2026/03/03

Josu Galarza will represent CIC bioGUNE in the ‘Everest Challenge,’ a project connecting scientific research and solidarity at the top of the world

Josu Galarza Ahumada, doctoral candidate at CIC bioGUNE, will participate in the “Everest Challenge,” a solidarity expedition that will bring prion disease research and public awareness to the base camp of Mount Everest.

CIC bioGUNE, member of BRTA, will take part in the expedition in April 2026 to highlight prion diseases and promote research. The initiative, organized by the Spanish Prion Diseases Foundation in collaboration with Associazione Familiari Insonnia Familiare Fatale, seeks to raise public awareness of these rare conditions and generate funds to advance research and support affected families.

Prion diseases are rare neurodegenerative disorders, often severe, including conditions such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and Fatal Familial Insomnia. Many have a genetic component that can affect multiple generations, with profound consequences for both individuals and their families. Understanding the underlying mechanisms and developing effective treatments requires advanced research, which faces significant scientific and economic challenges.

The prion research group at CIC bioGUNE, led by Dr. Joaquín Castilla, Ikerbasque Research Professor and president of the Spanish Prion Diseases Foundation, investigates how altered prion proteins propagate through the nervous system and cause neurodegenerative damage. The team combines advanced biochemistry, molecular biology, and experimental models to study both genetic and sporadic forms of these diseases, generating knowledge to guide the development of new therapies. Their work includes developing precise cellular and animal models, analyzing prion protein propagation, identifying potential therapeutic molecules, and collaborating internationally to accelerate clinical applications.

Participation in the “Everest Challenge” will allow the research to reach beyond the laboratory, engaging directly with society. As a symbolic gesture, the expedition will include the planting of the PRION 2026 Congress flag in the Himalayas. This international congress, to be held in Verona (Italy) in November 2026, will feature a video of the expedition, enhancing global visibility of the research and highlighting collaboration among scientists, patients, and communities.

Through this initiative, CIC bioGUNE reaffirms its commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and supporting patients and families affected by rare diseases. The institution joins sponsors such as BUFF®️ and Café Trastienda, demonstrating that research and solidarity are complementary endeavors. The “Everest Challenge” conveys a message of collaboration, support, and hope, showing that collective effort can advance science and provide meaningful support to those affected.

For more information about the “Everest Challenge” and the research projects of the Spanish Prion Diseases Foundation, please visit fundacionprionicas.org.

About CIC bioGUNE

The Centre for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), located in the Bizkaia Technology Park, is a biomedical research organisation conducting cutting-edge research at the interface between structural, molecular and cell biology, with a particular focus on generating knowledge on the molecular bases of disease, for use in the development of new diagnostic methods and advanced therapies.

About Ikerbasque

Ikerbasque -Basque Foundation for Science- is the result of an initiative of the Department of Education of the Basque Government that aims to reinforce the commitment to scientific research by attracting, recovering and consolidating excellent researchers from all over the world. Currently, it is a consolidated organization that has 290 researchers/s, who develop their work in all fields of knowledge.

About BRTA

BRTA is an alliance of 4 collaborative research centres (CIC bioGUNE, CIC nanoGUNE, CIC biomaGUNE y CIC energiGUNE) and 13 technology centres (Azterlan, Azti, Ceit, Cidetec, Gaiker, Ideko, Ikerlan, Leartiker, Lortek, Neiker, Tecnalia, Tekniker y Vicomtech) with the main objective of developing advanced technological solutions for the Basque corporate fabric.

With the support of the Basque Government, the SPRI Group and the Provincial Councils of the three territories, the alliance seeks to promote collaboration between the research centres, strengthen the conditions to generate and transfer knowledge to companies, contributing to their competitiveness and outspreading the Basque scientific-technological capacity abroad.

BRTA has a workforce of 3,500 professionals, executes 22 % of the Basque Country's R&D investment, registers an annual turnover of more than 300 million euros and generates 100 European and international patents per year.

Spanish version