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The ISGlobal-CREAL Merger Converts Barcelona into a Global Health Research and Translation Hub in Europe

The Catalan Government approves the fusion of both institutions with a governance agreement

28.06.2016

The Consell de Govern of the Catalan Government has approved today the merger between the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGLobal) and the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL). The governance agreement adopted this morning gives the go-ahead to a merger process that was approved last April by the trustees of both centres. The merger, effective on June 30, ends a joint process that started more than three years ago, and converts ISGlobal into a leading international centre of research and translation in Global Health.    

The emerging ISGlobal, with 30 research groups and a total staff of 376 people, positions Barcelona as a leading hub in global health research on infectious and non-communicable diseases, and environmental factors. Dr. Antoni Plasència will be the director-general of the new ISGlobal, and Dr. Josep Maria Antó will be the scientific director.   

“The integration of CREAL into ISGlobal reflects a firm commitment towards the strengthening of our scientific research and translation capacities whereby our institute becomes one of the leading international global health centres”, explains Antoni Plasència. 

 “With this merger, ISGlobal becomes one of the pioneering centres that brings together research on transmissible diseases with research on chronic diseases and their environmental determinants. We expect to generate state-of-the-art scientific contributions and translate them into real solutions that improve the health and quality of life worldwide”, affirms Dr. Josep María Antó.

As was the case for the creation of ISGlobal in 2010, the support of the ”la Caixa” Foundation has been crucial for this new phase. CREAL’s integration has also led to the incorporation of the Pompeu Fabra University and the Parc de Salut MAR to the other entities that constitute the governing body of ISGlobal: the University of Barcelona, the Hospital Clínic, the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Barcelona City Council, the Spanish Government and the Areces Foundation.   

In this new phase, the Barcelona Institute for Global Health will maintain two campus: the Campus Clínic, with its headquarters in calle Roselló, 132 and its labs in and around the Hospital Clinic; and the Campus Mar with its headquarters in the Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona (PRBB) and closely linked to the Parc de Salut MAR and the University Pompeu Fabra. In addition, ISGlobal has an office in Madrid and will continue working in a stable manner with its partners in Mozambique, Bolivia and Morocco. 

Based on a model that supports knowledge exchange as a tool for cooperation, ISGlobal’s mission is to improve global health and promote health equity through excellence in research and the translation and application of knowledge.