Eduard Montanya, CIBERDEM researcher and head of the research group on diabetes, nutrition and endocrine diseases at the Institute of Biomedical Research of Bellvitge (IDIBELL), has been appointed Scientific Director of CIBERDEM the Standing Committee of CIBER, under the Institute of Health Carlos III, on Monday April 27. Montanya has relieved Dr. Luis Castaño, who occupied this position since 2012.
Montanya poses the main challenge for the future “consolidate the CIBERDEM as a benchmark of excellence in diabetes research with a special emphasis on internationalization.” To achieve this, the center will enhance collaboration between the groups of basic and clinical research, training activities for young researchers and visibility both nationally and internationally.
“We also want to intensify relations with other scientific, economic and social agents involved in the field of diabetes, and encourage the scientific contribution of CIBERDEM to contribute to improving the health of the population and people with diabetes,” says the CIBERDEM new Scientific Director.
Eduard Montanya is a professor of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Barcelona, Chief of Diabetes, University Hospital of Bellvitge and head of the Research Group on Diabetes and Metabolism at IDIBELL. Their research has focused on the pancreatic islet cells with a particular interest in the function and regeneration of beta cells to produce insulin in the cell therapy of diabetes including transplantation of islet cells and new pharmacological treatments for diabetes. He is the author of 150 scientific articles and book chapters.
He has also advised several leading research institutions nationally and internationally, and has carried out scientific review in the main societies and scientific journals in the field of diabetes. The new director of CIBERDEM won a Fulbright Scholarship for a postdoctoral stay at Harvard and has received several awards and research grants. He has also held positions in Spanish, Catalan and international scientific societies. Currently, he is president of the Diabetes Advisory Council of Catalonia.
The Center for Biomedical Research in Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM) is a Spanish public consortium whose main objectives are to lead the research efforts of excellence in diabetes and related metabolic diseases, and to accelerate the translation of research results clinical practice.
CIBERDEM consists of an innovative structure formed by 30 reference groups located in different hospitals, universities and research centers throughout Spain. Established in December 2007 at the initiative of the Carlos III Health Institute, the consortium is also composed of other 19 member institutions from six autonomous communities.