Thesis Award for Improving a Malaria Vaccine

2004/06/17 Andonegi Beristain, Garazi - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa

• Medikuntza
• Kimika
• Elhuyarren berriak
• Sariak

Pedro Ilundain User Award winner and Angel Montero Grand Prix winner.

The Thesis Prize organized by the Basque Research portal has already ended. A total of 40 works have been presented to the awards, among which the jury has unanimously chosen the work of Ángel Montero Carcaboso. This work has been, in the opinion of the jury, the best outreach work.

The criteria used by the jury to evaluate the works have been: the adequacy and attractiveness of the title, the writing, the clarity at the core of the thesis, the simplification of technical terminology and, finally, the dissemination effort made in several languages and the interest of the subject. Taking into account these criteria, the works have been scored from 0 to 100 and, above all, importance has been given to the proper writing and transmission of the core of the thesis, regardless of the subject matter.

The winner's work reflects research with a malaria vaccine, background research, work done and conclusions. The researcher has conducted the research at the Faculty of Pharmacy of Vitoria-Gasteiz and shows the core of the thesis in a way understandable by anyone. Angel Montero Carcaboso, therefore, will receive the main prize, a laptop.

Research to improve the Patarroyo vaccine

Ángel Montero analyses a malaria vaccine developed by Colombian researcher Manuel Patarroyo. This vaccine developed in the 1990s, but the results of clinical sessions were not as satisfactory as expected. The World Health Organization therefore rejected support for the vaccine.

The Colombian researcher then went to the University of the Basque Country to improve the vaccine. There, Ángel Montero investigates to improve the transport substance used to administer the vaccine. In these studies he soon found that substitution of the transporting substance increased the incidence of the vaccine. In addition, he has investigated ways to avoid the use of syringes. Thus, he has analyzed the ways to breathe the vaccine and place it under the skin, and analyzed with the animals if these new forms of administration modify its effectiveness. Angel Montero has reached significant conclusions to improve one of the best-known malaria vaccines.

Ecological paintings

For his part, the Prize went to the chemist Pedro Ilundain Aranburu, through the votes of the users of Basque Research. In this case, readers have awarded a doctoral thesis to develop ecological acrylic and vinyl paintings. The winner will receive a thalassotherapy treatment and a tasting dinner for two people for the work done.

Pedro Ilundain has done his research at the Faculty of Chemistry and has aimed to reduce the harmful compounds of some paintings. These compounds are harmful to health and the environment. Therefore, he has carried out a study of the reactions used in the manufacture of paints, specifically postpolymerization for the reduction of harmful compounds. For this reaction it proposes a series of improvements ranging from the optimization of the system of start-up of the reaction to the development of a mathematical model of measurement of non-reacted and discharged compounds. Research therefore has a direct application in the industry, as it presents a way to produce more ecological paintings.

To conclude, the jury highlighted the dissemination effort of all the works and valued the dissemination work carried out through Basque Research. The work of the winners and other participants can be seen on the website www.basqueresearch.com until July 1.

The jury has been composed of:

Aitziber Agirre Ruiz de Arakaute: Doctor in Biochemistry. Presenter and editor of the scientific and technological outreach program Teknopolis. Guillermo Roa Bridge: Doctor of Chemistry. Scientific director of the magazine Elhuyar Zientzia eta Teknika. Eider Carton Virto: Bachelor of Chemistry. Director of the magazine Elhuyar Zientzia eta Teknika. Garazi Andonegi Beristain: Technical Engineer. Director of the Basque Research portal.