On August 12, one of the most remarkable astronomical events of recent years will take place. The darkness created by the eclipse may give a false sense of safety, yet solar radiation continues to reach the eye during the partial phases. Throughout the eclipse, therefore, looking directly at the sun without protection can cause retinal damage and, because the retina has no pain receptors, the injury may occur without causing any immediate discomfort. In fact, symptoms may appear hours later, manifesting as blurred vision or a dark spot in the center of the visual field. Given these risks, prevention is crucial. Pere Romero, head of the RETIPROGRAM Ophthalmology Group at IRB CatSud and chief of the Ophthalmology Department at Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, highlights the following recommendations to avoid endangering our eyesight:
CHILDREN: CONSTANT SUPERVISION
It is essential to ensure that they always look through the filter and do not attempt to observe the sun above or around the edges of the glasses. They should also not walk around while wearing them.
When should you consult a specialist?
After the eclipse, if blurred vision, image distortion, or a fixed spot in the center of the visual field appears, an ophthalmological assessment is required. It should be noted that symptoms may emerge between two and six hours after exposure. In any case, to prevent injury, it is essential to keep the recommended precautions in mind in order to enjoy this phenomenon safely. In this regard, IRB CatSud will distribute certified eclipse glasses among its staff so that everyone can experience the event safely. Details on how these glasses will be provided will be communicated internally.
Research carried out by investigators from the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud (IRB CatSud), the CIBER CIBERobn network (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición) and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) has focused, within the framework of a study published in the scientific journal Andrology, on diet quality in relation to sperm quality. The study concluded that men who regularly consume nuts have better sperm quality.
The study worked with a sample of up to 222 healthy men aged between 18 and 40 years who were participants in the international project called Led-Fertyl. This was a cross-sectional study focused on dietary and lifestyle factors related to semen quality. To analyse the relationship between nut consumption and sperm quality, the researchers collected detailed information on the participants’ eating habits through validated nutritional questionnaires and compared it with the results of their semen analyses, the clinical test used to assess parameters such as sperm concentration, count, and motility.
Participants with a higher consumption of nuts were less likely to show abnormalities in sperm motility, one of the factors that may affect male fertility. More specifically, the research team points out that men who consumed one portion per day were 75% less likely to present sperm motility problems and had a 69% lower risk of having any abnormality in their semen analysis.
Study reference
Dávila-Córdova E, Babio N, Valle-Hita C, Fernández de la Puente M, Beltran-Arasa A, Cebrián-Puig M, Fambuena-Perez V, García-Serrano I, Murphy MM, Salas-Salvadó J, Salas-Huetos A. Nut Consumption and Sperm Quality in Healthy Men: Results From the Led-Fertyl Study. Andrology. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.70204
Mamapop continues to strengthen its commitment to breast cancer research in Tarragona and this Tuesday donated a total of €30,150 to the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud (IRB CatSud). This amount comes from the profits generated by the concert held last November at the Palau Firal i de Congressos de Tarragona, plus €3,000 raised by Rotary Tarragona through the sale of the Cartes de Tarragona and the Tarratea activity.
Overall, Mamapop’s contribution to IRB CatSud throughout the three editions held in Tarragona has reached €84,725, an amount entirely dedicated to breast cancer research. Manel Simon, director and founder of Mamapop, thanked the public for their support and stated that “this new donation once again demonstrates the ability of music to become research and future opportunities”. He also highlighted that “this contribution strengthens the network of support that makes the project possible”.
Dr Joan Vendrell, director of IRB CatSud, expressed his gratitude for the commitment and efforts of the entire team behind Mamapop and stressed that research advances when society and institutions work together. In this regard, he explained that “the history of this charity project is a clear example of collective commitment to health, biomedical research and the Catalunya Sud territory, a commitment that has enabled us to launch a breast cancer research line that, unfortunately, addresses a disease with a high incidence in our society”.
The donation ceremony took place this Tuesday at Tarragona City Hall and was attended by the city’s mayor, Rubén Viñuales, who stated that “Tarragona is very proud to host and support a project that brings together so many people, organisations and companies around such an important cause. The public response once again shows that we are a supportive and committed city, capable of facing society’s major challenges together”.
He added: “Research is essential to make progress in prevention, treatments and the quality of life of patients. For this reason, Tarragona City Council will continue to support Mamapop, IRB CatSud and all initiatives that help make our region a benchmark in research, innovation and health.”
The event also served to present the theme of the next edition of the charity concert, which will premiere on 14 November 2026 at 8:00 p.m. at the Palau Firal i de Congressos de Tarragona. Mamapop will take another step forward with its eleventh show: Mamapop Disco Remember!, a spectacular journey through the greatest disco and dance hits that have marked several generations. The new production will feature a selection of iconic songs that will turn the theatre into a huge dance floor. Audiences will be able to relive hits by Boney M, Kool & The Gang, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chic, Madonna, The Jacksons, Wham!, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael, A-ha, Kylie Minogue, Lionel Richie & Diana Ross and Jennifer Rush, among many other artists who are part of our shared musical memory.
The new production will maintain the artistic and quality standards that have made Mamapop one of the leading charity initiatives, combining live music, stage design, audiovisual elements and a renewed production in support of a cause that continues to mobilise thousands of people. Tickets are already on sale through www.mamapop.cat and at FarmaTarraco Pharmacy.
Since its creation, Mamapop has contributed a total of €492,695 to research at IRB Lleida and IRB CatSud, becoming the leading source of private funding for breast cancer research in Catalonia. In this regard, Manel Simon reaffirmed his commitment to bringing the show to the Tarragona area and highlighted the importance of “continuing to support scientific research”.
Mamapop Tarragona is made possible thanks to the support of Fundación Repsol, Factor Energia, Tarragona City Council, the Palau Firal i de Congressos de Tarragona, the Diputació de Tarragona, the Port of Tarragona and Fundació La Caixa. It has also received support from several companies and organisations, including Club Rotary Tarragona, Club Bàsquet Tarragona and Nàstic de Tarragona.
Acting without sufficiently considering the consequences, making hasty decisions or being carried away by emotions of the moment are some of the behaviours associated with impulsivity. In the past, several studies have linked this psychological trait to unhealthy habits, such as tobacco consumption, harmful substances and unhealthy foods, among others. It has also been associated with mental health problems and poorer overall health status. However, there was no clear scientific evidence in older populations without any diagnosed psychiatric disorder.
Now, a research team from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud (IRBCatSud) and the Biomedical Research Networking Centre for the Pathophysiology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN) has demonstrated that following a low-calorie Mediterranean diet, engaging in physical activity and receiving behavioural support reduce impulsivity. The results have been published in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, one of the scientific publications with the greatest international impact in the fields of psychology and psychiatry.
The team analysed data from 306 participants in the PREDIMED-Plus-Cognition study, which evaluates cognitive status and other factors related to the mental health of participants in the PREDIMED clinical trial. Volunteers were randomly assigned to two groups: one followed an intensive programme aimed at increasing adherence to a slightly calorie-restricted Mediterranean diet, increasing physical activity and reinforcing these changes through behavioural support; the other received only general recommendations to follow a Mediterranean diet. Impulsivity was assessed at the beginning of the study and during the three years of follow-up through personality questionnaires and cognitive tests.
Significant behavioural changes
After three years, participants who had followed the intensive lifestyle programme showed a significant reduction, between small and moderate, in impulsivity levels compared with the control group. More specifically, they improved impulsive personality traits, reducing tendencies such as acting without thinking about the consequences. Even more relevant was the change in their behaviour, as they improved their ability to make sound decisions, learning to prioritise long-term benefits over immediate rewards.
“This is the first time it has been shown that a multimodal intervention can regulate impulsivity in older adults, potentially helping to prevent the development of future chronic diseases,” states Carlos Gómez Martínez, postdoctoral researcher at Helse Vest and the University of Bergen (Norway). For Jordi Salas-Salvadó, Professor of Nutrition at the URV and co-leader of the study together with Gómez Martínez, adopting healthy habits not only improves physical health, but also promotes more reflective decision-making: “It could facilitate the maintenance of other healthy behaviours in the long term, contribute to preserving psychological well-being and foster a greater capacity for self-regulation.”
The study was carried out by researchers from the Human Nutrition Unit of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud (IRBCatSud) and the Biomedical Research Networking Centre for the Pathophysiology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN). The research is part of the PREDIMED-Plus study, developed by several groups within the CIBER of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, and has received funding from the European projects Eat2BeNice and PRIME, as well as from various competitive projects of the ISCIII.
Reference: Gómez-Martínez C, Shyam S, Camacho-Barcia L, Margara-Escudero HJ, Babio N, Forcano L, Corella D, Cuenca-Royo A, de la Torre R, Jimenez-Murcia S, Pintó X, Fitó M, Fernández-Carrión R, Matura S, Franke B, Haavik J, Fernández-Aranda F, Salas-Salvadó J. Three-year effects of a multidomain lifestyle intervention on impulsivity: Results from a randomized clinical trial. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. 2026. doi: 10.1159/000550126.
What a woman eats during pregnancy not only affects her own health, but also her child’s future development. In particular, the quality of carbohydrates in the diet —that is, how they affect blood sugar levels— may play a key role in children’s cognitive and motor development.
This is one of the main conclusions of two studies involving IRB CatSud, which suggest that diets with a higher impact on blood glucose levels are associated with poorer outcomes in different areas of child neurodevelopment.
Not all carbohydrates act in the same way in the body. Some cause rapid increases in blood glucose, while others do so more gradually. This difference is measured through the glycemic index and glycemic load. In general, fresh, fiber-rich foods —such as fruit, vegetables, legumes, or whole grains— have a more moderate effect, whereas more refined products tend to trigger faster responses.
In one of the studies, more than a thousand pregnant women and their children were followed during the first years of life. The results indicate that a higher intake of carbohydrates with elevated glycemic index and load during pregnancy is associated with lower scores in language and motor skills in young children.
A second study, with longer follow-up into the preschool stage, reinforces these findings. In this case, differences were observed in aspects such as processing speed, non-verbal skills, and visuomotor coordination depending on the quality of carbohydrates consumed during pregnancy.
The consistency between both studies highlights the need to pay greater attention to this factor in nutritional recommendations for pregnant women. Beyond the amount of carbohydrates, researchers emphasize the importance of prioritizing those with a gentler impact on blood glucose, with the aim of supporting optimal brain development from the earliest stages of life.
This research involved teams from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili and IRB CatSud, among other institutions, within the framework of mother–child cohort studies.
An international study finds epigenetic signals — chemical modifications that regulate gene activity without altering DNA, often influenced by environmental factors such as pollution or stress — associated with bipolar disorder, a mental illness characterised by extreme mood changes, alternating depression and euphoria, which could help to develop more accurate clinical prediction tools.
The study, published in the scientific journal EBioMedicine under the title DNA methylation signatures associated with bipolar disorder in peripheral blood improve prediction models, represents the largest meta-analysis on epigenetics in bipolar disorder carried out so far at an international level. The participation of researchers linked to the Hospital Universitari Institut Pere Mata (HUIPM) and the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud (IRB CatSud, formerly IISPV) has been especially relevant, as they have provided their own sample of participants, one of the 12 that have contributed to the study. The research has also included the participation of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) and the team from the Consorci Sanitari del Maresme — both integrated into the national network Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM) — and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB).
The research analysed a sample of 3,476 people in total — of whom 1,729 had the disorder and 1,747 were healthy — aged between 16 and 53 years, with 56% women, coming from 12 international samples from different countries. The objective was to identify epigenetic changes associated with bipolar disorder.
Among the most important results, the research team identified 47 regions with epigenetic modification associated with the diagnosis of bipolar disorder and, among these, several are genetic regions involved in processes related to neurotransmission, immune response and cell regulation. In addition, the study also shows that polymethylation scores, which are epigenetic indicators that integrate multiple chemical marks in DNA that can activate or deactivate genes, combined with current genetic models, can improve the predictive ability for bipolar disorder, especially in bipolar disorder type I.
“These results reinforce the idea that epigenetic factors, which are more influenced by environmental factors, can provide additional information to genetics (which is more stable) and contribute, in the future, to the development of useful biological indicators for diagnosis, as well as for clinical decision-making in mental health,” says Elisabet Vilella, one of the researchers involved in the study.
The study has also involved research centres and universities from Europe, North America and Australia, within a large international collaboration under the framework of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium Bipolar Disorder Working Group.
The publication represents a new recognition of research driven from the region in the field of psychiatry and mental health, and consolidates the position of the participating centres as references in translational research and biomedical innovation.
Bibliographic reference
Tesfaye, M., Stavrum, A. K., Höffler, K. D., O’Connell, K. S., David, F. S., Garrett, M. E., Hesam-Shariati, S., Overs, B. J., Pisanu, C., Spano, L., Watkeys, O. J., Weihs, A., Ardau, R., Ashley-Koch, A. E., Athanasiu, L., Beckham, J. C., Bourassa, K. J., Chillotti, C., Djurovic, S., Drange, O. K., … Le Hellard, S. (2026). DNA methylation signatures associated with bipolar disorder in peripheral blood improve prediction models. EBioMedicine, 128, 106284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2026.106284
Around sixty researchers from all over the country, from both basic and clinical research fields, have participated in the first national conference on genetics in psychiatry, held in Reus this Wednesday and organized by the Hospital Universitari Institut Pere Mata (HUIPM) and the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Catalunya Sud (IRB CatSud), with the participation of the CIBERSAM network (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental). One of the main achievements of the meeting, held at the HUIPM facilities, has been the promotion of a shared proposal to create a stable network or working group in genetics in psychiatry, with a long-term vision and with the aim that it may evolve into a future scientific society.
During the conference, strategic lines were discussed, such as promoting collaborative work, sharing data and knowledge, or creating a repository of genetic data, as well as the need to strengthen the transfer of results to clinical practice and society.
The meeting has represented a turning point in the field of genetics in psychiatry, since until now researchers specialised in the genetics of psychiatric disorders in the country had never met in a specific forum. In recent years, the growth of research in this field and the emergence of results with potential clinical application have favoured the consolidation of a critical mass that has made it possible to promote this initiative.
“It is the first conference held by specialist researchers in genetics of psychiatric diseases, and the reason is that it is a relatively innovative field. Over the years, the researchers we met at conferences said we had to do something together and, at the end of last October, at an international psychiatric genetics conference in Mexico, we decided to do it and chose to hold the first conference in Reus,” said the research director of HUIPM and deputy director of IRB CatSud, Elisabet Vilella.
At the conference, the different participating teams also shared their lines of work and presented the latest advances in genetics in psychiatry, with the aim of generating synergies and exploring new ways of collaboration. “Our group presented work related to the development and characterisation of neuronal lines from patients with first psychotic episodes, where we look for biological signals to help find the best diagnosis so that there can be the most personalised treatment possible, for example in the development of schizophrenia,” explained the researcher from the Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Valencia (INCLIVA), Ricardo Ruiz Miguel, one of the speakers at the conference.
The organisers also highlighted that initiatives like this help to accelerate the transfer of scientific knowledge into real applications and to promote collaboration between research groups, also incorporating work with patient associations as one of the key axes for the future.
With this first edition, the conference has laid the foundations to become a regular reference meeting at the national level, with the intention of continuing to strengthen scientific cooperation and to increase the impact of research in mental health for the benefit of society.
This week, from June 15 to 18, Montbrió del Camp hosts the 43rd International Symposium on Diabetes and Nutrition (abbreviated as DNSG from the English initials of the organizing body, Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group), which is currently chaired by Hana Kahleova, from the United States. This symposium is a global meeting point for research in diabetes and nutrition and at the local level, this year, it involves the participation of the Southern Catalonia Biomedical Research Institute – IRBCatSud and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV).
The aim of this symposium is to share knowledge regarding research in nutrition, diabetes and the prevention of chronic diseases. It should be noted that the DNSG group is a reference when it comes to developing recommendations on nutrition at the European level and based on diabetes. “That DNSG 2026 is being held in our region and has reached full capacity is magnificent news for our scientific and healthcare institutions”, highlights the organizing committee, made up of the Vice-President of the Symposium and member of the local organizing committee of the congress Jordi Salas; the director of IRB CatSud, Joan Vendrell; and the professor of Nutrition and Food Science at the URV Nancy Babio.
This edition, on the other hand, features a record number of 118 scientific presentations, which address aspects to be considered in the fields of obesity, diabetes and precision medicine, among many other topics.
One of the elements that makes this edition stand out is the collaboration of a local Scientific Committee made up of representatives from the main Spanish scientific societies and research networks related to diabetes, nutrition, obesity and metabolic health. Another relevant factor is that, among the most prominent scientists participating in the congress, is Dr. Frank Hu, Chair of the Department of Nutrition and Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at Harvard University.
A study identifies a key mechanism in the way that the liver processes the acute and fat, which has direct implications in diseases such as diabetes, obesity and metabolic liver disease. Understanding the role of this mechanism, which exercises as a key “sensor” during the transition from aid to food, and doing it from a physiologic point of view, could open new therapeutic pathways to improve the control of glucose and body capacity to adapt to changes between aid and food. This is especially relevant in diseases such as those described above, since the horse loses precisely this capacity. The study promoted by the IRB CatSud, formerly IISPV) and led by researchers from the area of Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM), has been published in the scientific journal Science Advances with the title SUCNR1 coordinates metabolic flux, mitochondrial function, and nutrient-dependent adaptation in hepatocytes. Researchers from various areas of the Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red) (CIBER) of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), have participated in the study.
The Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (DIAMET) research group at IRB CatSud is responsible for the study that provides relevant knowledge to advance in the prevention and treatment of high-impact metabolic disorders in public health in the long term. The research team has focused on succinate, which apart from serving to obtain energy, also acts as a signal in other cells through a receptor called SUCNR1. This receptor is especially abundant in a specific area of the hygro and increases during the development of this organ, which suggests an important role in liver function.
In addition, the research staff has discovered that both the levels of succino and the expression of the SUCNR1 receptor in the liver varied depending on whether the organism is in aid or fed. To better understand their role, the researchers involved studied mice that lack this receptor in the main cells of the hygda (the hepatocytes). In the absence of this receptor, the liver “is active in excess” and ends up producing more glucose than necessary in conditions of aid. This is accompanied by a lower capacity of the organism to adapt correctly to the changes that derive from the nutritional state, that is, in aid or after eating. At the cellular level, the lack of this receptor alters the way in which the water cells use glucose to produce energy, which causes the dependence of other nutrients and alters their functionality. Consequently, in response to the intake, an incomplete recovery of the energy reserves of the cells is observed.
Together, these results identify the SUCNR1 regulator as essential in the metabolic adaptation of the water, connecting energy signals with the capacity of cells to adjust to nutritional changes.
The study involved the participation of other research centres and universities, such as the Centro Singular de Investigación en Medicina Molecular y Enfermedades Crónicas (CIMUS), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, the Institut de Recerca Biomèdica Barcelona (IRB Barcelona), the Universitat de Barcelona (UB), the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), the Institut de Recerca Sant Pau, the Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), the University of Bern and the Bern University Hospital. Also have participated reseachers of the CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN) and CIBER de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD).
Bibliographic reference
Marsal-Beltran, A., Salmerón-Pelado, L., Ribas-Latre, A., Repollés-de-Dalmau, M., Rodríguez-Peña, M. M., Núñez-Roa, C., Badia, J., Madeira, A., Novoa, E., Beltrà, M., Plata-Gómez, A. B., Capellades, J., Escolà-Gil, J. C., Zorzano, A., Yanes, Ó., Efeyan, A., Nogueiras, R., Gracia-Sancho, J., Vendrell, J., Ceperuelo-Mallafré, V., … Fernández-Veledo, S. (2026). SUCNR1 coordinates metabolic flux, mitochondrial function, and nutrient-dependent adaptation in hepatocytes. Science advances, 12(24), eaec8873. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aec8873
▪ This is the first event of this kind in Spain and it will be held on 17 June at the Pere Mata University Hospital
▪ The national mental health research network, CIBERSAM, is also involved in organising the event
Sharing knowledge, exchanging research lines and promoting new scientific collaborations are the main goals of the first national workshop on genetics in psychiatry. The event will take place at the Pere Mata University Hospital and will bring together research groups from across Spain specialised in the genetics of psychiatric disorders.
The meeting, which will be held on 17 June, will gather highly competitive research groups at an international level. Most of them are part of the CIBERSAM network (Biomedical Research Networking Center in Mental Health), funded by the Carlos III Health Institute, and of the international consortium Psychiatric Genomics Consortium.
The workshop has been designed with a dynamic and participatory format. It will combine short presentations from the different teams, where they will present their structure, objectives and research lines. In addition, there will be workshops aimed at identifying common priorities and opportunities for joint work. The latest advances in genetics in psychiatry achieved by national groups will also be presented.
One of the key elements of the workshop will be the collective development of future proposals, including the possible creation of a stable network or working group on genetics in psychiatry. It will also promote shared initiatives in areas such as translational research and knowledge transfer to clinical practice and society.
Genetics in psychiatry is a field that has experienced a real expansion of knowledge in recent years, driven by advances in genomic technologies and the analysis of large data sets. These developments have made it possible to identify genetic variants associated with disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or autism, improving the understanding of their biological basis and opening the door to more precise and personalised strategies for prevention and treatment.
With this first edition, the organisers aim to establish the basis for a regular reference meeting that will help strengthen collaboration between research groups and increase the impact of mental health research. Here, the programme.
