The Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC) took part in SOMMa Connect 2026, held on 22 and 23 September at the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB). Organised by the Alliance of Severo Ochoa Centres and María de Maeztu Units of Excellence (SOMMa) together with the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), the event brought together leading research institutions from across Spain with companies, investors and other organisations from the innovation sector.

Prof. Ari Melnick, Director of the Josep Carreras Institute, Cristina Casaus, Managing Director, and other members of the Institute took part in SOMMa Connect 2026 and its various activities. The IJC has been a member of SOMMa since 2024, when it was accredited as a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence, a distinction recognising the excellence, impact and international leadership of research centres in Spain.

“Taking part in events such as SOMMa Connect helps science move forward and, in the case of the IJC, brings us closer to curing leukaemia and other blood cancers,” said Cristina Casaus, Managing Director of the IJC. “Sharing experiences and building connections between centres of scientific excellence and the innovation community helps us forge stronger partnerships and increase the impact of our research system.”

Over the two days, scientific leaders, companies, investors, entrepreneurs and representatives of public institutions had the opportunity to discover some of the most promising technologies and projects emerging from research carried out in Spain and to explore new opportunities for collaboration, investment and knowledge transfer.

Connecting research, innovation and society

SOMMa Connect aims to bring the scientific expertise of centres and units of excellence closer to industry and the wider innovation community, providing a space where researchers, companies, investors and public institutions can meet. The initiative is designed to encourage dialogue about their respective needs and identify opportunities to turn new knowledge and technologies into solutions with economic and social impact.

SOMMa represents a community of more than 18,000 people working in research. According to the latest aggregated figures available, its centres and units produced nearly 15,000 scientific papers in international peer-reviewed journals in 2025. In the same year, researchers across SOMMa institutions held 313 European Research Council (ERC) projects. A central focus of SOMMa Connect 2026 was to showcase the potential for innovation and knowledge transfer across the institutions that make up the alliance. The programme featured projects and technologies developed at Severo Ochoa centres and María de Maeztu units and explored opportunities for collaboration with companies, technology transfer agreements, investment and new business ventures.

The event included an Investment Pitch Session, where different projects were presented to representatives from the investment and business communities. Networking sessions and presentations of successful SOMMa initiatives also provided opportunities to establish new contacts and explore potential collaborations.

The second day focused on what is needed to translate research excellence into innovation and the partnerships that can support this process. The programme covered topics including collaboration between research institutions and industry, public-private partnerships and different sources of funding for innovation.

The Josep Carreras Institute, a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence and SOMMa member

The Josep Carreras Institute was accredited as a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence in 2024 by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through the State Research Agency. The accreditation recognises research centres for the excellence and impact of their scientific work and their international leadership.

Following its accreditation, the Institute joined SOMMa, the alliance of Severo Ochoa Centres of Excellence and María de Maeztu Units of Excellence in Spain. SOMMa works to strengthen this scientific community and raise its international profile. It also promotes collaboration among its member institutions and with other organisations in the research and innovation ecosystem, alongside the exchange of good practices and the development of joint initiatives.

By taking part in SOMMa Connect 2026, the Josep Carreras Institute continues its commitment to collaboration and research excellence as a means of accelerating knowledge transfer and advancing its mission to eradicate blood cancers.