ISGlobal and CREAL Researchers Prepare the Integration of their Scientific Areas

With only 10 days to go before the merger between ISGlobal and its allied centre CREAL is completed, the scientific teams from both institutions held a joint working session in Barcelona, on June 20.  Almost 50 principal investigators, directors and program leaders participated in different sessions with the aim of discussing the challenges and opportunities associated with the fusion of the research areas of both institutions.

Currently, ISGlobal carries out research along six programmes, all of them focused on infectious diseases: malaria, maternal, child and reproductive health, Chagas and other neglected tropical diseases, viral and bacterial infections, HIV/AIDS, and emerging activities. In turn, CREAL’s research activities involve six other programmes that focus on non-communicable diseases and the environment: cancer, respiratory disease, child health, air pollution, water pollution, and radiation.  

The debate that took place during the different working sessions focused on issues such as the research challenges and the scientific organization of the new Barcelona Institute for Global Health that will emerge. Another issue of debate was the integration of the communicable with the non-communicable and environmental research lines.  The conclusions of the session were the starting point for another session held the next day with the scientific and direction committees from both centres.

The new ISGlobal that results from the merger, larger in size and with broader capacities, will continue with its mission to improve global health and promote health equity through excellence in research and knowledge translation.