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Scientific

USC CiMUS researcher Jose M. Tubío obtains one of the 58 Leonardo Grants, the only Galician one in the 2024 call for applications

The principal investigator of the CiMUS of the USC Jose M. Tubío achieves a new milestone in his scientific career by obtaining one of the 58 Leonardo Grants of the BBVA Foundation, the only Galician of this last call. The 11th edition of this prestigious programme to support science and culture of excellence has selected, in the area of Biology and Biomedicine, the work ‘Somatic mutation of liver tissue in the context of hepatitis B’, directed by the researcher from Compostela, which will be funded with 40,000 euros for its development over the next 18 months.

‘The process of awarding the grants has been particularly competitive, with a total of 1,392 applicants in the ten fields considered and, specifically, 270 in the area of Biology and Biomedicine’, as stated in the communication received by Jose M. Tubío from the BBVA Foundation.  ‘One more reason for satisfaction and a new boost to my work in the Galician research ecosystem’, says proudly the scientist of the CiMUS of the USC.

 

Leonardo Grants, a key pillar for science of excellence

The evaluation committees of the 11th edition of the BBVA Foundation Leonardo Grants have selected 58 highly innovative projects in a wide range of disciplines of scientific research and cultural creation. These are individual projects, developed by people who are at a decisive moment in their professional careers: researchers and creators between 30 and 45 years of age.

For more than two decades, the BBVA Foundation's activity has focused on supporting science and culture of excellence, as well as its projection to society. The Leonardo Grants are a strategic and differential commitment of the Foundation to achieve this goal, by promoting knowledge understood as a continuum of research and creation through exploration, without erecting walls between disciplines. For this reason, the programme - whose total endowment amounts to 24.7 million euros in its first 11 editions - was baptised with the name Leonardo Da Vinci, as its essence is to support knowledge, regardless of whether it is scientific or creative research.

From this perspective, the programme is made up of 10 different areas of science and culture, understood from a broad conception: Basic Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics); Biology and Biomedicine; Environmental and Earth Sciences; Engineering; Computer Science and Data Science; Social Sciences; Humanities; Visual Arts; Music and Opera; Literary Creation and Performing Arts.

Jose M. Tubío, profile of excellence in cancer research

In addition to his career as a communicator, the USC CiMUS scientist stands out for his national and international projection in the field of cancer research and, transversally, for the global impact of his publications. So much so that, in 2019, he was nominated Highly Cited Researcher 2019 by the Web of Science in the cross-field category, which identifies him as one of the most influential scientists in the world in terms of the quality of his publications.

In 2020, he received the ASEICA Young Investigator Award from the Asociación Española de Investigación Sobre el Cáncer (ASEICA). In 2021, he received the XI National Cancer Research Award ‘Doctores Diz Pintado’. And, more recently, in 2022, he received the III International Award for young talents in Oncology ‘Ramiro Carregal’.