2025/06/06

Laia Pellejà, Director of I-CERCA, visits CIC bioGUNE to strengthen ties between research excellence systems

CIC bioGUNE, member of BRTA, recently hosted an institutional visit from Dr. Laia Pellejà, Director of I-CERCA (Centres de Recerca de Catalunya). I-CERCA is the entity responsible for promoting, supporting, and coordinating the network of research centers of excellence under the auspices of the Government of Catalonia.

Originally from Tarragona, Dr. Pellejà holds a PhD in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and a degree in Chemistry, further complemented by formal training in public management. Her professional trajectory has been firmly rooted in the management and promotion of scientific research, with most of her experience developed at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ-CERCA), where she held several senior leadership roles before being appointed Director of I-CERCA in March 2024. She is also an active member of several advisory boards related to science, communication, and public policy evaluation.

During her visit to CIC bioGUNE, Dr. Pellejà participated in a comprehensive program of meetings with researchers representing diverse scientific disciplines. These sessions served as a platform for the exchange of insights regarding current challenges and emerging opportunities within the broader scientific research landscape. In an open session with the center’s scientific community, Dr. Pellejà delivered an in-depth institutional presentation on the CERCA system, highlighting its unique and strategic contribution to the international research environment.

The CERCA system encompasses 42 research centers distributed across Catalonia, embracing a multidisciplinary scope that includes fields such as biomedicine, energy, social sciences, digital technologies, chemistry, and engineering. Its core mission is to advance the Catalan research ecosystem through a flexible, autonomous, and results-oriented structure that promotes scientific excellence, facilitates knowledge transfer, and fosters engagement with both public and private stakeholders.

As Dr. Pellejà outlined, I-CERCA serves as a strategic catalyst, fostering collaboration among research centers, coordinating joint initiatives, and representing the CERCA system at national, European, and international levels. Additionally, I-CERCA plays a pivotal role in ensuring scientific and technical quality, financial sustainability, talent attraction and retention, and the continuous enhancement of the societal impact of science.

This visit provided a valuable forum for dialogue between CIC bioGUNE and I-CERCA, enabling exploration of potential avenues for collaboration and mutual enrichment in areas such as research center governance, science policy development, and integration within the broader R&D&I ecosystem.

The encounter underscored a shared commitment to fostering closer ties between complementary research systems and contributed to the identification of promising synergies in institutional cooperation, researcher mobility, and knowledge exchange.

the organization that promotes, supports, and coordinates the network of research centers of excellence under the Government of Catalonia.

About I-CERCA
The CERCA Institution plays a pivotal role in strengthening Catalonia’s scientific ecosystem by fostering excellence, international cooperation, and effective knowledge transfer through its coordinated network of specialized research centers. Comprising over 40 centers spanning a broad spectrum of scientific and technological disciplines, CERCA is widely recognized as a leading European model for its capacity to drive innovation, attract and retain top-tier talent, and promote sustained scientific and technological advancement.

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 organization conducting cutting-edge research at the interface between structural, chemical, 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 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 over 4,000 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.

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