The high school of Tropical Health University of Navarra (ISTUN) has awarded the prizes for the best work Fin de Degree (TFG) for students of the School of Sciences of the University of Navarra.

The award has been awarded to the work presented by student of Biochemistry Reyes Ruiz, graduate "Study and characterization of natural compounds with antitrypanosomiasis activity". The starting point of this research is the implementation of new drug design strategies through the application of computational techniques. Ruiz has identified molecules that can be subjected to structural optimization strategies and that could serve as Structures basis for the design of new active drugs.

The awards organized by the ISTUN also distinguished with a special accredited specialization the TFG presented by three students of the School: Natalia Aisa, Nuria Alfonso and Iris Elizalde. The work of the biologist Natalia Aisa ("Identification of new therapeutic targets and active compounds against Leishmaniamajor") sample results for the development of future drugs to treat leishmaniasis.

"Characterization of in vitro infection of murine macrophages with Leishmaniaspp" is the degree scroll of the TFG presented by Nuria Alfonso (Chemistry+Biochemistry ), in which the infective capacity of two strains of Leishmania (L. amazonensis and L. guyanensis) was studied. Iris Elizalde (Biology) has also received a special accredited specialization for her work "Cloning of Leishmaniaspp genes in pLexsy expression plasmid".

This is the first edition of these awards organized by ISTUN and whose goal is to promote research related to global health. The ISTUN, created in 2011, has as mission statement to find solutions for diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control of diseases in developing countries development, as well as to share training and technology transfer with professionals from countries in Europe, America, Africa and Asia.