María José Alonso, ‘Honoris Causa’ by the Universities of Córdoba and Buenos Aires (Argentina)

María José Alonso, Professor of Biopharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), has been awarded Honorary Doctorates (Doctor Honoris Causa) by the University of Córdoba and the University of Buenos Aires, in Argentina. These distinctions recognize her outstanding international career and pioneering contributions to nanomedicine, pharmaceutical sciences, and innovative therapies.

These latest honors join a series of distinctions from leading international scientific organizations, including the Honorary Doctorate by the University of Nottingham (2022), her election to the US National Academy of Medicine (NAM, 2016), the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE, 2017), the College of Fellows of the Controlled Release Society (CRS, 2018), and the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium (2021), and the National Academy of Pharmacy and Biochemistry of Argentina (2024). She is also a member of the Royal Academy of Pharmacy of Spain, the Royal Academy of Pharmacy of Galicia, and the Royal Galician Academy of Sciences.

As part of the ceremony at the University of Córdoba, presided over by Rector Jhon Boretto, the institution highlighted Alonso’s scientific and human contributions: “María José Alonso has demonstrated that innovation with purpose can be a tool for equity and well‑being. Her leadership has opened doors for women scientists worldwide, promoting equal opportunities and equitable access to decision‑making spaces in science and technology”. In this regard, the recognition from UNC not only values her academic trajectory, but also the principles that guide her work: “Curiosity, rigor, ethics, and the conviction that science is, above all, an act of service to society. Her example reminds us that knowledge, when shared and transformed into innovation, is one of the most powerful forces to build a fairer, healthier, and more humane future”.

The ceremony took place in the Graduation Hall of the Historic Rectorate, where the honouree delivered a lecture entitled “Towards a New Therapeutic Paradigm: The Era of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology”.