The secrets of aging at the CAF-Elhuyar awards
2009/04/01 Carton Virto, Eider - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria
The San Sebastian engineer Xabier Artaetxebarria has titled "Xixareak, giant turtles and immortal hydra". In the article the author conducts a study on aging.
According to the jury, "the article offers us a magnificent reflection on the aging process that existed, and although at first it analyzes whether aging could be clarified by Darwin's theory of natural selection, it is introduced into the new chromosomal paradise to discuss the importance that genes, telomeres and enzymes can have." According to the five members who have formed the jury of this edition, the article "in addition to being alive and rich, gives us a Darwinian reflection on life", so it has been deserving of the first prize.
Ardagas, polymers and touch
In addition to the Grand Prix, three new prizes have been awarded this year. The second prize of this edition has gone to the world of forests. It has been for "Ardagaiak, sparks that light forests", article written by the zarauztarra Ostaizka Aizpurua and the elgoibartarra Antton Alberdi.
According to the jury, "the work leads us to a reflection on the correct management of forests and changes the usual opinion on wild trees and dry logs".
The third prize went to Leire Pérez and Maite Artetxe, thanks to their article on their daily research. His work has been presented under the title "Polymers, Trojan Horses of Cancer Therapy" and in his article we present hydrogels or micro/nanogelas. These gels are used to transport medicines and release them in specific places, so they can be useful tools for the treatment of cancer. The article has dealt with a way to do so, according to the jury, "well and interestingly."
Finally, the special prize for young people has been for "The exploitation of haptics or touch". The author, Xabier Zabala, is Renterian and in his article he has spoken about tactile communication systems, that is, about haptics. He has analyzed the beginnings, applications and their possible future evolution. The jury especially appreciated the clear style used by the author and his willingness to divulge the subject.
Evaluation of jury members
The jury of the CAF-Elhuyar awards has been composed of several experts: Mikel Alvarez Yeregi (doctor, managing director of the Cruces Hospital), Jabier Duoandikoetxea Zuazo (Doctor in Mathematics and professor at the UPV), Joseba Etxebarria Azkue (engineer and former professor of Mondragon Unibertsitatea), Txema Ramírez of the Fernandez Pool (Professor)
In addition to the assessment of the awarded works, a global assessment of the works presented to the prizes has been made, highlighting that this year, along with the decrease in the number of works, the quality has decreased slightly. "This year's edition has been ordered, both in quality and number of works as well as by the variety of areas addressed, but it has not been particularly outstanding, since very few excellent works have been presented," the jury said. For this reason, it has launched a call to make more effort for future editions.
In addition, the jury highlighted the importance of medicine once again in the topics: "Following the line of recent years, medicine has been the field that has worked the most. Of the 16 papers presented, a third were medical. Otherwise, both individually and in pairs, the main areas have been botany, paleontology, economics, computing, technology and electronics."
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