A study in 1.4 million women expands knowledge on endometriosis and its biological complexity

April 30, 2026

Endometriosis, a chronic inflammatory disease that affects approximately one in 10 women of reproductive age — around 190 million worldwide — remains poorly understood from a biological perspective, which has historically hindered both its accurate diagnosis and the development of effective treatments. Now, an international study published in the journal Nature Genetics provides new data

A study expands the genetic basis of an encephalopathy associated with epilepsy and autism

April 27, 2026

SYNGAP1 encephalopathy is a rare genetic disorder for which there is no treatment, causing epilepsy, intellectual disability, psychomotor delay and, frequently, autism. It is caused by mutations in the SYNGAP1 gene, which produces a protein essential for brain and cognitive development. Now, a multicentre study describes the wide variability in clinical symptoms among patients and

Researchers identify a key protein in the inflammatory response to infections

April 27, 2026

Whenever there is a wound or infection, the body produces an inflammatory response. This is the body’s first line of defence, and macrophages — cells of the innate immune system — play a key role: first, they help eliminate pathogens and other infectious agents, and then they trigger the mechanisms that repair the damage caused

Quality versus quantity of fat in the diet

April 16, 2026

A new study examines the role of palmitic acid and oleic acid — among the main fatty acids in the diet — in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus, a chronic condition associated with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. The study, published in Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism (Cell Press), is led by teams

IBUB Early Career Day 2026

March 23, 2026

The IBUB-OBD Early Career Day, in collaboration with the Bioethics and Law Observatory (OBD), will take place on May 22nd, 2026, at the Faculty of Chemistry (UB). The event is presented as a valuable opportunity for early-career researchers—including postdoctoral fellows, PhD candidates, and Master’s students—to share their research experiences and connect within the IBUB community.

Cinefòrum: “Respira Mama”

March 19, 2026

Us convidem a la projecció del documental “Respira Mama“, que explica el cas d’una nena amb una malaltia respiratòria vinculada al gen Alfa-1. El film reflexiona també sobre la importància de la qualitat de l’aire, els seus impactes en la salut i les possibles implicacions per a condicions i vulnerabilitats genètiques. Després de la projecció

Researchers discover how an anti-obesity drug improves metabolism beyond weight loss

February 24, 2026

Tirzepatide is one of the drugs that has revolutionized the treatment of obesity and other conditions such as diabetes in recent years. Despite its clinical success, its precise molecular and cellular mechanisms are still not fully understood. A study in mice shows that the drug has a direct impact on improving metabolism by activating brown

IBUB researchers contribute to the identification of shared genetic factors between addictive disorders and educational attainment

January 14, 2026

Researchers from the Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB) have taken part in a large-scale genetic study that has identified shared genetic factors influencing both the risk of developing addictive disorders and educational attainment. The research was carried out in collaboration with the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) and other national and

Professor Marta Cascante, honorary fellow of the Metabolomics Society

November 27, 2025

Marta Cascante, professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine at the Faculty of Biology and member of the Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), has been named an honorary fellow of the Metabolomics Society, an organization created in 2004 that has more than 1,000 members in over 40 countries. This