King Felipe VI submission award National of research in Medicine 2014 to Dr. Jesús Prieto
The Full Professor of the University of Navarra, researcher of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra and of the CIMA has received today the award in the Royal Palace.
King Felipe VI has made today submission of the award National of research in Medicine "Gregorio Marañón" 2014 to Dr. Jesús Mª Prieto Valtueña.
Professor Prieto is Full Professor of the University of Navarra and has been scientific director of the department of Internal Medicine of the University of Navarra and of the of Hepatology of the University of Navarra. Clínica Universidad de Navarra and director of the area of Hepatology of the CIMA. The submission ceremony was presided over by Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain, accompanied by the Minister of Economics and Competitiveness, Luis de Guindos. The ceremony was held today at 12 noon at the Royal Palace in Madrid.
Professor Prieto has been distinguished with the award "for his balance between research, clinical activity and professor, and especially for his contribution to gene therapy in liver diseases and cancer, in which he stands out both for his research activity and for the transfer to the clinical internship ", according to the jury.
The National Awards of research 2014 distinguish this year five personalities in the areas of medicine, biology, engineering, law and economic and social sciences, and Humanities. In addition to the career of Jesús María Prieto Valtueña, the jury recognized the work of Joan Massagué Solé, José María Benlloch Baviera, José Luis García Delgado and Violeta Demonte Barreto. These awards ─endowed with 100,000 euros each─ "recognize the merit of Spanish researchers in scientific fields of international relevance and that contribute to the advancement of science, to the better knowledge of man and his coexistence, to the transfer of technology and to the progress of Humanity".
During the ceremony, the King addressed the five laureates to congratulate them, while stressing that the awards are intended to pay tribute "to those who, in their field of specialization program and knowledge scientific, have become deserving in 2014 of a very special recognition of their merit, their effort, their important contribution to the advancement of our society".
In this regard, he alluded to the effect of the economic crisis, particularly in the sector of the research, causing that "many young researchers have had difficulties in their professional degree program and the resources received by universities and organizations of research have been reduced".
He thus invited to reflect on the role that science and innovation should play in the future of our country, "since research and development+i is ─and will be increasingly─ essential to make Spain a more competitive nation". Felipe VI advocated for a society "that can offer greater opportunities to new generations and that advances in solving challenges that all countries face," such as health, food security, clean and efficient energy, defense or care for the environment.
Importance of the translational research
For Dr. Prieto, the awarding of the national award has been "a great satisfaction and a reason to thank all the people who have worked with me for many years both at the Clinic and at laboratory. To them I owe this recognition, which is a award to the whole team".
The professor also values "the fact that the award bears the name degree scroll of Gregorio Marañón with special enthusiasm. knowledge This outstanding figure of Spanish medicine has always been for me an example of how clinical observation has to connect with experimental research to achieve a deeper understanding of the disease and an improvement in its treatment. The translational research is the desideratum of academic medicine. It is a way of doing healthcare work that the university hospital cannot renounce".
Dr. Prieto is Full Professor of Medicine of the University of Navarra and has been scientific director of the department of Internal Medicine of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra and director of the division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy of the research center Applied Medicine (CIMA). issue He has made more than 400 high impact international publications, directed more than 50 doctoral thesis and obtained an important number of patents, being also remarkable his contribution to the creation of research center Applied Medicine (CIMA) of the University of Navarra.