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Dr. Ernest Giralt is one of the founding members of IRB Barcelona and the former Head of the Institute’s Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Programme.
His appointment as “Emeritus Professor” will allow him to share his guidance and expertise with the current community of scientists.
Dr. Ernest Giralt Lledó (Viladecans, 1948) is retiring after 15 years at IRB Barcelona. Head of the Peptides and Proteins Laboratory at IRB Barcelona and former Head of the Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Programme, his group focused its research on peptides (small proteins) and the dynamic properties of proteins.
Over the years, he has inspired the Institute’s community and been a solid reference for science of excellence. And now, he will continue to be linked to IRB Barcelona in the coming years, advising and representing the Institute as an "Emeritus Professor".
"Above all, I am very grateful to IRB Barcelona, to all my colleagues at the institute, and - very especially - to all the members of my research team who have allowed us to enjoy all these years in our attempt to do the best science possible.”
Dr. Giralt was a founding member of IRB Barcelona, where he played a key institutional role. As a researcher, he is considered the best peptide chemist in Spain and one of the best in Europe, and he has been a pioneer in chemical biology. He has made important contributions to the field of peptide synthesis and the biomedical applications of peptides in oncology and diseases of the CNS. His research has earned him outstanding recognition: he received the Narcís Monturiol Prize in 1992, he won the 2011 Spanish National Research Award (Premio Nacional de Investigación), and the 2015 City of Barcelona award (Premi Ciutat de Barcelona), among others.
In addition to being part of the team of scientists involved in founding the Institute, he served as Head of the Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Programme for 12 years and was one of the promoters of its cutting-edge Mass Spectrometry & Proteomics Core Facility.
More than 100 young researchers spanning more than 15 nationalities have had the opportunity to grow as scientists with Dr. Giralt as a mentor, and his former students now occupy leading positions in a wide range of fields, from academia to industry.
In parallel to his scientific career, Dr. Giralt has always shown an artistic interest in music. It is worth highlighting his dedication as a performer as well as his facet as a musical composer. He finds artistic expression a way out for his creativity and curiosity.
With regard to his appointment as an Emeritus Professor, he says: "Above all, I am very grateful to IRB Barcelona, to all my colleagues at the institute, and - very especially - to all the members of my research team who have allowed us to enjoy all these years in our attempt to do the best science possible. Modesty aside, I will try to put my personal experience at the service mainly of the young people of the Institute."
As soon as circumstances allow, IRB Barcelona is looking forward to the opportunity to organize a tribute to Dr. Giralt for his unprecedented career. In the meantime, the Institute welcomes him as its first Emeritus Professor.
We invite you to find out more about his research at IRB Barcelona in this "Meet our scientists" video.
About IRB Barcelona
The Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) pursues a society free of disease. To this end, it conducts multidisciplinary research of excellence to cure cancer and other diseases linked to ageing. It establishes technology transfer agreements with the pharmaceutical industry and major hospitals to bring research results closer to society, and organises a range of science outreach activities to engage the public in an open dialogue. IRB Barcelona is an international centre that hosts 400 researchers and more than 30 nationalities. Recognised as a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence since 2011, IRB Barcelona is a CERCA centre and member of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST).
