Winter 2010 / Issue 1 INSIDEIBEC The newsletter of the Institute for Bioengineering of

INSIDE this issue...

IBEC to New The University of coordinate initiative in Pennsylvania’s a major nanomedicine, Dennis Discher was EU-funded BioNanoMed the distinguished research Catalunya, speaker at the first project on the to be IBEC seminar of the treatment of managed by season spinal diseases IBEC /page 4 /page 2 /page 3 ...and much more! Left: Damien accepting the European Society for Biomaterials’ MySpine: Jean Leray Award in September a virtual spine for a real problem

EU-funded project aims to improve treatment and prognosis of spinal diseases

BEC is to coordinate a major EU-funded rational engineering approach and a user- based on the specific patient. “The results Iresearch project on the treatment of friendly software platform. will allow the recommendation of either spinal diseases. “The system will take into account replacement of the disc, doing nothing, MySpine, or ‘Functional prognosis simu- various patient-specific factors, both from or another course of treatment based on lation of patient-specific spinal treatment’, imaging data (MRI and CT scans) and safe assessment of the risks and benefits of each simulated solution to the problem,” will address current limitations in the treat- from the activity levels of the individual,” explains Damien, who earlier this year was ment and prognosis of back problems such says coordinator Damien Lacroix, head of elected president of the European Society as degenerative disc disease. At the IBEC’s Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Biomechanics and received the European moment, clinical prognosis is largely based group, who prepared the project together Society for Biomaterials’ Jean Leray Award with postdoc Jérôme Noailly. “For example, // “MySpine brings engineering in September. “It brings new engineering spine geometries, tissue properties and rationale to the decision-making process.” rationale to the decision- loading histories – all of which vary wildly MySpine, which also involves groups from person to person – will form the cor- making process” from the Netherlands, Austria, France, nerstones of our predictive system.” and Hungary, will start in March on past experience of the surgeon or trial MySpine’s main objective will be the cre- 2011 and is funded as a STREP (small or and error, which can lead to complica- ation of a computing platform to be used medium‐scale focused research project) tions and ill health following treatment or in clinical settings. This interface, as well as under FP7. It will join IBEC’s growing list surgery. MySpine aims to develop a tool the patient‐specific ‘database’ of the lumbar of coordinated EU projects, the next most to guide clinicians in making the right spine, will allow clinicians to look at short‐ recent of which was George Altankov’s decisions on how to treat various spinal or long‐term effects on tissue to explore FIBROGEL, which was selected for fund- pathologies using patient-specific data, a the possible outcomes of disc degeneration ing in September. //

More project news on www.ibecbarcelona.eu: Telethon funds for collaborative Fabry project • The regeneration game: Tackling tissue morphogenesis in humans • Spanning continents: tissue regeneration project wins EU funding • ...and more!

SCIENTIFIC NEWS PNAS paper for IBEC researchers

esearchers in Maria Garcia-Parajo’s Using single-molecule near-field scanning demonstrates the existence of raft-based in- Rgroup were celebrating in August with optical microscopy, PhD Student Thomas terconnectivity on resting cell membranes. an important publication in PNAS. van Zanten and postdoc Carlo Manzo – to- Their findings constitute a step towards In their studies of the cell membrane, gether with collaborators from the Radboud a fuller understanding of the activation and where preorganised components give rise University Nijmegen Medical Center in the clustering of lipid raft constituents, which to strategic advantages for protein function Netherlands – perturbed the lipid raft na- amplify and strengthen pre-existing interac- and signalling, the Single Molecule Bio- nolandscape and visualised the formation of tions and mediate signal transduction across nanophotonics team were looking at lipid cholesterol-dependent GM1 nanodomains the cell membrane. // rafts – free-floating membrane regions of less than 120nm in size. Subsequent in silico proteins and lipids – and have now demon- experiments at the University of van Zanten, T. S. et al, 2010, Direct mapping of strated their cholesterol-mediated selective and Co.S.Mo. Lab at the PCB contributed nanoscale compositional connectivity on intact connectivity at the nanoscale. to the high-resolution data that conclusively cell membranes, PNAS, 107, 15437-15442

INSIDEIBEC ı Issue 1 Winter 2010 ı 2 INSIDEIBEC ı Issue 1 Winter 2010 ı 3 BioNanoMed Catalunya launched IBEC-led alliance to bridge discipline gaps

òrum Biocat on 2 December saw the range of disciplines need to cross bounda- Region, the ANH is the first collaborative Ffirst announcement of a new initiative ries and work together to translate research effort to bridge the gaps between medicine, in nanomedicine, BioNanoMed Catalunya, results and lab discoveries into viable medi- biology, materials science, computer tech- fostered by IBEC and the Catalan Biore- cal products and drugs,” explains IBEC’s nology and public policy to facilitate R&D gion agency, Biocat. The alliance aims to head of corporate projects Arantxa Sanz. in nanotechnology. bring together researchers, hospitals and “This alliance is a practical solution to over- The next step for BioNanoMed companies working in the region to share come these barriers by combining resources Catalunya will be in January 2011, when know-how and resources, facilitate new and expertise from multiple organizations the alliance website is launched. “With developments in nanomedicine and gain and making the results available to stake- BioNanoMed Catalunya, pharma and bio, international visibility for the advances in holders and the community. Alongside this, the field that are emerging in Catalonia. a consolidated network will be much more effective than isolated partners to contribute IBEC and Biocat have been working // “This alliance is a practical to aims very much needed for nanotech- solution to overcome barriers” together to develop the initiative since nology deployment, such as the setting December 2009. The other research centres up of a regulatory framework, standards initially involved include IDIBELL, with of best practice and professional training academia and industry, technologists, bio- a leading role from the biomedical side, programmes.” medical researchers, clinicians and patients as well as Hospital Clinic, Vall d’Hebron, BioNanoMed Catalunya uses as its advocates are uniting,” says Arantxa. “This ICIQ, ICFO, ICN, ICMAB, IQAC and model the Alliance for Nanohealth (ANH) is essential when the potential applications the technological centre LEITAT Biomed. in Houston, USA, which was founded in of nanotechnology in medicine include the On the industry side, the core partners will 2004. Comprising eight world-renowned most promising early diagnosis and targeted be Ferrer, Grupo Lipotec and Biokit. universities and institutions within the Tex- treatments for cancer and neurodegenera- “In nanomedicine, experts from a huge as Medical Center and the Greater Houston tive diseases.” //

The third annual Fòrum Biocat, which took place on 2 December at Casa Llotja de Mar in Barcelona, brought What is Fòrum Biocat? together more than 700 industrial and academic representatives from the biotechnology, biomedicine and medical technology sectors in Catalonia with the aim of fostering collaborations. Organised with the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, the annual forum includes keynote speeches, a programme of round table discussions, the award ceremony for the BioEmprenedorXXI programme – which recognises the best plan to start up an innovative company in the life sciences sector – and the naming of the Ambassador to the BioRegion, as well as plenty of opportunities for networking.

IBECinPICTURES

Since September, IBEC has hosted several (SEM), organised by group leader Antonio Juárez events to bring together scientists and and senior researcher Eduard Torrents along with collaborators from all over the world, beginning the University of Barcelona. The last major event with the meeting of the European project of the year to be hosted by IBEC was another Neurochem on 1 October, which is coordinated European Project meeting on 2-3 December for by Artificial Olfaction group leader Santiago AngioScaff (Angiogenesis-inducing Bioactive and Marco. Four days later on 5 October, more than Bioresponsive Scaffolds in Tissue Engineering). 60 researchers, medical professionals and IBEC director Josep Planell’s group and Damien company representatives came to IBEC for a Lacroix’s Biomechanics and Mechanobiology CIBER-BBN conference entitled Research and team are working on the design and development Development of Advanced Therapies. side of the project. In November, IBEC’s events continued with the 8th meeting of the Molecular Microbiology For a list of IBEC events at the beginning of group of the Sociedad Española de Microbiología 2011, turn to the back page. FEATURE IBEC in figures

Publishing: IBEC Number of spin-off companies1 Number2 of ERC is ‘Yukon gold’ researchers Number of EU5 projects For a young institute, IBEC’s publication record Number of ICREA is a force to be reckoned with. But the figures 5researchers also show that we can’t rest on our laurels yet... ent sterling performance, and for this and orking out IBEC’s scientific impact It’s thanks to publications such as the seemingly low impact factor there’s a Wfactor can seem as daunting as an Nanoprobes and Nanoswitches’ August simple explanation. “IBEC has only been algebra exam, but it’s worth the effort. In JACS paper and the Control of Stem Cell running at cruise speed since 2008,” says 2010 the institute’s number of publications Potency group’s three top-scoring March Abel. “We’re small and we’re young, but in decile 1 – that which cuts off the lowest publications that ‘IBEC is Yukon gold’, taking this into account, our success so far 10% of the ranking of the journal in its as Managing Director Abel Riera puts it, speaks volumes.” The Catalonia report, for subject category based on impact factor – but most other groups are also publishing example, spans the period from 2003 only was 46%, up from 45% in 2009 and 26% well in their own fields – the age-old flaw up to 2008; and IBEC will start to appear in the lists when it’s big enough to publish in 2008. Our rating in quartile 1 (Q1) is in the system being, of course, that high in more than 100 papers in a single year. 83%, as opposed to 81% in 2009 and just one field is not necessarily high overall. If 59% in 2008. something isn’t a highly-cited field, even its But though it may sometimes seem that highest-impact journal has an impact factor the strength of publishing success is judged All this points to a growing trend of many non-specialists would dismiss. as the best way – or indeed the only way publishing high and often. To put it into – to succeed in the eyes of the scientific So when it comes to the actual impact context, according to recent figures from community, it’s important to remember factor rating for the institute, it’s clear that that this has never been IBEC’s standpoint. the numbers aren’t telling the whole story. // “IBEC has only been running at “While there are groups publishing in In another report published by SCImago top-ranking journals, we have other groups cruise speed since 2008” on the bibliometrics indicators of scientific with strengths in other areas: technology activity in Catalonia, our normalised im- transfer, for example – we already have one SCImago Institutions Rankings’ World pact (NI) – the ratio between the average active spin-off company which is making Report 2010, which analyses research scientific impact of an institution and the sales – or attracting funding, or offering outputs of universities and research-focused world average impact, which is 1 – idles at a education,” says IBEC director Josep institutions using the Scopus database less than impressive 1.29. Planell. “Our interdisciplinarity gives us the and ranks selected centres, our Q1 rating So there’s still a way to go, it seems. But edge, and with it comes our multi-talented holds up admirably against other Catalan IBEC isn’t actually ranked by name in the approach, with all groups contributing in institutes, and even beats some of them. SCImago World Report, despite its appar- various ways to the common goal.” //

Latest papers on www.ibecbarcelona.eu: Garcia-Manyes, S. et al, 2010, J Am Chem Soc • Johansson, R. et al, 2010, FEBS J. • Martí, E. et al, 2010, Nucleic Acids Research • Fernandez-Busquets, X. et al, 2010, Current Alzheimer Research • ...and more!

IBECinPICTURES

To kick off another quality season of IBEC seminars, Dennis Discher, a pioneer in the study of the relationship between stem cell differentiation and mechanical stimuli, was invited by IBEC group leader Daniel Navajas. Other international speakers included Winfried Randerath from the Universitätsklinik Bethanien in Solingen, Germany; Dirk Sommermeyer from Sahlgrenska University in , Sweden; Yongmin Kim from the University of Washington; C. A. van Blitterswijk from the University of Twente in the Netherlands; and Carlos Eduardo Semino, with affiliations to Barcelona, Leipzig and MIT. Leo Joskowicz, a distinguished contributor to computer- aided surgery from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, was an addition to the programme on 26 November. The brave PhD students who presented their work in this season’s PhD discussion sessions were Miquel Casamitjana, Zaida Álvarez Pinto, Mercè Izquierdo Serra and Laura Casares.

For seminars at the beginning of 2011, turn to the back page.

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INSIDEIBEC...AND OUTSIDE Continental drift

BEC researchers have been travelling far Iand wide this quarter, boosting the insti- tute’s international connections. As well the regular flurry of meetings and conferences in other parts of Spain and in Brussels, scientists travelled to European destinations More far-flung trips were Alicia Casals’ visit to Tokyo for including London, Milan, Germany, Zu- IEEE Biorob on 26-29 September with associated group rich, Greece and Cork for purposes ranging leader Josep Amat and PhD student Luis Amigo, where she from meetings with collaborators to major co-ran a workshop on Future Trends in Rehabilitation Ro- congresses, such as the 23rd European botics. and George Altankov and colleagues Conference on Biomaterials in , also had a trip to the far east for the 1st Annual World Con- Finland, on 11-15 September. More unu- gress of NanoMedicine in Beijing, where both group leaders sual European destinations were Bucharest, chaired sessions. which hosted the 4th International Confer- Singapore was a popular destination this quarter, with Damien Lacroix ence on Biomaterials (BiomMedD 2010) and Daniel Navajas attending the World Congress of Biomechanics there in in September, and Billund in Denmark, August and María García-Parajo going two months later to the Mechanobi- famously home to Lego and, this year, the ology Workshop and Biophysical Society joint meeting. In another far east 5th Annual Meeting of the School of Im- trip, Oscar Seira of the Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology group munology where María García-Parajo gave went to Dankook University in , with which IBEC has a collaboration a plenary lecture. agreement, while María was off again in the other direction, the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque. //

More news on the web... You can keep up-to-date with news and events at IBEC by visiting Above: Raimon Right: Alicia www.ibecbarcelona.eu Jané and Daniel visits the lab of Navajas at CASEIB some colleagues in in Tokyo

News in brief • News in brief • News in brief • News in brief • News in brief • News in brief • N

// IBEC’s main laboratory in the Hélix For more information contact Isabel at tion of nanotechnology to biomedicine, building now has a Real-Time PCR [email protected]. the environment and biosafety, was put machine from Applied Biosystems, which // Copies of a White Paper on together by the opinion group is available for use by all IBEC researchers. nanotechnology and bioethics of the University of Barcelona’s The system supports SNP genotyping, which IBEC staff helped to Bioethics and Law Observatory, gene expression profiling, microRNA compile are available for anyone of which IBEC’s associate direc- expression, translocation analysis and who’s interested in finding out tor Josep Samitier and Head of gene detection. Online training courses, more. ‘Nanotechnology and Corporate Projects Arantxa Sanz which are mandatory for anyone using Global Bioethics’ (pictured), are members. Contact Arantxa the machine, will be provided by Applied which addresses problems ([email protected]) for your Biosystems in the next couple of months. arising from the applica- copy. Training at IBEC: “Stronger teams and improved careers”

esearchers often have to face new situ- the group leaders’ course as Josep Samitier’s Rations and contexts that go beyond representative. “We were provided with “scientific and lab activity,” says Head of strategies to help us understand the differ- Human Resources Carol Marí. With this in ent members of the group and its various mind, throughout 2010 IBEC was offering phases, and we learnt about how useful it is the opportunity for staff at different career to establish agreements and rules.” stages to learn new skills to help them Also in October, 20 PhD students were improve their professional efficiency and to attended a workshop in Scientific Writing encourage more effective interaction. in English, during which they learnt about The last part of the Leadership, Com- aiming their papers at high-ranking journals munication and Motivation course on 9 and how to prepare their theses. Earlier in December was a chance for group leaders the year in March, 24 students were able and support services managers to round up to benefit from a workshop in Conference their findings and exchange experiences, as Presentation Skills in English, which com- well as to reflect on the previous sessions, bined presentation planning with a chance Leadership and Communication, held in to practise public speaking. May, and Leadership and Motivation in “It is important that, in an ever-chang- October. They also had individual coaching ing work environment, we offer training to sessions to support the training. ensure that our more established scientists “What I found particularly interest- and heads of units at support learn the ing was the opportunity we had to take a people skills required to lead a group, and look at our own leadership work through also that IBEC’s younger scientists receive the eyes of a professional,” comments some essential training for their scientific Elena Martínez, senior researcher in the careers,” says Carol. “Improved efficiency Nanobioengineering group, who attended means stronger research teams.” //

SCIENTIFIC NEWS Beating the regeneration blockers

t’s known that the development of – prevents the inhibitors from restricting of these proteins have other roles beyond Ineuronal diseases such as MS and axonal sprouting and limiting the regenera- axonal growth inhibition. “There could be Alzheimer’s disease is connected with the tion of damaged fibre tracts. new physiological roles for them in other levels of myelin – an insulating substance Other elements of the myelin inhibitory processes such as development, neuronal around nerve fibres – in the body, although pathway are still unknown, but this iden- homeostasis, plasticity and neurodegenera- tion,” says José Antonio. “Modifications the actual causes of these conditions remain tification and characterization of the roles could be considered as markers for certain unknown. Now IBEC researchers at have and functions of some of the inhibitory diseases.” // discovered a new group of interacting molecules sheds light on one of the most partners for myelin-associated receptors, competitive areas of research into neurore- which could shed light on the significance generation of the past several years. In addi- Llorens, F., Gil, V. & Del Río, J.A. (2010). of imbalanced production or modifications Emerging functions of myelin-associated proteins tion, further data from within and outside during development, neuronal plasticity, and of the substance. the CNS environment suggests that most neurodegeneration. FASEB J. Following injury in adults, axons have a limited capacity for regrowth; this restriction is caused by myelin-associated // Their FASEB research being picked up on by inhibitors (MAIs). In a study published international websites including Science Daily online by the journal FASEB in November, and several MS sites was a fitting end to a busy period for the group. They made it to the cover of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnol- Cerebral Cortex with their paper ‘Developmental ogy group leader José Antonio del Río and expression of the oligodendrocyte myelin postdocs Vanessa Gil and Franc Llorens glycoprotein in the mouse telencephalon’ in August, and in November attended the inaugural discovered that blocking two shared recep- scientific meeting in Zurich of Priority (Protecting tors – NgR1, together with its coreceptors the food chain of prions), an EU project they’re p75(NTR), TROY and Lingo-1, and paired involved in which is funded under FP7. immunoglobulin-like receptor B (PirB)

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DIRECTORS’ AGENDAS

(Biolpol’H) and a C4 Scientists/ Spreading the word Politicians meeting. Both attend a Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya Recognition Ceremony for Every month the directors are busy representing IBEC at Researchers. Josep S gives a public scientific and political meetings, forums and assemblies lecture at Cosmocaixa in Barcelona and beyond... 12th: Josep P at an ACER meeting 16th: Both attend a meeting about BioNanoMed Catalunya (see page 3) SEP 1st: Josep P at a Key Enabling directors. Josep S at Hospital Clinic Technologies meeting, Brussels for a Robotics Workshop 22nd: Both attend a Reunión 2010 Comisión Coordinación Consorci 10th: Both at the Ciber-BBN Board 20th: Josep P speaks at BIOCAT’s (IDIBELL and Biopol’H) of Directors meeting Conference on Biomaterials and later attends an Associació Catalana 25th: At the general assembly of 14th: Josep S attends a panel d’Entitats de Recerca meeting GENESIS-RED, Josep S gives a talk meeting in Venice of the on NanoMed Spain EuroNanoMed ERA-NET initiative 22nd: Josep P at a KET meeting 29th: Josep S at NANOJASP in 17th: Both at collaboration 25th: Josep P in Brussels for EC Barcelona. Josep P at the Ciber- agreement signing with Biopol’H open days and a Materials Summit BBN Board of Directors meeting 2nd: Josep S at COST TD1003 22nd: Josep P at the plenary 1st: Josep S at a Ciber-BBN forum NOV meeting in Brussels meeting of Health University of DEC on Drug Delivery, Barcelona Barcelona Campus (HUBc) 2010 3rd: Board of Trustees meeting 2010 2nd: Both at Fórum Biocat (page 3) 4th: Josep S at an Interbio OCT 4th: Josep P at a KET meeting Barcelona Innovation Workshop: 2010 NanoBiotechnology & IT for Health 5th: Josep P at an EC open day on Continuously throughout the year: biotechnology in Brussels Team coaching (Biopol’H) 8th: Josep P at an extraordinary Workshops in Innovation, Collaboration and Ciber-BBN meeting of centre 9th: Josep P attends Bioagora Leadership

Making connections A great honour eptember 2010 saw the kick-off meeting the network include ICFO, ICN and Vall Sin Barcelona of the Connect-EU pro- d’Hebron, as well as several companies and gramme, an initiative that aims to promote CSIC centres. With their expertise on their and reinforce Catalan participation in the relevant fields, ACC1Ó will also be able to EU’s instruments for research funding such improve international relations for Catalo- as FP7 and the forthcoming FP8. nia, attract outside investment and develop The creation of a Connect-EU network synergies between research and business, is one of the highlights in the programme. ensuring that Catalan research can hold its IBEC leads the network’s working group own alongside Spain and the rest of . on nanobiotechnology, which will advise ACC1Ó – the agency set up by the Catalan The Connect-EU conference at Barce- lona’s World Trade Center (pictured) on Government to make Catalan enter- In a ceremony on 16 December, IBEC 22-23 September, which was organised by prise more globally competitive – about director Josep Planell was elected as which are the ‘hot’ topics and the Catalan ACC1Ó and Catalan research promoters Academician of the Royal Academy of strengths in this field. The resulting research Talència, attracted more than 700 partici- Science and Arts of Barcelona. Josep agenda will increase opportunities to pants. The next step for IBEC’s working gave a talk, ‘A strategy in regenerative achieve EU funding under the current and group is to produce a white paper on medicine of bone: development of future framework programmes. nanobiotechnology R&D in the region to biodegradable scaffolds for bone regen- Other local research centres involved in present in 2011. eration’ before being sworn in by the president, Rafael Foguet i Ambrò. Membership of the society, which was established in 1764 under the name ‘Experimental Physio-mathemat- ical Council’, is a great honour, limited by number and strictly by nomination. Photo: Lalupa IBEC PEOPLE IBEC EVENTS

ICREA research professor Xavier Trepat’s ERC Starting 14 January 2011 IBEC Seminar Grant sees him well on the way towards having his own Cerebral cortex network dynamics lab and group at IBEC. Currently a senior researcher in Maria V. Sanchez-Vives, IDIBAPS the Cellular and Respiratory Biomechanics group, Xavier 28 January PhD Discussions did his PhD at the University of Barcelona in 2004 before Complementary Skills Session: Is art going to Harvard as a postdoc. In 2008 he returned to the a new way of doing science? UB as a Ramon y Cajal researcher. His research focuses on Josep Perelló, University of Barcelona/ the fundamental biophysical mechanisms underlying cell Arts Santa Mònica migration both at single cell and tissue level, a process which underlies a wide range of phenomena in health and disease. In December Xavier published a ‘News and Views’ February (actual date TBC) article in Nature Methods commenting on recent research in cellular mechanobiology. Meeting of NanoMed Spain 4 February IBEC Seminar ibec in the media... Project manager Juan Fran Two examples of cell physics Sangüesa found himself on the midday bulletin of Catalan phenomena: cell adhesion and cell television channel TV3 on 22 September. Juan Fran was division attending Jornada Connect-EU (see page 7) at the World Trade Center in Barcelona when he was filmed as he gave a Daniel Riveline, ISIS, Strasbourg presentation about the BOND project. He was then asked to 18 February IBEC Seminar comment on his concerns about the current financial climate and projected budget cuts. “I guess I had my fifteen seconds Self-assembling protein microarrays of fame,” said Juan Fran afterwards. “I had more airtime and surface plasmon resonance than the Minister for Innovation, Universities and Enterprises, who was interviewed in the imaging to study high-throughput same news item!” protein interactions of p53 and Mdm2 Manuel Fuentes, University of Salamanca-CSIC AWARDS AND HONOURS 23 February PhD student Victor Pomareda from the Artificial More news ESCOLAB Olfaction group won a best poster award for ‘Hard on the web... 9-11 March modelling in non-negative matrix factorisation: You can keep Workshop on Bioinspired Application to ion mobility spectrometry’ at the up-to-date with computation for chemical Chemometrics in Analytical Chemistry 2010 news and events sensing conference in Antwerp in October. at IBEC by 18 March IBEC Seminar Former IBEC researcher Javier G. Fernandez has visiting Tough scaffolds for bone repair: won the best thesis award from the University of www.ibecbarcelona.eu a hybrid approach to tissue Barcelona’s Claustre de Doctors for the PhD project engineering he developed while in Josep Samitier’s lab. Julian Jones, Imperial College London Want to get involved? If you have an idea for an article for InsideIBEC or would like to write one yourself, please contact us. Is your group starting or finishing a project? Is there an important change in procedure that people should know about, or a deadline coming up? Perhaps something inter- esting has happened in your area of research, or perhaps you’ve had an interesting visitor. Maybe you’d just like to find out what the IBEC com- munity thinks about something, or you have a request for help. Whatever your idea, please let us know! IBEC in pictures “IBEC is more than science – it’s also football!” says Ricard Rius from the HR department. “Inspired by the magic happening at INSIDEIBEC issue 1, Winter 2010. Published at IBEC, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028 Camp Nou, the IBEC football team plays every week against other Barcelona, Spain. Available online: teams from the PCB on the football field next to the Cluster and www.ibecbarcelona.eu/content/view/199/52. Hèlix buildings. It’s another way to work as a team for IBEC and to Editor: Leigh. Please send contributions to [email protected]. enjoy our leisure time. We’re doing well, too, as we’re now in third place of 10 teams.” The first match of the new year will be on 11 January at 13:00, so come along and support your team!