AIBILI - Association for Innovation and Biomedical Research on Light and Image is a Research Technology Organisation (RTO) in the health area dedicated to the development and testing of new products for diagnostic imaging and medical therapy.

It is a private non-profit organisation, founded in 1989, established to support translational research and technology transfer between academic institutions and the industry in the health area.

AIBILI is certified by ISO 9001 since 2004. It is certified for the following activities:

  - research and development in new technologies for medicine with particular emphasis
     in the areas of imaging, optics and light
  - preclinical studies of new molecules of potential medical use
  - performance of clinical trials
  - clinical pharmacology studies
  - planning, coordination, execution and monitoring of clinical research activities
  - health technology assessment.

Clinical trials are performed in accordance with ICH Good Clinical Practice Guidelines (GCP) and the pharmacology studies are also developed in compliance with the OCDE Principles of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP).

AIBILI is located at the Health Campus of Coimbra University since 1994 and has its own building with 15.296 sq. feet with state-of-the-art equipment. Regarding human resources it has a permanent staff of 42 including medical doctors, researchers, technicians, trial and project managers, trial coordinators and administrative personnel. Another 64 individuals collaborate regularly on a part-time basis involved mainly in research activities.

AIBILI is organized in Research Centres and Supporting Units.

The Research Centres are:
-  EVICR.net – European Vision Institute Clinical Research Network
-  Coimbra Coordinating Centre for Clinical Research (4C) – Academic CRO
-  Clinical Trial Centre (CEC)
-  Centre for New Technologies in Medicine (CNTM)
-  Coimbra Ophthalmology Reading Centre (CORC)
-  Centre for Health Technology Assessment and Pharmacology (CHAP)
-  Translational Research and Technology Transfer Unit

Supporting Units are the Administrative Services (SA) and the Quality Management Unit (UGQ).

AIBILI is the Coordinating Centre of the European Vision Institute Clinical Research Network – EVICR.net, that is a network of European Ophthalmological Clinical Research Sites, dedicated to perform clinical research in ophthalmology with the highest standards of quality, following the European and International Directives for Clinical Research according to harmonized Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). At present, EVICR.net has 76 Clinical Site Members from 16 European Countries.
It is a platform for clinical trial research in ophthalmology in Europe and a useful Industry resource in order to promote the development of new drugs and medical devices.

AIBILI has been recognized in 2010 as a Champalimaud Translational Centre for Eye Research by the Champalimaud Foundation (C-TRACER) for its activities in translational eye research. The work of AIBILI and particularly of the Coimbra Coordinating Centre for Clinical Research in the coordination of the European Vision Institute Clinical Research Network (EVICR.net) were very relevant for this recognition.
The Champalimaud Foundation has been progressively establishing a Network of C-TRACERs involving major eye research centres looking for collaborations in a global perspective.
This Network is of major relevance to AIBILI because it brings together under the Champalimaud Foundation three major eye research institutions in the world and creates links between three major continents, Asia, Europe and South America.

In summary, the main goals of AIBILI are innovation and translational research that is to convert basic research knowledge into practical applications to enhance human health and wellbeing. It is important to realize that translational research has complementary domains:
-  the “bench to bedside” enterprise of translating knowledge from the basic sciences into the development
   of new treatments (basic research to clinical research)
-  translating the findings from clinical trials into everyday practice.

The main strategies of AIBILI are: innovation and internationalization, assuming a leading role in translational research in vision and imaging and bringing together academic institutions and industry.

Please download here the AIBILI Annual Report 2012.

Please download here the AIBILI Financial Report 2012.

AIBILI Members

Honory Members:

• Universidade de Coimbra
• FLAD - Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento
• Fundação Champalimaud

Founding Members:

• Departamento de Farmacologia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Coimbra
• IAPMEI - Instituto de Apoio às Pequenas e Médias Empresas e à Inovação
• José Cotta, S.A.
• José Cunha-Vaz
• Laboratório EDOL, S.A.
• Merck Sharp & Dohme
• Serviço de Biofísica da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Coimbra
• Serviço de Dermatologia dos Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra
• SUCH - Serviço de Utilização Comum dos Hospitais

Other Members:

• Alcon Portugal - Prod. e Equip. Oftalmológicos, Lda.
• BIAL - Portela & Cª., S.A.
• Centro de Oftalmologia da Universidade de Coimbra
• Laboratórios Pfizer, Lda.
• Medotec - Dist. Medicamentos, Lda.
• Novartis Farma, S.A. – Ophthalmics

AIBILI Board of Directors (2011-2014):

• José Cunha-Vaz, President
• Joaquim Murta, Vice-President
• BIAL - Portela & Cª, SA (Rep. Tice Macedo)
• Fundação Champalimaud (Rep. João Silveira Botelho)
• José Cotta - EMS, SA (Rep. Conceição Lobo)
• Novartis Farma, SA (Rep. Cristina Morgado)
• Laboratórios Pfizer, Lda (Rep. José Aleixo Dias)

Contacts

Azinhaga Sta. Comba, Celas
3000-548 Coimbra