The Catalan Biotechnology Reference Network (XRB) is a “virtual” research center structured in 7 units, which includes all main biotech research fields from different institutions XRB was funded in 1994 by Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan government) and nowadays has over 500 researchers. The Director is Anicet R. Blanch of the University of Barcelona, previous were Dr. E. Giralt and Dr. P. Puigdomènech . The m a n a g e m e n t b o d y i s t h e B o s c h i G i m p e r a Foundation (FBiG).

1. www.xrb.cat

2. What is the XRB?
The Catalan Biotechnology Reference Network (XRB) is a
“virtual” research center structured in 7 units, which inlucdes all
main biotech research fields from different institutions
XRB was funded in 1994 by Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan
government) and nowadays has over 500 researchers.
The Director is Anicet R. Blanch of the University of Barcelona,
previous were Dr. E. Giralt and Dr. P. Puigdomènech . The
m a n a g e m e n t b o d y i s t h e B o s c h i G i m p e r a
Foundation (FBiG).

3. Units
U1:
Synthesis
and
Structure
of
Pep6ds
and
Nucleic
Acids
Dr.
E.
Giralt
(IRBB-­‐UB)
U2:
Biochemical
Engineering.
Dr.
X.
Font
(UAB)
U3:
Protein
Engineering.
Dr.
F.X.
Avilès
(IBB-­‐UAB)
U4:
Plant
Gene6cs.
Dr.
J.
García-­‐Mas
(Consorci
CSIC-­‐IRTA-­‐UAB-­‐UB
Centre
de
Recerca
en
Agrigenòmica
(CRAG))
U5:
Molecular
Biology
and
Biotechnology
of
Animal
Cells.
Dr.
J.
Roca
(IBMB-­‐CSIC)
U6:
Plant
Molecular
Gene6cs.
Dra.
B.
Sansegundo
(Consorci
CSIC-­‐
IRTA-­‐UAB-­‐UB
Centre
de
Recerca
en
Agrigenòmica
(CRAG))
U7:
Environmental
Microbiology.
Dr.
A.
Blanch
(UB)

5. Main Goals
Promote
interdisciplinary
research
and
quality
Improve
social
percep6on
of
Biotechnology
Improve
colabora6on
and
technology
transfer
between
XRB
and
Industry
Increase
research
in
value
and
promote
the
crea6on
of
new
companies
Take
ac6ve
part
in
researcher
training
and
mobility
Encourage
contacts
with
na6onal
and
interna6onal
networks

6. RESULTS 2012 (I)
94 competitive grants
15,1 M €
51 doctoral thesis read
23 science activities
organized
43 divulgative activities
9 filled patents
24 ongoing company projects 1,29 M €
165 ongoing doctoral thesis
345
papers

7. RESULTS 2012 (II)-IDEA POT
INVESTMENT
(2012):
5.000
€
RESULT (2013):
IMI CONSORTIUM WITH
GSK = 1,38 M €
Goal: Invest no more than 5k into specific proof of concept projects to reduce time to
market
https://www.youtube.com/xrbiotech

8. RESULTS 2012 (III)

9. Goal: to detect young researchers and entrepreneurships with a groundbreaking idea and give
a chance to start a project or research line
Applications: 7
ü 4 energy sector
ü 1 environment
ü 2 biomedicine
RESULTS 2012 (IV)-IDEA AWARD
Thanks to:

10. What does biotechnology do for me?
Goal: the books’ aim is to show society (and particularly high schools) how biotechnology
helps and improves our day-to-day life
CONTENTS
FICHES
(students)
ARTICLES
(advanced
students)
ü It
removes
bad
smells
ü It
cleans
beaches
ü It
makes
transplants
easier
ü
it
cures
flu
ü It
transforms
bacteria
into
drug
factories
ü It
uses
plants
to
increase
my
quality
life

11. THANKS
www.xrb.cat
https://www.youtube.com/xrbiotech
@xrbiotech
http://www.slideshare.net/xrbiotech/