The CaixaResearch Institute launches as Europe's new immunology hub, with the BBRC bringing its neuroscience expertise

The "la Caixa" Foundation has inaugurated the CaixaResearch Institute, the first center dedicated entirely to study of immunology in Spain and Portugal and one of the pioneers in Europe. Its implementation reinforces the biomedical research ecosystem driven by the Foundation, of which our research center, the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC), has been part of it since its creation.

This collaboration has materialised in key initiatives such as the ALFA study, one of the world's largest cohorts for Alzheimer's research, which includes more than 2,700 cognitively healthy volunteers with a family history of the disease and has made it possible to identify biomarkers capable of predicting the risk of developing it years before the appearance of the first symptoms.

In this context, Dr. Arcadi Navarro, director of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation and the BBRC, has been appointed as a member of the Scientific Council of the CaixaResearch Institute, a key body in defining its strategy and main lines of research. It also brings together the directors of other centers linked to the "la Caixa" Foundation, such as IrsiCaixa, VHIO, ISGlobal, IRSJD, and the Portuguese GIMM, consolidating a high-level model of scientific collaboration.

The new institute represents an investment of 100 million euros, has an area of 20,000 m² and capacity to accommodate up to 45 research groups. Its activity will be structured around three main areas: immunology and diseases, exposomal sciences, and systems immunology and engineering.

Driving Alzheimer's research from an immunological perspective

The addition of the new center opens up significant opportunities to move forward in the study of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. Scientific evidence indicates that chronic inflammation and immune system dysfunction play a key role in its development.

In this context, neuroimmunology, which studies the interaction between the nervous system and the immune system, is emerging as a strategic field. The specialisation of the CaixaResearch Institute in immunology complements the work of the BBRC, focused on early detection and prevention, and reinforces the potential of both institutions to generate impactful knowledge.

A growing scientific ecosystem

With the launch of the CaixaResearch Institute, the network of centers promoted by the "la Caixa" Foundation reaches seven institutions, This network comprises more than 1,500 researchers and an annual budget exceeding €200 million. Furthermore, these centers enrolled over 5,700 patients in clinical trials last year.

The BBRC has been part of this ecosystem since its inception, and the addition of the new institute strengthens the synergies that drive more collaborative research with greater social impact.