The project to prevent ovarian cancer recurrence by the TERCIT group at IdISBa-UIB wins the Salut Innova Award 2026
The fourth edition of Innovation Day brought together more than 200 people and featured 34 projects.
The fourth edition of Innovation Day 2026 has awarded the Salut Innova Prize, organized by the University of the Balearic Islands and the Son Espases Health Living Lab, to the OC-PATCH project, a new implantable bioadhesive device for localized chemotherapy to prevent ovarian cancer recurrence. The project was developed by Mª Teresa Perelló Trias, from the TERCIT group at IdISBa-UIB. This innovative proposal aims to cover potential cancerous cellular remnants in ovarian cancer cases that are not reached by conventional treatments. The project's hypothesis is that it could reduce subsequent tumor recurrences.
This year, 34 projects were submitted and, given the high level of participation, in addition to the two Salut Innova prizes (one of €1,000 funded by IdISBa and another of €1,500 by Son Espases), the hospital will support a third project with €1,000 to enable its development in the Health Living Lab. The awards recognize the creativity, commitment, and transformative potential of the ideas presented.
This announcement marked the culmination of the fourth edition of Innovation Day, held at Son Espases University Hospital, a conference dedicated to digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and innovation in the healthcare field, bringing together more than 200 people, including healthcare professionals, researchers, students, institutional representatives, and patients.
The event began with a keynote lecture by Julián Isla, an expert in artificial intelligence applied to medicine, who discussed how this technology can contribute to improving patient care. Julián Isla is the founder of the European Dravet Syndrome Federation and the father of a patient with this rare disease, which has shaped his professional trajectory. A software engineer and Microsoft professional, he has also been a member of the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products for twelve years and participates in European and national bodies dedicated to research and the management of rare diseases.
Participants then took part in various thematic workshops and demonstration spaces aimed at healthcare professionals and individuals interested in innovation, including patients. Highlights included the Personalized Digital Care Plan (PADP), the EspaiSalut project, the development of healthcare applications such as REHUSE, 3D printing applied to health, and strategies for intellectual property management. An exhibition on supercomputing resources in the Balearic Islands was also featured, including the Talaia supercomputer (UIB), as well as approaches to introducing innovation within the hospital.
The event concluded with the talk "Innovating from adversity", delivered by Nil Riudavets, a nurse from the Menorca Health Area and a high-performance athlete. After a serious accident in 2019 that caused permanent disability in his right arm, Riudavets began a process of personal and professional adaptation, reinventing himself within the healthcare system. At the same time, he returned to sport through paratriathlon and won the bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. During his speech, he shared how adversity can become a driver of change, creativity, and growth, highlighting the importance of resilience, adaptation, and innovation as tools to transform limitations into new opportunities.
The event was inaugurated by the Medical Director of Son Espases University Hospital, Vicente Torres; Loren Carrasco, Vice-Rector for Innovation and Digital Transformation at the UIB; and Hermann Ribera, Director of Healthcare Services of the Balearic Health Service.
The closing remarks were delivered by Luis Alegre Latorre, Director of Innovation at Son Espases University Hospital; Carlos Enrique Herrero, Managing Director of IdISBa; and Maria Isabel Salas, Director General for Vocational Training and Educational Planning, who thanked all participants for their involvement and reaffirmed the hospital's commitment to innovation and continuous improvement.
