Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu

What Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu does

Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD) is a private non-profit biomedical research institute headquartered in Esplugues de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain, established in 2015 through a collaboration agreement among Hospital Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, and Fundació de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu. The institute became a CERCA center of the Generalitat de Catalunya in 2020. IRSJD is organized around eight research programs spanning neurosciences, pediatric cancer, precision medicine in rare diseases, mental health, metabolic and immunobiological disorders, and health technologies and innovation, with research groups physically distributed across five campuses in the Barcelona metropolitan area.

The institute operates a portfolio of core services including a Clinical Research Unit (URC) and Clinical Trials Unit (UAC) that support sponsored clinical trials, and an extensive set of scientific-technical core facilities covering biobanking (Pediatric Biobank integrated into the national Biobank Network and a Neurological Tissue Biobank), genomics, neuroimaging, confocal microscopy, functional genomics, metabolic analysis, an animal facility, and the Pediatric Computational Imaging Center (PeCIC). Its Advanced Therapies Platform holds MIA pharmaceutical laboratory accreditation, making it the first Spanish hospital authorized to produce and export advanced therapies to European public and private institutions. The fetaLife project has developed a functional artificial placenta prototype achieving 21-day survival in liquid incubator conditions for extreme premature infants. Innovation activities are channeled through three FEDER-cofunded networks — i4Kids (pediatric innovation), TECSAM (health technologies), and Xartec Salut — each led by an IRSJD researcher.

IRSJD is funded through a mix of competitive public research grants from national bodies (Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Departament de Salut), European Commission programs (Horizon Europe, FEDER, EIT Health), regional government (Generalitat de Catalunya, AGAUR), philanthropic foundations (Fundación "la Caixa"), and transaction-based clinical trial fees from pharmaceutical and biotech sponsors. The institute is also a member of multiple CIBER national research networks (CIBERER, CIBERDEM, CIBERESP, CIBERSAM, CIBER-BBN) and the European ITCC pediatric oncology network. No revenue figures, parent company, or commercial listing are disclosed.

Name

Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu

Legal name

Fundació de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu

Website

https://irsjd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD) is a Barcelona-based non-profit biomedical research institute founded in 2015, conducting pediatric and translational research across oncology, rare diseases, mental health, and neurosciences for academic, clinical, and pharmaceutical sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biomedical Research Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (62151), Medical Laboratories (621511)

SIC

Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Laboratory Developed Tests (LDTs) & Specialized Clinical Lab Assays (HLAAALAN)

Keywords

• Pediatric biomedical research
• Clinical trials services
• Rare disease research
• Scientific technical services
• Advanced therapy manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Esplugues de Llobregat

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Competitive Research Grants: Funding from national bodies (Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Departament de Salut), European Commission (Horizon Europe, EIT Health), and regional government (Generalitat de Catalunya, AGAUR)
2. Clinical Trials Revenue: Fee-for-service clinical trial support provided to pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, and academic consortia through the Clinical Research Unit and Clinical Trials Unit
3. Foundation and Philanthropic Funding: Support from Fundació de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Fundació la Caixa, and other charitable foundations for specific research programs
4. Technology Transfer and Innovation: Revenue from innovation networks including i4Kids, TECSAM, and Xartec Salut, co-funded by European Regional Development Fund (FEDER)

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IRSJD is a private non-profit biomedical research institute that conducts translational research across pediatrics, mental health, neurosciences, oncology, and rare diseases. It delivers fee-for-service clinical trial support via its Clinical Research Unit (URC) and Clinical Trials Unit (UAC), provides shared scientific-technical infrastructure (biobanking, genomics, neuroimaging, microscopy, animal facilities), runs innovation networks (i4Kids, TECSAM, Xartec Salut), and is accredited to manufacture and export advanced therapies across Europe.

Product overview

Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD) is a biomedical research and innovation center created in 2015 through collaboration between Hospital Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, and Fundació de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu. The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of research services organized around Clinical Research Unit (URC) and Clinical Trials Unit (UAC) for evaluating treatments, Core Facilities providing scientific-technical services (biobanking, imaging, genomics, animal facilities), and Innovation Programs (i4Kids, TECSAM, Xartec Salut). Research is structured into programs spanning neurosciences, pediatric oncology, rare diseases, mental health, and health technologies. The institute also supports scientific dissemination through KIDS Barcelona and outreach programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clinical Research Unit (URC) and Clinical Trials Unit (UAC) Joint clinical research and clinical trials service that facilitates and promotes quality research for laboratories, researchers, and companies evaluating treatment and product efficacy. Attracts public and private-sponsored clinical research.
• Core Facilities / Scientific-Technical Services Comprehensive research infrastructure for internal researchers and external partners, including Neurological Tissue Biobank, Pediatric Biobank, Pediatric Computational Imaging Center (PeCIC), Seahorse Metabolic Analysis, Animal Facility, Neuropsychological and Clinical Evaluations, Neuroimaging, Biological Sample Processing, Genomic Analysis, Confocal Microscopy, 3D Planning and Simulation, and Functional Genomics Platform.
• Innovation Networks (i4Kids, TECSAM, Xartec Salut) Innovation networks co-financed by FEDER for pediatric healthcare technology development (i4Kids), new health technologies (TECSAM), and health technology innovation (Xartec Salut). Three IRSJD researchers lead three innovation networks under these programs.
• Research Programs Organized biomedical research areas spanning Neurosciences, Adaptive Response / Metabolism / Immunobiology, Pediatric Cancer, Precision Medicine in Rare Diseases, Clinical Groups, Mental Health and Society, Mental Disorders Bases, and Health Technologies and Innovation.
• Advanced Therapies Manufacturing (MIA-Accredited Platform) MIA-accredited pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing facility producing and exporting advanced therapies for other centers and institutions in Europe. First Spanish hospital to achieve this accreditation.
• fetaLife Artificial Placenta / Liquid Incubator Prototype Functional prototype of an artificial placenta or liquid incubator developed by the BCNatal team for extreme premature infants. Achieved 21 days of survival in good condition in experimental models and more than 13 months of postnatal survival once outside the device with good neurodevelopment outcomes.
• Scientific Outreach and Education Programs Public engagement programs including KIDS Barcelona, scientific workshops, Science Agora, the podcast 'La ciencia de lo singular', International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and summer scientific activities. Committed to scientific dissemination and social return of research.

Quantifiable outcome

• fetaLife artificial placenta achieved 21-day survival in liquid incubator and 13+ months postnatal survival with good neurodevelopment outcomes
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and moderate.

• Hospital Sant Joan de Déu BarcelonacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Primary clinical partner providing patient access and translational research context. IRSJD was created through collaboration with this leading pediatric hospital.
• Universitat de BarcelonacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Primary university partner with research groups housed at Campus Sur and Campus Mundet facilities.
• Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Technical university partner with CREB research groups located at Campus Diagonal Sud.
• Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de DéucoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Mental health research partner with groups located at Sant Boi facility. Includes Clinical Trials Unit (UAC) for mental health trials.
• Fundació de Recerca Sant Joan de DéucoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Managing foundation for IRSJD operations, created 2002 to cover biomedical and social research activities.
• CIBERER (Centro de Investigación en Red de Enfermedades Raras)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational rare disease research network with multiple IRSJD research groups participating (CB06/07 codes)
• CIBERDEM (Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational diabetes research network with IRSJD groups CB07/08/0044 and CB07/08/0003
• CIBERESP (Epidemiología y Salud Pública)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEpidemiology network with IRSJD groups CB15/00067 and CB16/02/00322
• CIBERSAM (Salud Mental)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health research network with IRSJD group CB/07/09/0028 led by Dr. Josep Maria Haro since 2007
• ITCC (Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean network focused on developing new therapies for pediatric and adolescent cancers, with entire Oncology Service participating
• European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy AgeingmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean network for sharing activities and projects to meet aging population needs, with mental health research group participation
• Fundació la CaixamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funder of ÚNICAS project for rare pediatric diseases and general research support
• i4Kids Innovation NetworkmoderateTechnology or IntegrationInnovation network co-funded by FEDER for pediatric healthcare technology development
• TECSAM (Xarxa d'Innovació de Noves Tecnologies en Salut)moderateTechnology or IntegrationInnovation network for new health technologies co-funded by FEDER
• Xartec SalutmoderateTechnology or IntegrationHealth technology innovation network co-funded by FEDER

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO): Spain's national cancer research center, also member of CIBER networks. Comparable as a Spanish public research institute competing for similar Instituto de Salud Carlos III and European funding in oncology research.
• Centro de Regulación Genómica (CRG): Barcelona-based biomedical research center covering genomics, systems biology, and cell biology. Comparable as fellow Catalonia-based, CERCA-affiliated research center competing for similar talent and grants.
• Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR): Barcelona-based hospital-linked biomedical research institute covering similar translational research areas. Comparable as a fellow Catalonia-based hospital research center competing for similar Spanish and European funding streams and pharma-sponsored clinical trials.
• Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron - Institut de Recerca: Pediatric-adjacent Barcelona hospital with research arm covering cancer, neuroscience, and rare diseases. Direct competitor for pediatric clinical trial volumes and Catalan research talent.
• Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM): Barcelona hospital-linked biomedical research institute covering epidemiology, cancer, and translational research. Comparable in Catalan research ecosystem positioning, hospital-integrated model, and CIBER network participation.
• Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC): Spanish national research council institute focused on molecular biology and biomedicine in Barcelona. Comparable in Barcelona life sciences ecosystem and competing for similar biomedical talent and European funding.
• Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (UCL): UK-based pediatric biomedical research institute affiliated with Great Ormond Street Hospital. Comparable in pediatric specialization, hospital-integrated model, advanced therapies development, and translational research scope.
• Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL): Barcelona biomedical research institute affiliated with Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, covering cancer, neuroscience, and translational medicine. Comparable in scale, Catalan funding access, and clinical-hospital integration model.

Broad incumbents

• Karolinska Institutet: Sweden's largest medical university with extensive pediatric and translational research programs. Comparable in biomedical research scope and European funding access, but operates at significantly larger scale and global reputation.
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute: Major US pediatric research institute with much larger scale, broader funding base, and global trial leadership. Comparable in pediatric specialization but operates at significantly greater institutional scale and geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IRSJD_info
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@IRSJD
• Instagraminstagram.com/institutrecerca_sjd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institut-de-recerca-sant-joan-de-d%C3%A9u

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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