Nanoscience vs. COVID19
In 2018 the ICN2 received for the second time the Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence accreditation, the highest national award conferred by the Science and Innovation Ministry to the Spanish research institutions which stand out for the quality and impact of their research and their scientific leadership. The award includes dedicated government funding to support ongoing projects and to foster the opening of new research lines.
Health is one of the four application domains of the current 2018-2022 Severo Ochoa Programme. Novel smart nanomaterials and devices are developed for diagnosis -- to make the diagnostic process simpler, faster, less invasive and less costly -- and for therapy -- to allow therapeutic approaches to be targeted and monitored more precisely.
Drawing on the extensive experience of various research groups working in the Health area, the ICN2 has now the opportunity to produce an impact on the current situation by focusing on diagnostics technologies for the COVID-19 and possible future mutations of this dangerous virus. Thanks to the Severo Ochoa Programme, we have the capability to immediately redirect funds to support and foster research projects tackling this pressing societal challenge.
The ICN2 groups working in this field are the following: