The National Academy of Sciences recognized Néstor Carrillo and Victoria Alonso, researchers from the Rosario Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology (CONICET-UNR).
The Eugenia Sacerdote de Lustig Consecration Award, intended for scientists with a long history, was awarded to Dr. Néstor Carrillo, a leading expert in the study of how plants cope with extreme environmental conditions such as drought, salinity, and pests. Carrillo trained at the Universidad Nacional de Rosario, where he also earned his doctorate, and completed research periods in Germany and the United States. Today, he is a Senior Researcher at CONICET (National Research Council of Catalonia), leads the Plant Stress Biochemistry Group at the IBR (National Research Institute of Biotechnology), and is a professor of Molecular Biology at the Faculty of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the UNR (National University of Rivas).
His research, which combines basic science with technological applications, paves the way for developing strategies to improve crop tolerance to climate change, a crucial challenge for future agriculture and the food security of millions of people. His career has received awards such as the Platinum Konex and the Guggenheim Fellowship, among others.
“I am grateful to the Academy because, ultimately, it is the community to which I belong that honors me. It is a political decision by an academy founded by Sarmiento, the oldest in the country, at a time when presidents believed that the greatness of nations was founded on knowledge and education, not on fiscal balance, as if they were antagonistic,” the scientist expressed.
He maintained with concern that "what's happening now is unexpected, the worst I've ever seen. It's not a setback; it's more than that, because we scientists are experiencing an unprecedented level of virulence, and yet I've known apathy, ignorance, and lack of knowledge, but we've never been identified as enemies."
Carrillo believes this recognition is even more important for young people who may be hesitating about their careers. "It's a good way to express our concerns, which are not just a union demand: it's the unshakeable conviction that knowledge and education are the foundation of our society."
Young researchers
In the category for young researchers, the Ranwel Caputto Award was given to Dr. Victoria Lucía Alonso, whose research seeks to understand in detail how the cytoskeleton works in the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, responsible for Chagas disease.
Alonso was also fully trained in the Universidad Nacional de Rosario, where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology and then her PhD in Biological Sciences. She is currently a CONICET Research Associate at the IBR and a professor in the Parasitology Department of the Faculty of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
With more than 20 scientific publications and several awards to her name, including the Research Innovation Award (JoVE, 2022) and the Walter Colli Prize in Brazil (2023), she represents a new generation of internationally renowned female scientists from Rosario. Her work constitutes a strategic contribution in the fight against Chagas, a neglected disease that still affects millions of people in Latin America and requires new diagnostic and treatment tools.
"It's a great honor, a recognition made possible by the Public University," said the young professional, adding: "I value it even more in this time of crisis for science, where the national government is depriving us of support and funding, with all that this entails."
The awards highlight the individual talent of Carrillo and Alonso and also highlight the collective work carried out at the IBR, CONICET, and UNR, where human resource development, excellent research, and knowledge transfer coexist for the benefit of society. At the same time, they underscore the value of Argentine public science as an engine of development. The training of excellent researchers at these institutions not only strengthens knowledge production but also has a direct impact on health, nutrition, technological innovation, and national sovereignty.
Journalist: Victoria Arrabal