The founder and first director of the Institute of Biomedical Research (IRB Barcelona), Joan Guinovartdied this Wednesday morning, as reported by the center itself through its account on the social network X, formerly Twitter.
Born in Tarragona in 1947, was director of the IRB from its founding in 2005 until 2018 and then continued to be linked to it as professor emeritus, representing and advising the institute.
He graduated in Chemistry and Pharmacy (1969) from the UB, where he received his doctorate in Biochemistry (1973), specialized in Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Analysis and worked during his postdoctoral stage at the Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia (1974-75).
In 2015 he was appointed president of the biochemists of the whole world at the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB), which unites professionals in these fields from 77 countries.
He was also president of the Spanish Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SEBBM), member of the Executive Committee of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) and first president of the Confederation of Scientific Societies of Spain (COSCE).
He was a full academician of the Royal National Academy of Pharmacy (Institute of Spain) and the Royal Academy of Pharmacy of Catalonia, as well as a member of the Institut d’Estudis Catalans (IEC) and the European Academy.
received the Narcís Monturiol Medal from the Generalitat of Catalonia, the Prat de la Riba award from the IEC, the Diploma of Honor from the FEBS and the Creu de Sant Jordi from the Generalitat, among other distinctions.
«It has been a key figure in the field of biochemistryleaving an indelible mark both at a scientific and management level,” stated the IRB. In this sense, he added that “his intelligence, leadership and profound humanism have been fundamental” for his colleagues.
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