The Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) is a Comprehensive Cancer Centre located in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, a city in the metropolitan area of Barcelona. The Institute, through its Tobacco Control Unit (TCU), has been working to foster tobacco control at the national and international level during the last decade. The TCU comprises a multidisciplinary group of a young and enthusiastic professionals trained in medicine, psychology, epidemiology, nursing, statistics and other fields of health sciences. The TCU is responsible for tobacco intervention initiatives, such as the tobacco cessation clinic, as well as the coordination of the Catalan Network of Smoke-Free Hospitals. Besides, the TCU carries out research and evaluation of a broad spectrum of tobacco control related topics. TCU has been designated by WHO as a Collaborating Centre for Tobacco Control (since 2015).
The Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) is a third party of ICO assisting in administrative and financial tasks as foreseen by Article 12 of the Annotated Model Grant Agreement, including issues related to employment and payment of personnel, purchase of consumables, etc. This relationship is governed by a prior agreement between ICO and IDIBELL signed on 02/10/2007.
Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) is one of the most dynamic health research institutes in Spain with more than 800 researchers in the fields of basic, clinical and epidemiological research striving to attain significant improvements in human health. The institute was established in 2004 and is located in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, south of Barcelona. In 2009, IDIBELL became one of the first five Spanish research centres accredited as a health research institute by the Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII) and it is currently one of the most productive biomedical research institutions in Spain. IDIBELL manages the research activities of researchers at the Bellvitge University Hospital, the Catalan Institute of Oncology (Hospitalet), the University of Barcelona (Bellvitge Campus) and of course its own researchers. Research is structured into three thematic areas (cancer, neurosciences and translational medicine) with a total of 9 research programmes. Each research programme includes a number of research groups that share a common technical framework or theme. IDIBELL’s vision is turning Bellvitge Health Area into a health hub of excellence, thanks to its combination of comprehensive medical care, research experience and unique economic environment.