From young scientists to group leaders: the women who do research at ibs.GRANADA

The institute highlights the role of its professionals at different stages of the research career and their impact on biomedical science.

To mark the International Women's DayThe Granada Institute for Biomedical Research (ibs.GRANADA) highlights the work of the researchers who are part of the center and who contribute, from different areas and levels of responsibility, to the advancement of scientific knowledge and the improvement of the health of the population.

Currently, women represent 55% of the research staff, totaling 669 professionals. This figure has grown from 52% in 2018 to the current 55%, reflecting the progressive advance towards greater equality in the scientific field. This growth is also evident in leadership positions, with an increasing number of women leading research groups, publishing scientific articles, and co-leading competitive projects.

Female talent is present at all stages of the scientific career, from trainee researchers to group leaders, driving lines of research with great social impact related to the epidemiology and prevention of cancer, environmental and child health, nutrition, equity in health services, maternal-fetal health or the development of new biomedical therapies.

Among the young researchers is María Vega Almazán Fernández de Bobadilla, R2 researcher of the group E15-EXPODIET: Food exposure to environmental contaminants From ibs.GRANADA, which focuses its work on childhood obesity and the impact of environmental pollutants on health and neurodevelopment. As a primary care pediatrician, she emphasizes the importance of translating research into community practice: “Being a pediatrician allows me direct contact with families and with the daily realities of children. I firmly believe in the importance of promoting preventative interventions and fostering a culture of health from an early age.”

In later stages of a research career, female talent continues to drive new lines of knowledge and strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration. The researcher Dafina Petrova, group researcher A17-Epidemiology, Prevention and Control of Cancer From ibs.GRANADA, contracted by Miguel Servet and affiliated with the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital and the Granada Cancer Registry of the Andalusian School of Public Health, she is developing a line of research focused on cancer prevention and control and the connection between hospital and population-based research. “I am promoting interdisciplinary collaborations between professionals in science, clinical practice, patient associations, and health authorities. Having become a mother twice in recent years, this stage has a very special meaning for me and represents a period of great personal and professional growth,” she explains.

Scientific leadership also includes female role models within the Institute. Dr. Francisca S. Molina, specialist in Fetal Medicine and Surgery at the San Cecilio University Clinical Hospital and head of the group TEC12 – Biomechanics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine From ibs.GRANADA, she leads a research line focused on diagnostic innovation and personalized medicine applied to maternal-fetal health. “The creation of collaborative multidisciplinary teams is the fundamental pillar for generating a real and sustainable impact on the healthcare system and on the health of women and their children,” she points out.

This leadership also extends to the coordination of major scientific areas. Dr. Incarna Gonzalez Flores, head of Medical Oncology at the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital and coordinator of the Oncology Area The ibs.GRANADA representative emphasizes the importance of strengthening clinical research and networking among professionals. “Research is building the future. On this International Women's Day, I want to recognize the ability, effort, and leadership of so many women researchers who, through their daily work, make a more advanced and equitable healthcare system possible.”

From the institutional perspective, the scientific director of ibs.GRANADA, Maria Jose SanchezA senior researcher and professor at the Andalusian School of Public Health, emphasizes that moving towards more equitable research also contributes to improving the quality and impact of science. “Promoting female talent means promoting more innovative science that is more connected to the needs of society. Our commitment is to continue creating opportunities for more and more female researchers to lead projects, teams, publications, and new scientific lines. It is important to highlight that talent has no gender.”

For her part, the managing director of ibs.GRANADA and FIBAO, Sarah Biel GleesonShe emphasizes that promoting equal opportunities is also a key element in consolidating a solid and competitive scientific system. “From the management team, we work to foster stable, collaborative, and sustainable environments that allow us to attract and retain excellent professionals and strengthen the social impact of the research we conduct in Granada.”

With initiatives like this, ibs.GRANADA reaffirms its commitment to a more equal and diverse biomedical research, in which female talent continues to gain visibility and prominence, promoting new scientific vocations and strengthening the leadership of its female researchers.

About the ibs.GRANADA

The ibs.GRANADA Biomedical Research Institute, managed by the Alejandro Otero Foundation for Biomedical Research of Eastern Andalusia (FIBAO), is the only center accredited by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) that develops biomedical research of excellence in Granada and one of the four accredited in Andalusia by the ISCIII.

The ibs.GRANADA is structured in four Scientific Areas: Oncology, Precision Medicine, Epidemiology and Public Health and Technology and Advanced Therapies that develop an intense research activity and lead the transfer of research results to society, which are reflected in the 1.063 publications made in scientific journals, totaling 6.528 impact factor points, as well as 23 patents applied for during 2024.

Currently, the Institute brings together more than 1.213 professionals and 69 multidisciplinary research groups that make up, from the University of Granada, the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, the San Cecilio Clinical University Hospital, the Andalusian School of Public Health and Primary Care Centers in Granada.

The main objectives of ibs.GRANADA are to promote biomedical, clinical and epidemiological research carried out by the different groups attached to the institute and to facilitate translational research in Granada hospitals. This research activity translates into the generation of knowledge and the transfer of scientific advances towards the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of priority health problems in Andalusia.