The research projects of UAB lecturers Marc Torrent, aimed at tackling antibiotic resistance, and Aura Muntasell, aimed at developing a new cell therapy for cancer, will receive funding from the CaixaImpulse programme, which gives financial support to 31 biomedical projects from research centres, hospitals, and universities in Spain and Portugal.
The "la Caixa" Foundation has announced the results of the 2025 CaixaImpulse programme, offering financial support for 31 biomedical projects from research centres, hospitals, and universities in Spain and Portugal. In total, the foundation will allocate €3.8 million to this initiative, which aims to accelerate the arrival of these innovations on the market to bring them closer to the patients who need them. The winning projects—chosen from among 428 applications received—were evaluated by six panels of international experts and professionals in this field.
One of the projects selected this year is led by Marc Torrent, researcher in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the UAB, with the aim of tackling antibiotic resistance with new treatments that are precise and safe for the body. The approach focuses on a system that is essential for the survival of pathogens but absent in the beneficial bacteria necessary for maintaining human health. By targeting this unique system, the project aims to develop therapies that effectively combat dangerous infections while preserving the body's natural balance.
The project by Aura Muntasell, researcher with the Molecular Cancer Therapy group at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and the Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (IBB-UAB), and lecturer in the Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology at the UAB, has also been selected. The project aims to develop a more effective cell therapy to combat solid tumours based on natural killer cells, which have already shown good results in the treatment of blood cancers. Her team has observed that, with a simple change, these cells can also attack solid tumours, such as those of the colon or breast. The goal is to turn this discovery into a safe and effective treatment that medical teams can administer to cancer patients.
CaixaImpulse gives support to biomedical projects in the field of innovation and transfer, and helps researchers validate their assets and define their exploitation and valorisation strategy to bring research results closer to the market. Therefore, in addition to financial support, researchers can also access mentoring, consulting, and guidance from international experts in different areas of the innovation ecosystem.
