INSTITUT CATALA DE LA SALUT

Their core work

Institut Català de la Salut (ICS) is the largest public healthcare provider in Catalonia, Spain, operating major university hospitals including Germans Trias i Pujol. In H2020, they contribute clinical infrastructure, patient cohorts, and real-world healthcare data to European research consortia focused on chronic diseases — particularly liver disease, diabetes, neurodegeneration, and transplant medicine. They bring hospital-based clinical trial capacity and expertise in translating research findings into care pathways within a large public health system.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2018), ICS participated in a diverse spread of projects — infectious disease preparedness (ZIKAction), sepsis diagnostics (RAIS), arrhythmia monitoring (RITMOCORE), and early immunotherapy work (RESTORE) — reflecting a broad university hospital contributing clinical capacity across many fields. From 2019 onward, a clear concentration emerged around chronic disease mechanisms, particularly the intersection of liver disease, diabetes, and neurodegeneration, with dementia and cirrhosis becoming recurring themes. Simultaneously, their recent projects show growing investment in health data infrastructure and outcome measurement (H2O, ENVISION), signaling a shift toward data-driven clinical research.

ICS is converging on the diabetes–liver–brain disease axis while building digital health data capabilities, making them a strong partner for projects linking metabolic and neurodegenerative research with real-world outcome measurement.

How they like to work

ICS operates exclusively as a participant or third party — they have never coordinated an H2020 project, which is typical for large public healthcare providers who contribute clinical sites and patient access rather than leading research design. With 215 unique consortium partners across 29 countries, they are well-networked and comfortable in large multinational consortia (most of their projects are RIA with 10+ partners). This makes them a reliable, low-friction partner who integrates smoothly into existing consortia without competing for leadership.

ICS has collaborated with 215 distinct partners across 29 countries, giving them one of the broadest European networks for a clinical partner. Their connections span academic medical centers, biotech companies, and data infrastructure providers across Western and Southern Europe.

What sets them apart

ICS stands out because it is not a university or research institute — it is the operational backbone of Catalonia's public healthcare system, giving it direct access to large, diverse patient populations and real-world clinical data that most academic partners cannot match. Their Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital is a reference center for liver disease and immunology. For consortium builders, ICS offers something rare: a public health system that actively participates in EU research, bridging the gap between clinical innovation and routine care delivery.

Highlights from their portfolio

• RITMOCORE
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 1.36M) involving risk-sharing procurement for remote arrhythmia monitoring — a rare innovation procurement model in healthcare.
• H2O
  EUR 1.07M for building a pan-European health outcomes observatory with patient-reported outcomes and common data models — positions ICS at the forefront of value-based healthcare data.
• RESTORE
  EUR 1.17M for tolerogenic dendritic cell therapy in multiple sclerosis — an ambitious cell therapy clinical trial representing ICS's immunology strength.