Fundación Occident announces the 6th edition of the Jesús Serra Research Awards

"Young scientists working in Spain who have made important contributions to research in nutrition, diet and health can submit their applications. Two prizes are awarded in the categories of basic and clinical research, with a total endowment of €100,000. "

Nominations are now being accepted for the Fundación Occident's Jesús Serra Research Awards, directed at young researchers working in research centres, universities and hospitals in Spain and who have made significant contributions to the fields of nutrition, diet and health through disciplines as diverse as: clinical nutrition and metabolism, genetics and molecular biology, epidemiology, oncology, cardiology, food science and technology, and others. In this sixth edition, at a new stage of Fundación Occident, the awards are changing their name to become the Jesús Serra Research Awards, maintaining their essence and also the legacy of the foundation's creator.

These awards recognise the careers and basic and clinical research projects of two scientists who have made outstanding contributions to studying the impact of diet and the metabolism of nutrients on the prevention, treatment and management of pathologies such as obesity, cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular and neurological diseases. This year, in order to reflect the commitment of Fundación Occident to research on nutrition, diet and health, the prize amount is being increased to €50,000 for each category, meaning the total allocation is 100,000 euros.

The awards are open to researchers of any nationality who have been working in Spain for more than three years and who have not yet reached the age of 46 by the closing date of this call. However, as part of the Fundación Occident's commitment towards gender equity, candidates may exceed this age limit if they have temporarily interrupted their career as a result of the birth or adoption of children, and their care during the first months of life.

Federico Halpern, president of the Foundation, notes: "If there is one thing we have learned from these awards, which were the first in Spain to focus on diet and nutrition, it's that diet can not only prevent diseases, but it can also be a treatment. That's why we remain firmly committed to research, and we are glad that the community of winners continues to grow".

The deadline for submitting nominations for the Jesús Serra Research Awards is 7 June 2024 at 2 pm CET. Applications must be submitted, in Spanish or English, through the Awards website https://www.fundacionoccident.org/Premios-investigacion.

The jury of the awards is made up of distinguished individuals from the field of biomedicine. It has six permanent members, chaired by Dr María Blasco, Director of the National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), along with Professor Lina Badimon, director of the CSIC-ICC Cardiovascular Research Center at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau; Dr Carlos Macaya, Professor Emeritus of Cardiology at the Faculty of Medicine at the Complutense University of Madrid; Dr Pedro Mata, Chairman and founder of the Spanish Foundation of Familial Hypercholesterolaemia; Dr Mercedes Rincón, Director of the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and, joining them in this sixth edition is Dr Guadalupe Sabio, principal researcher at the CNIO and one of the first winners of the Jesús Serra Research Awards.

This renowned jury will also feature the two winners of the 5th edition of the Jesús Serra Research Awards: Dr Manuel Irimia, principal researcher at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), and Dr Maira Bes-Rastrollo, Professor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the University of Navarre.

María Blasco sums up her desire to continue leading the selection of winners as follows: "In cancer research, the study of diet and metabolism is well established. We know that between 30% and 50% of cancers could be prevented with a proper diet. With these awards, it is very interesting to see the role that nutrition plays in many other diseases and in health in general".

More information on the rules and the dossier of the Prizes.

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