Foreword by the Director
The Institute for Molecular Biology (IUBM) of the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) was created in 1971, being the first university research institute established in our country. The Institute, initially located in the Faculty of Sciences of the UAM, had from its origin a very close relationship with the Department of Molecular Biology of the UAM formed under the leadership of Prof. Federico Mayor Zaragoza. In September 1975, the IUBM-UAM joined the new Center for Molecular Biology, founded under the auspices of Prof. Severo Ochoa as a joint institution of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the UAM. Since then, the IUBM-UAM assembles all the UAM personnel who develops their research at the laboratories of the Center for Molecular Biology Severo Ochoa (CBM) in fields related to molecular biology and biomedicine.
In 2024, the scientific staff of the IUBM-UAM comprised 72 permanent members, including full professors (“catedráticos/as”), associated professors (“profesores/as titulares”), assistant professors (“profesores/as contratados doctor, profesores permanentes laborales and ayudantes doctor”) and «Ramón y Cajal» and Talento junior researchers, who carry out their teaching in different UAM Departments (Molecular Biology, Biology, Neuroscience, Applied Physical Chemistry and Physics of Condensed Matter), plus one ascribed professor from Universidad Castilla-La Mancha. The IUBM-UAM members are distributed according to their research interests among the main Scientific Programs in which the CBM is structured: Genome Dynamics and Function (including Genome decoding and Genome maintenance and instability Research Units), Tissue and Organ Homeostasis (including Cell architecture and organogenesis and Cell-cell communication and inflammation Units), Physiological and Pathological Processes (including Molecular Neuropathology and Metabolic and signaling networks in disease Units) and Interactions with the environment (including Immune system development and function and Microbes in health and welfare Units). 52 staff members of the IUBM-UAM are principal or co-principal investigators in research projects ongoing at the CBM. In addition, 9 postdoctoral fellows and circa 30 PhD students were ascribed to the IUBM-UAM during 2024 as non-permanent members.
During 2024, the scientific personnel of the IUBM-UAM published 114 research articles and directed 64 ongoing research projects, funded by different national, European and international institutions. The research interests, publications, and funded projects of IUBM PIs are detailed in this Annual Report. It is also worth noting that, in addition to their active involvement in research, the IUBM-UAM members intensively participate in undergraduate and graduate teaching, and also in PhD programs related to their investigation fields. In 2024, 12 doctoral theses directed by members of the IUBM-UAM were presented and many more are ongoing.
On the 12th of December 2024 we held the third meeting of our External Scientific Advisory Board (ESAB), who made very helpful suggestions and reassuring comments regarding the activities of the IUBM. To encourage young investigators, the IUBM continued supporting in 2024 an Award to the best doctoral thesis presented at the CBM during this period, as well as awards for the best Oral Communication and the best Poster presented at the XI Workshop of Students & Posdocs organized by these students at the CBM. The IUBM also keeps organizing the outreach activity “Conoce el CBM” (“Get to know the CBM”), with the participation of circa 70 students of the second year of the Biochemistry grade, who can visit our facilities and learn about the research ongoing at the laboratories of IUBM investigators.
The CBM continues to develop the Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence award 2023-2027 plan of activities, including the calls for recruitment of postdoctoral fellows, the implementation of PhD Advisory Commitee and CBMent Programs. CBM is organizing a major scientific event in September 2025 to commemorate its 50th anniversary. This will be a great opportunity for the CBM and the IUBM-UAM to consolidate its leadership in the biomedicine and molecular biology field.
Federico Mayor
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Director IUBM-UAM