INSERM CEO and Chairman visits CREAL

Chairman and CEO of French INSERM, André Syrota, will come to Barcelona to deepen their knowledge of biomedicine in Catalonia. For this reason and for the close collaboration that exists with CREAL, today Professor Syrota will be in our center to talk about all the fruits of our relationship, the European Associated Laboratory (LEA). A laboratory directed by Dr. Francine Kaufman, CESP-INSERM respiratory and environmental epidemiology team director, and Dr. Josep M. Antó, CREAL director.

In addition, Professor Syrota will be accompanied by Professor Jean-Marc Egly, his science advisor, and Dr. Richard Salives, responsible for INSERM European relations. Also by Mr. Patrick Quidel, scientific advisor to the French Embassy in Spain, and Mr. Guy Molénat, Scientific Attaché of the Embassy of France.

We should add that Dr. Antoni Plasència, director general of Public Health of the Generalitat of Catalonia and President of CREAL Board will be in the meeting to talk with Professor Syrota.

European Associated Laboratory (LEA)

On 6 July 2007 we signed an important agreement between the Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (Creal), Institut National de la Santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM), Institut Municipal Health Assistance (IMAS) and the University Paris-Sud 11, to create an international laboratory with the aim of promoting research in the field of respiratory epidemiology. Now we are renewing this agreement extending the areas of research, the environmental risks of respiratory diseases and other pathologies.

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are some of the most important and growing to be faced by public health in the future.