Member profiles

The profiles of the members of the Bioethics Commission are available below:

PRESIDENT

Dr. Jordi Garcia

Vice chancellor of Research; Full Professor, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona.

SECRETARY

Dr. Lidia Sanchez Moral

Graduated in Biomedical Sciences and PhD in Biomedicine (2019) (UB), postgraduate in Technological Transfer (2021) (UPF – BSM). She has worked at IDIBAPS – Hospital Clínic of Barcelona and at the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP). Since May 2023 she works as senior technician at the Technical Secretary of the Bioethics Commission of the University of Barcelona (CBUB), providing technical support to researchers, coordinating the documentation of the CBUB and acting as a contact point between the members of the commission and the researchers. Since January 2024 she is also the Secretary of the body.

MEMBERS

Dr. Maria Jesús Bertran Luengo

She has a PhD in Medicine, and is a specialist in Preventive Medicine and Public Health. She belongs to the Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology service of the Hospital Clinic since 2002 and is also a medical associate professor (Universitat de Barcelona 2010-2019). She is part of ISGlobal as Medical Research Fellow. Her professional activity has focused on the main topics of preventive medicine, clinical quality and safety, and research bioethics. She has been member of the CBUB since 2017.

Dr. Laura Bosch Galceran

She is an Emeritus Professor at the Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology (Cognitive Processes section), in addition to being a member of the Institute of Neurosciences (UBNeuro) and the Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute (IRSJD), and coordinating the APAL Research Laboratory (Attention, Perception and Acquisition of Language). Her interests are focused on research in childhood with a neuropsychological and experimental perspective, and on training in bioethical issues applied to human experimentation and observation. She has been member of CBUB since 2019.

Dr. Anna Falcó-Pegueroles

She is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Nursing. Doctor in Nursing Sciences, Master in Bioethics and Law, University Master in Integral Attention to the Critical Patient and Emergencies and Postgraduate in Political Bases and University Management. Member of the research group "Bioethics, law and society: interdisciplinary analysis of the ethical, legal and social aspects of biomedicine, biotechnology and emerging technologies (BIOELSi)", linked to the Observatory of Bioethics and Law (UNESCO Chair UB). She has 2 six-year research degrees from AQU and 3 five-year teaching degrees from AQU. She is a member of the Academic Committee of the Doctoral Program in Nursing and Health and Coordinator of the Master's Degree in Advanced Clinical Practice in Nursing. Area of research interests: advanced practice nursing, applied bioethics, evidence-based practice.She has been a member of the CBUB since 2021.

Dr. Fabiola Leyton Donoso

She is Professor at the Department of Fundamental and Clinical Nursing (Faculty of Nursing of the UB), as well as a member of the Consolidated Research Group "Bioethics, Law and Society: Interdisciplinary analysis of the ethical, legal and social aspects of biomedicine, biotechnology and emerging technologies (BIOELSi)". She belongs to the Bioethics and Law Observatory (UNESCO Chair in Bioethics, UB), she is the editorial coordinator of the Bioethics and Law Journal of the UB and she is also an evaluator of the National Agency of Evaluation and Prospective of the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain since 2019. Her research areas include applied ethics, bioethics, animal ethics and environmental ethics. She has been member of the CBUB since 2020.

Dr. Gemma Marfany Nadal

She is a Doctor in Biology and Professor of Genetics at the University of Barcelona. Her scientific career has always focused on the field of genetics. In addition to teaching, she currently directs the Human Molecular Genetics Research Group, which investigates rare diseases. She is a member of CIBERER, Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB) and the Observatory of Bioethics and Law. She is a member of the Bioethics Commission (CBUB) since 2010 and has been secretary (2020-21).

Dr. Eduardo Mariño Hernández

Graduate (1976) and Doctor in Pharmacy (1981) from the University of Salamanca. Assistant Professor of University (1982). Professor of Galenic Pharmacy at the University of Barcelona (1988). Specialist in Hospital Pharmacy (1988). Director of the Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Care Unit (http://www.ub.edu/farcli/web). Research group of Generalitat de Catalunya (2009). 7 research sexennials (2018) by the CNEAI. Seniority as a member of CBUB: Since 2006. Areas of work/discipline: Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology. Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Care. Motivation for being member of the CBUB and experience related with the tasks carried out in the CBUB: with experience in human studies since the late 1970s. 

Dr. Isabel Martínez Lizan

She is Full Professor of Preventive and Community Dentistry at the Unit of Training and Research in Dentistry (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences) since 2001. She is former head of studies of the Degree in Dentistry and Secretary of the Faculty, and she is currently a member of the Ethics Committee of the Dentistry Hospital Fundación Josep Finestres, which is why she was recommended to join the Bioethics Committee in order to strengthen it in the field of research in dentistry. Her motivation for joining CBUB was the experience of working in such a multidisciplinary way in this Commission, which reflects the diversity and plurality of the University of Barcelona.

Dr. Maria Pau Sandín Esteban

She is Full Professor in the Department of Research Methods and Diagnosis in Education at the Faculty of Education. She directs the research group in Intercultural Education GREDI and is director of the Institute for Research in Education of the UB. Her area of work focuses on the educational and social field, where she has participated in ethnographic, action-research and phenomenological research, among others. Her teaching activity focuses on training in qualitative research methodology. Her motivation for joining CBUB is to have the opportunity to collaborate with its members in the promotion of ethical practices in research. She has been member of CBUB since 2018.

Dr. Santiago Seguí

He is Associate Professor at the University of Barcelona, specialized in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence. His motivation for joining the CBUB was the consideration of ethical standards in research in the field of artificial intelligence, especially those applied in the field of health. He has been member of the CBUB since 2022.

Dr. Montserrat Venturas

She is Associate Professor at the University of Barcelona since 2010 in the Medical-Surgical Department of the Faculty of Nursing, and head of Nursing Management at the Cardiovascular Clinical Institute (Hospital Clínic Barcelona). Graduated in Nursing (1987, UB), graduated in Social and Cultural Anthropology (2002, UAB), PhD in Nursing Sciences (Jaume I University), with the Doctoral Thesis "The evolution of the Nursing Profession at the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona. A Historical Research 1906-2018” (2018, Excellent Cum Laude qualification). Master in Anthropology Applied to Research (2002, UAB), Diploma of Higher Studies Specialized in Social and Cultural Anthropology (2004, UAB), Diploma of Advanced Higher Studies in Research (2009, UAB), Master in Management and Leadership Nursing Services (2014, UB). She is member of the CoIB Deontological Commission and since 2019 she has been member of the CBUB.

Dr. Marc Via

He is Associate Professor at the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology (Faculty of Psychology) and member of the UB Institute of Neurosciences, as well as researcher at the Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute (IRSJD). He is a researcher of human genetic variation and its relevance for the study of phenotypes and complex diseases, and author of publications and communications on ethical implications of genomics research. He also participates in the ethics committees of the international consortia 1000 Genomes Project and Musicality Genomics consortium. He has been member of the CBUB since 2021.

Dr. José Luís Condom

Professor, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitat de Barcelona.

Dr. Núria Gavara Casas

She is a Serra Húnter Professor at the Biophysics and Bioengineering Unit of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Her area of work and teaching is Biomedical Engineering, and her line of research focuses on mechanobiology, and in particular on the implications in lung respiratory mechanics. She is a member of the CBUB since February 2023, and her motivation to belong to the CBUB originates from the bioethical issues that often generate the creation of new technologies in biomedical research, as well as the use and management of large volumes of data and its application, such as artificial intelligence.

Dr. Ignasi Labastida

Responsible for the Research and Innovation Unit of the CRAI; Rector's Delegate for Open Science, University of Barcelona.

Dr. Cristina Larrea Killinger

Full Professor, Department of Social Anthropology, Faculty of Geography and History, University of Barcelona.

Dr. Pedro Gallo De Puelles

He is an Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology, and a professor attached to the research section of the IDP-ICE. Graduate in Economic Sciences (UB), Master in Comparative Social Policies, and PhD from the London School of Economics. His areas of work include sociology and health economics, health policies, medical technology assessment, and research impact assessment. He has four accredited research sexennials. He has been linked to the management of scientific research in project and network leadership tasks, coordinator of research groups, and head of public research organisms. He is a member of the CBUB since December 2023

Dr. Nuria Fuentes-Peláez

Full Professor of the Department of Methods and Diagnosis in Education of the Faculty of Education of the University of Barcelona, licensed in Philosophy and Education Sciences and Master in Group Analysis and Conduct (UB). She leads the consolidated research group GRISIJ, focused on the study of socio-educational interventions in childhood and youth in risk situations and in the protection system and, in particular, focuses her lines of research on measures to protect children, support for parenting with socio-educational group programs, the participation of children, teenagers and families and the participatory and collaborative research methodology. She is a member of different national and international scientific networks and participates in advisory and consultative bodies such as the Observatory of Children of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Municipal Welfare Council of the Barcelona City Council.  Her interest in being part of the CBUB is motivated to deepen the ethical implications in the research where children, adolescents and families in situations of vulnerability and/or social risk participate. She has been a member of CBUB since December 2023.

Dr. Joan-Josep Vallbé Fernàndez

Associate Professor of political science at the Faculty of Law of the UB. He has been vice-dean of Research and International Relations of the Faculty of Law and representative of the UB in the LERU group on Knowledge Security and Foreign Interference. His research activity focuses on the political dynamics and political economy of judicial behaviour, both in democracies and in authoritarian systems. He is a member of the CBUB since December 2023.

Dr. Júlia Barón Parés

Serra Húnter Lecturer in the Department of Languages and Modern Literature and English Studies and coordinator of the line of Applied Linguistics in the PhD program in Cognitive Science and Language. She is member of the Research Group on Language Acquisition (GRAL) and president of the International Association for Teaching Pragmatics (ITAP). Her research focuses on investigating the effects of different pedagogical treatments on the acquisition of English as a foreign language. In addition, she teaches on the official master's degree Applied Linguistics in Multilingual Contexts, in which she prepares students on the ethical foundations for research in applied linguistics in the subject Tools for Linguistic Data Processing. She has been a member of CBUB since March 2024.

Dr. Maria Margarita Mauri Alvarez

Full Professor in the area of Moral Philosophy since 2019. She has a degree in Philosophy and Education Sciences and a PhD in Philosophy, and is currently doing her PhD in Ancient History. She has been Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy from 2005 to 2009, and is currently President of the Ethics Committee of the University of Barcelona, of which she has been a member since its constitution. She has been a member of CBUB since March 2024.

SENIOR ADVISORS

Dr. Miquel Serra

He was Professor of Basic Psychology at the UB (currently retired), as well as member of the research group "Normal and pathological language acquisition" and director of the Master of Speech-Language Pathology and the UB Speech Therapy Service. He is specialized in teaching and research in cognition and language acquisition, both normal and pathological. He is a CBUB senior expert, CBUB member for more than 7 years. His motivation to join the CBUB was to provide in clinical and experimental research in Psychology and Human Sciences of the UB the culture, objectives and requirements of ethical standards that currently exist in human rights in science.

EXTERNAL ADVISORS

Dr. Gisela Isabel Fernández Rivas Plata

Law Degree from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú; Master in Bioethics and Law and in University Policy and Management from the University of Barcelona; Former Head of the Office of Research Ethics and Scientific Integrity of the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú.