The RePo-SUDOE project, involving the CITIC of the University of A Coruña and framed within the citasTIC outreach initiative, took part in the 26th edition of the international Ciencia en Acción contest, held from 7 to 9 November in Onda (Castellón). In this edition, CITIC received an Honourable Mention in the Technology, Computer Science and Robotics category, recognising its efforts to bring science closer to society.
RePo-SUDOE addresses one of the major challenges in pharmaceutical development: the high costs, long timelines, and high failure rates in creating new drugs. Its approach focuses on drug repurposing — a strategy that reuses existing medicines for new therapeutic purposes, directly benefiting industry, society, and patients.
The project aims to position the SUDOE area as a European benchmark in this field by developing and disseminating advanced technologies that boost competitiveness and attract skilled talent. Its main lines of action include:
- the dissemination of scientific knowledge and drug repurposing technologies among public and private entities;
- transnational and multidisciplinary collaboration to identify innovative therapeutic opportunities, particularly in cancer treatment;
- and the creation of a 3D visualisation room using virtual and augmented reality, designed as an educational and outreach experience for students and researchers.
At Ciencia en Acción 2025, the RePo-SUDOE team from CITIC —Carlos Fernández Lozano, Diego Fernández Edreira, and Lucía Martínez Rodríguez— presented a Bioinformatics outreach panel explaining how data analysis technologies can accelerate drug reuse and support the development of new therapies.
This recognition reinforces CITIC’s commitment to scientific knowledge transfer and accessible technological culture, highlighting its active role in promoting science for health and well-being.