About us
ISCIII BIOBANKS AND BIOMODELS PLATFORM
The ISCIII Biobanks and Biomodels Platform is an initiative of the Carlos III Health Institute.
The Coordination team has organised the Platform’s structure into four scientific-technological HUBS, which include: Biobanks, Organoids, Animal Models and 3D Printing. This structure makes it possible to manage and supply biological samples and associated clinical data. In the interest of promoting and incrementing scientific-technological resources in biomedical research, the PISCIIIBB’s services include organoids, animal models and 3D printing.
The ISCIII Biobanks and Biomodels Platform has joined the European Biobanking Infrastructure (BBMRI-ERIC) as an observing member, acting as the national node in BBMRI-ERIC, one of the most relevant research platforms in the European Union.
Mission
The mission of the ISCIII Biobanks and Biomodels Platform is to offer the highest level of quality and cutting-edge services to facilitate and advance in the definition of better therapy for the patient and thereby close the cycle from basic research to the execution of the clinical application.
Vision
Org chart
PISCIII_BB COORDINATOR
NÚRIA MONTSERRAT PULIDO
She earned her PhD in Biology from the University of Barcelona in 2006. 2001, University Master in Biological Experimentation. Recently, Dr Montserrat has been selected by the Carlos III Health Institute as Coordinator of the Institute’s National Biobanks and Biomodels Platform. She is considered an international pioneer in the reprogramming and differentiation of pluripotent stem cells and in the field of organoid generation for comprehending the development of human organs for applications in precision medicine. She has balanced her career in scientific research with leadership (first as assistant director of the Barcelona Centre for Regenerative Medicine, and more recently as assistant director of translation and innovation at the Catalan Bioengineering Institute). Her research in the field of pluripotent stem cells and the generation of human organoids has been recognised on two occasions by the prestigious European Research Council (ERC), who has funded Dr Montserrat’s activity on two occasions in these fields of research (ERC-Starting Grant 2014 and ERC-Consolidator Grant 2020). She belongs to several scientific societies and has obtained various awards, including the Íñigo Alvárez de Toledo Foundation Award for Basic Research in Nephrology (2019), the Constants and Vitals Award for the best biomedical publication (2020), and the EMBO Young Investigator Award (2020), among others. She has published over 80 papers in scientific journals of high impact in the field (Nature, Nature Materials, Cell, Cell Metabolism, Materials Today, among others).
Coordination Office
AURORA GARCÍA ROBLES
Graduated in Psychology from the University of the Balearic Islands. Refresher Course in Psychological Intervention and Mental Health (unofficial master’s degree). University Master in Initiation to Research in Mental Health from the University of Cantabria and currently a predoctoral researcher. Her professional activity has been fundamentally related to management and administration in the healthcare sphere and in November 2018, she began to execute her activity at the Coordination Office of the National Biobanks Network (RNBB). Since then, she has collaborated in the processing of sample and service requests, assisted biobanks and members of the platform in the pursuit of their cooperative activity, helped implement processes and procedures and provided support to the Coordination of the ISCIII National Biobanks and Biomodels Platform.
BIOBANK HUB
Lead: Eva Ortega (CNIO)
QUALITY
Lead: Teresa Escámez (Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia_IMIB)
Teresa Escámez: Coordinator of the IMIB Biobank Platform, member of the ISCIII Biobanks and Biomodels Platform (PT20/000109 Unit of the Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia, IMIB). PhD in Biology and Master of Biobanks and Use of Biological Human Samples in Biomedical Research and University Expert in Management, Control and Auditing of Quality Systems. Within the Biobanks Hub, she coordinates the working groups of the QUALITY area organised into three topics: MANAGEMENT, SAMPLE QUALITY AND ACCREDITATION/CERTIFICATION DATA.
Subgroups
- MANAGEMENT
- SAMPLES AND DATA
- ACCREDITATION / CERTIFICATION
ELSI
Lead: Ana Mª Torres (Ramón y Cajal Health Research Institute_IRYCIS)
Lead researcher of the ISCIII Biobanks and Biomodels Platform (PT20/00045 Unit of the Ramón y Cajal University Hospital-IRYCIS). PhD in Biological Sciences and Master of Biobanks and Use of Human Biological Samples in Biomedical Research. Scientific Director of the Biobank. Member of the ISCIII Research Ethics Committee (2013-2020). Within the Biobanks Programme, she coordinates the working groups of the ELSI area organised into three topics: ETHICS, LAW AND SOCIETY. An ethical and legal consultancy has been constituted, designed to serve both the general public and professionals.
Subgroups
- ETHICS AND LAW
- SOCIETY
CATALOGUE/SERVICES
Lead: Roberto Bilbao (Basque Biobank)
Director of the Basque Biobank
Within the Biobank Hub, he coordinates three working groups:
– Prices: homogenising the costs of the samples released by the biobanks
– Catalogue: developing a standardised offering of samples and collections
– One-stop shop: establishing a single system for managing service and distribution requests for the biological samples from the biobanks comprising the Platform.
Subgroups
- CATALOGUE
- PRICES
- ONE-STOP SHOP
ORGANOID HUB
Lead: Aurora Astudillo (Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias_ISPA)
Honorary Emeritus Professor of Pathological Anatomy. Researcher and Scientific Director of the Biobank of the Principality of Asturias. Coordinator of the Organoid Hub of the ISCIII National Platform of Biobanks and Biomodels. She is a pioneer in biobanks. As early as 1976, Aurora established and managed the Tumour Registry of the General Hospital of Asturias, which later became the Biobank of the Principality of Asturias in 2001. During the last 20 years, she has formed part of the successive management committees of the National Biobank Network. She has collaborated to improve the sample coding and digitalisation system. She has imparted instruction on cancer coding in different regions of Spain. Throughout these years, her biobank unit has served other local and national researchers for a great number of studies associated with human and animal samples. She has recently been helping to establish organoids as a new tool for applied research. Currently, her main interest is improving the quality control of samples, data and procedures; adapting the biobank’s offer to the present and future demands of researchers; and broadening the offer of biobanks to meet emerging needs in biomodelling. Aurora has a solid scientific background. A PhD in medicine, she has authored over 250 publications, with an H index of 36 and 22 funded research projects, most recently on organoids. She is also an accomplished medical professional. She is a European Board certified pathologist and neuropathologist.
ELSI
Lead: Rocío Aguilar_Biobanco del Sistema Sanitario Público de Andalucía
Coordinator of the ELSI working group of the Organoid Hub. Technical Lead of the SSPA Biobank Coordination Node since 2009, she has geared her professional career toward launching and operating research support services and improving the processes of treating biological samples in the biobank framework, as well as the control of sample quality.
QUALITY
Lead: Laura Batlle_Centre for Genomic Regulation Foundation
PhD in Stem Cell Biology. Head of Tissue Engineering Unit CRG.
Coordinator of the Quality Working Group of the Organoid Hub of the National Platform of Biobanks and Biomodels.
CATALOGUE
Lead: Patricia Pérez_August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS)
Is a researcher of the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS) in Barcelona, where she directs the Microenvironment in the Pathogenesis and Therapy of Lymphoma group.
Within the biomodels platform, she coordinates the organisation of the catalogue in the Organoid Hub.
ANIMAL MODELS HUB
Lead: Alberto Centeno (Biomedical Research Institute of A Coruña_INIBIC)
Graduated in Veterinary Science from the University of Extremadura in 1992. Superior Technical Degree in Healthcare Organisation and Administration in 2005. Coordinator of the Technological Training Centre for Integrated Operations Management of A Coruña from 2009 to the present, a centre dedicated to offering resources and services for training, practice and research in the healthcare setting. Experimental Surgery Unit Director at the University Hospital Complex of A Coruña from 2005 to the present. Director of the Platform for Animal Experimentation to Support Research of the INIBIC – Biomedical Research Institute of A Coruña. Founding member of the Spanish Society for Clinical Simulation and Patient Safety (SESSEP), Member of the Board of Directors and head of the SESSEP’s surgical simulation working group from 2012 to 2015. He has been a member of the SESSEP Scientific Committee since 2017, a member of the Spanish Society for Laboratory Animal Sciences (SECAL), a member of the Spanish Microsurgery Association (AEM) and a member of the Research Commission (CI_XXIAC) of Integrated Operations Management in A Coruña from 2009 to the present. President of the Animal Experimentation Ethical Committee (CEEA) of the University Hospital Complex of A Coruña. He is the author of 61 indexed publications from the last 10 years, with an H index of 11 and 18 research projects funded by the national plan, European sources or private entities. He has participated as an instructor in over 100 national and international courses.
ANIMAL MODEL
Lead: Manuel Sánchez_Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca_IBSAL
is a tenured professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Salamanca (USAL) and a researcher of the Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca (IBSAL). He has directed the USAL Transgenesis Service since 2006, and his teaching and research experience is intimately linked to the generation of genetically modified mouse models. He currently coordinates the animal model group of the ISCIII Biobanks and Biomodels Platform.
ETHICS/QUALITY
Lead: Lluis Montoliu_CIBER Unit
Scientific researcher of the CSIC and of the CIBER for Rare Diseases (ISCIII) Unit at the National Biotechnology Centre (CNB). Director of the Spanish node of the European platform EMMA-INFRAFRONTIER (European Mouse Mutant Archive) and coordinator of Mouse Embryo Cryopreservation Services at the CNB. Coordinator of the Ethics and Quality group in the PT-20, in the Animal Models section.
TECHNIQUES AND TECHNOLOGIES
Lead: Anxo Vidal_Medical Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela_IDIS
He is a physiology professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela and head of the Cell Cycle and Oncology Group at the Centre for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), associated with the Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS). Since 2016 he has directed the Centre for Experimental Biomedicine (CEBEGA), a research facility dedicated to animal experimentation. He coordinates the Techniques and Technologies working group within the animal model hub of the ISCIII biobanks and biomodels platform.
EDUCATION
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Lead: Alba De Martino_Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud
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3D PRINTING HUB
Leads: Olivia Rodríguez and Rubén García (IIS BIOCRUCES)
Olivia Rodríguez (IIS BIOCRUCES)
Radiologist of the Radiology Service at the Cruces University Hospital. She arrived in 1988 to complete her radiology residency. She has worked as a medical practitioner in the sphere of diagnostic neuroradiology. She has held the position of service director for the past six years. It is a large service in terms of both personnel and technical expertise and forms part of the region’s most important hospital, which represents a great challenge due to the enormous care load and the effort required to stay up-to-date on both diagnostic methods and intervention procedures. She really enjoys working with patients, but her new role as service director has allowed her to become familiar with the profession from another perspective, interact with other professionals and participate in and help stimulate innovative projects designed to develop technology and incorporate advances into the healthcare practice.
Rubén García (IIS BIOCRUCES)
Technical Lead of the IIS Biocruces Bizkaia 3D Printing and Bioprinting Platform
Degree in Industrial Technical Engineering from EHU, Master in Biomedical Engineering from UB/UPC and Postgraduate Degree in Medical Imaging and 3D Printing from UPC. Since 2016, he has worked in the Innovation Unit of OSI EECruces – IIS Biocruces Bizkaia, promoting the implementation of new technologies in the health sector.
He collaborates in the 3D BIOPRINTING working group as a technical consultant.
ETHICS AND LAW
Lead: María Gloria Álvarez
Biomedical engineer of the platform PT20/00136 of the Technical Training Centre of the Healthcare Area of A Coruña and Cee. Role in the working group: coordinator of the Ethical-Legal Working Group of the 3D BIOPRINTING HUB of the National Biobanks and Biomodels Network.
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Responsables: Cristian Passera_Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de La Coruña _INIBIC)
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QUALITY
Lead: Antonio Martín_Hospital 12 de Octubre Health Research Institute (i+12)
Mechanical Engineer in the Electromedicine Section of the Engineering and Maintenance Service and Codirector of the 3D Printing Laboratory at the 12 de Octubre University Hospital, within the platform’s working group, coordinator of the quality group.
CATALOGUE/PRICES
Lead: Gorka Gómez
HUVR/IBIS FabLab technical lead. 10 years of experience in the design and manufacture of 3D models for medicine
Lead: Israel Valverde_Institute of Biomedicine of Seville – IBIS)
Dr Israel Valverde is a specialist in paediatric cardiology. He graduated in Medicine from the University of Seville, Spain and specialised in Paediatrics at the Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Spain, in 2008. He studied paediatric cardiology from 2008 to 2014. He completed a fellowship in Magnetic Resonance in Congenital Heart Disease (2009-2012) and obtained his doctoral thesis at King’s College London in 2013.
He currently serves as Head of the Paediatric Cardiology Service at Hospital Virgen del Rocío and part-time adjunct physician in the Paediatric Cardiology service of Evelina London Children’s Hospital.