The Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) celebrated its 30th anniversary yesterday, 11 December, with an institutional and Christmas event at BCIN - Centre de Convencions i Negocis de Badalona. The event, held under the theme "30 years of IGTP: transforming knowledge into health", brought together professionals from across the Institute in a space for recognition, remembrance, and looking ahead to the future. Beyond the celebration itself, the event highlighted the maturity of the Institute as a CERCA centre and as a centre of excellence accredited by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), the strength of its community, and the central role it plays today in the biomedical research ecosystem of the Can Ruti Campus.

After three decades of activity, IGTP has evolved from an emerging project to become an institute with a clear public service vocation, committed to generating scientific knowledge with a real impact on people's health. The addresses by the director, Jordi Barretina, and the managing director, Carles Esquerré, underlined this evolution: institutional consolidation, the growth of interdisciplinary research, the value of talent and collaboration, and the importance of continuing to progress with a shared strategic vision. The speakers agreed that IGTP's strength lies in its community and in its ability to translate the knowledge generated across the Campus into results that reach patients.

The event continued with the screening of the commemorative video of the 30 years, a piece that summarises three decades of scientific progress, institutional consolidation and shared work. The video highlights key milestones in the Institute's evolution, the diversity of professional profiles that make it possible, and the forward-looking vision that guides its research programs. The film also emphasises that IGTP's history is inseparable from its people and from the collaborative model that defines the Can Ruti Campus.

Awards of the celebration

The celebration included several award ceremonies. The Christmas Decorations Contest, which this year featured 11 participating groups, was presented by members of the jury -Esther Garcia, Wenlong Hao, Aida Font and Lucia Blanc- who presented the awards across four categories:

 

• Best Christmas spirit: A Very GCAT Christmas Show (GCAT)
• Environmentally Friendly Christmas Spirit: E?Φbro Town (Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics - CGE)
• IGTP 30th Anniversary Spirit: Team 30 & Back (Lab Managing)
• Popular Prize - People's Choice: El corral científic del CMCiB (CMCiB)

The other seven teams received a participation gift in recognition of their creativity and effort. A group photograph of all the participants rounded off the segment.

Another award of the day went to IGTP Children's Christmas Card Competition. The managing director presented the prize to Vega Urán, author of the winning drawing, represented at the time of the presentation by her father and IGTP staff member, David Urán. The winning design will become this year's institutional Christmas greeting.

Castellers performance as a symbol of collective effort

The celebration then moved to the BCIN terrace, where attendees enjoyed a performance by the Descargolats de la EEBE, presented as a metaphor for the collaborative dynamics that underpin biomedical research. The structure of a human tower -combining shared effort, trust, complementary roles and precise coordination- reflects the very principles that enable progress in science. This image reinforced the event's central message: IGTP's future projects are only possible thanks to the joint work of its entire community.

Closing of the event

The day concluded with a celebratory lunch and thanks to the event partners -Pompes Fúnebres de Badalona, Veolia and PreZero-, followed by the presentation of the 30th anniversary cake.

The event strengthened the Institute's sense of belonging and shared identity, and sent a clear message: IGTP enters the coming years determined to continue growing as a centre of research excellence, advancing translational research and generating knowledge with a real impact on people's health.