Knowledge-generating Bodies Directory

As a national research centre at the service of the entire scientific, technology and industrial community, the Spanish National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Testing Centre (CNH2) is aimed at driving forward the scientific and technological research into hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

With its main headquarters located in Puertollano (Ciudad Real), it was created in 2007 as a Public Consortium between the Ministry of Education and Science, currently the Ministry of Science, Innovation and University Education, and Castilla-La Mancha Regional Government, with each entity holding a 50% interest.

ASINTEC is the Association for the Incorporation of New Technologies into Business (Asociación para la Incorporación de Nuevas Tecnologías a la Empresa), a private non-profit entity whose main objective is to provide services to companies in various areas, with the aim of achieving the strengthening, improved competitiveness, and greater development of the business community. ASINTEC's origins date back to February 1990, when a group of six garment manufacturing entrepreneurs from Talavera de la Reina, convinced of the need to act jointly and coordinately to overcome the multiple shortcomings they faced in their companies, founded ASINTEC. In 1994, ASINTEC launched the Garment Technology Centre (CTEC), a Technology Centre created with a clear mission to support the textile/garment sector, which continues to offer its technological services to companies at a regional, national, and international level.

Agrotecnio is a CERCA centre of excellence based in Lleida, Spain, founded in 2012. It brings together over 150 scientists organised into fifteen research groups across two Catalan universities. Its research covers agricultural, environmental, animal, food and nutrition sciences, emphasising translational impact and sustainability. Located on the ETSEA campus of the University of Lleida, Agrotecnio collaborates with industry and public institutions, fosters young talent, and addresses key challenges in the food production chain in a way that benefits society and the environment.

CRAGENómica is a public research center in Spain focused on applying genomic and biotechnological tools to agriculture and livestock. It works to improve traits like disease resistance, productivity, and sustainability in crops and animals. The center collaborates with universities, companies, and government bodies, participates in regional, national, and EU research projects, and supports innovation transfer to the productive sector.

The Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF) is a public research consortium founded in 1987, based at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain. It conducts both basic and applied research in terrestrial ecology, forest ecosystems, biodiversity, territorial analysis, and adaptation to global environmental change. CREAF also develops tools and methodologies to support environmental management and policy, engages with public administration, academia, and society, and promotes awareness and innovation in ecosystem conservation at local, regional, and global scales.

The Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) is an international non-profit biomedical research institute founded in 2000. Based in the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB), CRG is funded by the Catalan Government, the Spanish national science body, “la Caixa” Foundation, and Pompeu Fabra University. It operates four major research programmes: Computational Biology & Health Genomics, Genome Biology, Quantitative Cell Biology, and Systems & Synthetic Biology. It hosts core facilities for genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, microscopy and high-throughput screening. CRG also includes the National Centre for Genomic Analysis (CNAG-CRG), which provides large-scale DNA sequencing services. The institute aims to advance knowledge from the genome to whole organisms, understand genetic diseases, and contribute to public health, economic prosperity, and scientific innovation.

The Centre for Forest Science and Technology of Catalonia (CTFC) is a public research center based in Solsona, founded in 1996 as a consortium including the Catalan government, universities, regional councils, and research foundations. Its mission is to advance sustainable forest management, landscape biodiversity, climate adaptation, and the circular bioeconomy. CTFC is recognized as a CERCA center and accredited as a TECNIO agent. It produces over 100 scientific articles annually, employs around 160 staff, and transfers technology and knowledge through collaborations with industry, public administration, and society.

The Institut d’Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí (I3PT) is a health-research institute in Sabadell, Catalonia, formed by integration of Parc Taulí Health Corporation, UDIAT Diagnostic Center, Sabadell Gent Gran, Parc Taulí Foundation, and the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Its mission is to facilitate biomedical research and innovation under a sustainable model, promoting translation of scientific results into clinical applications. I3PT works in priority areas such as cancer; mental health; metabolism; rare diseases; epidemiology; infections; and surgical/interventional methods. It also has transversal strategic fields in omics sciences and data/technological innovation in health, aligning research with unmet medical needs and patient-centred impact.

The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) is a multidisciplinary research centre located in Barcelona, established in 2005 by Catalan government bodies, University of Barcelona and UPC. IBEC conducts research at the intersection of engineering, life sciences, nanotechnology and health. It has over 20 research groups and several hundred researchers from many countries. Its focus includes regenerative therapies, diagnostics, tissue engineering, biomaterials, biophysics, and health-data technologies. Situated in the Parc Científic de Barcelona, it works closely with hospitals and industry to translate scientific advances into clinical and technological solutions.

The Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) is a research center founded in 2002 by the Government of Catalonia and the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC). Located in Castelldefels in the Mediterranean Technology Park, it comprises over 25 research groups in some 80 state-of-the-art laboratories. Its research spans photonics, quantum science, ultrafast and tunable lasers, advanced imaging, environmental sensors, photovoltaics, and nanomaterials. ICFO excels in both basic and applied work, awards (including multiple Severo Ochoa distinctions), and collaborates actively with industry through spin-offs and partnerships.

The Catalan Institute of Chemical Research (ICIQ) is a leading non-profit research center located in Tarragona, Spain. It is devoted to advancing the frontiers of chemical science through research in areas such as sustainable catalysis, renewable energies, and molecular medicine. ICIQ hosts multiple teams of world-class scientists, operates core facilities in analytical chemistry, mass spectrometry, spectroscopy and materials characterization, and collaborates closely with academic, governmental and industrial partners to translate scientific discovery into innovation and real-world applications.

The Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) is an international non-profit research centre based near Barcelona. It operates in fundamental and applied nanoscience, generating new materials and devices for health, ICT, energy and environmental applications. Governed by the Generalitat de Catalunya, CSIC and the Autonomous University of Barcelona, ICN2 is accredited as a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence. It emphasizes excellence in training, industry collaboration, outreach and translating nanoscale discoveries into real-world impact.

The Catalan Water Research Institute (ICRA-CERCA) is a multidisciplinary research centre founded in 2006, attached to the University of Girona and part of the CERCA network. It works on all aspects of the integrated water cycle—hydrological processes, aquatic ecosystems, chemical, microbial and ecological water quality, treatment, and reuse technologies. ICRA focuses especially on challenges related to water scarcity and environmental extremes typical of the Mediterranean. The institute transfers its findings to industry, government, and society, helping shape sustainable water policies and solutions.

The August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS) is a non-profit research center founded in 1996 as a public consortium between the Catalan Government, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, the University of Barcelona, and the CSIC Biomedical Research Institute. Located in the heart of Barcelona, IDIBAPS is dedicated to translational research, aiming to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and patient care. With over 2,000 professionals and approximately 100 multidisciplinary research groups, the institute addresses high-prevalence diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular conditions, liver diseases, and neurological disorders. In 2023, IDIBAPS integrated the Hospital Clínic Foundation for Biomedical Research (FCRB), consolidating its position as a leading biomedical research center in Spain. The institute operates in two main facilities: the Esther Koplowitz Centre (CEK) and the CELLEX Biomedical Research Centre, equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories and scientific platforms. IDIBAPS is recognized as a CERCA center and has been accredited as a healthcare research institute by the Carlos III Institute of Health since 2009. Its mission is to ensure that clinical questions lead to laboratory research and that laboratory advances are rapidly translated back to patient care.

The Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) is a public biomedical research center established in 2004. It is promoted by Bellvitge University Hospital and Viladecans Hospital of the Catalan Health Institute, the Catalan Institute of Oncology, the University of Barcelona, and the town council of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat. IDIBELL is located in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, south of Barcelona. It is a member of the Campus of International Excellence of the University of Barcelona (HUBc) and part of the CERCA institution of the Generalitat of Catalonia. In 2009, it became one of the first five Spanish research centers accredited as a health research institute by the Carlos III Institute of Health.