The award honors the work of Dr. Melero, co-director of the Immunology and Immunotherapy Program at the Cima University of Navarra, part of the Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra, in the field of research into the development of new therapeutic principles in biomedicine.
The presentation of the 20th Burdinola Research Award, held in the auditorium of the Cima University of Navarra, was presided over by the Vice-Rector for Research and Sustainability of the University of Navarra, Ms. Paloma Grau, accompanied by Mr. José Andrés Gómez Cantero, General Director of the Cima, Mr. Joseba Campos, General Director of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra and Mr. Mikel Martínez, General Director of Burdinola S.Coop, who presented the diploma and the prize money of 15,000€.
Dr. Jesús San Miguel, senior consultant at the Clínica Universidad de Navarra and former director of Translational Medicine at Cima, presented the winner as "one of the pioneers in cancer immunotherapy research, always with an eye on the patient".
The event was attended by Ms. Ana Burusco, Director General of Universities of the Government of Navarra and Mr. Joseba Pineda, President of the Burdinola Awards and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Nursing UPV- EHU, who read the jury's minutes. The jury's decision was announced on July 21 at a meeting held at the Burdinola facilities in Amoroto (Bizkaia).
It was a very emotional event attended by a large part of the CIMA-University of Navarra scientific community, as well as colleagues, friends and relatives of Dr. Melero who wanted to join him at the ceremony in recognition of his great work and dedication.
Pioneer in immunotherapy
Dr. Melero leads since 1998 a multidisciplinary team of the Cima University of Navarra working on immunotherapy with cell therapy techniques, gene therapy and monoclonal antibodies at the Cancer Center Clínica Universidad Navarra. He has recently been appointed Professor (Kidani Chair of Oncology) at the University of Oxford. He combines his activity at the University of Navarra with research at OXCIO, the Oxford Center of Immuno-oncology, a nascent center dependent on the departments of Medicine and Oncology of the English university.
Throughout his career he has been principal investigator in more than 44 immunotherapy clinical trials. His work has mainly focused on translational research in cancer immunotherapy. His most notable contributions focus on immunotherapy strategies based on the 4-1BB receptor (CD137) and his pioneering work on immunotherapy of hepatocarcinoma that has transformed medical practice.
Burdinola and the award
Burdinola is a company specialized in the planning and integration of laboratories, whose mission is the following; "We develope the safest and most efficient laboratory projects in the world where researchers enjoy working towards a better society". It is precisely this last point, that of "improving society" that moves and inspires Burdinola to continue organizing year after year a new edition of the award with the same enthusiasm and repercussion of the first day in 1993. Since then, Burdinola has maintained its commitment to the scientific community to promote and strengthen the development of science in Spain. The list of award winners continues to grow with illustrious names in Spanish scientific activity.
The jury's decision for this edition was announced on July 21 at a meeting held at Burdinola's facilities in Amoroto (Bizkaia), where seven experts were in charge of evaluating the different candidatures, highlighting the excellent participation and the very high level of all of them, and among which Dr. Melero's candidature was the one chosen for the XX Burdinola Research Award.
