The project is supported by the Diputació de Tarragona, which has granted funding of 100,000 euros to carry out the initiative
The Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV) — which from 2026 will become the Southern Catalonia Biomedical Research Institute (IRB CatSud) — is leading the XISS project to integrate biomedical research and social innovation. The aim of the project is to transform the province’s healthcare system by creating effective connections between biomedical research, technological innovation, and citizen participation, with a direct impact on people’s health and well‑being. This initiative is carried out with the collaboration of the Diputació de Tarragona, which has provided a grant of €100,000 to support its development.
The project has enabled the preliminary studies for the creation of the Southern Catalonia Clinical Research Unit (UiC), which will be located at Sant Joan University Hospital in Reus and coordinated together with the three health regions (Camp de Tarragona, Terres de l’Ebre, and Baix Penedès). This infrastructure will make it possible to develop advanced clinical trials, including phase I oncology studies, as well as multicentre research on cardiovascular, metabolic, infectious, and neurodegenerative diseases.
The UiC will make it easier for patients from rural or geographically dispersed areas to take part in studies, reducing inequalities and increasing access to therapeutic innovation. In addition, data interoperability and the implementation of telemedicine services will ensure equal opportunities in access to clinical trials.
The project covers 184 municipalities and 10 counties in the province of Tarragona, involving local and socioeconomic stakeholders (city councils, hospitals, primary care centres, the university, civil society, patient associations, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, business clusters, and start‑ups).
Among the results already achieved are:
An analysis of the Spanish Clinical Studies Registry shows that the province of Tarragona has a much lower concentration of clinical trials than Barcelona (21.89 per million inhabitants compared to 114.89). The XISS project addresses this need by ensuring a more balanced distribution of resources and clinical research structures across Catalonia.
The XISS project positions itself as a national reference in translating scientific knowledge into clinical practice, promoting a healthcare system focused on people, the territory, and the reduction of social and geographical inequalities.
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