The Regional Government highlights the success of the Investigo Program, which has enabled the hiring of almost 150 young researchers in Granada, 8 of them at FIBAO.

The delegate of the Government of the Junta de Andalucía in Granada, Antonio Granados, today gave a "very positive" assessment of the Investigo Program, an initiative of the Ministry of Employment, Business and Self-Employment (CEETA) that has enabled the hiring of nearly 150 young researchers in the province thanks to an investment of more than 10 million euros.

During his visit to the Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government Center for Genomics and Oncological Research (GENyO) - one of the 25 entities benefiting from the program - Granados highlighted that this measure "has made it possible to strengthen research teams and offer job opportunities to highly qualified young people without having to leave our region."

The Investigo Program, now in its final stages, was launched in late 2022 as part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. Its objective is to promote the hiring of individuals under 30 years of age by research organizations, universities, and technology centers, as well as by public and private entities linked to innovation.

Granados, accompanied by the territorial delegate for Employment, Javier Martín Cañizares, held a meeting with some of the young participants and visited different units of GENyO together with the heads of the collaborating entities: the director of the Progress and Health Foundation (FPS), Gonzalo Balbontín; the managing director of the Foundation for Biosanitary Research of Eastern Andalusia (FIBAO), Sarah Biel; the manager of GENyO, Luisa Rancaño; and the scientific director of GENyO, Marta Alarcón.

The delegate emphasized that the program "has been a unique opportunity for young people with specialized technical or scientific training to develop their professional careers in cutting-edge projects." The contracts, ranging from 12 to 24 months, have encompassed a wide range of profiles, from university graduates in biomedicine, biochemistry, engineering, or biotechnology, to advanced vocational training technicians in specializations tailored to the needs of each center.

The Progress and Health Foundation (FPS), which coordinates the Network of Foundations Managing Biomedical Research within the Andalusian Public Health System (SSPA), has been one of the main beneficiaries, with 22 new hires and a grant of €1,43 million. The newly hired researchers have worked at IAVANTE, the SSPA Biobank, and primarily at GENyO, where 17 researchers have joined cutting-edge biomedical projects.

These young researchers have participated in cutting-edge research, such as cell culture and flow cytometry in stem cell studies, applied research with animal models for autoimmune diseases, and the development of databases and experimental analyses focused on immunology. They have also collaborated on experiments with mobile elements (LINEs), related to the development of different types of cancer.

Currently, 12 of the 17 young people hired at GENyO continue working at the center, while 5 have already accessed new jobs, which, according to Granados, "demonstrates the effectiveness of the program as a professional launchpad."

The Foundation for Biomedical Research of Eastern Andalusia – Alejandro Otero (FIBAO) has received a grant of €529.741, which it has used to hire eight young researchers. This organization manages research at hospitals and primary care centers in Almería, Granada, and Jaén, and, since January 2025, also at GENyO.

Researchers hired through FIBAO have collaborated on projects on human reproduction, hereditary and complex diseases, epidemiology and cancer prevention, participating in international benchmark studies, such as EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition), which analyzes the relationship between nutrition, lifestyle and chronic diseases.

In addition, some of the staff have been integrated into the platforms and support services of ibs.GRANADA, such as the Bioinformatics Unit, the Biobank or the Cell Production and Tissue Engineering Unit, contributing to the development of advanced therapies and personalized medicine.

Following the visit, the delegates agreed that "beyond the numbers, the true value of the Investigo Program lies in the people: trained, motivated young people with a scientific vocation who can now look to the future with hope."

Finally, they announced that, although the program is nearing its end, the Andalusian Regional Government will continue to support active employment policies and research projects focused on youth, innovation, and technological development. They also highlighted that some 30 young researchers have already been hired permanently by the same institutions where they began their careers, "which confirms the positive and lasting impact of the Investigo Program on the scientific and employment landscape of the province."