Scientists from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) based in
Barcelona, Spain are starring in a five-minute music video, dancing and
making the moves to raise funds for Alzheimer’s, cancer and diabetes
research.
Various companies have agreed to sponsor every view of the video, which
is part of IRB's fundraising campaign in austerity-struck Spain
In the video, included below, the well-coordinated biomedicine
scientists show their very best moves, dancing around their laboratories
in the Science Park in Barcelona as well as around various well-known
Barcelona landmarks.
Anna Merlos, the Strategic Projects and Philanthropy officer at the Institute told
the Local
that they wanted to show the world the human face of scientists. To
let people know they don’t just live in their laboratories and that they
are “young people with the same hopes, fears and dreams as everyone
else."
Saying that many people in the field are concerned about the low level
of public interest in Science in Spain, Merlos added that they hope this
video and its accompanying fundraising campaign will help to “engage
society” in the research projects at IRB.
Budget cuts and reduced science funding by the government in Spain have drawn much criticism and
protests
in the country's capital. However, Merlos stressed that the scientists
had not actually resorted to dancing for cash and that this is not a
substitute for public funding. She said that the video is an
alternative measure for raising funds that will work in combination with
other sources of fundraising.
The founder and director of IRB, Joan Guinovart, made a statement where
he said that it is a pioneering initiative in Europe for a center that
is devoted to basic research. He said, "Using a fun, friendly, and
community-spirited approach, we highlight the fundamental role that
science plays in society’s well-being."
Besides watching the video to generate views and donations, interested parties can make a donation on
IRB’s website to support their research into Alzheimer’s, cancer and diabetes, which can benefit not only Spaniards, but people worldwide.
