The Josep Carreras Institute strengthens its partnership with China in hematological cancers

At the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute has signed a collaboration agreement with the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital (IHCAMS), one of the world’s leading institutions in hematology.

The partnership has been formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, reinforcing the shared commitment of both institutions to work together on developing new research and treatment strategies in leukemia, lymphoma, and other hematological diseases.

The collaboration will focus on advancing joint translational research programs, leveraging the complementary expertise of both institutions. Key areas of work include stem cell biology, mechanisms of treatment resistance, the development of next-generation immunotherapies, and precision medicine strategies.

“For patients, scientific collaboration is not abstract—it directly impacts how quickly new treatments can reach clinical practice. Working with IHCAMS allows us to build a strong international research environment capable of generating new knowledge, validating innovative therapies, and ultimately improving outcomes for people affected by blood cancers,” said Dr. Ari Melnick, Director of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute.

Planned initiatives include the creation of joint research laboratories, the development of shared disease characterization platforms, and the launch of multicenter clinical trials, with the aim of validating biomarkers and accelerating the translation of scientific discoveries into patient treatments.

The agreement also opens new opportunities for training and scientific mobility, as well as access to international funding programs, contributing to the development of a global research ecosystem focused on improving outcomes for patients with blood cancers.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on March 25 during an institutional event attended by representatives from both organizations, as well as health authorities. During the event, Ari Melnick and Tao Cheng, President of IHCAMS, highlighted the importance of international collaboration in driving transformative advances in blood cancer research.

During their visit, the IHCAMS delegation met with research teams at the Josep Carreras Institute to identify specific areas of collaboration and visited key facilities, including the Blood and Tissue Bank of Barcelona and the Institute’s new site at Sant Joan de Déu Hospital, focused on pediatric leukemia.

With this alliance, the Josep Carreras Institute continues to strengthen its international network and its capacity to drive more coordinated, results-oriented research with a direct impact on patients. At the Josep Carreras Foundation, we remain committed to moving closer each day to our goal: a future free of blood cancers.