Institute of Biomedical Technologies

Innovation and technology

Emerging lines associated with technology transfer: » Agustin de Betancourt» programme

The “Agustín de Betancourt” programme is an initiative of the Council of Tenerife, first established in 2016, to provide support to the research groups and institutes at the ULL, in order to maintain research activity with high potential for technology transfer. It is also committed to the recruitment of human resources with skills for the development of advanced technological products and services that could have an impact on the market, driving their commercial exploitation in priority sectors for the economy of The Canary Islands. After being selected through a public tendering process, the research personnel recruited through this program are brought together with consolidated research groups to carry out their own research projects under the supervision of the group leader.

Active ITB research projects

The active ITB research projects that represent emerging lines related to technology transfer are:

  1. Identification of new therapeutic targets and the generation of neuroactive peptides in Alzheimer’s disease and other related taupathies («Identificación de nuevas dianas terapéuticas y generación de péptidos neuroactivos en la enfermedad de Alzheimer y otras taupatías relacionadas». Principal investigator: Carmen Laura Sayas Casanova, PhD; PI-ULL: Néstor Torres Darias; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, Cellular Biology and Genetics, ULL). Programme of «Drug Development & Target Identification».
  2. Proof of concept for a non-invasive technology for the early diagnosis in Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease based on circulating exosomes («Prueba de concepto para una tecnología no-invasiva de diagnóstico temprano de Enfermedad de Alzheimer Esporádica basada en exosomas circulantes. Principal investigator: Daniel V. Guebel, PhD; PI-ULL: Néstor Torres Darias; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, Cellular Biology and Genetics, ULL). Programme of «Drug Development & Target Identification».
  3. Neuromodulatory techniques as new therapeutic approaches against addictive behaviours («Técnicas neuromodulatorias como nuevas aproximaciones terapéuticas frente a las conductas adictivas»). Principal investigator: Julien Dampuré, PhD; PI-ULL: Horacio Barber Friend; Department of Cognitive, Social and Organisational Psychology, ULL). Programme of «Neurobiology & Brain-Related Diseases».
  4. The induction of autophagy through D2R/D3R receptors in Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease. («Inducción de autofagia a través de receptores D2R/D3R en la enfermedad de Parkinson y la de Huntington». Principal investigator: Diego Luis-Ravelo, PhD; PI-ULL: Tomás González Hernández; Department of Basic Medical Sciences, ULL). Programme of «Neurobiology & Brain-Related Diseases».
  5. MetSPLAT: An in vivo platform for preclinical drug trials against metabolic syndrome. Agustín de Betancourt project (Principal investigator: Silvia Velázquez García, PhD; PI-ULL: Diego Álvarez de la Rosa; Department of Basic Medical Sciences, ULL). «Chronic & Age-Related Diseases» Programme.
  6. In vivo screening based on the reversal of cellular phenotypes to find new drugs that inhibit the Chk1 kinase involved in cancer (“Rastreo in vivo basado en la reversión de fenotipo celular para encontrar nuevos fármacos inhibidores contra la quinasa Chk1 implicada en cáncer”. Principal investigator: David Gillespie, PhD; PI-ULL: Eduardo Salido Ruiz; Department of Basic Medical Sciences, ULL). «Genetic & Rare Diseases» Programme.
  7. Development and application of nanostructured magnetic platforms in the detection of pathogens: environmental applications in the agri-food industry and in water intended for human consumption («Desarrollo y aplicación de plataformas magnéticas nanoestructuradas en la detección de agentes patógenos: aplicaciones medioambientales, en la industria agroalimentaria y en aguas de consumo humano». Principal investigator: Íñigo Fernández Bats, PhD; PI-ULL: José Luis González Mora; Department of Basic Medical Sciences, ULL). Programme of «Neurobiology & Brain-Related Diseases».
  8. Gene Editing Service («Servicio de edición génica». Principal investigator: Belinda Rivero Pérez, PhD; PI-ULL: Eduardo Salido Ruiz; Department of Basic Medical Sciences). «Chronic & Age-Related Diseases» Programme
  9. METAPANC: Inhibition of glutamine metabolism as therapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma («Inhibición del metabolismo de la glutamina como terapia contra el adenocarcinoma ductal pancreático». Principal investigator: Miguel X. Fernandes, PhD; PI-ULL: José M. Padrón; Department ofOrganic Chemistry, ULL). «Drug Development & Target Identification» Programme.
  10. MICROFAVAR: Development of a high-resolution, high-speed quantitative phase-contrast microscope for 3D imaging of biological samples («Desarrollo de un microscopio de contraste de fase cuantitativa de alta resolución y alta velocidad para la obtención de imágenes en 3D de muestras biológicas». Principal investigator: Carlos Cairós; PI-ULL: Ángel Acebes, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, ULL). Programme of «Neurobiology & Brain-Related Diseases».

Technology transfer

  1. Facility for the Massive Analysis of Genomic Data (Regional Government of Tenerife, CGIEU0000219140). Contract: 2,700,000 € (2018-2022). Dr Carlos Flores.
  2. Agreement between the Institute of Technology and Renewable Energies, HUNSC and The Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation to contribute to strengthening education, training, research, development and scientific and technological innovation in genomics, precision medicine and biotechnology (OA17/008). Contract: 320,000 € (2017-2020). Dr Carlos Flores.
  3. Collaboration agreement between the The Canary Islands Foundation for Advances in Biomedicine and Biotechnology (Bioavance) and the company Orfan Biotech SL to generate an in vitro model of Huntington’s disease and to validation the proposed approach («Convenio de colaboración entre la Fundación Canaria para el Avance de la Biomedicina y de la Biotecnología (Bioavance) y la empresa Orfan Biotech SL para la realización de un modelo in vitro de la enfermedad de Huntington y ensayos de validación del abordaje propuesto»). Contract: 15,000 € (22/02/2019 – 01/10/2019). Dr Tomás González Hernández.

Support and training

  1. Strategic Plan for Research, Innovation & Management of Intellectual Property Rights (PDF)
  2. Resources for Researchers (PDF)