.png?h=ea5e9311&itok=XLzmy7_0 "Conferencias Dolores Albarracín")
For the third year running, CRM visited Exporecerca Jove to award its prize to the student project with the strongest mathematical content. This edition, the jury selected two winners: Xavier Ortiz Quintana, who built a real-time 3D scanner using an iPhone and GPU acceleration, and Bruna Basas Jaumandreu, who trained a machine learning model to predict survival in pancreatic cancer patients.
Every March, a few hundred secondary school students take over a conference hall in Barcelona to explain their research projects to anyone willing to stop at their stand. The projects range widely: genetics, climate, sociology, and engineering. This year, the Centre de Recerca Matemàtica sent five people to look for mathematics in the mix.
It was CRM’s third time at Exporecerca Jove, the international research fair for students aged 12 to 19, organised by MAGMA. The institute has been a sponsor since the fair’s XXVII edition and awards a prize to the project with the strongest mathematical content: an invitation to participate in one of the scientific activities held at CRM.
After reviewing seven projects on 6 March, the jury selected two winners.
The first was Xavier Ortiz Quintana, a student at INS Montserrat Roig. His project reconstructed 3D models of real spaces in real time, using only a standard iPhone and a laptop. The setup sounds simple. The algorithm underneath is not. Depth data captured by the phone’s LiDAR sensor is integrated, frame by frame, into a mathematical structure called a Truncated Signed Distance Field. The TSDF is a volumetric representation that stores, for each point in a grid, a signed number: positive if the point is outside a surface, negative if it’s inside. The boundary where that number crosses zero is the surface itself. An algorithm called Marching Cubes then reads that grid and constructs a mesh of triangles that approximates the shape. It’s a technique from 1987, originally designed for medical imaging, here running on a GPU in a teenager’s bedroom. Xavier has published the full code on GitHub.
The second winner was Bruna Basas Jaumandreu, from La Salle Manresa, who trained a machine learning model to predict whether a pancreatic cancer patient would survive beyond 24 months after diagnosis. Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest: only about 13 per cent of patients survive five years. Part of the difficulty is late detection; another is that treatments work unevenly across patients. Bruna’s logistic regression model, built on clinical and mutational data from 2,336 patients and developed in collaboration with the Institute for Biomedical Research of Barcelona, reached 74.1 per cent accuracy. The variable that most increased survival probability was the surgical removal of the tumour. The one that most reduced it was age over 90. Both results are consistent with published studies, which is the kind of confirmation you want when working with a 185-patient validation cohort.
The jury walked the stands on a Friday morning in early March: Javier Guillán (PhD student), Ander Movilla (Beatriu de Pinós postdoctoral fellow), David Romero (director of the Knowledge Transfer Unit), and Pau Varela and Natalia Vallina from the Communications and Outreach team.
CRM’s prize is not a certificate. It is access: a place at one of the institute’s research days, seminars, or outreach events, where the winners will be in the room with working mathematicians. What they do with that is up to them.
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CRM CommPau Varela
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For the third year running, CRM visited Exporecerca Jove to award its prize to the student project with the strongest mathematical content. This edition, the jury selected two winners: Xavier Ortiz Quintana, who built a real-time 3D scanner using…
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Ander Movilla has joined CRM as a Beatriu de Pinós postdoctoral fellow. Working with Tomás Alarcón, Movilla will develop mathematical models that capture not just the static architecture of DNA but its dynamic behaviour; how chromosome contacts shift as chemical marks…
A continuació podeu consultar la publicació dels criteris de priorització de les sol·licituds dels ajuts Joan Oró per a la contractació de personal investigador predoctoral en formació (FI 2026), dirigits a les universitats públiques i privades del…
The post CRM Awards Its Prize at Exporecerca Jove for the Third Time first appeared on Centre de Recerca Matemàtica.
A perspective article led by ICN2 researchers explores the great potential of high-entropy materials, as well as the opportunities and challenges related to their design and application. These materials are emerging as one of the most promising options for electrocatalysis and sustainable chemistry.
The BIST Forum has held a new edition at CosmoCaixa with the aim of consolidating knowledge transfer and the creation of new industry based on scientific research. The conference has had outstanding institutional support from the Minister of Research and Universities of the Government of Catalonia, Núria Montserrat, the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, and the Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, Maria Eugènia Gay.
As a keynote speaker, the President of the European Investment Bank, Nadia Calviño, analysed the strategic role of frontier research as a driver to shape the industry of the future.
The annual meeting of the BIST scientific community, made up of seven major research centres of the CERCA system (CRG, ICFO, ICIQ, ICN2, IFAE, and IRB Barcelona) has served to discuss which organisational, legal and funding elements are necessary to capitalise on the scientific discoveries made in Europe and in our country, in order to generate a new scalable industry that allows us to maintain our social model.
The BIST Forum also hosted the BIST Ignite Awards, designed to foster new partnerships between BIST centres, fostering interdisciplinary approaches to address complex scientific challenges. And in this 8th edition, two projects with representation from the ICIQ have been selected in the following calls.
BIST Ignite Seed, call for new proposals:
· RADIANT Project
Raman-Accelerated Deep-learning Imaging and Nanoscale Thermometry (RADIANT), presented by Dr. Timm Swoboda, postdoc at ICN2 and Dr. Hind Benzidi, postdoc at ICIQ.
This project will receive 20,000 euros of initial funding to support its development, subsidized by the participating centers.
BIST Ignite Award call:
· Breath-CO2 Project
Breaking Boundaries with the New Generation of Chiral Hybrids for CO2-Electrolysers through Atomic-Scale Visualization, presented by Dra. Alba Garzón Manjón, Associate Researcher at ICN2, Dr. Felipe Andrés Garcés Pineda, Ramon y Cajal Researcher at ICIQ, and Dra. Viktoria Golovanova, postdoc at ICFO.
This project received initial recognition from the BIST Ignite Seed in 2025. And in this edition, it has been consolidated with the BIST Ignite, in its second phase and will receive €50,000 in funding for its execution.
La entrada Double BIST Ignite Award for ICIQ Research se publicó primero en ICIQ.
To mark International Women’s Day, the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) hosted a roundtable discussion titled “Breaking Barriers in Science: Women’s Voices at ICIQ.” The event brought together researchers and staff from across the institute to reflect on the challenges and opportunities women encounter in scientific careers.
The roundtable was conducted by Prof. Mónica H. Pérez-Temprano, Group Leader at ICIQ, and featured a diverse panel representing different stages and roles within the research ecosystem: Prof. Bahareh Kherzi, ICREA Professor and Associated Researcher at ICIQ, Dr. Stephanie G.E. Amos, postdoctoral researcher in the group of Prof. Arjan W. Kleij, Meritxell Díaz, technician at the Chromatography, Thermal Analysis & Electrochemistry Unit in the Scientific Core Facilities and Belén Francisca Gómez Arteaga, PhD student under the IVORI Programme in the group of Prof. Rubén Martín.
The discussion addressed structural barriers that continue to affect women’s careers in science, particularly in leadership positions. As highlighted by Prof. Kherzi, women still occupy a smaller proportion of senior roles, partly due to challenges related to work–life balance and career progression. She also stressed the importance of retaining talented researchers and ensuring that institutions create environments where they can develop their careers successfully.
Dr. Stephanie G.E. Amos emphasised the importance of fair and transparent selection criteria in shaping career progression. She noted that, beyond improving hiring processes, broader cultural change is also required.
Participants also reflected on how scientific success is defined and evaluated. Meritxell Díaz pointed out that traditional metrics often overlook the realities of modern careers: “Success should not be measured solely by the amount of time you dedicate to work,” she said. She also highlighted the importance of incorporating gender perspectives into institutional policies, increasing women’s representation in decision-making positions, and establishing dedicated roles within organisations to address equality and gender-related issues.
The conversation also touched on the concept of intersectionality. Belén Francisca Gómez Arteaga underlined that the research system has historically been designed around male career patterns and that achieving balance requires acknowledging diverse experiences and identities. “This is not only about gender,” she explained, “but also about intersectionality and adapting the system to new realities.”
During the discussion, Mónica H. Pérez-Temprano reflected on the gender gap in applications for leadership positions, noting that women still tend to apply less frequently. Sharing her own experience, she highlighted how encouragement and mentorship can play a key role: someone once encouraged her to apply to ICIQ, she said, and that opportunity allowed her to become part of the change she now advocates for. She also stressed the need for greater transparency in evaluation systems and broader criteria that go beyond purely scientific indicators.
The debate also highlighted the importance of recognising the wide range of roles that make research possible and of promoting more collaborative and empathetic working environments. Participants emphasised the need to value diversity within organisations and to develop policies that support talent retention, particularly by reducing the uncertainty associated with short-term contracts. They also highlighted the importance of strengthening training in management and leadership to foster more inclusive and transparent institutional models capable of reshaping the “rules of the game.”
The roundtable, which lasted around one hour, was attended by more than 80 people at the ICIQ Auditorium. The session concluded with an open discussion with the audience and with a question from a male attendee: “What can we do?”a reminder that progress depends on collective commitment. In this spirit, ICIQ reaffirmed its commitment to promoting community engagement and shared responsibility in advancing a more equitable and inclusive research environment.
The event was organised by the ICIQ Equality Commission as part of the institute’s programme to commemorate International Women’s Day on 8 March. Additional activities included a quiz and several awareness initiatives open to the entire institute, aimed at encouraging reflection on gender equality and fostering a more inclusive research environment.
La entrada ICIQ celebrates International Women’s Day with a roundtable on breaking barriers in science se publicó primero en ICIQ.
As part of the BIST Forum 2026, held this Friday at the CosmoCaixa in Barcelona, the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) has presented the decarbonisation project that promotes the deployment of four mobile pilot plants. These units will test cutting-edge CO₂ capture and use technologies to reduce emissions in industries that are difficult to abate, such as petrochemicals, cement, steel and waste incineration. This is a pioneering project, financed by the European Union with ERDF funds and developed in collaboration with the industrial sector, also in collaboration with Eurecat and the URV, which can place Catalonia at the forefront of the fight against climate change.
The project, as an example of the potential of frontier research to provide disruptive solutions, was presented by Dr. Júlia Viladoms, head of the Industrial Decarbonization Unit of the ICIQ. During his speech, he stressed that the initiative is not only a technological milestone, but a strategic tool: “We want to demonstrate that, from research centres, it is possible to promote technology transfer and innovation projects with a real impact on the territory“, she said.
Precisely, the annual meeting of the BIST scientific community has addressed how to generate new industry from scientific research. The conference, organised by the seven major research centres of the CERCA system (CRG, ICFO, ICIQ, ICN2, IFAE, and IRB Barcelona) was attended by the Minister of Research and Universities from de Government of Catalonia, Núria Montserrat; the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu; and the Deputy Mayor of Barcelona City Council, Maria Eugènia Gay. As an exceptional guest, the president of the European Investment Bank and former Minister of Economy, Nadia Calviño, has analysed with other experts the potential of frontier search to shape the industry of the future.
With this project, ICIQ provides the knowledge and tools for companies in Catalonia to make the transition towards a decarbonised future and a circular and sustainable production model in line with the change in the European and global economic model.
Industry is responsible for a significant portion of CO₂ emissions, and electrifying processes or replacing fuels is not always feasible. This project responds to this challenge with innovative solutions that will make it possible to move towards the climate neutrality set by the European Union for 2050.
“Collaboration between research centers such as ICIQ and companies is essential. Without this binomial, innovation does not reach the market. Our goal is to make these technologies viable and scalable,” said Dr. Júlia Viladoms.
Mobile pilot plants incorporate four complementary approaches:
Each capture unit (1-3) can reach up to 250 kg of CO₂ per day, helping to validate scalable solutions for sectors where emission reduction is more complex. It is about recycling CO₂ and creating synergies between different industrial sectors to move towards a more sustainable common future. In other words, CO₂ will go from waste to being a useful asset for industry, a new raw material.
With a total investment of €27 million from the European Union (€22M from the ERDF Programme of Catalonia 2021-2027 within the framework of the STEP initiative) and the Government of the Catalonia (€5M from the 2023 budget), the project foresees the manufacture and validation of the plants from 2026, their installation in industrial environments in 2027 and technological improvement until 2029. Catalonia is thus positioned as a European benchmark in innovation for industrial decarbonisation.
These units will function as itinerant laboratories, facilitating experimentation and the optimization of processes that help reduce emissions. Interested companies will be able to access these pilot plants through open calls, promoting technology transfer and collaboration between research and industry.
In this context, ICIQ plays a key role in providing new materials and scientific knowledge for CO₂ capture and conversion technologies, consolidating research as a fundamental pillar of this project.
La entrada ICIQ presents the pilot plant project to decarbonise Catalan industry at the BIST Forum se publicó primero en ICIQ.
Brain and Society 2026 Series: ‘The Challenge of Longevity: Science and the Mind in an Age of Longer Lives’, March 12
(Read the information poster in the attached PDF document)
The Institute for Neurosciences (IN), a joint center of Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), will once again host the Brain and Society series, supported by the Remedios Caro Almela Chair of Neurobiology. As part of this series, the round table discussion ‘The Challenge of Longevity: Science and the Mind in an Age of Longer Lives’ will take place on Thursday, 12 March, at 7:00 p.m. at Club Información, Alicante (Av. Dr. Rico, 17).
The session will be moderated by Jesús Mula Grau, professor in the UMH Journalism Area, and will feature the participation of distinguished specialists:
Ángela Nieto, CSIC Research Professor at the IN UMH-CSIC, where she leads the Cell Plasticity in Development and Disease laboratory and directs the Cell Plasticity in Brain Disease and Repair scientific programme. Nieto is an international reference in developmental biology, and her research investigates how cells change and adapt—processes that are essential both in embryonic development and in aging and diseases such as cancer. She has been recognized with the Rei Jaume I Award, the Santiago Ramón y Cajal National Research Award, and the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award, and is a member of the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical, and Natural Sciences of Spain.
Domingo Orozco Beltrán, Professor of Medicine and Vice-Rector for Planning and Social Responsibility at UMH. Orozco is a specialist in Family and Community Medicine and directs the Official Master’s in Health Management, as well as the research group Valencian Cardiometabolic Study. He has received the Alberto Sols Award for Best Clinical Research and has held national and international positions in the management of chronic diseases.
Silvia De Santis, CSIC Staff Scientist at the IN UMH-CSIC, where she leads the Translational Imaging Biomarkers laboratory. De Santis specializes in brain imaging biomarkers associated with aging and age-related diseases. Her work aims to understand how biological changes affect the brain and how to preserve brain health to promote healthier aging.
José Vicente Sánchez Mut, CSIC Staff Scientist at the IN UMH-CSIC, where he leads the Functional Epi-Genomics of Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease laboratory. Sánchez Mut studies the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms involved in brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. His research seeks to identify factors that promote brain resilience and cognitive health in later life.
The session, open to the public until full capacity is reached, offers a unique opportunity to learn how science investigates longevity and to reflect on the challenges of an increasingly long life.
Source: Institute for Neurosciences UMH-CSIC (in.comunicacion@umh.es)
La entrada Brain and Society 2026 Series, March 12 se publicó primero en Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante.
