IR Sant Pau Achieves the Highest Category in the CERCA Evaluation

The Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau) has earned an A rating, with a score of 9 out of 10 (A9), in the latest institutional evaluation of CERCA centers. Category A is the highest of the system’s four categories and corresponds to scores of 9 and 10 out of 10. This rating reflects the Institute’s international leadership and its progress since the previous evaluation, both in scientific activity and in its contributions and recognition.

The CERCA evaluation is an external process periodically undertaken by research centers in Catalonia that belong to the CERCA system, which currently comprises 42 centers. Coordinated by Institució CERCA, it involves committees of experts and external national and international evaluators who assess each center’s scientific excellence, management, internationalization, and impact, as well as its standing relative to leading institutions in its field.

A Path of Sustained Improvement

The result marks the culmination of a trajectory of continuous progress. In 2018, IR Sant Pau received a C+; in 2022, it advanced to a B−; and it has now reached the highest category with an A9. Behind this progress are the 2019–2024 Strategic Plan and the 2021–2024 Sustainability Plan, which have enabled the Institute to reorganize its scientific activity, professionalize its management, and restore financial stability.

The opening of the new research building in 2019 also marked a turning point, facilitating the Institute’s growth, the recruitment of more talent, and the development of new lines of research. Since then, IR Sant Pau has continued to expand its scientific platforms and equipment, including the new Advanced Therapies Unit, a strategic facility for developing and producing innovative treatments, such as CAR-T therapies, and facilitating their clinical application.

Greater Scientific Excellence and International Visibility

This growth is reflected in the evolution of scientific output. Between 2021 and 2025, publications in top-decile journals, ranked among the top 10% most cited in each discipline, increased from 305 to 438, a 44% rise. This result positions IR Sant Pau as the CERCA hospital research institute with the most publications at this level per full-time equivalent researcher. At the same time, the Institute has made progress in gender equality, with a growing presence of women leading research groups.

The Institute’s international presence has also strengthened. Funding secured through competitive international projects has more than doubled, rising from €6.63 million in the 2018–2021 period to €13.34 million between 2022 and 2025. IR Sant Pau has also consolidated its position as the CERCA center with the most projects funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), an indicator of its ability to compete in international research funding calls.

From Research to Innovation and Patients

Knowledge transfer is another area in which the Institute has made progress lately. During the evaluation period, IR Sant Pau strengthened its ability to transfer research findings to industry, transferring 10 patent families to companies through licensing or assignment agreements. This activity is complemented by the growth of spin-offs such as Nanoligent and the establishment of BASE4 Biosciences in November 2025, which help drive the development and application of innovations arising from research.

Clinical research and clinical trials have also taken a major step forward, and for the first time in IR Sant Pau’s history, revenue from clinical trials has exceeded €10 million.

This progress has also extended to the Institute’s relationship with society. Recently IR Sant Pau has expanded its science outreach and public participation activities, with initiatives aimed at bringing research closer to different audiences, encouraging interest in scientific careers, and strengthening public involvement in research. One example is Mariona’s adventure.

Dr. Jordi Surrallés, scientific director of IR Sant Pau, highlights the collective dimension of this recognition: “This rating is the result of many years of work guided by a shared strategy and a collective effort to transform the Institute and position it among research centers with a prominent international presence. We have grown in scientific capacity, talent, and competitiveness, but most importantly, we have built an institution that is better prepared to tackle the major challenges of biomedical research and translate its findings into benefits for patients.”

This result has been made possible by the contributions of all the Institute’s professionals, from research teams to scientific, technical, and management support staff, as well as its governing and advisory bodies. With this rating, IR Sant Pau enters a new phase shaped by the 2025–2030 Strategic Plan, based on excellence, competitiveness, impact, internationalization, and cultural transformation, with the aim of continuing to generate knowledge that helps improve people’s health and quality of life.