2016_12_07_CIE_premio_doctorado_perurena

From Boston, where she is doing a postdoctoral stay at Harvard Medical School, Naiara Perurena (Pharmacy 10, MIB 11) explains how she received the notification of the award Extraordinary doctorate in research Biomedical awarded by the School of Sciences. Although the scientific degree program "implies a long road with obstacles", she also emphasizes that "each finding is an enormous satisfaction, and makes all the effort worthwhile".

- How do you value the recognition received for your doctoral thesis in the doctoral program in research Biomedical?
I consider that it is a small reward for all the work done during the thesis doctoral, which has involved a lot of effort and dedication.

- What was your topic from research?
My thesis was to characterize the role of the membrane receptor EPCR in breast cancer progression and metastasis. Metastasis is the manager of virtually all breast cancer deaths. Therefore, it is core topic important to identify which genes drive this process in order to develop new therapeutic strategies to improve patient survival.

- How do you va lue the training received in theMaster's Degree in research Biomedical when it comes to guide your professional future?
I think that the MIB is a good opportunity to enter the research. The realization of the project of research allows the student to know the day to day in a laboratory of research and to become familiar with the different stages of each project, from the hypothesis statement to the essay of the results. In addition, the classes are oriented to work on other important aspects in research, such as the communication of results to academic community and work in a team. For all these reasons, I believe that the MIB provides the necessary basis to be able to start a project doctoral thesis .

- What do you consider the best and the hardest thing about degree program in the field of research?
The hardest thing about research is that a large part of all the work and effort made is not rewarded with positive results and the frustration that this generates. In every project, the road to results is full of small failures and it is important to know how to manage them well. But at the same time, because it is a long road with obstacles, each finding brings enormous satisfaction. In addition, knowing that with your work you are contributing a small grain of sand to improve the options for cancer patients is especially satisfying and makes all the effort worthwhile.

- After the defense of the thesis , what are your next projects?
Since May of this year I have been in Boston (USA), doing a postdoctoral stay at Dr. Karen Cichowski's laboratory , at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. My goal, in a few years, is to return to Spain as a researcher.