BioGUNE Research Center Inaugurates Cutting-Edge Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Device
Seventeen years ago, the bioGUNE Research Center -CIC bioGUNE- inaugurated its Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) facilities, a technique that allows studying molecular properties in a detailed way. Its applications range from chemistry to biomedicine, including food science, the design of new drugs, and the search for biomarkers related to various diseases. This Friday, the latest and most powerful of these devices was presented, involving an investment of 5 million euros.
“The acquisition of this latest spectrometer, more powerful than the six existing until now, places the Basque center, located in the Bizkaia Technology Park, at the forefront of research with this technology of so-called personalized and precision medicine,” said Lehendakari Urkullu, who presided over the event.
This instrument will significantly contribute to research aimed at the design of new drugs, the search for biomarkers for the diagnosis of rare diseases, prevalent diseases such as cancer, liver diseases, and bacterial and viral infections. It will also aid in the detailed characterization of the aging process and the prognosis of various pathologies.
“The first two teams were installed in 2007. They attracted a series of researchers who, with their work, put us on the map,” recalled José María Mato, director of the center. “Thanks to this technology, 35 lines of research have emerged,” he stressed, highlighting the Ackribea project, which has gathered 20,000 samples for a study on the metabolism of the Basques, and Biosilver, aimed at increasing healthy aging.
The new device reaches a power of one gigahertz, making the installation one of the most relevant in southern Europe. The five million it has cost have been financed by the Basque Government, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, and the Ministry of Science and Innovation. This investment reaffirms the commitment to research, demanding stable and sustainable investment.