The Social Council of the IISPV has been constituted

The body channels the participation of citizens and key actors in our territory

This week was held the meeting of the constitution of the Social Council of the Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV). This body is responsible for integrating citizens in the projects of our organisation. It is essential for the IISPV to count on their participation, as well as that of companies and other relevant agents in the territory. Maintaining a good relationship of mutual collaboration allows us to understand their needs and contribute to providing a response through the initiatives we undertake in the different areas of research in which we are experts.

PILAR ALIÓ BORRÀS. Businesswoman and member of the board of trustees of the Fundació Casa Sant Josep de Tarragona (Xarxa Santa Tecla). She holds a degree in Geography and History from the University of Barcelona. She has participated in the Pla Especial de la Part Alta (PEPA) of Tarragona. She was the president of the Reial Societat Arqueològica Tarraconense from 2014 to 2019, where she has also held other positions. She has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Casa Sant Josep Foundation (Xarxa Tecla) since March 2017.

XAVIER ALLUÉ MARTÍNEZ. Paediatric pneumatologist and doctor in Anthropology. Fulbright scholar, trained in the USA and Canada. Head of the Paediatric Department of the Joan XXIII University Hospital of Tarragona until 2011. He has written numerous scientific publications. He is the author of four books and has participated in two dozen book chapters. The dissemination of his speciality in the media has resulted in 2,172 articles as well as columns and opinion articles. Collaborator in radio stations. He currently manages the blogs Pediatria social and La percepció selectiva. He is a collaborating lecturer at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. Founding member of the Concili de Pediatres de Llengua Catalana, the Sociedad Española de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos, the Sociedad Española de Neumología Pediátrica and the Sociedad Española de Pediatría Social.

MERCHE DALMAU CORTÈS. Pharmacist and entrepreneur. Graduate in Pharmacy from the UB. Master in International Wine Marketing, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya. She has worked in the pharmaceutical industry. For years she shared a project with her husband Miquel Pérez, creating the first sustainable and ecological winery in El Molar (Tarragona), an innovative venture in the D.O.Q Priorat in 1999. As a result of their pharmaceutical training, they promoted the cultivation of organic, healthy and environmentally friendly wines. Miquel Pérez died in 2013, and Merche Dalmau became the owner of the Dalmau pharmacy in Reus and the owner and manager of Clos Galena (D.O.Q. Priorat), together with a great team, and the oenologist Toni Coca, as technical director of the winery. Currently, Galena wines are exported to more than 30 countries. In 2017 she became the first woman owner of a winery to serve a Catalan and Priorat wine, the ‘Formiga de Vellut 2014’, at the Nobel Prize dinner in Stockholm. It was the first time in 100 years that a Catalan and Priorat wine was served. He has received numerous national and international awards and recognition from the region for the quality of the wines produced. Nowadays, he combines his work in the pharmacy with the winery, a family and team task.

RAMON GOMIS BARBERÀ. Endocrinologist, playwright. President of the Consell Assessor en Recerca i Innovació Sanitària de la Generalitat de Catalunya (CAPRIS) and Director of the Estudis de Ciències de la Salut de la UOC. He holds a degree in Medicine and a PhD from the University of Barcelona. He has been Director of the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS). Professor emeritus of the Department of Medicine at the University of Barcelona (UB) until 2017. Professor emeritus of the UB. His scientific and professional career is linked to the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, attached to the UB, where he was Head of the Diabetis and Endocrinology sections. He has been a member and director of the Fundació Clínic per a la Recerca Biomèdica and has participated in numerous national and international scientific associations. He has received, among other awards, the Narcís Monturiol Medal for scientific and technological merit (2002), the National Research Award (2005), the Honorary Member of Reus and the Creu de Sant Jordi (Generalitat de Catalunya) in 2013. He was director of the IISPV during 2017. The same year he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Universitat Rovira i Virgili. He is a member of the Institut d’Estudis Catalans and the European Academy (AE). During his personal career in the world of literature and theatre, he has published several plays, founded and directed the company La Tartana (1969) and is currently Honorary Patron of the Fundació Teatre Lliure.

JOAN GUINOVART CIRERA. Degree in chemistry and pharmacy and PhD in biochemistry from the University of Barcelona. Specialist in clinical biochemistry and clinical analysis. He did his postdoctoral work at the University of Virginia. He is Emeritus Professor at the University of Barcelona, where he was Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He was director of the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) from its foundation in 2005 until 2018. He is currently an emeritus member. He has published more than 200 scientific articles on metabolic disorders associated with diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. He has received, among others, the August Pi i Sunyer award from the Institut d’Estudis Catalans, the Narcís Monturiol medal for scientific merit from the Generalitat de Catalunya and in 2014 he was awarded the Creu de Sant Jordi for his international career and the projection of his work. He has been president of the Spanish Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, of which he is an Honorary Member, of the Confederation of Spanish Scientific Societies and of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He is a full member of the Reial Acadèmia de Farmàcia de Catalunya, the Real Academia Nacional de Farmacia, the Institut d’Estudis Catalans and the Academia Europea (AE) and the Academia Europea (AE). Doctor Honoris Causa from the Andrés Bello University of Santiago de Chile. He is a ambassador of the city of Tarragona.

MISERICÒRDIA MONTLLEÓ DOMÈNECH. Businesswoman, politician and public administration professional. Vocational Training Cycle – Higher Level. Postgraduate degree in Cultural Heritage Management from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili. She has received training in the following areas with the Generalitat de Catalunya: Data Management and Protection, Public Accounting, Administrative Legal Regime and Town Planning and electronic invoicing. She currently manages and is responsible for institutional relations for the association IMPULS CAT SUD. She has been a businesswoman in the real estate and catering sectors. Secretary and financial controller in the local administration for 25 years. Executive Director of the Fundació Món Rural of the Departament d’Agricultura de la Generalitat de Catalunya. Assistant manager in environmental services and wind energy at VALLSER, SL. She has worked in the Administration and Services Staff (PAS) of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili and in the Centre de Recursos per l’Aprenentatge i la Investigació (CRAI) of the same university.

MARGARITA OLIVA. Entrepreneur and president of the board of trustees of the Rosa Maria Vivar Foundation (Alzheimer Reus and Camp de Tarragona). Graduate in Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics from the University of Barcelona. She has developed her professional career mainly in the family group of companies in different sectors as a sole director. Promoter of the social project of the Centre Terapèutic d’Estimulació Cognitiva per l’Alzheimer i la Unitat de Memòria. At present, her responsibility at the Rosa Maria Vivar Foundation is to oversee and carry out pioneering projects in the area of Alzheimer’s and cognitive health, as well as disseminating information on its prevention. She is the driving force behind CatSud, Region of Knowledge, participating and collaborating in the Technical Committee of the Tarragona Provincial Council and Rovira i Virgili University.

ANTONIO PONT AMENÓS. Businessman. Honorary Chairman of the Borges group of companies. Diploma in Business Management from IESE Business School. Lecturer in Business Administration at the Escola d’Alts Estudis Mercantils de Barcelona. Among many other initiatives, he has been general director of ExproReus, founder and president of Gresol Empresarial de la Catalunya Nova and president of the first and second international congress on the Mediterranean diet. He was awarded the Gold Medal for Merit in Work. He is also a member of the Royal Academy of Economic and Financial Sciences. Founding and Honorary President of the INC – International Nut&Conucil, founded in Paris in 1983. In 2006 he received the Creu de Sant Jordi. Resident of Reus since 1957. Adopted son of the city of Reus, 2020.

EUGENI SEDANO I MONASTERIO. Among the numerous positions he has held, he has been Director of Pharmacy and Director General of Health Resources of the Department of Health of the Generalitat de Catalunya, and has worked in the pharmaceutical industry in the company Esteve Pharmaceuticals as Director of Institutional Relations. He has also been National Vocal of Pharmacists of Industry of the General Council of Pharmacists Associations and is a Numerary Academician of the R. Acadèmia de Farmàcia de Catalunya. He has published more than 40 scientific publications and given more than 350 lectures. Director of Institutional Relations in Catalonia at TALENTO-EPHOS, Chairman of the Board of Directors EDP SANT JOAN REUS – BAIX CAMP and Chairman of the Advisory Board of the FUNDACIÓ EDAT&VIDA. Degree and PhD in Pharmacy (Universitat de Barcelona). General Management Programme-PDG (IESE). Executive Master’s Degree in Management of Health Organisations (ESADE).

PIA TEIXIDÓ PONT. Technical Director of Ópticas Teixidó. Graduate in Optics and Optometry from the University School of Optics of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and from the School of Optics and Optometry of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Granada (UG). Master and Bachelor in Optometry from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. Currently, she is focused on optometry and vision therapy, myopia control, therapy in visual problems and rehabilitation of visual skills in patients with acquired brain damage (trauma, stroke). Member, among others, of the National College of Opticians-Optometrists; Technical Director of Ópticas Teixidó. Graduate in Optics and Optometry from the University School of Optics of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and from the School of Optics and Optometry of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Granada (UG). Master and Bachelor in Optometry from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. Currently, she is focused on optometry and visual therapy, myopia control, therapy in visual problems and rehabilitation of visual skills in patients with acquired brain damage (trauma, stroke). Member, among others, of the National College of Opticians-*Optometrists; Catalan Association of Optometry and Visual Therapy; International Society of Optometry and Development; AbreSusOjos Association (non-profit organisation for the improvement of the visual quality of people with intellectual disabilities and disadvantaged groups) and See to Learn (non-profit organisation, with campaigns aimed at children between 6 and 12 years of age for the prevention of school failure due to undetected visual problems). It is worth highlighting its dissemination in talks and training activities related to eye health aimed at optometrists, ophthalmologists, paediatricians, primary health professionals, parents and teachers in many schools in the province of Tarragona; International Society of Optometry and Development; Asociación AbreSusOjos (a non-profit organisation for the improvement of the visual quality of people with intellectual disabilities and disadvantaged groups) and Ver para Aprender (a non-profit organisation with campaigns aimed at children between 6 and 12 years of age for the prevention of school failure due to undetected visual problems). It is worth highlighting its dissemination in talks and training activities related to eye health aimed at optometrists, ophthalmologists, paediatricians, primary health professionals, parents and teachers in many schools in the province of Tarragona.

JOAN VENDRELL ORTEGA. Director of the IISPV. Doctor specialising in endocrinology and nutrition. Doctor of Medicine from the University of Barcelona. He has been clinical head of the Endocrinology and Nutrition Service at the Hospital Universitari de Tarragona Joan XXIII since 2000 and professor in the Department of Medicine and Surgery at the URV Faculty of Medicine since 2018. The research group he co-leads, Diabetes and Metabolic Associated Diseases Research Group, is a multidisciplinary research group focused on the study of the causes of obesity and type 2 diabetes. The group is part of the state-wide network of excellence CIBERDEM. He has been principal investigator of several national and international research and innovation projects. Since 2017 he has been the director of the IISPV.

ELISABET VILELLA CUADRADA. Deputy Director of the IISPV. PhD in Biology. Director of the research area of the Hospital Universitari Institut Pere Mata (HUIPM). She studied biology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (1982-1986) and defended her PhD at the same university in 1990. She was awarded a pre-doctoral fellowship by the Spanish government and a Severo Ochoa postdoctoral fellowship by the Fundació Ferrer for research. During this period she stayed at the University of Washington (Seattle, USA) with the group of Dr. John Brunzell and at Tufts University (Boston, USA) with Dr. José Ordovas. Subsequently, she spent a postdoctoral stay in Dr. Thomas Olivecrona’s group at Umeä University (Umeä, Sweden). Since 1995 she is assistant professor at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili and researcher at the Hospital Universitari Institut Pere Mata. Since 2010 she is head of the research group dedicated to identifying genetic and environmental risk factors for psychiatric disorders (GAP) and head of the Research Department. She is currently deputy director of the IISPV. Editor of the journal Brains.

The meeting of the constitution of the Social Council of the IISPV was held at the Centre de Lectura de Reus.