Joan Massagué

Medicine graduates at UdL had an outstanding sponsor on the 5th May. Joan Massagué i Solé is Chair of the Cancer Biology and Genetics Program at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Born in Barcelona, Massagué has a PhD in Biochemistry and undertakes research at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Besides, he lectures at Weill-Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences and he is Deputy Director of the Barcelona Institute of Biomedical Research.

Massagué appears among the 50 most quoted scientists in all areas of knowledge during the last 20 years. Among the various awards he has received, it is worth highlighting the Prince of Asturias Award in Scientific and Technical Research, the King Juan Carlos National Prize for Research and the Creu de Sant Jordi Award. One of his most outstanding contributions to research on cancer is the discovery of certain receptors that hinder cell division. His work on metastasis is opening new ways for research and treatment of this devastating aspect of cancer.

Doctor Massagué gave a speech entitled “Promises and challenges in current Biomedicine: The case of Oncology”. The graduation ceremony took place in the Seu Vella cathedral at 7 p.m., and Massagué was accompanied by UdL Rector Joan Viñas, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Joan Ribera, the president of the UdL Board of Trustees Ramon Roca, and the President of the Lleida Medical Association Rosa Pérez.

The 57 graduates from the 27th Medicine Class at UdL received Un estilo de vida (A Lifestyle) by William Osler, edited by the Lilly Foundation. This is the first time that this association, devoted to the development of the Spanish health system, presents graduates with a book.