María A. Blasco C.V
Scientific Director of the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO).
Head of the Telomeres and Telomerase Group (CNIO).
Maria A. Blasco is a molecular biologist devoted to the study of telomeres and telomerase and their role in cancer and aging. Her work has been published in high impact journals as, Cell, Nature or Science among others.
Blasco has merited vast recognition, both national and international. She was the recipient the EMBO Gold Medal in 2004. She has also been distinguished with the European Association of Cancer Research “Young Investigator Award” (2002), the Joseph Steiner Award (2003), the Rey Jaime I Prize for Basic Research (2007), the Körber European Science Award (2008), the Spanish National Research Award in Biology Santiago Ramón y Cajal (2010) as well as the Premio Jaume I.
Blasco has received four Doctorate Honoris Causa in Spain: Universidad Carlos III of Madrid (2014), Universidad of Alicante (2017), Universidad of Murcia (2018) and Universidad Internacional de Valencia (2022). In October 2017 received the Generalitat Valenciana Scientific Award.
Blasco has been an editor and monitoring editor of different scientific journals, as Cancer Research and Journal of Cell Biology, as well as member of several national and international Scientific Committees. In 2020 also became a member of the Board of Trustees of Museo del Prado (Madrid, Spain). In 2022, was appointed as Member of the Board of Trustees and President of the Scientific Advisory Board of the ICAR Foundation (International Center for Aging Research) (Valencia – Spain), as well as Member of the Advisory Board of FECYT. She also was designated Full Member (Académica de Número) of the Royal Spanish Academy of Pharmacy (Madrid –Spain). In 2023, she has been appointed as member of the Advisory Council Fundación Valenciana Premios Rei Jaume I (Valencia).