Page 7 - MemoriaCIBER2019-ENG

CIBER Annual report 2019 7
Presentation by the CIBER’s Managing Director
Manuel Sánchez Delgado
In 2019, the research groups that make up the CIBER Consortium in its eleven thematic areas have continued to work for the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of the multiple diseases studied in order to have an impact on the improvement of our National Health System and, ultimately, on the health of all citizens. In this period, eight new groups of excellence joined the Consortium in the areas of CIBERER, CIBER-BBN, CIBERES and CIBERSAM. Year after year, the research carried out by all the groups maintains this spirit of achieving the transfer to society and the transfer to the Industry, obtaining results of great value and contributing to the advancement of Science.
The collaboration and synergies between the thematic areas has continued to be strengthened during 2019 through the promotion of attendance and participation of different areas in conferences and events. For example, researchers from CIBERSAM and CIBEREHD participated in the CIBERESP conferences, and CIBERONC in turn participated in the CIBER-BBN sessions. In addition, the Meeting for Excellence in Public Health Research organised annually by CIBERESP invited groups from CIBEROBN, CIBERONC and CIBERCV to participate in its 2019 edition. In the same vein, the first CIBER Interdisciplinary Course on Immunotherapy, in which six CIBER areas participated, is also worth mentioning.
The CIBER network research model is unique in our country with around 7,000 researchers (contracted and attached) in more than 400 research groups of different kinds. An important part of the CIBER staff are women, although this proportion does not carry over to the number of group leaders. Thus, policies to promote equality are emerging, such as the introduction of the figure of CO-PI as a possible female replacement for group leaders which is already being implemented in some areas. The CIBER also participates in the celebration on February 11 of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, trying to make visible the important role of female CIBER researchers. In addition, more and more initiatives are emerging to value the work of younger researchers as well. Some examples of these are the celebration in 2019 of the CIBERONC Young Researchers Meeting, CIBERDEM’s Young Researchers Meeting, the CIBERES Teaching Days or CIBERSAM’s Ideas Laboratory.
One of the milestones to highlight in 2019 is the signing of the first collective agreement for the staff of the Consortium, carried out between the Management and the CCOO Trade Union Section on June 26. The agreement aims to regulate and homogenise the working and remuneration conditions of the 879 workers who carry out their work in the consortium centres.
The scientific results obtained continue along the lines of previous years. In 2019, around 7,000 publications were made, of which close to 60% were in the first quartile and 27% in the first decile. It is important to note that more than 1,400 papers have been recorded as results in collaboration between various areas of the CIBER. In addition, in 2019, 16 new priority patent applications were submitted, 4 software were developed and 3 license agreements were signed. During this period, the CIBER obtained funding of nearly €3 million in competitive calls. Of the 113 projects under way during this period, 75 were national, 34 European and 4 from the U.S.A.
Finally, I’d like to underline the relevant role that the CIBER plays in promoting Scientific Culture, mainly in the dissemination of research results to society. In 2019, the CIBER Consortium joined the FECYT Network of Scientific Culture and Innovation Units (UCC + I) with the aim of further promoting institutional collaboration in science communication. Within the promotion of Scientific Culture, we must highlight the activity that takes place annually within the Science Week. In November 2019, with the collaboration of young researchers of the centre, the first CIBER Nano Challenge was held at the ISCIII, an immersive game which invited young students to become researchers.
Some examples of the highlights of 2019 have been referred to above and will be expanded upon in this Annual Report. All that remains for me to do now is to thank the CIBER staff for all of their efforts and congratulate them on yet another year of excellent results.