2024/06/30

Bilbao and CIC bioGUNE, hosts of the most prominent international congress in the field of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

EUROMAR 2024 gathers between June 30th and July 4th at Palacio Euskalduna, in Bilbao, more than 750 professionals and researchers from around the world.
The congress, inaugurated this afternoon, focuses on this advanced and versatile technique that allows for detailed and precise study of molecule properties.

EUROMAR 2024, the most prominent international congress in the field of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), brings together from today in Bilbao more than 750 professionals, scientific personnel, and researchers who will examine and discuss crucial aspects of this advanced and versatile technique that allows for the detailed and precise study of molecule properties.

Under the presidency of Óscar Millet, Principal Investigator at CIC bioGUNE, – member of BRTA - the congress will focus on exploring the latest advances of this technique, which has diverse applications including chemistry, materials science, food science, biotechnology, and biomedicine, encompassing the design of new drugs, MRI imaging diagnostics, and the search for biomarkers related to pathological states.

The congress inauguration has been marked by the intervention of Xabier Otxandiano, Councilor for Economic Development, Commerce, Tourism, and Employment of the Bilbao City Council, who welcomed the participants. Following this, Anja Böckmann, President of AMPERE; Anne Lesage, President of EUROMAR; and Óscar Millet, Principal Investigator at CIC bioGUNE and President of the organizing committee of EUROMAR 2024, have introduced various panels of experts who will present scientific advances and technologies in the field of NMR over the coming days.

During this inaugural session, researchers Bernhard Blumich (Aachen University) and Andrew Webb (Leiden University) have been awarded the Richard Ernst Award for their work in the design and manufacture of portable NMR and imaging equipment, which has enabled the democratization of the technique in numerous developing countries. Both researchers presented their work during the event. The Varian Young Investigator Award and the Raymond Andrew Award for emerging researchers have also been presented.

Óscar Millet, President of the organizing committee and member of the scientific committee of EUROMAR 2024, as well as Principal Investigator at CIC bioGUNE, a forefront center in NMR research focused on personalized and precision medicine, explains that "the congress is the benchmark forum for the international magnetic resonance community, both scientifically and organizationally. Holding it in Bilbao represents significant recognition of the work carried out over the last decade at CIC bioGUNE for the implementation and development of this technique, particularly in the field of precision medicine."

Over the next days, plenary sessions will feature contributions from Andrew Baldwin (University of Oxford), Gary Frost (Imperial College London), Lynn Gladden (Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering UK), Ruth Gschwind (University of Regensburg), Lewis Kay (University of Toronto), Robert Konrat (University of Vienna), Gary Pielak (Biophysical Society), Thomas Prisner (Goethe University Frankfurt), Aaron Rossini (US Department of Energy Ames Laboratory), Ville-Veikko Telkki (University of Oulu), Sabine Van Doorslaer (UAntwerp EPR facility), and Tuo Wang (Michigan State University).

About CIC bioGUNE
The Centre for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), located in the Bizkaia Technology Park, is a biomedical research organisation conducting cutting-edge research at the interface between structural, molecular and cell biology, with a particular focus on generating knowledge on the molecular bases of disease, for use in the development of new diagnostic methods and advanced therapies.

About BRTA
BRTA is an alliance of 4 collaborative research centres (CIC bioGUNE, CIC nanoGUNE, CIC biomaGUNE y CIC energiGUNE) and 13 technology centres (Azterlan, Azti, Ceit, Cidetec, Gaiker, Ideko, Ikerlan, Leartiker, Lortek, Neiker, Tecnalia, Tekniker y Vicomtech) with the main objective of developing advanced technological solutions for the Basque corporate fabric.

With the support of the Basque Government, the SPRI Group and the Provincial Councils of the three territories, the alliance seeks to promote collaboration between the research centres, strengthen the conditions to generate and transfer knowledge to companies, contributing to their competitiveness and outspreading the Basque scientific-technological capacity abroad.

BRTA has a workforce of 3,500 professionals, executes 22% of the Basque Country's R&D investment, registers an annual turnover of more than 300 million euros and generates 100 European and international patents per year.

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