Skip to main content
Scientific

CiMUS Innova and Proton Therapy: CiMUS at USC’s Strategic Commitments to Innovation and the Transfer of Early-Stage Therapeutic Projects

  • This was highlighted at the 5th Investing in Science Is Profitable Meeting, organized by Unirisco and Xesgalicia, which brings together researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors to identify industrial opportunities arising from the work of Galician research centers.
  • The CiMUS Innova program aims to identify and analyze research projects with therapeutic potential and guide them toward collaboration with industry or the creation of new business initiatives.
  • The proton therapy research led at CiMUS by Yolanda Prezado stands out for her group’s potential to catalyze a strategic opportunity at both regional and national levels, positioning Spain at the forefront of research in radiotherapy, proton therapy, and radiobiology.

 

CiMUS at the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC) participated today in the 4th Investing in Science Is Profitable Meeting, organized by Unirisco and Xesgalicia, with two presentations reflecting its main strategic commitments in the field of biomedical innovation: the CiMUS INNOVA program, aimed at promoting the transfer of early-stage therapeutic projects, and research in proton therapy, a cutting-edge research line with strong clinical and industrial potential.

The meeting brought together researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors with the goal of identifying industrial and business opportunities based on the knowledge generated in Galician research centers, as well as strengthening the connection between science, innovation, and the business sector.

 

CiMUS INNOVA: Promoting the Transfer of Therapeutic Projects

During the event, the CiMUS INNOVA program was presented—an initiative designed to identify and analyze research projects with therapeutic potential developed at CiMUS and guide them toward valorization, collaboration with industry, or the creation of new business ventures.

The program was established through a bilateral agreement between the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela and the Kaertor Foundation, which specializes in valorization and reverse transfer. Its objective is to support research teams in positioning their projects for subsequent stages of development, facilitating their transition from early research to industrial and market environments.

In its first call, CiMUS INNOVA involved 17 research groups at the Center, encompassing a total of 23 projects focused on the discovery and development of new therapeutic approaches, including therapeutic target validation, drug delivery systems, drug repositioning, and biomarkers.

CiMUS INNOVA forms part of the Center’s broader strategy to strengthen its commitment to research excellence, innovation, and knowledge transfer. This strategy is supported by ERDF (FEDER) funds, the Regional Government of Galicia (Xunta de Galicia), and the Spanish State Research Agency through the CIGUS Network and María de Maeztu accreditations.

 

Proton Therapy: A Strategic Research Line with International Projection

The event also addressed one of CiMUS’s research lines with the greatest strategic projection: proton therapy, led for the past two years by researcher Yolanda Prezado at this Singular Research Center. This line reinforces CiMUS’s commitment to advancing cutting-edge biomedical research capable of generating clinical and industrial impact.

In this context, opportunities associated with the future Galicia Proton Therapy Center were analyzed. The center is scheduled to begin operations at the end of 2026 and will become the first facility within Spain’s public healthcare system to offer this high-precision radiotherapy treatment. Its proximity to CiMUS and the University Clinical Hospital of Santiago de Compostela (CHUS) will help consolidate a unique environment for collaboration between basic research, technological development, and clinical application.

Within this framework, the group’s potential was highlighted as a catalyst for creating a strategic opportunity at both regional and national levels—one capable of positioning Spain at the forefront of research in radiotherapy, proton therapy, and radiobiology, while attracting talent, fostering international collaboration, and promoting industrial development.