Fostering cutting-edge multidisciplinary research

The challenges we face as a society today are complex and multifaceted. The specialization that scientific progress requires contrasts with the need to seek cross-cutting themes, from genomics to photonics, from nanotechnology to chemical biology.

BIST aims to construct scientific collaborations based on the search for these complementary and interdisciplinary fields, not only to promote the creation of innovative projects, but also to provide the most competitive environment for the training of scientists.

The multidisciplinary approach in science is key

One of the main goals of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology is to promote a multidisciplinary research agenda to pool and share the research capabilities of the seven BIST centres so as to increase the scope of the science they produce as well as its impact on society. This will transcend classical disciplines and, in some cases, lead to the creation of new fields of knowledge through the combining of existing disciplines.

First lines of research that BIST aims to promote

An opportunity in the field of big data
A requirement that scientists in different fields have in common is the analysis of data to obtain knowledge. Using a combination of data from various sources, researchers can analyze and make predictions about the future of a system. BIST is in an excellent position to develop IT platforms to manage big data, incorporating new technological developments quickly and effectively.

Super-resolution microscopy
Obtaining information about materials and biological entities at a nanometric and molecular level is of great importance in current cutting-edge research. Much of the knowledge we already have about biological, chemical, and physical processes is due to our ability to visualize them at their origin, including observation at cellular, molecular, atomic or quantum levels.

At BIST we have identified as strategic the promotion of a collaborative programme that includes technological development and the applications common to biology, nanomedicine and materials of super-resolution optical microscopy and electronic microscopy.

Graphene and 2D materials: enormous potential for collaboration
Graphene is one of the important focuses of attention for the research and industrial communities worldwide. There is no finer nor more lightweight material and its resistance, flexibility, and conductive properties are second to none. We are only just beginning to see its value in fields such as technology, medicine, and energy. BIST has researchers who are international leaders in these materials and who work in fields as diverse as photonics, spintronics, and biomedical devices. This diversity is unique and will be extremely valuable when approaching the applications of graphene and 2D materials in an interdisciplinary manner.

Chemical Biology

BIST aims to promote an area of work focusing on Chemical Biology, the objective of which is to study and understand biological problems by applying the techniques and tools of chemistry. This area of work is open to interaction and collaboration with groups from other disciplines, such as genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, systems biology, and synthetic biology, among others.

Institutional Members of the Board of Trustees