2026/02/26
Reyes Núñez Franco receives 2024 RSEQ Best Doctoral Thesis Award in Biological Chemistry
The Specialized Group in Biological Chemistry of the Spanish Royal Society of Chemistry (RSEQ) recognizes the scientific excellence of a doctoral thesis carried out at CIC bioGUNE on computational strategies to study glycan recognition and protein design.
Dr. Reyes Núñez Franco, postdoctoral researcher at CIC bioGUNE, has been awarded the 2024 Best Doctoral Thesis Prize by the Specialized Group in Biological Chemistry of the Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry (RSEQ). This distinction recognizes the scientific quality and impact of her doctoral thesis, entitled “Computational strategies to explore glycan recognition and protein design”, supervised by Dr. Gonzalo Jiménez-Osés, Ikerbasque Research Professor and leader of CIC bioGUNE’s Computational Chemistry group.
The awarded research develops innovative computational strategies to understand how proteins recognize glycans, sugar structures that play essential roles in biological processes such as infection, immune response, and tumor development, and to apply this knowledge to the rational design of novel proteins with specific functions. This approach accelerates the discovery of biomolecular tools with potential applications in biomedicine and biotechnology, further establishing computational biological chemistry as a strategic field of research.
The prize includes a monetary award of €800 and an invitation to present her work at the GEQB-RSEQ Biennial Conference, to be held in San Sebastián in April 2026, one of the country’s leading forums in the field of biological chemistry.
On behalf of CIC bioGUNE, member of BRTA, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Reyes Núñez Franco for this well-deserved recognition, which highlights her talent, dedication, and contribution to advancing computational biological chemistry.
About CIC bioGUNE
The Centre for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), located in the Bizkaia Technology Park, is a biomedical research organisation conducting cutting-edge research at the interface between structural, molecular and cell biology, with a particular focus on generating knowledge on the molecular bases of disease, for use in the development of new diagnostic methods and advanced therapies.
About BRTA
BRTA is an alliance of 4 collaborative research centres (CIC bioGUNE, CIC nanoGUNE, CIC biomaGUNE y CIC energiGUNE) and 13 technology centres (Azterlan, Azti, Ceit, Cidetec, Gaiker, Ideko, Ikerlan, Leartiker, Lortek, Neiker, Tecnalia, Tekniker y Vicomtech) with the main objective of developing advanced technological solutions for the Basque corporate fabric.
With the support of the Basque Government, the SPRI Group and the Provincial Councils of the three territories, the alliance seeks to promote collaboration between the research centres, strengthen the conditions to generate and transfer knowledge to companies, contributing to their competitiveness and outspreading the Basque scientific-technological capacity abroad.
BRTA has a workforce of 3,500 professionals, executes 22 % of the Basque Country's R&D investment, registers an annual turnover of more than 300 million euros and generates 100 European and international patents per year.
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