The members of ISPA’s Internal Scientific Committee are as follows:

• Deputy Director of Clinical Research and Coordinator of the Metabolism Division: Elías Delgado Álvarez
• Deputy Scientific Director and Coordinator of the Cancer Division: Mario Fernández Fraga
• Depoty Director of Training and Human Resources: Guillermo Muñiz Albaiceta
• Coordinator of the Immunology, Microbiology and Infection Division: Carlos  López Larrea
• Coordinator of the Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Renal Systems Division: Pablo Avanzas Fernández
  
• Coordinator of the Biotechnology and Biomedical Analysis Division: Elisa Blanco González
• Coordinator of the Neuroscience and Sense Organs Division: María Paz García-Portilla González
  
• Coordinator of the Nursing and Physiotherapy Care Subdivision: Alberto Lana Pérez
• Coordinator of the Primary Healthcare Subdivision: Rubén Villa Estébanez
  
• Coordinator of the Ageing Research Division: José María Pérez Freije
• Coordinator of the Microbiome Research Division: Abelardo Margolles Barros
• Training Coordinator: Natalia Carrillo López
  
• Innovation Coordinator: Susana Delgado Palacio
• Quality Coordinator: Helena Gil Peña
• HRS4R Comission Representative: René Rodríguez González
• Researchers and Technical Staff Representative: Sara Panizo García
• HUCA Representative: Alberto Fernández León
• Universidad de Oviedo Representative: Ana Baamonde Arbaiza
  
• CSIC representative: Miguel Gueimonde Fernández
• ISPA Managing Director: Faustino Blanco González
• ISPA Scientific Director: María Victoria Álvarez Martínez

In accordance with Article 6.2.1 of ISPA’s Rules of Procedure, the functions of the Internal Scientific Committee are as follows:

1. ISPA’s Internal Scientific Committee has the function of making a non-binding proposal to the Board of Governors regarding the candidate for Scientific Director.
2. The Internal Scientific Committee will advise the Scientific Director on:
   • The focus and strategic planning of ISPA’s scientific work, as well as organisational matters.
   • Activities performed by ISPA that are related to biomedical research and health innovation.
   • Using and ensuring the suitability of research resources for shared purposes.
   • Matters pertaining to research training and management.
   • The suitability and relevance of the research projects submitted for its consideration.
   • Analysing and making proposals on all plans and regulations regarding ISPA operations, particularly the strategic plan, which includes the integration plan and the training plan.
   • Monitoring ISPA activities, particularly in relation to the aforementioned plans.
   • Validating the Annual Scientific Report.Proposing the annual scientific objectives that should be achieved and the action plan for fulfilling them to the governing body.
   • Acting as the body through which the research divisions and groups participate in the scientific governance of ISPA.
3. The Internal Scientific Committee will issue reports on:
   • Individual applications to join research groups belonging to ISPA, the objective being to provide the Scientific Director with proposals regarding affiliation of the specific professionals considered to be the most fitting candidates for performing research activities.
   • Requests for human resources on a joint financing basis and the prioritisation thereof according to their strategic interest.
   • The distribution of grants and financial support, from ISPA’s own funds, among its research groups.
4. The Internal Scientific Committee will participate in the development and production of the Annual Training Plan
5. It will perform any other functions requested of it by the Scientific Director and the Board of Governors.
6. The Internal Scientific Committee will also issue reports on:
   • ISPA’s proposed Annual Scientific Plan and the final, approved document.
   • ISPA’s Strategic Plan.
   • The Annual Scientific Report.

It should also be informed about the proposed budget, as well as the budget which is finally approved and its settlement, about which it may provide comments and suggestions.

Article 6.2.2 of ISPA’s Rules of Procedure describes how the Internal Scientific Committee operates:

1. The Internal Scientific Committee will hold one ordinary meeting per month, without prejudice to the extraordinary meetings which will be called whenever this is deemed necessary.
2. Meetings will be called by the chair, on the chair’s own initiative or at the request of the chair of the Board of Governors.
3. The call to meeting will be issued by the secretary, on the instructions of the chair, with a minimum of seven days’ notice for ordinary meetings and at least 48 hours for extraordinary meetings, by a means that enables its receipt to be recorded. Calls to meeting will include the place, date and time of the meeting, along with the agenda.
4. The Internal Scientific Committee will be legitimately convened when at least half of its members plus one are in attendance, and the chair and secretary are present.
5. Agreements will be passed by a simple majority, the chair of the Committee having the deciding vote in the event of a tie. The Committee may decide to act on certain issues in working groups, with a structure and purpose that will be determined on a case-by-case basis, through the agreement of all members.
6. Minutes will be taken on the content of the meetings, which will be maintained by ISPA’s Technical Coordination Office. The secretary of the Internal Scientific Committee will be assisted in performing this function by staff from the Technical Coordination Office.
7. The members of the Internal Scientific Committee will perform their functions without remuneration.