News
16.12.2025The CCiTUB revalidate its presence on the new ICTS Map 2025‑2028
During the IV Conference on Singular Scientific and Technical Infrastructures, held in Madrid on November 18, the new ICTS Map 2025‑2028 was presented, and the ICTS status of the “Integrated Infrastructure of Electron Microscopy of Materials” (ELECMI) and the “Network of Laboratories of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of Biomolecules” (R-LRB), the two ICTS of which CCiTUB is part, was reaffirmed.
The new ICTS 2025‑2028 map, approved on October 20 during the XIX meeting of the “Council for Scientific, Technological and Innovation Policy” of the “Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities”, includes 28 ICTS, all of them publicly owned, grouping 64 infrastructures distributed across 15 autonomous communities, in addition to the two Antarctic bases and the RedIRIS network. These infrastructures are key to promoting excellent research, fostering scientific collaboration, and ensuring competitive access to strategic equipment at the national and European level. The new ICTS Map will be in force for the next 4 years, during which the ICTS must implement their strategic plan.
The ratification as ICTS of CCiTUB’s facilities within ELECMI and R‑LRB again acknowledges the value of the research support facilities managed by the University of Barcelona, and could enable access to funds destined exclusively for the modernization of ICTS equipment and laboratories.
Network of Laboratories of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of Biomolecules (R‑LRB)
The NMR facilities of CCiTUB, located in the Cluster building of the Barcelona Science Park, have been classified as ICTS since the year 2000, and in 2018 this classification was renewed when they became part of the Network of NMR Laboratories of Biomolecules (R‑LRB), integrated by the nodes of Barcelona (LRB CCiTUB), Madrid (LMR CSIC) and Bilbao (LRE CIC bioGUNE).
The NMR laboratory of the CCiTUB, has as main objective the realization of very high field NMR experiments for the study of the structure and dynamics of complex molecules of biological interest and to give advice to all companies and researchers on the applications of the MRI in this field. Their teams contribute to research in various areas, such as chemistry, molecular biology, cell and genetics, food science and technology, pharmacy and biotechnology, among others.
Integrated Infrastructure of Electron Microscopy of Materials (ELECMI)
On the other hand, the installations of the Unit of Transmission Electron Microscopy of the CCiTUB, together with infrastructures of other related techniques, constitute the UMEAP (Unit of Electron Microscopy applied to Materials) that has been recognized as a node within the ICTS ELECMI (Integrated Infrastructure of Electron Microscopy of Materials).
ELECMI is included in the ICTS map within the area of Materials, an area in which the CCiTUB have a large selection of characterization techniques that complement the electronic microscopes themselves, such as microprobes, X-ray diffractometers , Raman microscopy, etc. These techniques make available to researchers the possibility of developing new methodologies without the limitations presented by disciplinary boundaries.
The ICTS
As explained by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the term Singular Scientific and Technical Infrastructure (ICTS) refers to facilities, resources or services needed to develop state-of-the-art, high-quality research, as well as for the transmission , exchange and preservation of knowledge, the transfer of technology and the promotion of innovation. The ultimate goal is the provision of the national and international scientific, technological and industrial community of state-of-the-art scientific-technical infrastructures, indispensable for the development of competitive and quality scientific and technological research, understood as those technical means that are unique or exceptional in their kind, with a very high investment and / or maintenance cost and operation and whose importance and strategic nature justifies its availability for the entire R&D collective. The ICTS have three fundamental characteristics, they are publicly owned infrastructures, they are unique and they are open to competitive open access'.
The ICTS are distributed throughout the state territory and are collected in what is called the "Map of Singular Scientific and Technical Infrastructures (ICTS). The first ICTS Map dates from January 11, 2007, and is updated every four years, with the Scientific, Technological and Innovation Policy Council (CPCTI) being the competent body for approval.