Today is the launch of the 8th Research Awards Jesús Serra, a Fundación Occident initiative to recognise excellence in research in nutrition, food and health. They are targeted at young researchers working in centres, universities and hospitals in Spain who have made significant contributions in nutrition, food and health, drawing from a wide range of disciplines such as clinical nutrition and metabolism, genetics and molecular biology, epidemiology, oncology, cardiology, food science and technology and more.
Every year, the awards recognise the careers and research projects of two scientists who investigate the impact of diet and nutrient metabolism in preventing and treating diseases such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular and neurological conditions. The Research Awards Jesús Serra are given in two categories – basic research and clinical research – with a prize of €50,000 each.
Candidates must have been working in Spain for at least three years and must not have reached the age of 46 by the application deadline. However, in keeping with Fundación Occident’s commitment to gender equity, this age limit may be extended for those who have interrupted their careers due to the birth or adoption of children and their care during the early months of life.
The call for entries for the Research Awards Jesús Serra closes on 28 April 2026 at 14:00 CET. Applications can be submitted in Spanish or English through the website https://www.fundacionoccident.org/premios-investigacion.
2nd Special Award for Science Communication Federico Halpern
For the second year running, the call for entries also includes the Special Award for Science Communication Federico Halpern, which recognises the work of journalists, communicators, researchers and content creators who contribute to rigorous and impactful communication on advances in food, nutrition and health research.
Two awards worth €5,000 in total will be presented, one in the traditional media category and the other in the new formats category. Unlike the Research Awards Jesús Serra, candidates for these outreach prizes are nominated by third parties. Specifically, nominations may be submitted by researchers from research centres and universities in Spain, journalists working in a Spanish media outlet and, thanks to the support of the Spanish Association of Science Communication (AEC2) and the National Association of Health Journalists (ANIS), by the members of these organisations.
“Last year we introduced this award to fulfil our mission,” says Laura Halpern, Chair of Fundación Occident. “We seek not only to acknowledge high-quality research in food, nutrition and health but also to ensure that this research is communicated to society accurately and clearly, thereby increasing its impact on patients, healthcare professionals and the public.”
Candidates for the Special Award can also be nominated until 28 April 2026 at 14:00 CET via the awards website https://www.fundacionoccident.org/premios-investigacion.
More information is available in the terms and conditions and dossier for the Awards and also in the rules and FAQs for the Special Award on the website.