INSTITUT QUIMIC DE SARRIA

Their core work

IQS (Institut Químic de Sarrià) is a private university in Barcelona with deep roots in chemistry and chemical engineering. Within H2020, their research teams have focused on nanoparticle-based drug delivery and light-activated antimicrobial therapies targeting resistant bacterial infections in the lungs. They also contributed to the European fusion research programme (EUROfusion) as a third party, and hosted a Marie Curie fellow studying social justice dimensions of development policy — reflecting the breadth of a multi-faculty institution.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

IQS's early H2020 involvement (2014) began with a supporting role in the large EUROfusion consortium — a physics/energy contribution quite different from their later work. From 2019 onward, the institute pivoted decisively toward biomedical nanomaterials, coordinating two projects on nanoparticle-based therapies (brain tumours and lung infections). This shift signals a strategic investment in translational pharmaceutical research, particularly around drug-resistant infections and targeted delivery systems.

IQS is building a focused niche in nanoparticle-enabled therapies for hard-to-treat infections, making them a strong future partner for antimicrobial resistance and advanced drug delivery projects.

How they like to work

IQS strongly prefers to lead: three of their four H2020 projects were coordinated by them, all under individual-scale funding schemes (MSCA fellowships, ERC-style). Their one participant role was as a third party in a very large consortium (EUROfusion, 211 partners). This suggests an institution that is comfortable running focused research teams and attracting talented fellows, rather than operating as a cog in large collaborative machinery.

Through EUROfusion alone, IQS connects to 211 unique partners across 28 countries, giving them an unusually wide network for their project count. Their self-coordinated projects are smaller and more focused, meaning their direct research partnerships are selective.

What sets them apart

IQS combines a strong chemistry heritage (it was founded as a chemistry institute) with an increasingly biomedical research direction, particularly in nanoparticle therapeutics. Their LIGHT4LUNGS project is distinctive — few groups anywhere work on inhalable light-activated aerosols against bacterial biofilms, placing them at an unusual intersection of photophysics and pulmonology. For consortium builders, they offer a Barcelona-based partner who can both coordinate and deliver on advanced materials for pharmaceutical applications.

Highlights from their portfolio

• LIGHT4LUNGS
  Their flagship project (EUR 714K): a highly original approach using inhalable phosphorescent aerosols to kill drug-resistant bacteria in the lungs — rare combination of phototherapy and pulmonary medicine.
• TargetGBM
  Coordinated MSCA fellowship on brain-permeable polymeric nanoparticles for gene therapy against glioblastoma — demonstrates competence in targeted nanomedicine beyond infections.
• EUROfusion
  Third-party role in Europe's largest fusion research programme, revealing a materials science or plasma physics capability not visible in their other projects.