“The creation of the first global organoid bank to study pathogens and predict future pandemics” is one of around twenty of the most outstanding scientific contributions of this past 2025 in the field of life sciences and health innovation, according to Biocat’s annual BioRegion of Catalonia report.
In this report, Biocat highlights both the main lines of research carried out in the country in life sciences and health, as well as the sector’s overall key figures from different perspectives. In this context, IRTA’s contribution is included among those of the hundred research entities that make up the BioRegion of Catalonia.
5000 samples from 46 animal species available to the scientific community
The IRTA-CReSA organoid biobank (Centre for Animal Health Research), now called the Zoorganoid Platform™, at IRTA-CReSA contains a wide range of organoids (advanced in vitro models), mainly respiratory and intestinal, derived from livestock species and companion and wild animals, such as pigs and birds.
This platform represents a cutting-edge opportunity for the ethical and efficient evaluation of therapeutic and nutritional compounds, helping to drive biomedical research towards a more ethical and sustainable future from a One Health perspective.
The Zoorganoid Platform is part of one of IRTA’s strategic priorities for the coming decade: opening new cutting-edge research lines, that is, research that will be highly needed in the not-too-distant future. Within this framework, IRTA is also committed to boosting activity in gene editing.
The origin of this platform dates back to 2023 with the Farmbank project, led by IRTA-CReSA researchers Júlia Vergara-Alert and Karl Kochanowski. This bank has grown and evolved into today’s platform, with around 5000 cryopreserved samples (2800 organoid vials, plus tissue and fibroblast samples) from 46 animal species. Currently, Gerardo Ceada is in charge.
Catalonia, 1st in Europe in projects per million inhabitants and 2nd in funding per million inhabitants
IRTA contributes to growing and strengthening the BioRegion ecosystem, which includes around one hundred research entities and more than 1,600 companies, 468 of which are startups and scaleups. As a whole, this ecosystem benefits all its stakeholders and boosts Catalonia’s science, innovation, and economy.
In fact, in 2025 Catalonia maintains its leadership in Spain, with a very significant share of investments directed towards R&D. According to the 2025 BioRegion report, this strength is reinforced by human capital: Catalonia records 26,000 graduates annually in scientific fields and more than 18,000 research professionals, facilitating the establishment of more than 30 health-related technology hubs in recent years, with the corresponding impact on new employment.
Other notable data from the report include that Catalonia also reinforces its leadership in attracting competitive European funding: it has participated in 297 Horizon projects in life sciences and health (2020–2024) and ranks 1st in Europe in projects per million inhabitants and 2nd in funding per million inhabitants. Regarding ERC grants, the most prestigious on the continent, it has accumulated 64 projects and remains among the top European regions per capita. The full report can be consulted here.
What is Biocat?
Biocat is the driving force behind the health innovation ecosystem in Catalonia, working to scale and consolidate the sector by generating economic and social impact, and positioning the BioRegion of Catalonia as an international benchmark. It was founded in 2006 at the initiative of the Government of Catalonia and the Barcelona City Council as a public-private foundation, and its governing bodies include representatives from all sector stakeholders, both public and private.
Since 2006, Biocat has been collecting and showcasing the sector’s evolution through the BioRegion of Catalonia Report, the benchmark publication.
Endemic Respiratory Bacteria and AMR Ramon y Cajal researcher
