On Monday 17th June, the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park hosted the conference “Hematology in Barcelona, Biology of Disease”. The event brought together 135 registered participants from the national and international scientific community dedicated to the study of blood biology, with the outstanding participation as organizers of Alessandra Giorgetti and M. Carolina Florian, both IDIBELL researchers.
The main objective of the conference was to present and discuss the current situation of research in hematology to improve the treatment of onco-hematological diseases. Topics of great clinical relevance, such as the characterization of pediatric and adult hereditary diseases related to bone marrow, advances in gene therapy and new treatments for leukemia, were discussed in depth.
“This event helps to consolidate Barcelona as a key hub for international haematological research, reinforcing the commitment of the scientific community to improve the treatments and diagnoses of blood diseases”, says Florian, also an ICREA research professor.
In addition, the usefulness of epigenetic tools to improve the diagnosis and treatment of hematological diseases was highlighted, as well as advances in the understanding of the biology of blood cell generation. In total, 7 national speakers and 6 international experts shared their most recent knowledge and discoveries.
The conference also had the participation and support of Francesco Ceresoli, head of research at the European Association of Hematology (EHA), who highlighted the importance of these events to foster collaboration and progress in this vital field of medicine.
The organizing committee also included Anna Bigas, from the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and the Josep Carreras Institute, Albert Català, from Sant Joan de Déu and the Josep Carreras Institute, and Manel Esteller, from the Josep Carreras Institute, all of them members of different thematic areas of the Centre for Biomedical Research Network (CIBER), which sponsored the meeting together with IDIBELL.
The Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) is a biomedical research center created in 2004. It is participated by the Bellvitge University Hospital and the Viladecans Hospital of the Catalan Institute of Health, the Catalan Institute of Oncology, the University of Barcelona and the City Council of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat.
IDIBELL is a member of the Campus of International Excellence of the University of Barcelona HUBc and is part of the CERCA institution of the Generalitat de Catalunya. In 2009 it became one of the first five Spanish research centers accredited as a health research institute by the Carlos III Health Institute. In addition, it is part of the “HR Excellence in Research” program of the European Union and is a member of EATRIS and REGIC. Since 2018, IDIBELL has been an Accredited Center of the AECC Scientific Foundation (FCAECC).