Professor María Blanco Prieto, professor at the University of Navarra, has been appointed president of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Sciences (EUFEPS). In 2018 she joined the organization's executive committee and since January 2021 she was the vice president. Dr. Blanco is the only Spanish member of the board board of the EUFEPS. 

This federation is made up of scientific societies from 15 EU countries and its mission statement is promote excellence in innovation and research in pharmaceutical sciences in Europe. Its aims also include support for training and Education, as well as representing the interests of scientists committed to research and development of pharmaceuticals, advice on regulatory issues and pharmaceutical policy.

As the new president of EUFEPS, Dr. Blanco intends to strengthen the links between the various European pharmaceutical organizations and EUFEPS as well as promote on development for young researchers.

Nanopharmaceuticals for cancer treatment

María Blanco focuses her research on the development of nanodrugs for the treatment of cancer (particularly childhood cancer), as well as the regeneration of cardiac and brain tissue through the use of tissue engineering. Among other recognitions, the professor is a member of the National Academy of Pharmacy of France and that of Galicia and since 2020 she has been president of the Spanish Society of Industrial and Galenic Pharmacy (SEFIG). In 2021 she joined the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), one of the most important associations in the biomedical engineering sector based in Washington DC and in 2022 she was elected member of the prestigious Academia Europaea.

She is the author of more than 170 articles in research and book chapters with more than 8,850 citations, six editorials, five patents and more than 215 communications in scientific congresses, many of them as invited speaker . In addition, she has directed more than 35 competitive research projects, is an expert of the European Commission in nanomedicine and is a member of the committee of experts of the Agency for the Quality of the University System of Castilla y León and of the Acredita Commission of National Agency for Assessment of Quality and Accreditation. In addition, María Blanco Prieto is a member of the committee publishing house of several scientific journals, including Cancer Letters and Journal of Controlled Release.