The University of Barcelona has secured funding and institutional approval to establish the Barcelona Center for Applied Neurosciences (BCAN), a major new research facility that will be based at the Mundet campus in Barcelona. The University of Barcelona leads the project through its Institute of Neurosciences (UBneuro), with institutional support from the Government of Catalonia and the Barcelona Provincial Council. The initiative is open to other public universities in Barcelona that work in this field.

The project has a total budget of €11.8 million, jointly financed by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) and the Diputació de Barcelona. BCAN will serve as a multidisciplinary hub dedicated to advanced neuroscience research with a strong focus on healthcare applications, including cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging, neurostimulation, biomarker analysis and artificial intelligence.

The center will be located in the historic Antic Teatre building, which will be renovated and adapted into a state-of-the-art research space while preserving key architectural and artistic elements. The transformation reflects the university’s commitment to combining scientific innovation with cultural heritage.

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027 and conclude in 2028. Once completed, BCAN is expected to attract international researchers, foster collaboration with hospitals and industry partners, and position Barcelona as a leading European center for applied neuroscience.