Josep M. Canals Coll

Director of Creatio, Professor at University of Barcelona

Josep M. Canals Coll is currently professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Barcelona. He received a PhD in neurobiology from the University of Barcelona. He has been working on the use of stem cells as a therapy for neurodegenerative diseases, mainly focusing on Huntington’s disease, since 1998. He has been a member of the steering committee Spanish Network of Cell Therapy as well as member of the board of the Spanish Society of Gene and Cell Therapy. Nowadays, he is part of the HD-iPSC international consortium and since 2013 he has also been an invited expert at the European Committee (partial agreement) on Organ Transplantation (CD-P-TO) of the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Healthcare (EDQM) of the Council of Europe. He is a co-founder of Cytes Biotechnologies, a spin-off company of the University of Barcelona. During his career, Dr. Canals has published over 75 articles in internationally renowned journals including: Nature Medicine, Nature Biotechnology, Nature Neuroscience, Journal of Clinical Investigation and, amongst others, Journal of Neuroscience.

Jordi Alberch Vié

Director of the Basic and Translational Research Area

Jordi Alberch is currently Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences of the Faculty of Medicine and Director of the Institute of Neurosciences (Maria de Maeztu Unit of Excellence) of the University of Barcelona. He received his MD (1983) and PhD (1986) from the University of Barcelona. He was a visiting researcher at the Georgetown University (1988-1989), the University of Medicine and the Institute of New Jersey (UMDNJ)/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (1994-1995) and the Karolinska Institute (1997). His main research was the study of the pathophysiology and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. He has published more than 170 articles in high-impact international journals such as Nature Medicine, Nature Communications, Nature Neuroscience, Brain or Journal Clinical Investigation.

The research group that Professor Alberch coordinates is part of the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS) and the Center for Networked Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED). Professor Alberch was Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation and Transfer of the University of Barcelona (2009-2016) and Interim Rector (2016) of the University of Barcelona. He was president of the Spanish Society of Neurosciences (2015-2017) and co-founder of Cytes Biotechnologies, a spin-off of the University of Barcelona. 

Unai Perpiña Martín

Technical Manager of the Clinical Production Area

Unai Perpiña holds a degree in Pharmacy and a specialization in Pharmaceutical Research and Pharmaceutical Quality Systems. In 2009, he joined the Neurodegeneration and Brain Ischemia Department of the Barcelona Biomedical Research Institute. There, he mainly worked in the field of adult neurogenesis, as well as in projects related to Alzheimer’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis. During that period, he acquired knowledge of stem cell biology, neurogenesis, and neuroprotection. In 2014, he obtained a PhD in Biomedicine from the University of Barcelona. Later, he joined Creatio.  

Nowadays, he is the Technical Manager of the Clinical Area at Creatio, where he participates in projects related to the production and validation of Advanced Therapies drugs.

Felipe Chiappe Rizzo

Head of the Quality Assurance Department and Predoctoral Researcher, Management Area

Felipe Chiappe has a degree in Biology from the University of Girona and a Master’s degree in Genetics and Evolution from the University of Granada. He has collaborated in the Technical Research Services of the University of Girona and in the PREGEPES project, identifying genetic and ecological processes that produce speciation at the University of Granada. After, he worked as a Quality Assurance Technician at Novocat Farma and ISDIN.

In 2017, he joined Creatio as head of Quality Assurance, participating in several clinical trials of advanced therapies and in the implementation of ISO 9001 in the Creatio laboratories. Since 2018, he has been an internal auditor of the Quality Unit of the Research Area of the University of Barcelona. In 2022, he started a doctorate in the implementation of quality in the translation of advanced therapies research. 

Cristina Herranz Sotoca

Head of the Production Department, Clinical Production Area

Cristina Herranz Sotoca holds a degree in Chemistry. She has extensive professional experience in many types of laboratories and companies. She has worked in the laboratory of sample analysis at ECA (1999-2004) and as a lab manager at CEPICMA, S.A Company (2004-2006).

In 2006, she joined the University of Barcelona as Lab Manager for the Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine. In 2012, she was promoted to Head of the Production Department within the Clinical Production Area at Creatio.

Irene Porcar Badal

Head of the Quality Control Department, Clinical Production Area

Irene Porcar has a degree in Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Barcelona. After working in various laboratories, in 2010 he began in the field of research as a senior technician in the Department of Neurochemistry and Neuropharmacology of the Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona (IIBB-CSIC), participating in a pharmacology project in a murine model of Alzheimer’s. In 2012, he joined Sagetis Biotech, a start-up linked to the Materials Engineering group of the Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS) and led by Dr. Salvador Borrós. He worked as a research assistant in different projects of the company, dedicated to the development of polymeric vectors capable of releasing genes and drugs safely and effectively.

He joined Creatio in 2021 as Head of Quality Control the Clinical Production Area.