On February 12, Her Majesty Queen Letizia received Laura Halpern and Jordi Enrich Serra, President and Vice President of Fundación Occident, at the Palace of La Zarzuela, accompanied by the winners of the 7th edition of the Research Awards Jesús Serra and the 1st edition of the Special Award for Science Communication Federico Halpern. The meeting recognized the talent of the researchers and communicators supported by Fundación Occident, as well as its commitment to promoting research in food, nutrition, and health.
During the audience, the awardees had the opportunity to speak with Her Majesty about their research and the societal impact of advances in this field. The dialogue highlighted how scientific excellence and effective communication can go hand in hand.
Among the awardees, Ana Belén Crujeiras, Head of the Epigenomics in Endocrinology and Nutrition Research Group at the Health Research Institute of Santiago – Galician Health Service (IDIS-SERGAS), and winner of the clinical category of the Jesús Serra Research Awards, explained how weight loss and different dietary patterns may influence treatment response in postmenopausal women with breast cancer and obesity. Her study analyzes the impact of these factors on tumor progression and metabolism, as well as on other key clinical markers.
For his part, Jordi Mayneris-Perxachs, Head of the Integrative Systems Medicine and Biology Research Group at the Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI), and winner of the basic research category, presented his findings on the relationship between gut microbiota and food addiction. In his work, he explores the role played by certain bacteria in the microbiota–brain axis and their potential application as an innovative strategy for the prevention and treatment of obesity.
The winners of the first edition of the Federico Halpern Special Award for Science Communication —Cristina Sáez, Beatriz Robles, and Laura Caorsi— also had the opportunity to speak with the Queen about the importance of making science both accessible and rigorous, and they shared outreach projects that bring complex discoveries closer to the general public.
This audience not only recognized the talent of the award recipients, but also underscored Fundación Occident’s commitment to research, science communication, and society. It was an inspiring occasion that encourages us to continue firmly supporting research and its dissemination in the fields of food, nutrition, and health.