This Monday, May 4th, 2026, the ceremony for the National Research Awards granted by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities was held in Barcelona. The event was presided by the King of Spain and by Diana Morant, Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities.
Josep Dalmau, head of the Pathogenesis of autoimmune neuronal disorders Group at IDIBAPS and also a researcher at the CaixaResearch Institute, received the National Research Award Gregorio Marañón in the Medicine field.
The jury highlighted Dalmau's scientific career and "the originality of his research combining neurology, oncology, and immunology, as well as his transformative role in clinical practice and in the discovery of antibody-mediated diseases affecting neuronal synapses." With his team, he has described 11 of the 17 autoimmune encephalitides known to date, making a decisive contribution to understanding and treating these neurological pathologies.
The recognition also highlights his pioneering international role in the description of autoimmune encephalitis, a breakthrough that has transformed the way these disorders are diagnosed and treated. His research has opened new avenues at the intersection of neurology, oncology, and immunology, establishing bridges that have changed clinical practice worldwide.
The National Research Awards, each with a prize of 30.000 euros, recognize Spanish researchers who have developed extensive scientific careers with international impact. This year, 20 scientists from disciplines ranging from biomedicine to the humanities were recognized.
Dalmau's scientific leadership endorses the global impact of the research conducted at IDIBAPS for medicine and for patients. Dalmau joined Clínic-IDIBAPS from the University of Pennsylvania as an ICREA professor, and is currently a researcher with dual affiliation with IDIBAPS and CaixaResearch Institute.
In 2021, IDIBAPS researcher Elías Campo, head of the Molecular Pathology in Lymphoid Neoplasms group, received the same recognition in the Gregorio Marañón category.
