This recognition, which the CNIC receives for the fourth time, includes a total funding of 5,842,000 euros for the period between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2030. The aid will be allocated to the development of the center's new Strategic Plan and the hiring and training of ten predoctoral researchers.
The Severo Ochoa accreditation distinguishes Spanish research centers that excel in the quality and international impact of their scientific results, their leadership, their ability to attract talent, and their contribution to advancing knowledge. The selection is made through a competitive process and an independent evaluation by an international scientific committee.
The Severo Ochoa Strategic Plan 2026–2030 aims to improve cardiovascular health through the generation of scientific knowledge and its effective transfer to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The strategy is based on the integration of basic and clinical research and proposes a new international collaboration model with centers in the United Kingdom and Germany.
The alliances will be structured around four scientific areas: digital health for cardiovascular prevention, regenerative therapies, cardiometabolic disease, and cardiovascular and brain health. Collaborations will be established with centers such as the British Heart Foundation (BHF), the Medical Research Council (MRC), and the German center CARDDIAB.
A key focus of the new plan will be the creation of the Department of Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence, which will promote the integration of these technologies in research, clinical trials, and center management. Cardiovascular risk prediction models, digital biomarkers, and automated medical image analysis will be developed.
The granted funding will enable the hiring of ten predoctoral researchers, who will develop their doctoral theses in priority areas of the CNIC. Each contract includes a grant of 134,200 euros to cover employment costs and training stays.
The Strategic Plan also includes initiatives to attract young researchers with international experience and promote generational change, such as the Trampoline program. The transfer of scientific results to clinical practice and collaboration with companies will be strengthened.
The accreditation will formalize a stable network of scientific collaboration with leading European institutions, including joint projects and researcher exchanges. The CNIC will also join the international program International Cardiovascular Research Partnership Awards.
The plan reinforces the CNIC's commitment to open science, data management according to FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable), ethics, scientific integrity, and information security. Equality and diversity are also transversal principles in the center's activities.
