Doing research at the HUBc

fer recerca al HUBc

The University of Barcelona is a leader in university research in Spain. By volume of publications, the UB is the second highest producing state institution after the CSIC, according to the Third European Report on Science & Technology Indicators.

Within the framework of the HUBc, research activity is in constant interaction with heathcare provision, and translational research is incorporated as a discipline within clinical practice. The institutes and world-class centres of the HUBc combine basic science, clinical research and clinical trials to apply new discoveries in clinical practice.

Conducting research of excellence represents a key focus of the HUBc, in addition to developing translational research programs, leading high-level scientific output and promoting spin-off companies, which favour knowledge-transfer activities.

 

The HUBc brings together the potential of several different institutions devoted to research:

Within the Hospital Clínic - Sant Joan de Déu area:

  • August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS)
  • Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona (IIBB-CSIC)
  • Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB)
  • Esther Koplowitz Biomedical Research Centre (CIBEK)

Within the Bellvitge University Hospital:

  • Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL)
  • Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO)
  • Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC)

In total, the HUBc boasts 1,919 researchers and 3,845 third-stage students (1,097 doctoral students, 30,8% of whom are international students). In the past three years, 134 doctoral theses have been read, and together the University of Barcelona, and 82,2 % of teachers have a doctoral degree. 

Knowledge and technology transfer

Research is not an end in itself, but rather it is a tool for the advancement of the fundamental objective of the HUBc: improving people’s health. So, research activities cannot be understood outside the context of knowledge transfer.

Today the HUBc’s research institutes have 306 contracts with companies, have created 13 spin-off companies, and have registered 42 national patents and 22 international patents, with some 48 more in the application phase. Furthermore, the HUBc has entered into 39 knowledge-transfer agreements and 906 clinical trials have been conducted.

Scientific dissemination

The HUBc produced 4,619 indexed publications with an impact factor of 4.53.