(Press-News.org) The Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry (RSEQ) and Lilly have announced the winning theses of the 22nd Research Awards for Doctoral Students, which acknowledge outstanding work in the fields of Organic, Pharmaceutical, and Analytical Chemistry. Marcos Vilela, currently pursuing his PhD at the Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials (CiQUS) at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), was awarded alongside Andrea Palone from the University of Girona (UdG) and the University of Rome "Tor Vergata," and Beatriz Arévalo from the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM).
Marcos' thesis, supervised by CiQUS Principal Investigator Juan R. Granja, is titled Supramolecular Systems Based on Cyclic Peptides for the Selective Transport of Antitumor Drugs . His research focuses on developing peptide nanotubes responsive to external stimuli such as light, and their potential application in delivering antitumor drugs to cancer cells. Peptide nanotubes are tube-shaped structures formed by stacking cyclic peptides. "For example, we can control the shape of the tube or its formation and disintegration by irradiating it with the appropriate type of light. Additionally, we are developing a strategy using these nanotubes to transport antitumor drugs to resistant cancer cells," explains Vilela. For him, this award represents "great pride and recognition for all the effort made during the doctoral thesis and serves as a significant motivation for the future."
Recognition for Young Researchers
This is the tenth award received by CiQUS in the Lilly Research Awards. Previous recipients include José Manuel González (2023), Soraya Learte (2021), Eva Rivera (2021), Noelia Casanova (2017), Andrés Seoane (2015), Mateo Sánchez (2014), Isaac Alonso (2013), Lorena Tizón (2012), and Olalla Vázquez (2010).
Organized annually by the Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry (RSEQ) and Lilly Spain, the Research Awards for Doctoral Students recognize the emerging achievements of students working on their doctoral theses in Organic, Pharmaceutical, or Analytical Chemistry and who are members of the RSEQ. Each winner receives financial support of 2,000 euros.
Additionally, the Early Career Researcher Award, which highlights the best project by a researcher under 40, was awarded to Marc García Borràs from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Girona and the Institute of Computational Chemistry and Catalysis (IQCC).
Antonio Echavarren, president of the Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry, emphasizes the importance of supporting young scientists, "both those studying for their doctorates and those already developing research projects, as their efforts contribute to the progress of science in our country." María José Lallena, director of the R&D Center at Lilly Spain, adds that "once again, we are delighted to participate in these recognitions of young researchers, as our work extends beyond our facilities. Supporting and collaborating with other institutions allows us to contribute to the creation of a robust scientific ecosystem, fostering synergies that lead to better results and, ultimately, positively impact patients in the long run."
END
Marcos Vilela wins Lilly Research Award for Doctoral Students
His thesis on peptide nanotubes has been honored in the 22nd edition of the awards promoted by the RSEQ and Lilly to recognize the work of young researchers.
2024-07-09
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Trust, more than knowledge, critical for acceptance of fully autonomous vehicles
2024-07-09
PULLMAN, Wash. – While not yet on the market, fully autonomous vehicles are promoted as a way to make road travel dramatically safer, but a recent study found that knowing more about them did not improve people’s perception of their risk. They needed to have more trust in them too.
This study adds to the evidence from other research that knowledge alone is not enough to sway people’s attitudes toward complex technology and science, such as gene editing or climate change. In this case, Washington State University researchers found that trust in the autonomous vehicles’ reliability and performance played the strongest role in improving ...
Run screaming or slow retreat? New study advances understanding of brain responses to emotionally-charged scenes
2024-07-09
The ability to recognise and respond to emotionally-charged situations is essential to a species’ evolutionary success. A new study published today [July 9th] in Nature Communications advances our understanding of how the brain responds to emotionally charged objects and scenes.
The research, led by Trinity College Dublin neuroscientist Prof. Sonia Bishop and Google researcher Samy Abdel-Ghaffar while he was a PhD student in Prof. Bishop's lab at UC Berkeley, has identified how the brain represents different categories of emotional stimuli in a way that allows for ...
Brain neurotransmitter receptor antagonist found to prevent opioid addiction in mice
2024-07-09
New research led by UCLA Health has found a drug that treats insomnia works to prevent the addictive effects of the morphine opioids in mice while still providing effective pain relief.
The study, published in the journal Nature Mental Health, concluded that suvorexant, which blocks brain receptors for a neurotransmitter called hypocretin, prevents opioid addiction. At high doses in humans, suvorexant induces sleep and is used to treat insomnia. But sleep was not induced, and behavioral alertness was maintained, at the much lower doses effective in preventing ...
Nerve damage from breast cancer treatment can be predicted
2024-07-09
Many women treated for breast cancer using taxanes, a type of cytostatic drug, often experience side effects in the nervous system. Researchers at Linköping University have developed a tool that can predict the risk level for each individual. The tool could help doctors adapt treatment to avoid persistent side effects in those at the greatest risk.
More and more people are becoming cancer survivors. But even if they have survived the disease, an increasing number still suffer from the side effects of cancer treatment. In a recent study from Linköping University, researchers studied the side effects of taxanes, ...
Water stored under artificial turf could make cities cooler and safer to play in
2024-07-09
For those living in cities, space to play sports outside can be a scarcity. Recently, natural grass in parks or public sports courts has often been replaced with more durable artificial turf to allow heavy consecutive use.
There are, however, downsides to this practice, both for people and for cities as a whole. Now, scientists in the Netherlands have set out to change that by integrating a subsurface water storage and capillary irrigation system under artificial turf sports fields.
“Here we show that including a subsurface water storage and capillary ...
How a plant app helps identify the consequences of climate change
2024-07-09
Plants are known to respond to seasonal changes by budding, leafing, and flowering. As climate change stands to shift these so-called phenological stages in the life cycle of plants, access to data about phenological changes – from many different locations and in different plants – can be used to draw conclusions about the actual effects of climate change. However, conducting such analyses require a large amount of data and data collection of this scale would be unthinkable without the help of citizen scientists. “The problem is that the quality of the data suffers when fewer people engage ...
Tomato triumph: genetic key to chill-proof crops unveiled
2024-07-09
In a significant advancement for agricultural biotechnology, researchers have identified a genetic mechanism that enhances the cold tolerance of tomatoes. This breakthrough is pivotal for cultivating crops in cooler climates, ensuring stable yields and bolstering global food security. The study focuses on the SlGAD2 gene, which, when overexpressed, elevates the plant's γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels, boosts antioxidant activities, and stimulates anthocyanin production, collectively improving cold resilience.
Tomatoes play a vital role in global agriculture but are susceptible ...
Scientists exploring potential new treatments for glioblastoma
2024-07-09
A new approach to treating the most malignant type of brain cancer – glioblastoma – has shown strong promise in pre-clinical settings, raising hopes of increasing current average survival rates beyond 18 months.
Targeted alpha therapy (TAT) is emerging as a potential additional treatment for glioblastoma (GB), a disease which has confounded oncologists for decades due to its aggressive nature and strong resistance to existing therapies.
The current standard treatment for GB is surgery, followed by external beam radiotherapy and the chemotherapy drug, temozolomide. However, survival rates of less than 5-10% at five years have prompted researchers to explore ...
Tomato Time capsule: postharvest treatments and their role in ripening dynamics
2024-07-09
Tomato fruit ripening, a process initiated by key gene demethylation, is significantly influenced by postharvest handling practices. These practices, while extending shelf life, can alter ripening dynamics and affect fruit quality. This study explores the impact of various postharvest treatments on the fruit's methylome and transcriptome, shedding light on how physiological and molecular changes interplay to determine the final quality of tomatoes.
Postharvest handling practices, such as refrigeration and modified atmosphere storage, are commonly used to extend the shelf life of tomatoes. However, these methods can negatively impact fruit quality, ...
Innovative, highly accurate AI model can estimate lung function just by using chest x-rays
2024-07-09
If there is one medical exam that everyone in the world has taken, it’s a chest x-ray. Clinicians can use radiographs to tell if someone has tuberculosis, lung cancer, or other diseases, but they can’t use them to tell if the lungs are functioning well.
Until now, that is.
In findings published in The Lancet Digital Health, a research group led by Associate Professor Daiju Ueda and Professor Yukio Miki at Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Medicine has developed an artificial intelligence model that can estimate lung function from chest radiographs with high accuracy.
Conventionally, ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Commercial fusion power plant closer to reality following research breakthrough
The Protein Society announces its 2024 Best Paper recipients
Bing Ren appointed Scientific Director and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Genome Center
Terahertz imaging: a breakthrough in non-invasive cochlear visualization
ENO2: a key player in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma metastasis
Biocompatible hydrogel enables wearable electronics for monitoring marine life health
We must not ignore eugenics in our genetics curriculum, says professor
Semaglutide and Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Risk Among Patients With Diabetes
Electronic Screen Use and Sleep Duration and Timing in Adults
State Minimum Wage and Food Insecurity Among US Households With Children
Novel adsorbent offers effective solution for perchlorate removal from water
Terahertz imaging reveals new views of internal cochlear structure
Machine learning program enhances transplant risk assessment in myelofibrosis patients better than current models
Beyond ambiguous reflections: Bridging optical 3D metrology and computer vision
Baylor Anthropology scientist Julie Hoggarth, Ph.D., named AAAS Fellow
Joint clinical commitment will advance integration of telehealth, value of patient care
The Protein Society announces its 2025 Award Recipients
AI is as good as pathologists at diagnosing celiac disease, study finds
AI could help sonographers identify abnormalities in unborn babies more quickly
First clinical trial of an AI therapy chatbot yields significant mental health benefits
AI learns to ‘speak’ genetic ‘dialect’ for future SARS-CoV-2 mutation prediction
$50 million gift from the Weill Family Foundation establishes the Weill Cancer Hub East
Physics meets art: a new twist on interference patterns
Elevating global heart failure care with new certification
The MIT Press releases 2025 Direct to Open (D2O) Impact Report
New study reveals the curative potential of genome editing approach for genetic deafness
AAAS elects Keck School of Medicine of USC molecular biologist Yali Dou as 2025 fellow
Damaging cluster of UK winter storms driven by swirling polar vortex miles above Earth
Losing forest carbon stocks could put climate goals out of reach
From weight to wellness: New database transforms obesity research
[Press-News.org] Marcos Vilela wins Lilly Research Award for Doctoral StudentsHis thesis on peptide nanotubes has been honored in the 22nd edition of the awards promoted by the RSEQ and Lilly to recognize the work of young researchers.