New international recognition for our researcher María José Alonso

María José Alonso, Principal Investigator at CiMUS (University of Santiago de Compostela), has just added a new international accolade to her distinguished research career: the Aileen Hamilton Medal, awarded by Queen’s University Belfast for “significant achievements in pharmaceutical sciences and the promotion of academic research.”

Alonso received the award from the Dean of the School of Pharmacy at the British university during the Hamilton Lecture Series, an annual event held in honour of Aileen Hamilton, a prominent member of the School of Pharmacy. After her passing, 30% of her estate was dedicated to supporting pharmaceutical research programs. This legacy has enabled progress in developing medicines to prevent, alleviate, or cure diseases.

The Hamilton Medal honors world-leading researchers who continue to drive pharmaceutical knowledge and innovation. María José Alonso, they note, “joins our distinguished list of awardees, including Professor Lisa Bero in 2019 and Professor Bob Langer in 2024.”

Queen’s University Belfast highlights the “pioneering discoveries in nanomedicine, particularly in vaccination, transmucosal drug delivery, and precision medicine in oncology” led by María José Alonso’s team.

They also refer to some of her “notable achievements,” including:

● Author of more than 315 scientific publications with an H-index of 104
● Responsible for the discovery of 23 patent families, most of them licensed to industry
● Leader of three successful emerging entrepreneurship projects
● Head of a coordinating consortium funded by the WHO, the Gates Foundation, and the European Commission
● Named to the “Power List” of the most influential researchers in biopharmaceuticals
● Recipient of over 45 awards, including the “National Research Award” from the Government of Spain
● Member of several highly prestigious academies, including the U.S. National Academy of Medicine