Nobody can make progress in pediatric disease research in isolation. Alliances between different centres are called for in order to progress through the stages involved in any research or investigation.
This approach underpins the work of the Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), a biomedical research center made up from SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital and Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu groups, and three research institutes, Institut de Biomedicina [Institute of Biomedicine] (IBUB) and the Institut de Neurociències [Institute of Neurosciences] (UBneuro), both of them from the Universitat de Barcelona, and the Centre de Recerca en Enginyeria Biomèdica [Biomedical Engineering Research Centre] (CREB) of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya.
All of theses centres are points of reference in the different phases of research and development of biomarkers, treatment and drugs.
Our objective as a research centre is to straddle the entire research process, from the diagnosis of a disease, knowledge of the pathophysiological foundations through to the development of a new drug. In doing so, we go well beyond the limited possibilities of a hospital in isolation and make faster, safer and deeper progress in the search for new therapies that our patients will benefit from.
What makes us different
The research carried out at the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital is translational, which means that laboratory learnings are transferred rapidly to the health care delivered to our patients and vice versa. Being one of the few monographic pediatric hospitals makes us somewhat unique with regard to the large adult hospitals.
We are the pediatric hospital that performs most clinical trials in Spain, thus allowing us to apply experimental, new and innovative treatments in diseases which as yet have no treatment or in which the existing treatments are insufficient.
Our work areas
The Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu coordinates 400 researchers and clinicians from SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital and Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, who work in five major areas. The Fundació Privada per a la Recerca i Docència Sant Joan de Déu is the managing entity of the Institute.
Childhood cancer
It is not covered by public health
Neurosciences
It is not covered by public health
Adaptive response, metabolism and immunobiology
It is not covered by public health
Associated clinical groups
It is not covered by public health
Health and innovation technologies
It is not covered by public health
Other hospital research activities
In addition to our activities within the framework of the institute, SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital engages in activities in its other fields of interest, with the management of the Fundació Sant Joan de Déu.