Jordi Barbé and Jordi Surrallés awarded by the Association of Biologists of Catalonia

Jordi Surrallés i Jordi Barbé

The Association of Biologists of Catalonia recently announced the winners of the eighth edition of the Biologist's Day awards, aimed at biology professionals from different fields. Jordi Barbé, professor in the Department of Genetics and Microbiology at the UAB and rector's commissioner for Relations with Secondary Education and University Access, received recognition for his professional career, while Jordi Surrallés, professor in the same department and director of the IIB Sant Pau, received the award in the category of research.

26/02/2025

The Board of the Association of Biologists of Catalonia recently announced the winners of the eighth edition of the Biologist's Day awards. As in previous editions, the awards are addressed to eight biology professionals who are acknowledged for their contribution to science and society in five different categories: honorary members, professional career, research, bioentrepreneurship, and biological and scientific communication.

Jordi Barbé, Professor of the Department of Genetics and Microbiology at the UAB and Rector's Commissioner for Relations with Secondary Education and University Access, received recognition for his professional career. The Governing Board of the Association of Biologists of Catalonia highlights the extensive teaching activity in microbiology of Professor Jordi Barbé, both in reference to the university world and in the dissemination of this scientific discipline in society in general and, in particular, in compulsory secondary education and upper secondary school. The board also highlights his research activity, with the participation in two patents related to the use of bacteriophages as elements of prophylaxis in veterinary microbiology. The Association of Biologists of Catalonia emphasises that his research has opened new avenues of work in DNA repair, bacterial virulence and the study of resistance to antibacterial agents.

In the research category, the Association of Biologists of Catalonia confers the award to Jordi Surrallés, professor in the Department of Genetics and Microbiology at the UAB and director of the Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute. The Governing Board of the Association awarded him this distinction for his research in understanding the mechanisms that maintain genome stability and protect us from diseases, cancer and ageing, as well as for his ability to transfer this knowledge to develop new therapeutic and diagnostic strategies in the fields of oncology, precision medicine and minority diseases such as Fanconi's anemia.

In 2017 the Association of Biologists of Catalonia decided to award the professional value of Catalan biologists and make their work visible with the Biologist's Day awards. The awards are given every 25 April, coinciding with the date of publication of the DNA structure in 1953 by James Watson and Francis Crick.