Joan J. Guinovart, president-elect of IUBMB

In September, the director of the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Joan J. Guinovart, senior professor of the University of Barcelona, has been appointed president-elect of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB). Founded in 1955 and registered in the Netherlands, IUBMB brings together biologists and molecular biochemists from 77 countries with the objective to promote research and training in this field around the world. IUBMB has been presided by Nobel laureates Severo Ochoa, Hugo Theorell, and Feodor Lynen, among others.

Guinovart succeeds Greg Petsko (Brandeis University, USA), who is taking up the presidency for the next three years, at which time Dr. Guinovart will take over as president. Dr. Guinovart has served IUBMB as treasurer, has been a member of the Education Committee, the Symposia Committee and Nomination Committee. He has also been an editor of the journal IUBMB Life since 2006. He has served as president of the Spanish Society of Biochemistry (SEBBM), Meetings Counselor of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) and member of the FEBS Executive Committee. Also, he founded the Confederación de Sociedades Científicas de España (COSCE), which represents 70 scientific societies and more than 30,000 researchers. The appointment of Dr. Guinovart as president-elect implies that IUBMB will be directed by a Spanish scientist for the first time in its history. During his presentation at the IUBMB General Assembly, Guinovart renewed his dedication to “increasing the visibility and impact of IUBMB, training young scientists and promoting science worldwide, especially in developing regions”.

IUBMB seeks to advance the international molecular life sciences community in the following ways: by promoting interactions across the diversity of endeavors in the molecular life sciences; by creating networks that transcend barriers of ethnicity, culture, gender and economic status; by creating pathways for young scientists to fulfil their potential; by providing evidence-based advice on public policy; and finally by promoting the values, standards and ethics of science and the free and unhampered movement of scientists of all nations.

Joan J. Guinovart (Tarragona, 1947) holds a degree in Chemistry and a PhD in Pharmacy from the University of Barcelona. He is senior professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the same university and founder and director of IRB Barcelona since October 2005. He is a full member of the Royal Spanish Academy, the Catalan Academy of Arts and Science (Institut d’Estudis Catalans (IEC) and the Academia Europaea. He has received the "Narcís Monturiol" Medal from the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan Government), the “Prat de la Riba" prize from the IEC and the FEBS Diplôme d’Honneur, among other recognitions. Dr. Guinovart’s research activity focuses on glycogen metabolism, which is closely related to diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders, such as Lafora disease.