The Institute of Health Research Pere Virgili (IISPV, in Catalan) is an umbrella organisation that coordinates all the biomedical and health research activities in Southern Catalonia. Founded in 2005, the IISPV is a collaborative venture among the hospitals in Tarragona (University Hospital Joan XXIII), Reus (University Hospital San Joan de Reus) and Tortosa (Hospital Verge de la Cinta), the University Rovira i Virgili (URV) and the Pere Mata Mental Health Institute. The IISPV vision is to act as a knowledge catalyst for a healthier future for all. A member of the CERCA Network of Excellence, the IISPV is formed by 21 Research Groups organised in 3 Strategic Areas. Our scientific community is supported by 8 Core Units that provide state-of-the-art facilities and the educational programs offered by the URV. In addition, the IISPV has strong bounds with the regional biotech and industrial network, as a member of “Tarragona Regió del Coneixement”. The IISPV aims to promote and strengthen research in health across the prosperous regions of Tarragona and Terres de l’Ebre. The geographical spread of our institutions across the region has facilitated a bottom-up approach with our research priorities. Thus, we are internationally recognised for unravelling the influence that the environment, nutrition and other socio-economic factors have in human health.