FUNDACIO ASSISTENCIAL DE MUTUA DE TERRASSA FUNDACIO PRIVADA CATALANA

Their core work

This is the research and care foundation of Mútua de Terrassa, a major Catalan mutual health insurer and hospital group operating in the Terrassa area of Catalonia. In EU research projects, they function as a clinical partner — providing access to real patient populations, hospital-based clinical data, and care delivery expertise that purely academic or technology partners cannot replicate. Their contribution centres on chronic disease management: they have participated in studies on cardiac arrhythmia remote monitoring and on the intersecting complications of type 2 diabetes, including retinal damage and cognitive decline. As a payer-provider hybrid (insurer and care operator), they bring an unusual perspective on both clinical outcomes and the economics of care, which is reflected in their involvement in a Pre-commercial Procurement (PPI) funding scheme alongside standard Research and Innovation Actions.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their first H2020 project (RITMOCORE, 2016), the foundation's focus was firmly on cardiovascular care — specifically remote monitoring of arrhythmias, ICT-enabled prevention, and the procurement frameworks needed to deploy such technology in a health system. From 2020, the focus shifted entirely to metabolic and neurodegenerative disease: RECOGNISED connects type 2 diabetes, diabetic retinopathy, cognitive impairment, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease through shared biological pathways. The move from cardiac monitoring to diabetes-linked neurodegeneration is a substantial thematic shift, though both areas are squarely within the chronic disease burden managed by a provider like Mútua de Terrassa.

The foundation appears to be moving toward multi-morbidity research — specifically the intersection of metabolic disease (diabetes) and neurological decline — which positions them as a clinical partner for future projects on ageing, dementia prevention, or digital biomarkers in chronic disease populations.

How they like to work

This organisation has never led an H2020 project, always joining as a partner. With 32 unique consortium partners across just two projects, they work in large, multi-national research consortia (averaging around 16 partners per project), typical for RIA and PPI-funded health research. Their consistent specialist role — providing clinical access and patient populations rather than technology or methodology — suggests they are comfortable as a supporting partner and are unlikely to be approached as a project coordinator.

The foundation has built connections with 32 unique partners across 9 countries through just two projects, indicating active participation in broad European research consortia rather than narrow bilateral collaborations. Their geographic reach extends well beyond Spain, as is standard for H2020 multi-partner health research.

What sets them apart

As the foundation of a mutual insurer and hospital group — not a university or pure research institute — Mútua de Terrassa's foundation brings a dual clinical-and-payer perspective that is genuinely rare in research consortia: they can provide both patient cohorts and institutional knowledge of how health systems actually procure and reimburse technology. Their involvement in a PPI project (RITMOCORE) shows they can also act as an informed healthcare buyer evaluating pre-commercial solutions, a role many academic or technology partners cannot fill. For consortium builders seeking a Catalan clinical site with chronic disease patient populations and real-world health system credibility, this foundation is a targeted fit.

Highlights from their portfolio

• RECOGNISED
  Addresses a scientifically compelling question — whether diabetic retinopathy and Alzheimer's disease share common pathological mechanisms — making it relevant to both ophthalmology and neurology communities beyond diabetes research alone.
• RITMOCORE
  Notable for using the Pre-commercial Procurement (PPI) funding scheme, placing the foundation in the unusual role of co-procurer evaluating ICT-based cardiac monitoring solutions, not just a passive clinical site.