Brief description of the entity

The Health Research Instituto of Santiago de Compostela Foundation (FIDIS) is a non-profit foundation, in charge of the management of the research activities carried out by the Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), a research centre dedicated to the transmission, innovation and dissemination of knowledge for the purpose of promoting synergies between the Comprehensive Management Board of Santiago de Compostela (Healthcare Service Department of Santiago de Compostela and Lugo) and the University of Santiago de Compostela. IDIS is accredited as a medical research centre of the National Health System by the Institute of Health Carlos III.
The main goal of IDIS is to improve the health and quality of life of people, creating a healthier future and transferring the results of cutting-edge biomedical research to society.
IDIS is the biggest health research institution in the northwest of Spain. It supports more than 1500 researchers integrated in 80 groups organized in 6 research areas: oncology, genetics, endocrinology, platforms and methodology, inflammation.

Activities and services offered

FIDIS works to identify and develop new solutions to society’s health problems and to contribute to global health knowledge. It carries out extensive research and training work. It builds a space in which the activities framed in health care, the training of new professionals and the development of excellent research naturally coexist. This allows the promotion of critical research mass, giving support to those groups starting their research career, as a key element to further increase the capabilities of the Institute.
Besides, FIDIS has many platforms and support services of common use, provided by the entities that comprise it, which allow the development of research at the highest level. IDIS has, among others, platforms in image technologies, biobank, and in the field of omic sciences, along with support units and methodological support that guarantee the quality of the R+D+i activities carried out.
In 2018, 79 seminars were organized, 57 doctoral theses were directed by IDIS’ researchers, 220 professional training placement and 24 short training exchanges were organized in collaboration with other entities. The Institute has published 754 original scientific articles, editorials and reviews in 466 international journals indexed in the Journal Citation Report with an cumulative impact factor of 3.569 points.
At the same year, FIDIS developed 104 clinical trials and 178 observational studies, both nationally and internationally. IDIS throught its Foundation takes part in national and international call of fundings. Currently, there are more than 180 active projects including 10 H2020 projects, 4 Interreg projects, , 3 ERANET projects, and one Marie Cuire Project. . In 2018 the number of projects granted in competitive calls was 65.
The transfer of the results of the research carried out is another of the entity’s activities. Thus, IDIS Foundation has a total of 7 patents granted and in 2018 it filed 30 applications.

The differentiating value

The added value provided by the Foundation through IDIS is the synergy between researchers from the health area of Santiago de Compostela and researchers from the University of Santiago de Compostela, as well as the joint use of its facilities and infrastructure. This collaboration allows the development of biomedical research that incorporates basic, preclinical and clinical research, with the aim of improving the health of citizens.

Your role in neuroATLANTIC project

FIDIS will coordinate the NEUROATLANTIC project aming at setting up a traslational platform focused on bringing scientific breakthroughs and inovations in theragnostics agents to treat and diagnosis neurological diseases.

FIDIS will develop novel theragnostic and PET biomarkers to diagnose and treat neurological diseases; evaluate novel therapies in preclinical models; monitor disease progression; standardization of clinical protocols; proof-of-concept of therapeutic and diagnostic platforms;
In addition, FIDIS will lead the capitalization and exploitation activities, including a proposal for a common research an innovation agenda in neurological diseases within the cooperation area, based on the principles set out by the European Commission regarding R&D oriented missions

The results you expect to achieve

In the short term (by the end of the project), it is expected to have a proposal on standardised clinical guidelines to diagnose and treat neurological patients. By the end of the project these guidelines will be shared with the relevant health authorities in the area. Moreover, in the short term the mobilization of 9 partners with relevant clinical and preclinical capabilities will contribute to the rapid maturation of two R&D projects and bring them into the clinical setting. Finally, it will be set up the main rules for the platform operation in the future, allowing it to develop new projects and add new partners, so it becomes a catapult infrastructure to accelerate market uptake of innovations in the neurological field. On the medium term (5 years), the expected impacts will be a significant increase in the number of players (especially SMEs) working in a common research and innovation agenda, the funds attracted to finance research and innovation projects in neurological diseases and a completed updated clinical management of patients suffering from these diseases. In the long run, (10 years) it will be expected to contribute to a more sustainable health national systems able to face the formidable challenges of an ageing population.

Your thoughts about the importance and the opportunity this project represents and your main goal by participating in it

Neurological diseases become a worldwide challenge that needs to be addressed, particularly on regions where there is a growing number of ageing people, as the Atlantic area. Regions such as Galicia (Ourense 30,7% and Lugo 28,7%), Portugal (country average

Your thoughts about the impact that this project will have on the ecosystem

neuroATLANTIC project will contribute to address this challenge by proposing new standardized clinical protocols, innovative diagnostic and treatment methods and ensuring technology transfer to enterprises to favour the uptake of innovations in real settings.

Contact Info

Eva Maria Ben Garea
Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela