- Dr Roser Vento-Tormo has received the SRUK/CERU Emerging Talent Award 2023, an SRUK/CERU initiative sponsored by the Banco Santander Foundation for the eighth consecutive year.
- The awardee’s long-term mission is to develop and use state-of-the-art molecular and computational techniques to understand how the tissue microenvironment can affect cellular identity and function, which will in turn result in improving our understanding of human physiology in health and disease.
- SRUK/CERU and the Banco Santander Foundation keep supporting Spanish researchers while forging connections between Spain and the United Kingdom.
London, 4th September 2023. The Society of Spanish Researchers in the United Kingdom (SRUK/CERU) and the Banco Santander Foundation have awarded the SRUK/CERU Emerging Talent Award 2023 to Dr Roser Vento-Tormo for her long-standing and excellent contributions to the field of genomics and bioinformatics toward a better understanding of transcriptional regulatory circuits. By developing and applying new molecular and computational techniques, the awardee’s research sheds light into mucosal tissues and immunity, with a strong interest in reproductive tissues.
The Scientific Committee, composed of internationally recognised researchers and chaired by Prof Carmen Galán, from University of Bristol, evaluated 16 highly competitive nominations. In the words of Prof Galán, “Dr Roser Vento-Tormo is a young scientist whose work in the field of immunology and inflammation is not only timely but also outstanding. Her track record and service to the scientific community is very impressive and sets her apart from her peers. Dr Vento-Tormo is a rising star and I am sure this award will help her showcase the incredible talent that Spanish researchers bring to the United Kingdom.”.
Dr Vento-Tormo’s research interest is focused on understanding the influence of cellular microenvironments on individual cellular identities and responses, in the context of development, immunity, and reproduction. Her team (https://ventolab.org/) employs single-cell and spatial transcriptomics methods to deconstruct cell signals in human organs and tissues, a process that generates crucial information with which they can develop novel in vitro models. Her team has used their innovative computational and genomics tools to generate atlases of the human reproductive tissues, leading to transformative advances in the area of women’s health. Dr Vento-Tormo’s work has been supported by many recognised international funding bodies such as the ERC, the Wellcome Leap, or the CZI. In addition, she has received multiple awards, amongst which the Early Career Research Award from the Biochemistry Society (2021) and the Michelson & Science Prize Finalist (2023) are to be highlighted. The awardee stated that “Receiving the SRUK/CERU Emerging Talent Award 2023 has been a recognition of the commitment and passion with which we work in our research group. This award not only acknowledges our scientific vision and our creative and collaborative approach, but also highlights the importance of the research area we have chosen to focus on. Diseases that affect women have historically been underestimated and little explored, despite the profound impact they have on our society. It is an honour to receive this award, especially coming from a Spanish society that values and celebrates the innate talent that we possess in our country.”.
According to Mr Borja Baselga, director of the Banco Santander Foundation “It is of utmost importance for the Banco Santander Foundation to keep supporting the work carried out by Spanish researchers in the UK. Congratulations to Dr Vento-Tormo and her team for their outstanding research work, a very well-deserved award!”.This eighth edition of the SRUK/CERU Emerging Talent Award reinforces SRUK/CERU and the Banco Santander Foundation’s commitment to keep forging connections between Spain and the UK while funding and supporting the innovative projects that outstanding Spanish researchers are carrying out in the UK.
Ms Irene Etxeberria Altuna, president of SRUK/CERU, highlighted that “Year after year, it is humbling for us at SRUK/CERU to witness the excellent work that Spanish researchers carry out in the United Kingdom. Even at an early stage of her professional trajectory, Dr Roser Vento-Tormo’s world-class research, multidisciplinary perspective, leadership, and mentorship are paramount. In addition to her extraordinary career, we are convinced that Roser will be the perfect ambassador of SRUK/CERU’s values and objectives, by communicating her science to the public, acting as a role model for young girls aspiring to become researchers and fostering mentorship and a collaborative environment in her research team. Additionally, her innovative work on reproductive tissue research shines a spotlight on women’s health issues more generally, a field which has long been overlooked. From SRUK/CERU, we would like to sincerely congratulate Dr Roser Vento-Tormo for her outstanding trajectory.”.
