Bridging Science and Society through LivingLabs
Bridging Science and Society through LivingLabs: The Role of Research Managers in Fostering Citizen and Patient Involvement at the Hospital Clínic and Barcelona Institute for Global Health
Conference
Format: Fifteen-Minute Discussion Tables
Topic: 4. Open Science
Abstract
ensuring that both care delivery and scientific inquiry are responsive to real-world needs. The Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, in collaboration with its research center, the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), has developed an innovative LivingLab model that integrates patient and citizen perspectives into healthcare improvements and health research projects. This model promotes better outcomes but also fosters knowledge democracy and epistemic justice by recognizing and valuing the contributions of all stakeholders, including those traditionally excluded from the scientific process.
Research managers can play a central role in the success of this model, acting as vital intermediaries between science and society. By working within intermediary units like the LivingLab, specifically trained research managers facilitate the engagement of patients, caregivers, and community stakeholders in the research process, while promoting interdisciplinary collaboration among scientists, clinicians, and policymakers. Their work ensures that scientific research is grounded in societal needs, fostering epistemic justice by validating diverse forms of knowledge and ensuring that research reflects a plurality of perspectives. Citizen science methodologies, as one of the pillar of the Open Science scientific policy, are usually used, ensuring that research is both participatory and impactful.
This presentation will explore the historical development, current strategy and operationalization of this model, highlighting how research managers can play a pivotal role in building a more inclusive and collaborative research ecosystem. We will discuss how intermediary units like the LivingLab advance healthcare and research by promoting knowledge democracy, recognizing and integrating the voices of citizens and patients, and fostering interdisciplinary approaches that are essential for addressing complex health challenges.