News of Science
The vaccination against malaria reduced infections by 65%
The researcher Pedro Alonso has shown the efficiency of an experimental vaccination against malaria in African newborn babies. The vaccination has reduced malaria infections by 65% in a six-month period. The vaccine will go into the 3rd test phase in the second half of 2008 and will be tested on 16,000 newborn babies in seven African countries.
(17/10/2007)
The presence of water detected in the atmosphere of an exoplanet
A group of scientists, including the physicist Ignasi Ribas, a member of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia, has detected water vapour in the atmosphere of a planet outside the solar system, situated at 60 light years from the Earth. This is the first time the presence of water vapour has been confirmed on an exoplanet.
(12/07/2007)
Jupiter is changing Colour
NASA’s Hubble space telescope has captured images of colour change in the atmosphere of Jupiter, an event which could show a change of season. Bands of white clouds are turning brown, and vice versa.
(29/06/2007)
Biologists Ginés Morata and Peter Lawrence awarded the Prince of Asturias Prize for Investigation
The work of the biologists Ginés Morata and Martin Lawrence regarding the role of cells in the formation of limbs has been awarded the 2007 Prince of Asturias Prize for Scientific and Technical Investigation. The jury awarding the prestigious prize emphasised the work carried out by both investigators concerning questions such as ageing or cancer.
(20/06/2007)
The Department of Health and "La Caixa" create an Research Unit in Molecular Cancer Therapy
The agreement signed between the Health Department and "La Caixa" means that the financial organisation will provide 7 million euros for the creation of this new unit which will undertake research with new medicines and therapeutic targets which may improve the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments against cancer and reduce their toxicity. Research will be centred at the Vall d'Hebron Hospital in an area of 900 metres, and will employ 13 permanent researchers. The project is planned to begin in approximately a year, at the end of 2008.
(20/06/2007) 25/04/2007)
Bellvitge Hospital will carry out the first Artificial Heart Transplant in Spain
Doctors from Bellvitge Hospital have implanted the first artificial heart in Spain. The operation took place on a woman of 43 who was unable to undergo transplant surgery. The implanted device is called Incor, and is 120 millimetres long by 30 millimetres in diameter. It is a turbine which is coated both inside and outside with bio-compatible material which is magnetically suspended and pumps the blood from the left ventricle of the heart to the aorta.
(19/06/2007)
A planet similar to Earth has been discovered and may have liquid water.
The European Southern Observatory has discovered a planet similar to Earth, which orbits around the star Gliese 581, near our solar system. Its radius is estimated to be only 1.5 times that of the Earth's, although its mass is five times higher. Scientists believe that the planet's surface temperature varies between 0º and 40º, which could mean that water may be present in its liquid state (necessary for life to exist) and that it could become a habitable place, according to our parameters. (Photo: ESO)
(25/04/2007)
Massagué identifies four genes that drive metastasis.
Joan Massagué is the Director of the Cancer Biology and Genetics Program at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and Adjunct Director of the Barcelona Institute for Research in Biomedicine. He has identified four genes that drive at least two of the phenomena that are necessary for the metastasis process. The study, which has been conducted with human breast cancer tumours implanted in rats, is being published today in the Nature journal.
(12/04/2007)
The UB, the university that publishes the most scientific studies in the country
The University of Barcelona is the Spanish university that published the most scientific research studies during 2006, reaching a total of 2,457. The Complutense University of Madrid and the Autonomous University of Barcelona have come in second and third, respectively. Also included amongst the 50 most productive schools with regard to scientific works are the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC), ranked eighth, Rovira i Virgili University (URV), ranked twenty-sixth, and the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), ranked thirty-first.
(28/03/2007)
New optical science research centre at the Baix Llobregat University Campus
The Generalitat of Catalonia has approved the transfer of an area measuring 1,481 sqm located on the Baix Llobregat University Campus to the private foundation, Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO). The area will be the site for a new centre dedicated to research and development in the field of optical sciences, which is useful in areas ranging from telecommunications to biotechnology, including remote sensing, sensors and industrial photonics.
(20/03/2007)
The Mars Express probe detects a large mass of ice on the north pole of Mars
On a mission coordinated by the European Space Agency and NASA, the Mars Express space probe has discovered an enormous mass of frozen water under the surface of Mars. This mass is large enough to cover the red planet with a layer of liquid 11 metres deep. This new data allows scientists to expand on their knowledge regarding the evolution of water on the planet, information that is essential in order to determine whether life has ever existed there. (Photo: ESA Illustration by Medialab).
(16.03.2007)
Spanish Supercomputing Network comes on line
The Spanish Ministry of Education and Science has created the Spanish Supercomputing Network. It consists of a supercomputing infrastructure distributed so as to support the supercomputing requirements of Spanish research teams. The launch took place this midday at the facilities of the Barcelona Computing Centre (BSC) and was attended by the Spanish minister for Science and Technology and the Catalan minister of Innovation, Universities and Enterprise. (13.03.2007)
Catalonia invited to the BioAsia 2008 trade exhibition
The president of the Bioregion of Catalonia, Manel Balcells, and the president of the All-India Biotech Association (AIBA) in New Delhi signed an agreement in the course of a visit to India conducted by the Vice-President of the Generalitat, Josep-Lluís Carod-Rovira, that will mean a Catalan presence at the BioAsia 2008 and collaboration between both countries in promoting and stimulating the biotechnological sector. BioAsia 2008 takes place on 7-9 February 2008 at Hyderabad, India. (21.2.2007)
Darwin Day, celebrating the founder of natural selection theory
On 12 February, to coincide with the anniversary of his birth, the British biologist Charles Darwin will be remembered around the world. Meanwhile, in our own country, the University of Valencia, in conjunction with the Institut d'Estudis Catalans, Acció Cultural del País Valencià (Cultural Action of the Valencian Country), and the Catalan Biological Society are organising a series of events taking place over the week to highlight the immense contribution made by the author to the theory of evolution. (12.2.2007)
The most extensive protein map clears the way for the development of new pharmaceutical medicines
The results of this significant research work, carried out by scientists at the Institute of biomedical Research and the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre, will contribute vital information for understanding the dynamics of behaviour. (6.2.2007)