Science and health: key drivers of Catalonia’s democratic progress

Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB) hosted the event “50 years later: science, health innovation and democracy in Catalonia”, a commemorative conference organized by the Government of Catalonia, with collaboration from Biocat, as part of the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the restoration of freedoms in the country.

The event, held on December 11, highlighted how scientific progress, specifically health research and innovation, has been one of the key pillars in building an advanced, democratic Catalan society connected to the world. It was also an opportunity to recognize the BioRegion of Catalonia’s leadership and foster debate on the future of research in an ever-changing global environment.

Director General for Research and Innovation in Health Antoni Plasència gave the institutional welcome, stressing that scientific development in Catalonia cannot be separated from its political and social context. “Fifty years on, Catalonia is a leading biomedical hub in Europe, with excellent research, expanding innovation, growing transfer to the healthcare system and business, increased investment, consolidating infrastructures, strong internationalization and a very significant economic impact”, he noted.

The first panel discussion, “From repression to progress: Stories of transformation”, moderated by Biocat CEO Robert Fabregat, featured four speakers with complementary careers: Antoni Andreu, former director general for Research and Innovation in Health and former executive director of EATRIS; Andreu Mas-Colell, economist with international experience in science policy, former Catalan minister for Universities and Research and founder of the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics; Anna Meseguer, group leader at the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR); and Josep Samitier, director of the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and professor of Electronics in the University of Barcelona (UB) Faculty of Physics. 

The session recalled that Catalonia started off behind in terms of its structure, with serious shortcomings in talent, institutions and scientific culture, but also showed how strategic decisions and a vision shared by governments, institutions and the research community have made it possible to build a distinctive model based on research centers of excellence, top tier university hospitals, science parks and a firm commitment to training and drawing back talent.

The speakers’ contributions clearly illustrated this journey: Andreu Mas-Colell attributed the transformation successes to “political will and a very open research model,” although he acknowledged that it “hasn’t always had enough funding.” He stressed the firm belief that Catalonia’s economy depended on building a solid research system and recalled how, while in the United States, he received a proposal that would eventually lead him to drive major structural transformations, like creating the ICREA model. 

Anna Meseguer shared her personal experience: “I had to go to the United States because I couldn’t find what I was looking for here, in terms of research.” She returned in the late 1990s to set up a research unit at Vall d’Hebron Hospital, only to find “research was highly clinical and poorly organized, without a culture or understanding of the value of what we were doing.” Nevertheless, that initial effort would become the seed of today’s Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR). Josep Samitier highlighted that the major turning point was the opportunity to take part in large scale European projects once Spain joined the European Union. He described this process as “very enriching, because it allowed us to work with people from around Europe” and opened the door to more competitive, internationalized research.

Antoni Andreu recalled, “In 2000, the system was lacking a clear, well planned strategy, which gave us a very rich, intense environment but with a lot of noise.” In this regard, he pointed out that in recent years efforts have been made to homogenize and organize the system, although “it is complicated because it is already very dynamic.” 

The speakers agreed on one essential point: we can’t stop now. We have to consolidate funding, ensure scientists can have a stable, dignified career, and intensify the transfer of knowledge and technology. The goal is to consolidate a scientific system that is fully integrated into the healthcare system, internationally connected and focused on the people’s wellbeing. “Advanced therapies, artificial intelligence and data give us an opportunity to continue being a benchmark. We have a very rich ecosystem, and that is why we need planning and strategy,” said Josep Samitier. 

Following that, the second session, “Research in freedom: The future of scientific progress in a changing geopolitical context”, was moderated by Biocat Strategic Foresight and International Relations Director Montse Daban. In this session, Emilià Pola, executive director of ICREA; Arcadi Navarro, director of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation and professor of Genetics at the UPF; and Mercè Crosas, director of Computational Social Sciences and Humanities at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center and former Secretary for Open Government of the Government of Catalonia, addressed key issues like academic freedom, data sovereignty, the resilience of research systems and opportunities to make Catalonia a hub for talent and responsible innovation.

In this context, Mercè Crosas pointed out that “there is a lot of talk, but very little research on how social media affects disinformation,” and noted that “in Spain, trust in science is higher than in other countries.” This, she argued, is why “we need to bring science closer to society, and this is researchers’ responsibility too.” Arcadi Navarro stressed that “science needs academic and social freedom” to advance, adding that “we must be able to improve public-private partnerships” to strengthen the research and innovation ecosystem and ensure its sustainability and impact.

Finally, Emilià Pola highlighted the ICREA model, noting that “ICREA researchers don’t come for the salary; they come because they have total academic freedom to conduct their research; this is one of its greatest attractions.” He emphasized that “ICREA’s success is not an isolated case; it’s thanks to the whole system,” highlighting the importance of the Catalan research ecosystem.

In a context of growing disinformation, censorship and populist rhetoric, the speakers agreed that ensuring institutional autonomy and responsible governance is more urgent than ever. They also noted how international conflicts and the politicization of knowledge can seriously affect global scientific collaboration and divert resources from civilian research toward military purposes.

The closing remarks were delivered by Secretary General of the Catalan Ministry of Health Narcís Pérez de Puig, who reaffirmed the institutional commitment to research aimed at improving people’s lives. “We continue to build health, science and democracy,” he stated.

The event wrapped up with a cocktail and networking session that brought together different generations, disciplines and institutions, with a clear message: scientific progress and democratic progress have gone hand in hand over the past 50 years, and they must continue to do so to address the challenges of the future.