Dr. Ignacio Melero, Full Professor of Immunology at the University of Navarra, has been distinguished with the XX award of research Burdinola, award that recognizes his trajectory of research translational cancer immunotherapy.

Dr. Melero leads since 1998 a team multidisciplinary from Cima University of Navarra working on immunotherapy with cell therapy techniques, gene therapy and monoclonal antibodies at the Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra. He has recently been appointed Full Professor (Kidani Chair of Oncology) at the University of Oxford. He combines his research activity at the University of Navarra and at OXCIO, the Oxford Center of Immuno-Oncology, an emerging center under the auspices of Departments of Medicine and Oncology of the English university.

Throughout his career he has been researcher principal in more than 44 immunotherapy clinical trials. His work has mainly focused on translational research in cancer immunotherapy. His most notable contributions focus on immunotherapy strategies based on the 4-1BB (CD137) receptor and his pioneering work on hepatocarcinoma immunotherapy that has transformed medical internship . 

For all these reasons, he has been recognized by the jury of the XX award of research Burdinola as deserving of this award, which in this edition has wanted to distinguish the most outstanding work in the field of research at development of new therapeutic principles in biomedicine.

Research support

An activity in contact directly with the teams of research and a special sensitivity with the social environment, made Burdinola germinate the idea of creating a award that, precisely, would contribute to the recognition, the evaluation and the encouragement of the academic community. This purpose materialized in 1993 with the launching of the first award of research Burdinola. Since then, the list of awardees has been growing with great names in Spanish scientific activity.

Jury Members

Throughout these years, another of the hallmarks of award has been the high scientific level of the people who make up the jury. In this twentieth edition, seven experts have evaluated the different candidacies and finally, taking into account the theme of this edition (research in the development of new therapeutic principles in biomedicine), they have chosen the winning candidacy on its merits. The meeting held for the deliberation of the jury's decision took place on July 21 at the Burdinola facilities in Amoroto (Bizkaia). The jury was chaired by Mr. Joseba Pineda, Dean of the School of Medicine and Nursing of the UPV-EHU, the secretary being the director of the University Foundation-business Euskoiker, Mr. Alfonso Hernández (with voice, but without vote). The committee has also had five members of recognized prestige: Mr. Javier Meana from the University of the Basque Country, Mr. Francesc Posas from IRB Barcelona, Ms. María Javier Ramírez from the University of Navarra, Ms. Rosa Noguera from the University of Valencia and Mr. Mikel Martínez, director general of Burdinola (the latter with voice, but without vote).

In its decision, the jury also wanted to highlight the high level of quality of the candidacies presented in this last call of the award of research Burdinola. Later we will announce the data on the act of submission of the XX award of research Burdinola.