Iván López-Montero winner of the SBE-40 prize 2019

by biofisica · Published 25/04/2019 · Updated 19/04/2020

The Executive Council of SBE has awarded the 2019 “Enrique Pérez-Payá” – SBE-40 prize to:

Dr. Iván López-Montero, Universidad Complutense de Madrid – UCM (Madrid, Spain),

For his exceptional research to disentangle vital molecular processes occurring at mitochondrial membranes with a biophysical perspective.

About Dr. Iván López-Montero

Associate Professor at the Department of Physical Chemistry, UCM (Madrid, Spain).

Scientific Trajectory

Dr. López-Montero completed his B.Sc. in Condensed Matter Physics at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid – UAM in 2001. Supervised by Prof. Philippe F. Devaux at Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, CNRS and Dr. Marisela Vélez (UAM); his PhD thesis (2006, Université Paris 7) focused on lipid asymmetry, the flip-flop of ceramides as well as the biological implications of the enzymatic conversion of sphingomyelin into ceramide. Dr. López-Montero joined the group of Prof. Francisco Monroy at the UCM with the reintegration program “Juan de la Cierva”. During this time, his research contratrated on the mechanics of model lipid membranes under the action of different proteins involved in biological processes such as apoptosis or bacterial cell division. In 2013, he was awarded with an ERC Starting Grant from the European Research Council. Since 2014, Dr. López-Montero leads the Mitochondrial Membranes Lab at UCM and Hospital 12 de Octubre; first as a tenure-track “Ramón y Cajal” fellow and then as an Associate Professor at the Department of Physical Chemistry, UCM. Currently, his research focuses on mitochondrial membrane biophysics and its implications to identify new therapeutic targets against mitochondrial diseases.

About the “Enrique Pérez-Payá” – SBE-40 Prize

Awarded in memory of Dr. Enrique Pérez-Payá, SBE member who contributed to the development, translation and internationalization of Biophysics in Spain. He worked on peptide-membrane interactions and apoptosis and was a pioneer in the use of combinatorial chemistry to expand the chemical space for basic research and to develop peptide-based therapeutics. He was also an entrepreneur and always supportive of young biophysicists.

Addressed to

Biophysicist under 40 who develope their main activity in Spain. Preference is given to members of the SBE and to achievements from the last 10 years.