Download the programme of the event.

DAY 1

2 October 2025

  • 10 am

     

    Shuttle service from Barcelona Airport and Sants Estació to Cap Roig gardens

  • 11.45 am

     

    Arrival at Cap Roig

    Icebreaking activity around the Cap Roig gardens

  • 1.45 pm

     

    Welcome lunch

  • 3 pm

     

    Welcome session

    Àngel Font,
    Associate General Director of Research and Fellowships. ”la Caixa” Foundation

    FLOOR 0, AUDITORIUM

  • 3.15 pm

     

    SESSION #1: Decoding disease, designing therapies

    FLOOR 0, AUDITORIUM

    Moderator: Vivienne Parry

    #1.1 – The Da Vinci Code: the imprinting of the disease

    How can we use imprinted codes to improve disease diagnosis and prevention? What are the hidden signatures that could reveal early disease risks or help identify the best treatment strategies? In this session, we will highlight the importance of uncovering the underpinnings of disease and how this knowledge can lead to innovative diagnostic tools and preventive measures. Join us to explore how deciphering the language of our genes and biology can revolutionize healthcare.

    Speakers:

    • Liset Menéndez de la Prida, CSIC - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas

    • Jose Bessa, i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde da Universidade do Porto

    • Margarida Saraiva, i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde da Universidade do Porto

    • Helder Maiato, i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde da Universidade do Porto
       

    #1.2 – Right on target: advances in targeted therapies

    Therapeutic precision has never been more critical. In this session, we spotlight the latest breakthroughs in targeted delivery systems. From smart nanocarriers to genetically engineered immune cells, we explore the technologies that aim to deliver potent treatments exactly where—and when—they are needed, minimising off-target effects and improving clinical outcomes.

    Speakers:

    • Amadeu Llebaria, CSIC - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas

    • Samuel Sánchez, IBEC - Instituto de Bioingeniería de Cataluña

    • Miguel Castanho, GIMM - Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine

    • Ana Martínez, CSIC - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
       

  • 5 pm

     

    SESSION #2: Health through the lens of immunology: CaixaResearch Institute’s vision

    FLOOR 0, AUDITORIUM

    The CaixaResearch Institute represents a new benchmark in European biomedical research, with a bold focus on the immune system’s role across diseases. Designed to attract world-class talent and support high-impact science, the Institute will integrate advanced technologies and computational platforms to accelerate discoveries in immunology, with direct translational applications in diagnostics, therapeutics, and public health. This session offers an opportunity to learn about this exciting new initiative, set to transform the future of immunological research and treatment.

    Moderator: Vivienne Parry

    Speaker: Josep Tabernero, Chair of the Internal Scientific Committee of CaixaResearch Institute

  • 5.45 pm

     

    End of the 1st day sessions

  • 6 pm

     

    Transfer to Parador Aiguablava

  • 8.30 pm

     

    Dinner at Parador Aiguablava


DAY 2

3 October 2025

  • 8.30 am

     

    Transfer from the hotel to Cap Roig

  • 9.15 am

     

    Parallel working sessions


    SESSION #3A: Metrics and merits: research evaluation in transition

    FLOOR 0, ROOM 1

    Evaluation shapes careers, funding decisions, and the direction of entire fields, yet the process itself is often evolving. This session brings together researchers who also serve as evaluators—on funding panels, editorial boards, and peer-review committees—to discuss the challenges of scientific assessment. From the criteria that guide grant selection to the pressures of publishing and the growing influence of open science, we will examine how we define scientific merit today—and how we might do it better tomorrow.

    Moderator: Ismael Ràfols, INGENIO (CSIC-UPV), Universitat Politècnica de València, UNESCO Chair at CWTS, Leiden University


    SESSION #3B: From discovery to delivery: making advanced therapies accessible

    FLOOR 1

    Advanced and personalised therapies hold immense promise—but realising their potential requires more than scientific innovation and good will. This session examines the structural, regulatory, and societal challenges that determine whether breakthrough therapies can be scaled equitably. The discussion will address cost sustainability, health system readiness, global access, and ethical implications.

    Moderator: Silvia Martín Lluesma - Head of Advanced Therapies Program (VHIO)

  • 10.45 am

     

    Coffee-break

  • 11.15 am

     

    SESSION #4: Global shifts, uncertain times: competing for talent and trust

    FLOOR 0, AUDITORIUM

    Economic disparities and political shifts are reshaping the global competition for talent. This session addresses the challenges of retaining scientific talent especially in Southern Europe, the influence of geopolitics on research funding and mobility, and the societal trust required to sustain public investment in science. We’ll explore strategies to strengthen scientific leadership and resilience in an increasingly competitive and uncertain world.

    Moderator: Vivienne Parry

    Speakers:

    • Javier Solana, Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the ”la Caixa” Foundation and member of the Board of Trustees at CaixaResearch Institute.

    • Jorge Juan Fernández García, Chief Innovation Officer, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona
       

  • 12.45 pm

     

    Closing speech

    FLOOR 0, AUDITORIUM

    Josep Maria Coronas, General Director, ”la Caixa” Foundation

  • 1 pm

     

    Lunch

  • 2.15 pm

     

    End of the meeting. Shuttle service to Barcelona Airport and Sants Estació