The Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research (IISPV), the Girona Biomedical Research Institute Dr. Josep Trueta (IDIBGI) and the Dr. Pifarré Foundation Institute for Biomedical Research of Lleida (IRB Lleida) have received a total of 361,474 euros in the call in the Strategic Plan for Research and Innovation in Health (PERIS) 2022-2027 of the Department of Health, in order to maintain their joint internationalisation initiative, the Beyond GO_HERO project.
The Beyond GO_HERO (Health European Research Offices) project, coordinated by IDIBGI, began in 2023 and is scheduled to end on 31 December 2025. The proposal is presented as the consolidation of the international project units of the three centres, all of which are members of the CERCA system of the Generalitat de Catalunya. The initiative seeks to empower the units with skills and knowledge to take the step towards increased leadership in proposals and in the number of proposals solicited at the international level. Another objective of the project is to train the research staff of the institutes in different key areas for the preparation of highly competitive quality projects.
This new project is the continuation of the GO_HERO project, which enabled the professionalisation of the international project units of the three centres and their technical staff. The combined efforts yielded tangible results in all areas, such as an increase of more than 40% in the attraction of international funds, a 25% increase in the number of international proposals submitted, a 5% increase in the success rate in the calls for proposals, diversification in the sources of funding, an increase in the number of international projects and greater participation of the research groups of the three institutions.
The impact of the Beyond GO_HERO project will be significant as it will maintain the momentum for the three institutes to consolidate their presence in European and international research. This increase will contribute to strengthening Catalonia's position on the European biomedical and clinical map, in addition to the possible inclusion on the European agenda of the particular health needs of the region's citizens.
This initiative is part of the existing collaboration agreement between the three institutes. Apart from having similar scientific production indicators, the three regions share health challenges in that they cover a population that is geographically dispersed, older than that of the metropolitan areas and with less investment. This situation makes collaboration vital, not only between the institutes but also with other European entities, in order to offer solutions to existing health challenges, both regionally and internationally.
For Dr. Marga Nadal, director of the IDIBGI, "the GO_HERO project proved to have an impact on the participating institutions in terms of the number of proposals submitted and funded. Now the GO_HERO project will seek excellence, professionalisation and a leap towards the leadership of international proposals".
According to Dr. Joan Vendrell, director of the IISPV, "this continuity of the joint project will position the participating centres in a prominent place on the biomedical map of Catalonia with an outstanding and very valuable international projection for our territory".
For Dr. Diego Arango, director of IRBLleida, "thanks to the project we will boost the attraction of international funding through participation and leadership in competitive consortiums and strengthen institutional relations".
About the IISPV
The Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research (IISPV) is a research institute created in 2005 to manage biomedical and health research in the Camp de Tarragona and Terres de l'Ebre. The IISPV is participated by: ICS Camp de Tarragona with the University Hospital of Tarragona Joan XXIII, ICS Terres de l'Ebre with the Hospital Virgen de la Cinta, the University Hospital Sant Joan de Reus, the Pere Mata Group and the Rovira i Virgili University.
About IDIBGI
The Girona Biomedical Research Institute Dr. Josep Trueta (IDIBGI) is a CERCA centre dedicated to translational, clinical and epidemiological research aimed at improving people's health and care. With more than 400 researchers, including health professionals and basic researchers, it is organised into 22 research groups in five health areas: Cardiovascular and Respiratory, Metabolism and Inflammation, Neurosciences, Oncohematology and Mental Health. The IDIBGI is linked to the main health institutions in Girona, such as the Trueta Hospital in Girona and the Santa Caterina Hospital in Salt.
About IRBLleida
The Institute for Research in Biomedicine of Lleida Fundació Dr. Pifarré (IRBLleida) was created with the aim of creating synergies between basic, clinical and epidemiological research, making biomedical research a key driver for improving current clinical practice. IRBLleida covers a chain of translational research, from basic research, aimed at understanding the physiological and pathological mechanisms of the human body, to research that studies the behaviour of diseases in large population groups.
