The event brought together students, healthcare professionals, faculty, researchers, and collaborating entities to launch the projects that will be developed during the current academic year. These projects stem from a nine-year collaboration between the Ramón y Cajal Health Research Institute (IRYCIS) and the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM). To date, this initiative has facilitated the development of 35 projects, some already implemented or transferred, thanks to the commitment of 149 students, their UPM professors, professionals from various HURYC departments, and external collaborators such as the National Center for Certification of Medical Devices (CNCPS) of the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS).
Following initial working meetings between students and professional teams to define the challenges ahead, the inaugural ceremony took place. Participants included Dr. Laura García Bermejo, Scientific Director of IRYCIS; Dr. Javier Blázquez, Head of the Radiology Service and Co-director of the Chair; Teresa Sánchez, UPM Professor and Co-director of the Chair; and Gloria Hernández, Head of CNCPS-AEMPS. The presentation of the INGENIA 2026/2027 projects was led by Javier Soto, process engineer at HURYC, and Carmen Giovanetti, engineer assigned to the UPM-IRYCIS Chair.
During the 2026/2027 academic year, six new multidisciplinary projects will be developed. These will focus on process improvement, resource optimization, and the development of innovative solutions applied to healthcare. Among them are improving staff training management in the Radiology Service, precision medicine and biomarkers, enhancing General Surgery processes with an indoor positioning system, standardizing sample storage in the Microbiology Service, analyzing and improving tender processes in the Supply Service, and developing a training and audit assignment tool for CNCPS-AEMPS.
More than thirty UPM students will participate in this tenth edition, accompanied by professors and professionals from the various involved areas. This collaborative model has proven to be a privileged environment for generating innovation aimed at addressing real healthcare system needs, reaffirming the INGENIA program's commitment to practical training, knowledge transfer, and the joint search for solutions that enhance the quality, efficiency, and sustainability of healthcare.
