Sima doctor receives special award in science from Rosalind Franklin Society

the doctor Gloria Gonzalez AsiguenolazaDirector of the Gene Therapy for Rare Diseases Program at the University of Cima in Navarra, has received the Special Award in Science of the Rosalind Franklin Society, awarded by Mary Ann Liebert and the Rosalind Franklin Society.

This distinction is in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of gene therapy as well as his continued dedication to scientific innovation and the advancement of knowledge, with the goal of always providing therapeutic solutions for patients suffering from rare diseases.

“I am honored and excited that the Rosalind Franklin Society has recognized our dedication and work in gene therapy, and I want to extend this recognition to all the people who share my daily life and to those who have been part of it on our team, whose excellent work has made this award worthy. Rosalind Franklin is an inspiration to scientists all over the world, so this honor is very special to me.

Throughout her research career, Dr. Gonzalez Asiguinolaza has published more than 150 articles in international journals and co-invented 20 biotechnology patents.

He also coordinated the research group responsible for the first clinical trial of gene therapy in Europe using adeno-associated viruses (AAV) as a vector to treat acute intermittent porphyria, a hereditary metabolic liver disease.

She is also co-founder and chief scientific officer of Vivet Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing gene therapies with the potential to change the lives of patients with inherited metabolic disorders that affect the liver, such as Wilson’s disease.

Dr. Gonzalez Aseguinolaza studied Biology at the University of the Basque Country He obtained his doctorate in science from the Autonomous University of Madrid. He began his career working on the development of genetic vaccines against parasitic diseases such as leishmaniasis or malaria, at the CISC’s Center for Biological Research (CIB), work he later continued at New York University.

In 2001, Ramón y Cajal joined the University of Navarra as a researcher and over the past two decades has worked on developing advanced treatments for rare liver diseases.

Since 2014, Dr. González Asiguenolaza has been Director of the Gene Therapy for Rare Diseases Program at the University of Cima of Navarra. In addition, from 2019 to 2023 she was President of Spanish Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (SETGyC) He is currently the Secretary General of the European Society for Gene and Cell Therapy (ESGCT).

About Recognition

The Rosalind Franklin Society’s Special Award in Science is given annually to support contributions by women in science. Specifically, it recognizes the work of outstanding scientists, promotes greater opportunities for women in science, and inspires younger generations.

The Rosalind Franklin Society is an international, non-profit, honorary organization that recognizes, encourages, and promotes the significant contributions of women to science. Rosalind Franklin (1920–1958) was a British biophysicist and X-ray crystallographer whose research was essential to the discovery of the structure of DNA.