Tarragona hosted the 23rd Liver Sinusoid Meeting 2026 from May 22 to 26. This is one of the main international meetings in the field of liver blood vessel biology. The congress brought together around 200 researchers and clinicians from different countries and placed the city and its biomedical research ecosystem at the center of the international scientific scene.
Jordi Gracia-Sancho, a researcher at IRB CatSud and head of the Liver Research Unit, was part of the organising committee and one of the main promoters of the meeting, being also the president of the International Society for Hepatic Sinusoidal Research (ISHSR). The event also included the participation of Sonia Fernández-Veledo, co-leader of the Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases research group (DIAMET), highlighting the important role of local researchers in the scientific coordination of the congress.
Over five days, participants shared the latest advances in liver vascular biology, inflammation, immunity and fibrosis, as well as new findings on liver diseases. The programme included talks by international experts, oral presentations and poster sessions, encouraging scientific discussion and new collaborations.
Within the congress, the DIAMET group from IRB CatSud had an active role with several scientific contributions. Sonia Fernández-Veledo chaired a session on stellate cell biology and fibrosis. Predoctoral researcher Laura Salmerón gave an oral presentation about how certain liver mechanisms influence immune response. Anna Marsal also presented a poster on how these mechanisms affect liver cell function and their response to nutrients.
One of the most important moments of the meeting was the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the International Society for Hepatic Sinusoidal Research (ISHSR), which reviewed 50 years of progress in this field. Key initiatives for the future were also presented, including an international agreement on the use of new experimental models in liver research.
International visibility and local impact
Beyond its scientific importance, the congress helped promote Tarragona as a city able to host large international events, combining excellent research with culture, heritage and gastronomy. The social programme included cultural activities and visits so participants could explore the region.
At the same time, the organisers promoted outreach activities through workshops in local schools, bringing biomedical research closer to students and encouraging interest in science.
This edition also created new collaborations, strengthening the role of Tarragona and IRB CatSud in international liver research.
Scientific outreach in local schools
As part of the activities before the congress, researchers from IRB CatSud, CIBER and CSIC, together with members of the Scientific Committee, organised outreach actions to bring biomedical research and liver science closer to the local community.
They held four workshops for secondary school students (3rd year ESO) from Vedruna Tarragona and La Salle Torreforta. These sessions explained the liver, health and research in a simple and interactive way.
This initiative helped increase students’ interest in science and highlighted the importance of research in understanding and treating liver diseases, while strengthening the connection between scientists and the local community. The workshops were led by researchers involved in the congress, including Jordi Gracia-Sancho, Anna Marsal, Anabel Fernández-Iglesias and Anna Moles.
The congress was supported by several institutions, including Tarragona City Council, Tarragona Provincial Council, the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, and the Government of Catalonia.
After Tarragona, the next edition of the Liver Sinusoid Meeting will take place in Tokyo in October 2028.
Reus, Tarragona and Tortosa will once again host the international science outreach festival Pint of Science, taking place from 18 to 20 May. The event brings cutting-edge research to everyday places such as bars and cafés. Researchers from IRB CatSud take part with short and accessible talks designed to bring science closer to the public.
In Reus, the programme includes a strong representation from the Institute. On Monday 18 May (7 pm), at Gastropub As de Copes, researcher Maite Royo Iglesias will talk about mental health with ‘Més enllà del moment: adversitats i salut mental’. At the same time, at Racó de l’Orfeó Reusenc, Martí Llaurador-Coll will present ‘Sang: l’Amazon del nostre cos’, and IRB CatSud deputy director Elisabet Vilella, together with Josep Gumà, will explain precision medicine from the fields of psychiatry and oncology.
The following day, also in Reus, the programme continues from 7 pm. At As de Copes, Héctor Vázquez Lorente will speak about nutrition and bone health, and Sara Bernardo Castro will present ‘El menú secret del cervell: dieta abans de néixer’. Meanwhile, at Orfeó Reusenc, Bernat Ballvé Gelonch will explore the impact of diet on mental disorders.
In Tarragona, IRB CatSud researchers will also take part. On 18 May (7 pm), at Tòtem Café, Aleix Ribas Latre will give the talk ‘Què és el jet lag social?’, focusing on the difference between biological, social and solar clocks, and how this misalignment affects daily life. On 19 May (7 pm), at the same venue, Iris Ginés Mir will discuss the effects of tobacco, with a focus on how smoke exposure can worsen Crohn’s disease. The programme continues on 20 May (7 pm), at Sala Zero, with Andrea Pérez Valle presenting ‘Les Teresines fan línia! Gens, entorn i proteïnes’, a talk about the relationship between genes, environment and mental health.
In Tortosa, the focus is on researcher Maricela Jiménez-López, who will present ‘REMAP-CAP: la ciència quan més la necessitem’. The talk will explain an international clinical trial that studies how to improve the treatment of patients with severe respiratory infections such as pneumonia or COVID-19. The project uses an adaptive design that allows it to learn in real time and adjust treatments depending on their effectiveness, a model that has already proved useful in emergency situations.
Pint of Science is an international festival held in 27 countries, with the aim of bringing research closer to society in a relaxed and informal setting. Over three days, more than fifty researchers from the region will share their work with the public, helping to make science more accessible.
The grants, with more than €270,000 in funding, support advanced projects in personalized radiotherapy and artificial intelligence. A third grant is aimed at specialized training in molecular oncology
The Spanish Association Against Cancer in Tarragona presented on Thursday, 19 February, the three grants awarded for the 2025 call. These grants show a strong commitment to cancer research and to the goal of reaching a 70% cancer survival rate by 2030.
Two of the funded researchers work at the Institute of Biomedical Research of Southern Catalonia (IRB CatSud, formerly IISPV). They lead projects that combine technology, innovation, and clinical impact: Dr Bárbara Antonia Malavé and Marta Canela.
Dr Bárbara Antonia Malavé has received the Clinic Junior Grant AECC 2025, supporting a project focused on improving radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer. The project uses advanced biomarkers and artificial intelligence to adapt treatments to each patient. The grant provides €154,000 over four years.
Also at IRB CatSud, Marta Canela has received the AECC Tarragona Predoctoral Grant 2025. Her research combines medical imaging and blood analysis to predict how patients with lung cancer will respond to radiotherapy. The grant provides €110,660 over four years.
The third grant has been awarded to Maria Guirro, who will receive the Clinic Training Grant AECC 2025. The €7,100 contribution will allow her to complete the Master’s Degree in Molecular Oncology (MOM).
Next Saturday, November 22, the Institute will hold the event ‘La recerca en salut surt al carrer’, which includes an escape room, medical tests, CPR workshops, and a demonstration of how an ambulance works.
The Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV) will organize the fun event ‘La recerca en salut surt al carrer’ on Saturday morning, November 22, in the center of Tarragona. This initiative is part of the celebrations for the Institute’s 20th anniversary. It was already held in Reus last October and was very well received, with more than 500 people taking part in the activities. Now, IISPV brings the event to Tarragona, specifically to Plaça Corsini and the Mercat Central. Activities will include an escape room about the Institute, non-invasive medical tests, CPR workshops with mannequins, and a demonstration of how an ambulance works. All activities are free, but participants must register in advance on the IISPV website to join the escape room.
The event is organized in collaboration with the Tarragona City Council, Tarragona Markets, and the Servei d’Emergències Mèdiques (SEM) of the Generalitat. Its goal is to help citizens learn more about the work of this biomedical research institute, which has been operating in southern Catalonia for 20 years. The activities planned are:
Escape room ‘Investiga… I ajuda’ns!’
Four groups of five people will help IISPV stop an attack that aims to sabotage the work of its researchers. Each group will face different challenges to protect the four research areas of IISPV: metabolism and nutrition, oncology, mental health and neurosciences, and infection, immunity and environment. The activity lasts about 45 minutes and requires prior registration. It will take place at Tarragona Espai Comerç”, and the meeting point is the entrance to the Central Market on Cristòfor Colom Street. Time slots are: 10:30, 11:30 and 12:30.
Medical tests ‘Aquí et cuidem!’
Throughout the morning, the interior of Tarragona’s Central Market will host several non-invasive medical tests, available to anyone interested:
Workshops ‘Anima’t i reanima!’
All morning long, Plaça Corsini will host the ‘Anima’t i reanima!’ workshops, led by professionals from IISPV and SEM. Using mannequins, participants will learn how to identify a cardiac arrest and how to perform CPR. They will also get to see how an ambulance works, with one on display in the square.
The Santa Tecla 2025 festival in Tarragona has a strong solidarity focus. It puts cancer research at the center of the celebrations, with help from groups like Rotary Tarragona.
The Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV) will receive money to support breast cancer research. This is thanks to Rotary Tarragona Club, which is bringing back the popular “Tarragona Cards” for the festival. These cards, first made in 2023, have festive drawings. The money from selling them will go to research projects led by IISPV.
This new edition—limited to 1,000 sets—will be for charity. But that’s not all: Rotary Tarragona is also creating the first Solidarity Microtheatre Show, happening on September 13 and 14. The theatre groups Amanida Teatre, Escena 6, Dones de Mar Teatre and Ves Per On Teatre will perform short plays. Their goal is to raise money for the Mamapop Foundation, which also supports breast cancer research and works with IISPV.
Ideas with “added value”
The Culture Councillor, Sandra Ramos, said during the presentation on Wednesday, September 3, that these ideas “add value” to a festival that already brings people together. With this solidarity effort, Santa Tecla 2025 shows its commitment to health and science, turning festive culture into a way to help society.