2023/09/25

Jesús Jiménez-Barbero, awarded the 'Enrique Moles' National Research Prize in the field of Chemical Science and Technology

The Ministry of Science and Research has granted this award within the framework of the 2023 National Research Awards, the most prestigious recognitions in Spain in the field of science and research.

Jesús Jiménez-Barbero has been distinguished with the prestigious 'Enrique Moles' National Research Prize in the field of Chemical Science and Technology, in recognition of his outstanding scientific career and valuable contributions to understanding the mechanisms that regulate molecular recognition processes between carbohydrates and proteins.

Jesus Jiménez-Barbero is an Ikerbasque Professor and Scientific Director of CIC bioGUNE – member of BRTA - since 2014, where he has led its recognition as a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence in 2017 and 2022.

He obtained his doctorate in 1987 from the Autonomous University of Madrid, working at the Institute of General Organic Chemistry (IQOG-CSIC). Between 1986 and 1992, he conducted research at CERMAV-CNRS (Grenoble), University of Zurich, National Institute for Medical Research (UK), and Carnegie Mellon University (USA).

Before moving to CIC bioGUNE as an Ikerbasque Professor, he was a Research Professor at CSIC in the Center for Biological Research (CIB, 2002-14). Previously, he was a scientific researcher (1988-96) and research scientist (1996-2002) at IQOG.

He has been a visiting professor at École Normale Supérieure in Paris (2004), Sorbonne (2008), University Milano Bicocca (2009-2011), and the University of the Basque Country (EHU/UPV, 2016-2023).

In terms of management, he served as President of the Spanish Royal Society of Chemistry (2011-17) and the International Carbohydrate Organization (2012-14). He was also a Manager of the Chemistry Panel of the National Research Plan of the Ministry of Science (2009-18).

His scientific interests focus on Chemical Biology, discovering the molecular basis of glycan recognition by biological receptors, using a multidisciplinary approach involving chemical synthesis, protein biochemistry, molecular biology, biophysics, molecular modeling, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. His systematic studies on glycan interactions with lectins have contributed to our overall understanding of glycan-mediated interactions in health and disease and have been disseminated in over 600 publications and more than 300 invited conferences, having supervised 36 doctoral theses and 50 postdoctoral researchers to date. His recent advances utilize active NMR probes to examine molecular recognition in vitro and in cells. This proposal earned him the ERC Advanced Grant (2018-2024).

These awards, endowed with 30,000 euros for each category, recognize Spanish researchers who stand out for their career and international relevance in their respective research areas.

About CIC bioGUNE

The Centre for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), located in the Bizkaia Technology Park, is a biomedical research organization conducting cutting-edge research at the interface between structural, molecular and cell biology, with a particular focus on the study of 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

The BRTA is an alliance made up of 4 collaborative research centres (CIC bioGUNE, CIC nanoGUNE, CIC biomaGUNE and CIC energiGUNE) and 12 technology centres (Azterlan, Azti, Ceit, Cidetec, Gaiker, Ideko, Ikerlan, Lortek, Neiker, Tecnalia, Tekniker and Vicometch), with the aim of developing advanced technological solutions for Basque companies.

With the support of the Basque Government, the SPRI Group and the Provincial Councils of the three regional provinces, the alliance seeks to promote collaboration among its centers, to strengthen the conditions to generate and transfer knowledge to companies, contributing to their competitiveness, and to spread Basque scientific and technological capacity outside of the Basque Country.

BRTA has a staff of 3,500 professionals, accounts for 22% of the Basque Country’s R&D investment, generates an annual turnover of over EUR 300 million and files 100 European and international patents per year.

Spanish version