President of the Parliament Josep Rull visits IrsiCaixa and the Fight Infections Foundation to support their research

The Honorable President of the Parliament of Catalonia, Josep Rull, visited IrsiCaixa today—a center jointly promoted by the "la Caixa" Foundation and the Department of Health of the Government of Catalonia—along with the Fight Infections Foundation to learn about the basic and clinical research they develop. With over 30 years of history, these institutions have become leaders in the fight against infections and diseases of the immune system.

Rull was welcomed by Bonaventura Clotet, director of IrsiCaixa and president of the Fight Infections Foundation, who expressed his gratitude for the visit and institutional support for research. The event was also attended by Josep M. Modol, manager of the Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital; Judit Vinyals, executive director of the Barcelonès Nord and Maresme sector of CatSalut; Candela Calle, manager of the Barcelona Metropolitan North Health Region; and Laia Pallejà, director of CERCA. Other members of the leadership team of IrsiCaixa and the Fight Infections Foundation were also present, including Lidia Ruiz, deputy manager; Albert Tuldrà, manager of the Fight Infections Foundation; and Roger Paredes, scientific director of the Fight Infections Foundation and principal investigator at IrsiCaixa.

During the visit, the leadership teams of IrsiCaixa and the Fight Infections Foundation presented the main research areas they are working on. "We started by studying HIV, which gave us profound knowledge of the immune system and infectious diseases. Now, this knowledge allows us to tackle new pathologies, from emerging infections to diseases associated with weakened immunity. Additionally, we are researching conditions that may seem unrelated, such as cancer or Alzheimer’s, but that have connections with the immune system or endogenous retroviruses," explained Clotet.

Paredes highlighted the complementarity between the two institutions: “At IrsiCaixa, we begin research at the foundational level, studying the possible causes of diseases in the laboratory and identifying therapeutic targets. At the Fight Infections Foundation, we translate this knowledge into clinical practice to develop strategies applicable to patients.” This synergy, combined with their location within the Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital, enables high-impact research with a clear translational application.

At the end of the visit, President Josep Rull emphasized the potential of the Can Ruti Campus: “IrsiCaixa, the Fight Infections Foundation, and the Germans Trias Hospital are examples of collective pride and excellence. These institutions, which are national and international benchmarks, work to promote well-being and social progress. The research they conduct creates the ideal conditions to establish an international cluster for infectious diseases.”