The Innomed community recently gathered at the Banc de Sang i Teixits (BST) in Barcelona for a new session aimed at strengthening collaboration across the biomedical ecosystem and exploring new opportunities in advanced therapies.

The meeting brought together innovation and research professionals from key institutions within the Can Ruti Campus, including IGTP, Hospital Germans Trias, IrsiCaixa, Institut Guttmann, Institut Català d’Oncologia, the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, and the Consorci Sanitari del Maresme.

The session opened with institutional remarks, followed by presentations highlighting BST’s capabilities in translational research, advanced therapies, and cell bioprocessing. Participants also learned about ongoing initiatives leveraging data science and artificial intelligence to optimise blood donation strategies and better respond to healthcare system needs.

A dedicated session focused on innovation projects from the Can Ruti ecosystem, including initiatives linked to the campus advanced therapies programme (PATH) and research in areas such as cellular therapies for autoimmune diseases, extracellular vesicles, and regenerative medicine developed in collaboration between IGTP and BST.

One of the key moments of the event was a roundtable discussion addressing the challenges associated with the clinical implementation of advanced therapies. The discussion highlighted regulatory barriers at both national and European levels, as well as the need for more flexible frameworks to facilitate the translation of these therapies into clinical practice.

The visit concluded with a tour of BST facilities and a networking session, enabling participants to exchange knowledge, identify complementary capabilities, and explore new collaboration pathways