Santiago Santidrián Alegre, Full Professor of Physiology and former professor of the School of Medicine, has died at the age of 72. Born in Burgos, he graduated in Pharmacy from the University in 1973 and defended his doctoral thesis in 1976. Directed by Professor Jesús Larralde, he studied the effect of legumes grown in Navarra on different biochemical and physiological parameters of growing animals. Subsequently, he became a professor of Biochemistry at the School of Medicine and worked at the department of Physiology of the University.

goal In 1978, he received a grant from the Advisory Commission of research Scientific and Technical, and moved to the United States for a postdoctoral stay at high school Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), with the aim of investigating the effect of certain hormones and diets on the metabolism of myofibrillar proteins in skeletal muscle tissue.

After his return to the University in 1981 he was able to apply the biochemical techniques learned in Massachusetts at the department of Animal Physiology to collaborate in research on the utilization of legumes in nutrition.

He also obtained by civil service examination the position of Professor of Animal Physiology of the School of Sciences of Granada (1983). He also taught teaching at the University of La Laguna (Santa Cruz de Tenerife) from 1984 to 1986. Subsequently, he was appointed Full Professor of Physiology by both universities. He was a member of the Spanish societies of Physiology, Nutrition, Biochemistry and Endocrinology and of several American societies. In December 1986 he was awarded the award de research by the Royal Academy of Pharmacy (Institute of Spain).

In 1987 he rejoined the University as Full Professor of Physiology until his retirement in August 2017.

"Professor Santiago Santidrián was a true university man, a rigorous researcher who was trained in prestigious centers such as MIT and, above all, he was an exemplary teacher," recalls Secundino Fernández, Vice President of Office of Academic Affairs of the School of Medicine. "He had a clear vocation professor from a very young age and sought to train himself as well as possible for this task. He has trained thousands of physicians and all have been able to verify the rigor of his excellent classes that he taught with a unique waste of energy and passion."