The DCEXS is one of the six research units in Spain to receive this award, which complements the two "Severo Ochoa" accreditations granted in the same call. The DCEXS includes 8 laboratories of the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC - UPF).

Arcadi Navarro, director of the DCEXS and IBE principal investigator, said that "as a member of the Pompeu Fabra University, it makes us especially proud the acknowledgement of the effort made to demonstrate that a university department can make first class research."

According to the Secretary of State for R&D of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, the DCEXS is considered a leading unit in biomedical research in Europe. It has a significant portfolio of patents, start-ups and spin-offs, a list of global collaborations and a PhD program in Biomedicine internationally recognized.