“Thanks to the sustainable tourism tax, we’ve successfully attracted research talent”

For those who don’t know, what is IDISBA and what role does it play in the health and research on the Balearic Islands?

IDISBA is the Balearic Islands Health Research Institute and the body that manages all the research, innovation and training in health at public healthcare facilities in the Balearic Islands. All doctors and health researchers working at these facilities manage their research through the institute. We’re also an official Health Research Institute recognised by the Carlos III Health Institute, a seal of quality afforded to just 35 centres in Spain.

What are the main lines of research you’re currently working on?

We have seven scientific areas with 56 research groups and almost 900 researchers. Our lines of research range from health science and technology (including genetics, telehealth and data analysis) to public health, epidemiology and lifestyles. There are also areas focusing on infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, respiratory diseases, neuroscience, oncology and haematology.

In recent years there’s been much talk about the need to retain scientific talent. What’s needed to ensure that researchers stay in the Balearics?

There are two main factors. First, to be able to offer attractive research careers, with job stability and conditions that ensure a solid scientific career. Research careers are difficult and often depend on external grants or open calls. The second factor is the cost of living: a predoctoral researcher is paid the same here as in other regions, but the cost of living in the Balearics is higher, which puts us at a disadvantage when it comes to attracting talent.

One of the projects tied to the ITS is Talent Plus, aimed at attracting researchers. What has it meant for IDISBA?

For us, it’s been a resounding success. Programmes funded by the sustainable tourism tax that focus on attracting research talent have been key to the institute’s growth. Thanks to open calls such as Talent Plus, we can launch our own offers to attract researchers, both from abroad and Balearic talent working in other regions. This allows us to sustain our lines of research and identify researcher profiles that can lead projects in the future.

Another project was FuturMed. What was this about?

FuturMed was the first project to receive funding; it allowed us to issue open calls for senior researchers. Thanks to this programme, we were able to bring in a high-level researcher who subsequently took on a permanent position at the institute. He created his own research group and obtained significant results, including patents and developments that we hope will become useful products for society.

The Intres project was also launched, with programmes for junior and technical profiles. What were its aims?

Calls for junior profiles are aimed at predoctoral researchers who are beginning their science careers. It allows them to join a research group and carry out their doctorate with a contract. There are also calls for early-stage postdoctoral researchers who are starting to work on their own lines of research. Technicians and management staff are also funded to help implement complex scientific projects.

What role has the sustainable tourism tax played in driving these projects forward?

For us, it’s a fantastic tool. It’s helped us to attract talent, strengthen research groups and launch initiatives that we wouldn’t otherwise have been able to develop. It also contributes to diversifying the region’s economy, boosting sectors such as biomedicine and bioengineering. Even in the external audits we received to keep our certification as a health research institute, this model was recognised as a success story.

Is enough importance given to research in the Balearic Islands?

I believe that progress is being made, but we’re still behind other regions in terms of investment and number of researchers. Regions like Andalusia, Valencia and Aragon have greater capacity and more tools. Even so, in recent years the Balearic Islands has been committed to strengthening the research network and the projects funded by the ITS have been very positive in this direction.

What are the main challenges for researchers on the islands?

One of them is to establish a research career that’s more stable than uncertain. Another has to do with the system itself: we need more businesses, more public and private actors, and more critical mass to create international projects and consortia. The Balearic research system is young—IDISBA was created in 2013—and is still in a phase of growth.

Looking ahead, what research areas will be key?

There are several strategic lines. On the one hand, to study diseases with a higher incidence in the Balearic Islands. On the other, artificial intelligence and data analysis applied to health, which will transform health research. There’s also new medical technologies, 3D printing applied to medicine and the concept of global health, which studies how environmental, social and lifestyle factors affect people’s health.