Foreword by the Director

The Instituto Universitario de Biología Molecular (IUBM) of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) was founded in 1971 under the leadership of Prof. Federico Mayor Zaragoza. Initially located in the Faculty of Sciences and closely linked to the Department of Molecular Biology, the Institute joined in September 1975 the newly created Center for Molecular Biology Severo Ochoa (CBM), established under the auspices of Prof. Severo Ochoa as a joint research center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the UAM. Since then, the IUBM‑UAM has brought together all UAM researchers working in CBM laboratories on topics related to molecular biology and biomedicine.

In November 2025, the directorship of the IUBM‑UAM passed from Dr. Federico Mayor‑Menéndez to me. I would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Mayor for his dedicated leadership over the past eight years.

In 2025, the scientific staff of the IUBM‑UAM comprised 73 permanent members, including full professors, associate professors, and assistant professors, as well as “Ramón y Cajal” and Talento junior researchers. Members of the Institute contribute to teaching across several UAM departments (Molecular Biology, Biology, Neuroscience, Applied Physical Chemistry, and Physics of Condensed Matter), and the IUBM‑UAM also includes one affiliated professor from the University of Castilla–La Mancha.

IUBM‑UAM researchers are organized along the Scientific Programs that structure the CBM: Genome Dynamics and Function, Tissue and Organ Homeostasis, Physiological and Pathological Processes, and Interactions with the Environment.

A total of 49 IUBM‑UAM members served as principal or co‑principal investigators of research projects active at the CBM. Additionally, 9 postdoctoral fellows and around 30 PhD students were affiliated with the Institute as non‑permanent members. During 2025, IUBM‑UAM researchers published 80 scientific articles and led 74 research projects funded by national, European, and international agencies. Detailed information on research interests, publications, and funded projects is provided throughout this Annual Report. The Institute also maintains a strong commitment to education at all levels: in 2025, 11 doctoral theses supervised by IUBM‑UAM members were defended, and many others are in progress.

Throughout this year, the CBM continued to implement the initiatives associated with its Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence accreditation (2023–2027), including postdoctoral recruitment calls, internal collaboration grans program, the implementation of the PhD Advisory Committee and the CBMent Program, and the launch of the Center’s Communication and Innovation & Technology Transfer Offices. In September 2025, we celebrated the CBM Cincuentenario Golden Jubilee Symposium: “Fifty Years of Discovery”. These celebrations not only honored our history and achievements but also highlighted the promising future of our research and the strength of our collaborations. As the central event, we hosted a high‑profile institutional ceremony and scientific symposium featuring speakers distinguished with major international awards, including Nobel Prizes, BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards, and Lasker Awards, reinforcing the leadership of the IUBM‑UAM in biomedicine and molecular biology.

The IUBM‑UAM also carried out specific institutional activities, including the funding of the Award for the Best Doctoral Thesis defended at the CBM in 2025, as well as prizes for the Best Oral Communication and Best Poster at the XI Workshop of Students & Postdocs—initiatives aimed at supporting young researchers and enhancing the visibility of the Institute within the Center. The IUBM also continued the outreach activity “Conoce el CBM” (“Get to Know the CBM”), through which around 70 second‑year Biochemistry students visited our facilities and learned about the research conducted in the laboratories of IUBM investigators.

Finally, in December we inaugurated a new tradition of scientific excellence by holding the 1st Federico Mayor Zaragoza Memorial Lecture, delivered by Prof. Aurora Martínez (University of Bergen, UiB).

María Yáñez-Mó

Director IUBM-UAM