2025/01/28

Jesús Jiménez-Barbero, awarded the Humboldt Research Award for his research in biological chemistry

Professor Dr. Jesús Jiménez-Barbero has been awarded the Humboldt Research Award for his outstanding career in bioorganic, biological chemistry, and biophysics.

The Humboldt Research Award, granted by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, is an international recognition that highlights the scientific impact and excellence of researchers in various disciplines.

Professor Dr. Jesús Jiménez-Barbero, Scientific Director and Ikerbasque Research Professor at CIC bioGUNE, member of BRTA, has been honoured with the Humboldt Research Award by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. This prestigious award acknowledges the careers of outstanding international scientists and academics in their respective fields and is considered one of the most important global accolades.

Professor Jiménez-Barbero was nominated for this recognition by Professor Dr. Peter H. Seeberger, in recognition of his outstanding contribution in the fields of bioorganic chemistry, biological chemistry, and biophysics. Through this award, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation recognizes his research career and the impact of his scientific contributions.

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, with over 50 years of history, promotes international academic cooperation and maintains a global network of scientific collaboration. In addition to granting the Humboldt Research Award, the Foundation provides continuous support to awardees in their professional careers, facilitating participation in events, access to language courses, and fostering long-term scientific collaborations. Numerous awardees have later been honoured with the Nobel Prize, underscoring the magnitude of this recognition.

The Humboldt Research Award is granted annually to international researchers from all disciplines, in recognition of their academic achievements and impact in their areas of specialization. Awardees receive €60,000 and have the opportunity to carry out research stays of up to 12 months at a research institution in Germany, collaborating with specialists in the country. This research period can be divided into several stays, offering the flexibility needed for the development of complex scientific projects.

Professor Jiménez-Barbero is internationally recognized for his research in the conformational analysis of carbohydrates and their applications in chemical biology and biomedicine. This award reinforces his position as a leader in his field and adds to his distinguished history of accolades, including the Enrique Moles National Award for Research in Chemistry and Chemical Technologies in 2023 and the Medal of the Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry in 2018.

At CIC bioGUNE, we congratulate Professor Dr. Jesús Jiménez-Barbero on this prestigious recognition, which not only reflects his dedication and hard work throughout his career but also the significant impact of his research in the global scientific community. This award is a testament to his leadership in the fields of biochemistry and biomedicine, marking another milestone in his outstanding career. We are incredibly proud to have his talent and drive at our center, and we extend our heartfelt congratulations to him for this well-deserved achievement.

About CIC bioGUNE
The Centre for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), located in the Bizkaia Technology Park, is a biomedical research organisation conducting cutting-edge research at the interface between structural, molecular and cell biology, with a particular focus on generating knowledge on the molecular bases of disease, for use in the development of new diagnostic methods and advanced therapies.

About Ikerbasque
Ikerbasque - Basque Foundation for Science - is the result of an initiative of the Department of Education of the Basque Government that aims to reinforce the commitment to scientific research by attracting, recovering and consolidating excellent researchers from all over the world. Currently, it is a consolidated organization that has 290 researchers/s, who develop their work in all fields of knowledge.

About BRTA
BRTA is an alliance of 4 collaborative research centres (CIC bioGUNE, CIC nanoGUNE, CIC biomaGUNE y CIC energiGUNE) and 13 technology centres (Azterlan, Azti, Ceit, Cidetec, Gaiker, Ideko, Ikerlan, Leartiker, Lortek, Neiker, Tecnalia, Tekniker y Vicomtech) with the main objective of developing advanced technological solutions for the Basque corporate fabric.

With the support of the Basque Government, the SPRI Group and the Provincial Councils of the three territories, the alliance seeks to promote collaboration between the research centres, strengthen the conditions to generate and transfer knowledge to companies, contributing to their competitiveness and outspreading the Basque scientific-technological capacity abroad.

BRTA has a workforce of 3,500 professionals, executes 22% of the Basque Country's R&D investment, registers an annual turnover of more than 300 million euros and generates 100 European and international patents per year.

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