The IQS campus was transformed on February 19 into a space for awareness and science during the event “Art and Science United for Duchenne.” The event, organized together with the Duchenne Parent Project Spain (DPPE) association, aimed to raise visibility for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). With this initiative, IQS anticipated the official World Rare Disease Day (February 28) and joined the theme of La Marató de TV3 2026, which this year is focused precisely on neuromuscular diseases.
IQS and Duchenne Parent Project give a voice to those affected by Duchenne with a day that brings together science, art, and social commitment
The central feature of the event was a high-impact art installation placed in the main staircase shaft of the campus. Created by artist Sergi Arbusà (Penique Productions), the piece consisted of a giant red polyethylene balloon —the association’s corporate color— that stretched across the building’s five floors. As Arbusà explained, the piece serves as a metaphor for the muscle and its fatigue; the artist noted that “the goal is to fill an empty space to make it visible and provoke reflection. The inflatable’s long, slender shape resembles that of a muscle and invites viewers to ask what this pathology is and how they can help improve patients’ lives.”
The route was designed so visitors could empathize with the patient’s daily experience: from the first mobility challenges on floor 0 to the feeling of breathlessness on floor 4. Through signs and QR codes, attendees could listen to real testimonies. “Did you run out of breath getting up here? I haven’t been able to breathe on my own for years,” explained Quique, one of those affected, in the video linked from the QR code on the top floor.
Cutting-edge science: the challenge of gene therapy
On the scientific side, experts from IQS and DPPE explained advances in gene therapy that aim to “hide” drugs from the immune system and speed up the search for a cure. Dr. Marta Guerra, professor at IQS and coordinator of the Biotechnology degree, clearly explained the cause of the pathology: “Dystrophin is the mechanical ‘glue’ that holds muscle cells together; without it, the cells break with movement and are replaced by fat.”
Regarding the research being carried out at the center, she explained that since the immune system tends to reject the viruses used to transport the correct gene, the key lies in coating them: “At IQS, we design a polymer coating to hide the virus from the immune system, allowing the therapy to be effective and reach muscle and heart tissue without being destroyed.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Marisol Montolio, director of research at Duchenne Parent Project Spain and scientific director of the “UB Chair of Rare Diseases,” highlighted the scale of the challenge: 80% of rare diseases are genetic, yet only 5% have an approved treatment. “It takes 10–15 years and nearly 2 billion euros to develop a drug. To bridge this gap between the laboratory and the patient, patient registries are essential as well as a paradigm shift: placing the affected person at the center and including them in the entire process. We need to ask them what they need, not just rely on what we see in the lab,” Montolio stressed.
Commitment through Service Learning (ApS)
One of the highlights of the event was the role of the IQS Service Learning (ApS) program. As Dr. Núria Agulló, head of ApS at the center, explained, this event is not an isolated marketing activity but the result of a well-established teaching methodology: “ApS is a distinctive educational approach at IQS that enables students to put their professional knowledge at the service of social organizations. We aim to strengthen the link between academia and civil society.”
This event originated precisely from the Final Degree Project (TFG) of Marketing student Ariadna Hernández, under the supervision of Dr. Noelia Jiménez-Asenjo, professor at the IQS School of Management and coordinator of the Marketing degree. “Supervising this type of project is a transformative experience. It helps me look beyond my daily horizon, understand social commitment through ethical awareness, and address topics that go far beyond pure marketing,” highlighted Dr. Jiménez-Asenjo.
Hernández, for her part, admitted that direct contact with the association changed her outlook: “At first it was an academic project, but after learning how families live, it stopped being just research and became something deeply personal; projects like this make you a better person.”
IQS director Salvador Borrós, who joined via videoconference, expressed his pride in an activity that reflects IQS’s institutional commitment. The event also featured a video message from DPPE president Silvia Ávila and the screening of a video about “Robot ROBI,” a character symbolizing the fight against muscle degeneration.
With this event, IQS reinforces its vision of an integrated approach to rare diseases, in which scientific work is complemented by social awareness and knowledge transfer. The gathering highlighted the need to connect the academic and scientific world with patient associations, with the goal of ensuring that cutting-edge research conducted in laboratories has a direct impact on improving the quality of life of those affected and their families.