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12/06/2026 - Institutional news

Six Projects Graduate from the First Edition of the Mar Tech Transfer Academy at Hospital del Mar Research Institute

The first edition of the Mar Tech Transfer Academy has been a resounding success, bringing together around fifty professionals across six sessions. The Academy is a new training and project-support programme designed to bring biomedical research closer to the market while strengthening knowledge transfer and valorisation capabilities.

The Mar Tech Transfer Academy concluded its first edition on 10 June, looking ahead to future editions. Its sixth session, featuring Jordi Martorell, CEO of Aortyx, celebrated the graduation of the projects that took part in the programme. The initiative was created to serve as a bridge between research and the market through three key pillars: sessions led by experienced professionals sharing expertise in areas such as intellectual property protection, fundraising and industrialisation; the provision of support tools to help researchers maximise the value of their projects; and expert guidance throughout the entire process.

Judit Cubedo, Managing Director of Hospital del Mar Research Institute, closed the programme by presenting diplomas to the participating researchers. The session concluded with a final networking and working meeting, maintaining the collaborative spirit of the initiative.

Participants in the First Edition of the Mar Tech Transfer Academy

The graduating projects have received support from the Transfer and Translation Unit to continue their development and transform their innovations into solutions that improve people's lives.

One example is CarboSign7, presented by Óscar Pozo, a platform for the early diagnosis of cancer based on a seven-metabolite signature obtained from dried blood spot samples and an artificial intelligence-based algorithm. The platform aims to provide a sensitive, specific and effective tool for detecting pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and other types of cancer.

The MIRO project, led by Alexandre Calon, introduces a technological platform for evaluating immunotherapy drugs in an environment that faithfully reproduces the complexity of the tumour microenvironment. This enables a more accurate assessment of tumour responses to treatment, facilitating the development and selection of more effective and personalised therapies.

Meanwhile, FUSpine, led by Pablo Villoslada and Agustín Conesa, aims to develop a medical device for non-invasive spinal cord neurostimulation to promote neurorepair in people living with conditions such as multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Another project, led by Pablo Villoslada and Marcia C. Lucana, focuses on developing novel targeted delivery technologies for advanced therapies aimed at the central nervous system. The project explores innovative nanotechnology-based approaches to improve the delivery and efficacy of therapeutic molecules with potential applications in neurological diseases, contributing to the advancement of precision medicine and the translation of biomedical research into clinically impactful solutions.

Joaquín Arribas, Marta Lalinde and Macarena Román lead another of the six projects. Their work focuses on a novel cancer immunotherapy approach based on modifying patients' immune cells using CAR-T technologies so they can more effectively recognise and attack tumour cells expressing the HER2 protein. By combining different mechanisms, the approach aims to provide a more effective treatment with fewer side effects.

Finally, WaveIAmar is an artificial intelligence-based tool developed at Hospital del Mar to support mammography interpretation within the breast cancer screening programme. It analyses images, calculates the probability of lesions and generates a heat map to help prioritise higher-risk cases, improving accuracy while reducing false positives. The initiative is led by Natalia Arenas.

From left to right: Ismael Ávila, Natalia Arenas, Maria C Lucana, Agustín Conesa, Judit Cubedo, Óscar Pozo, Macarena Román, Alex Calon i Pablo Villoslada.

Ismael Ávila, Head of Transfer and Translation, highlighted the programme's value as a space to "bring real-world experiences closer to researchers, allowing them to learn first-hand about the opportunities, challenges and strategies involved in bringing solutions to patients." He also emphasised the importance of offering "a programme that addresses different needs, not only by sharing entrepreneurial experiences but also by providing researchers with specialised, tailor-made tools and services to help each project mature in a personalised way."

Six High-Level Sessions

Throughout the six sessions of the Mar Tech Transfer Academy, participants had the opportunity to learn directly from some of the leading figures in the Catalan biotech and medtech ecosystem.

The programme featured Miguel Vila-Perelló, CEO of SpliceBio, and Gerard Caelles, Chief Business Officer of the company, who shared their experience in fundraising and business growth. This was followed by Luis Ruiz Ávila, CEO of Leukos Biotech, who discussed the importance of aligning scientific excellence with market needs. The third session featured Maribel Berges, CEO of Affirma Biotech, who explained her approach to spin-off creation and technology licensing. Carmen Plasencia, CEO of Aromics, then addressed the protection and valorisation of scientific innovation. The fifth session brought together Valerie Vanhooren, CEO and co-founder of ONA Therapeutics, and Mercè de Frías, COO of the company, who shared the journey of their biotech from the laboratory to patients. Finally, Jordi Martorell, CEO of Aortyx, concluded the series by discussing the challenges of industrialisation and technology translation.

Together, these presentations provided a comprehensive overview of the technology transfer process, from knowledge generation and intellectual property protection to financing, company creation and the successful delivery of innovation to patients.

Created and promoted by the HMRIB Transfer and Translation Unit, the Mar Tech Transfer Academy is an open and free initiative aimed at researchers and clinicians from HMRIB, Hospital del Mar, PRBB centres, collaborators and institutions linked to the Hospital del Mar ITEMAS node.

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