“We have been working really hard on 2017 to consolidate our research”, stated Marquès-Bonet. The IBE helds historically the 6th place in the list of CSIC research centres in the natural resources area, considering the funding obtained in absolute numbers. But when the numbers are analysed taking into account the number of researchers, the IBE scales to second position in the whole area. “I am really proud”, he said.

In her speech, vice-director Elena Bosch congratulated Elena Casacuberta and Josefa González, principal investigators of the IBE, for leading a new committee on mentorship. The committee is aimed at making a proper follow-up of the PhD thesis. Update on other IBE comitees was also mentioned. On a different note, Bosch informed the attendees that the IBE personnel working in the 4rt floor of PRBB building has recently moved to the 7th floor due to the imminent moving in of EMBL outstation to PRBB.

Vice director Iñaki Ruiz explained the renovation project for getting more spaces in the CMIMA building which is planned to occur in 2018.

New Year, new prospects

“It is obvious that the Institute needs to have its own building soon. All our labs would be together and we would be able to expand the scientific lines that are planned so that the uncomfortable situations we are facing nowadays wouldl be avoided”, they said, and stressed they will work hard in 2018 to achieve this goal. Also, throughout 2017, the IBE has made contacts with other scientific institutions, and these contacts will hopefully bear fruit in 2018.