the IN.Pulse Connect event. Source: IN CSIC-UMH

The event featured a keynote lecture by José María Frade, researcher at the Cajal Institute (CSIC) and founder of the biotech company Tetraneuron, titled ‘Tetraneuron: A Long Journey from Basic Science to the Clinic’. His talk served as an inspiring example of how fundamental research can turn into an innovative new therapy to fight Alzheimer’s disease.

Photo: José María Frade, researcher at the Cajal Institute (CSIC) and founder of Tetraneuron, during the opening lecture. Source: CSIC-UMH  

Following the keynote, IN researchers Hugo Cabedo, head of Molecular Control of Neuronal Axon Myelination laboratory; Santiago Canals, head of Plasticity Brain Networks laboratory; Inmaculada Cuchillo, senior researcher at Altered Molecular Mechanism in Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia laboratory; Félix Leroy, head of Cognition and Social Interactions laboratory; Jose Vicente Sánchez-Mut, head of Functional Epi-Genomics of Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease laboratory; Silvia De Santis, head of Translational Imaging Biomarkers laboratory, and Remy Verhaeghe, postdoctoral researcher in the Plasticity and Remodeling of Neural Circuits laboratory, presented their research lines with transfer potential in areas such as nutraceuticals, imaging diagnostics, and new therapies. Each presentation was followed by an open discussion with company representatives, fostering the identification of common interests and potential collaboration projects.

The session concluded with an “Exploratory Coffee”, an informal networking space designed to encourage interaction and the exchange of ideas between researchers and business representatives.

In this first edition of IN.Pulse Connect, companies from the food and pharmaceutical sectors, such as Vicky Foods and Grupo Ferrer, as well as from the healthcare sector, such as IMED Hospitales, participated. Biotechnology companies, including Aora Health, Avamed Synergy, Bioithas, Kenko Imalytics, Miramoon Pharma, Monteloeder, Oncovision, Tetraneuron, and Viva in Vitro, also took part, showing their interest in learning about the technological capabilities of the Institute of Neurosciences and exploring opportunities for joint innovation.

IN.Pulse Connect is part of the initiatives promoted by the IN Scientific Unit for Business Innovation (UCIE) with the support of IVACE+i. This Valencian Government agency fosters business competitiveness and the transfer of knowledge from research centers to the productive sector.

Source: Institute for Neurociencias CSIC-UMH (in.comunicacion@umh.es)

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