Does the scientific career still discriminate against women? Although this is true, lately, the number of female scientists directing research groups at IDIBELL is following a clear upward trend. However, there is still a notable difference between the percentage of female researchers in pre- and postdoctoral positions, which is 65% compared to men, and that of women scientists who occupy positions of power, such as group leaders, which in 2022 reached 34%. To highlight the role of women in our research system and to bring their work and demands closer to society, IDIBELL organizes the sLHam of women scientists, a successful initiative that this year reaches its sixth edition.
After a special edition that brought together the most voted scientists from all the IDIBELL sLHams, the sixth edition, which will take place on Friday, February 10 at 7:00 p.m. at the Barradas Auditorium in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, will incorporate a novelty: it will be starring six IDIBELL researchers and scientific professionals and two junior slhameres, Bellvitge High School students, who have completed their final baccalaureate work in the IDIBELL laboratories thanks to the Educational Tandem project developed by both institutions. The protagonists will be Sandra Acosta, Begoña Arán, Lidia Franco, Núria Lloberas, Patricia Prada, and Gemma Via from IDIBELL, and Fatima Akhtar and Paula Barrios from the Bellvitge High School. Each of them will explain, in a five-minute informative talk, her research, her passion for science, the challenges she pursues, and the obstacles they have had to overcome throughout her career.
Conceived to join the global commemoration of the Day of Women and Girls in Science, the sLHam wants to make science more accessible and alive, and bring it closer to all types of public in a festive way. The event will be led by Carla Serra, an IDIBELL scientific communicator. A young acoustic duo from the L’Hospitalet School of Music and Arts Center made up of Estela Latorre on vocals and Gerard Morató on piano, will perform music pieces during the show.
The public will actively participate in the event by choosing, by popular vote, the best sLHam monologue. The event, with free admission, will raise funds with a reverse box, and all voluntary contributions will be entirely destinated to promote biomedical research at the IDIBELL.
The sLHam is organized with the collaboration of the Hospitalet de Llobregat City Council, the Barradas Auditorium, the Hospitalet School of Music and Center for the Arts, the Bellvitge High School, and the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT). The initiative also has the support of BioNova Científica, Sarstedt, Labclinics, Aire Ancient Baths, and the Debut restaurant, which provide prizes for the participants. The activity is part of the LHCiència strategy, recently started, and is part of the Projecte d’Especialització i Competitivitat Territorial (PECT) project, co-financed with European FEDER funds, coordinated by the Hospitalet town hall of Llobregat.
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).