Prof. José Luis Mascareñas, PI of MetBioCat and research group coordinator, has been awarded the 2025 Rei Jaume I prize for Basic Research — one of Spain’s most prestigious scientific distinctions. The award recognizes his pioneering contributions at the interface of organometallic chemistry and cellular biology, particularly his efforts to carry out metal-catalyzed reactions inside living cells

The Rei Jaume I prizes are presented annually by the Valencian Foundation for Advanced Studies and the regional government of Valencia. Candidates are nominated by experts and assessed by an international jury that, in this edition, included over 20 Nobel Laureates — five of whom specifically reviewed submissions in the Basic Research category. With 38 candidates competing for the award this year, the selection process was highly competitive.

The 2025 Rei Jaume I prizes also recognized Jan Eeckhout (Economics), Núria López-Bigas (Medical Research), Silvia de San José Llongueras (Clinical Research and Public Health), Victoria Reyes García (Environmental Protection), María Jesús Vicent D’Ocón (New Technologies), and Damià Tormo Carulla (Entrepreneurship). This year’s edition was notable for its strong representation of women across several categories.

Many many congrats, José Luis!!