On Saturday 11 February, the UIC Barcelona Body Donation Service brought together more than 200 people who participated in the 4th Thanksgiving Event for Body Donors and Updates in Anatomy. Among the attendees were relatives of donors or body donors, and a high percentage of both health professionals and students of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (46% and 50% respectively).

The conference was held online this year and included lectures about updates in anatomy by health professionals and researchers from the ACTIUM functional anatomy research group. They showed the attendees the progress achieved and the areas of research in which they are currently working in UIC Barcelona laboratories, all thanks to the generous gesture of body donors. 

Together with the researchers of UIC Barcelona, the session included guest speakers from different Spanish universities such as the University of Zaragoza, the European University of Gasteiz, and the University Hospital of Cáceres. Dr Elena Bueno, PhD in physiotherapy at the University of Zaragoza, explained how neuronal differentiation can be specific to nervous tissue in her presentation, one of the results of studies carried out in collaboration with the ACTIUM group. From the same university, Dr Miguel Malo showed the importance of the donation of bodies to study new techniques for performing invasive procedures and the need to use ultrasound in the realisation of punctures in different tissues of the human body. These results were also thanks to the studies carried out with the UIC Barcelona researchers. Next, Dr César Hidalgo, also from the University of Zaragoza, presented the results of several studies showing the importance of the alar ligaments to the biomechanics of the upper cervical area. 

Dr Lluís Llurda then presented different studies carried out with the European University of Gasteiz, where he is a teacher, which demonstrate the relationship of the gluteal major muscle and the tensor of the fascia lata with the control of the knee valgus. Later, Dr Ainhoa Sala of the University Hospital of Cáceres explained the importance of anatomical studies when it comes to improving breast reconstruction and reduction techniques. 

Finally, Max Canet, researcher at the UIC Barcelona Department of Basic Sciences, presented the results of different studies carried out in the university laboratories on the use of TECAR, a therapy to generate changes in the flow of electric current in very deep structures like the articular capsule, ligaments or tendons. 

This year’s edition also had the support of the Swiss company Wintecare, with which UIC Barcelona has a partnership agreement to develop new technologies in the field of functional anatomy, rehabilitation and sport.