Dr. Arnau Busquets, coordinator of the Research Group on Cellular Mechanisms in Physiological and Pathological Behavior at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, has been awarded one of the prestigious Leonardo grants given by the BBVA Foundation. This latest edition of the program has seen the selection of 58 researchers and projects, of which 18 correspond to Catalonia.
Dr. Busquets’ project, titled “Identifying the brain circuits involved in emotional recognition,” focuses on unraveling the brain circuits involved in empathy processes, especially in relation to complex social deficits that may occur in neurological developmental disorders or neurodegenerative diseases. To carry out this research, a specific mouse model and advanced pharmacogenetic techniques will be used.
The Leonardo grants, which have distributed nearly 25 million euros to date, are designed to support researchers who are at a crucial point in their scientific careers. In this edition, a total of 1,423 applications were received, of which 58 were finally selected, adding up to 660 projects benefitting since the beginning of this initiative. The distinction not only recognizes the relevance of Dr. Busquets’ work, but also highlights the vitality of scientific research in the region.
via: Hospital del Mar News
via: MiMub in Spanish
