In 2023, the MELIS Department spearheaded numerous outreach initiatives, collaborating with various institutions to enrich our annual calendar of events. Our endeavours transcended disciplinary boundaries and catered to diverse demographics, including high school students, seniors, patients, their families, and the wider community.
Activities aimed at patients and their relatives
Intellectual Disability Forum: present and future of research
March 2023, organized together with the QUAES-UPF Chair. Three experts in medicine, pharmacology and research of intellectual disabilities explained the current scenario of this condition to patients, relatives or the general public interested in learning about the latest developments in biomedicine.
100 people were online during the seminar, and 105 more people have viewed it on YouTube.
Science café on breast cancer
May 2023, organized together with the QUAES-UPF Chair. Three experts in medicine, pharmacology, and research on bread cancer shared their impressions on the disease with patients, relatives, and general public over a coffee. In-person activity held on Marie Curie PRBB room.
Online seminar: The human microbiome: our organism as ecosystem
May 2023, organized together with the QUAES-UPF Chair. Fernando Peláez, Director of the Biotechnology Program at the Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO) introduced the audience what the microbiome is and how it can impact our health.
150 people followed the streaming. Additionally, the seminar has 500 views on YouTube.
Activities aimed at the general public
‘La Facultat al Barri’ (The faculty in the neighborhood)
From January to October six classes of the faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences were open to the public. Salvador Carranza, Olga Valverde, Paco Muñoz, Francesc Calafell & Meritxell Girvent shared their knowledge with students and neighbours of ‘la Barceloneta’.
About 65 people attended the classes.
Boosting the scientific spirit
March 2023, organized together with the QUAES-UPF Chair. Testimonial video in Spanish where Sira Mogas shares her experience and views.
The video has 1100 views in different platforms.
PRBB Podcasts
The Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, has produced a series of scientific podcasts to explain the research being carried out at PRBB centres. In 2023, Pilar Rivera was interviewed in the podcast ‘Asbolutos y Relativos’ (110 listeners) where she talked about nanomolecules in biomedicine. Oriol Gallego was invited to ‘La Mare de la Ciència’ (180 listeners) to talk about microscopy and study of cells. Marc Palmada, starred in another episode of the same podcast about his studies on conservation genomics (201 listeners).
‘El camí del poble gitano, una història de diversitat’ (The Gypsy Way, a story of diversity)
May 2023. To present the results of the research project that studies the diversity of the Romany people from the genetic, linguistic and anthropological point of view, a closing event was celebrated at the Poblenou Campus. 80 people attended the event organized by David Comas, the researcher in charge of the study, and the MELIS department.
The video of the event has 530 views.
On June 2023 up to 16,000 citizens participated in the Barcelona Science Party, organized by the Barcelona city council. Two days to bring the research done in Barcelona closer to the citizens. MELIS participated in presenting its board game “D’investigadora a investigador l’experiment surt rodó” following the idea of the goose game, but doing an experiment.
Closing event of the first year of the MELIS Artist in residence cycle
June 2023. To present the work done by Jo Milne during her stay at MELIS as the first ‘Artist in Residence’ of the department, Jaume Bertranpetit, coordinator of the program, organized a closing ceremony of the residency promoted with the Fundació Vila Casas.
35 people attended the event.
Every first Saturday of October the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, opens its doors in an event that usually allows people to come to the facilities and see, touch, and experience with their own hands. The event was held on Saturday, October 8. About 1500 people attended the Open Day counting with 50 volunteers from MELIS.
Scientific talk, ‘From Cannabis to intellectual disability’
November 2023. Andrés Ozaíta went to the Montserrat Abelló library in Barcelona to give a talk about the road from cannabis to intellectual disability.
Opening event of the second year of the MELIS Artist in residence programme
Inauguration ceremony of the second year of MELIS Artist in Residence programme, November 2023. To present the new artist in residence of the MELIS department in the program promoted by the department with the Fundació Vila Casas, Jaume Bertranpetit, coordinator of the program, organized an opening ceremony to present Pep Vidal, the second artist in residence and his artistic program.
The event was attended by 25 people.
Activities aimed at specialized groups
Scientific talk, ‘Sensory neurophysiology: the world of the senses’
March 2023. Paco Muñoz went to the headquarters of the Mossos d’Esquadra police force to give a talk to 40 forensic science police about the Sensory neurophysiology: the world of the senses.
Scientific talk, ‘From Cannabis to intellectual disability’
November 2023. Andrés Ozaíta went to the Montserrat Abelló library in Barcelona to give a talk about the road from cannabis to intellectual disability.
Activities aimed at secondary school students
International day of Women and Girls in Science
February 2023. Paula Cebollada, Marta Sisteré, Florence Pauline, Mireia Rumbo, Mireia Altadill & Alba Garcia, six young researchers from MELIS explained their jobs to high school students of different institutions to commemorate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
A total of 460 students attended the talks.
Scientific talk about genetics and evolution
February 2023, Elena Bosch shares her knowledge on genetics and evolution with students from the Joan Salvat i Papasseit high school. Activity organized together with the QUAES-UPF Chair.
20 students attend the talk.
Scientific talk to commemorate the Brain Awareness week – ‘The journey of the neurons of the senses’
March 2023, Berta Alsina shares her knowledge on the development of the neurons of senses with students from 8 high schools in an online seminar, to commemorate the Brain Awareness week. Activity organized together with the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park.
170 students attend the talk.
Workshop to commemorate the World Day For Laboratory Animals
April 2023, Nerea Montedeoca participated in the workshop co-organized with the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, the European Laboratory for Molecular Biology, the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and the Institute for Evolutive Biology to commemorate the World Day for Laboratory Animals.
22 students attended the workshop.
The UPF Faculty of Health and Life Sciences and the PRBB jointly organize this award for research in the health and life sciences for upper secondary school students. It is the perfect moment to address scientific concerns and plant the seeds that will grow into future scientists. In the 2023 edition, 185 students participated, and the winning work was about the processionary moth.
From Melis, Pilar Larramona, Marta Vila, David Juan, Eduard Sabidó, Altaïr Chinchilla, Verònica Casadó, Paco Muñoz participated as organization committee or juries.
The University organizes a program of summer courses aimed at secondary school students. It aims to help young people decide what they want to study in the future, offering courses in various disciplines that combine teaching and experimental and playful practice. Two of the courses were given by MELIS researchers and around 50 students participated.
Activities aimed at primary school students
10è Congrés de ciència (10th Science conference)
Organized by the Barcelona city council, 1500 children from primary school went to the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park to present its research on the sea. Paula Cebollada and Paula Berbegal acted as jury to evaluate the research done by these young scientists!
