Professor (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Dept. - UB)
Manuel Palacín is Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Barcelona, and Group Leader at the Barcelona Science Park, Spain. Dr. Palacín´s work focuses on the regulation and pathology of cellular membrane transport mechanisms. His group was responsible for the identification of a new class of amino acid transporters involved in a number of human metabolic diseases. Significantly, his group discovered the genetic mutations and basis for the metabolic diseases cystinuria and lysinuric protein intolerance and developed an animal model for the disease, a necessary tool for therapeutic discovery and intervention for cystinuria.
Dr. Palacín is author of over 130 original article and chapters. He is coordinator of the European Genomic Initiative on Disorders of Plasma membrane Amino Acid Transporters, a large European Research consortium.
In 2004 he was recipient of Smithkline Beecham Biomedicine Prize, a prestigious national award for research excellence.