EVALUATION REPORT OF THE 2ND D. SANTIAGO RAMÓN Y CAJAL AWARD FOR PARASITOLOGY
In Madrid, on March 10, 2025, the Jury of the D. SANTIAGO RAMÓN Y CAJAL AWARD FOR PARASITOLOGY convened for its 2nd edition, organized by the Spanish Society of Parasitology (Sociedad Española de Parasitología) on the occasion of the 2nd Tribute SALAMANCA: FOR CAJAL AND SCIENCE.
ATTENDEES
The Jury was composed of:
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Ms. María del Carmen Cuéllar del Hoyo, as Chair
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Mr. Antonio Muro Álvarez
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Mr. José Francisco Adserias Vistué
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Ms. Alexandra Ibáñez Escribano, as Secretary (with voice but without vote)
PROCEEDINGS
After reading and evaluating the works submitted to the competition, and following an extensive debate on the merits of each entry, the Jury unanimously agreed:
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To award ex aequo the D. SANTIAGO RAMÓN Y CAJAL AWARD FOR PARASITOLOGY in its 2nd edition to the works entitled “CAJAL AND PARASITES: WHO DOMESTICATES WHOM?” (“CAJAL Y LOS PARÁSITOS ¿QUIÉN DOMESTICA A QUIÉN?”), submitted by Ms. LUCÍA ROMÁN ÁLAMO, and “CAJAL, INVISIBLE PARASITES AND AUTOIMMUNITY: A SYMPHONY OF SCIENCE AND ART” (“CAJAL, LOS PARÁSITOS INVISIBLES Y LA AUTOINMUNIDAD: UNA SINFONÍA DE CIENCIA Y ARTE”), submitted by Ms. CAROLINA HURTADO MARCOS.
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To grant a Special Mention to the work “THE POWER OF A MEMORY” (“LA FUERZA DE UN RECUERDO”), submitted by Mr. JOSÉ ANTONIO GARRIDO CÁRDENAS.
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The Jury highlights the overall high quality of the works submitted and thanks all participants for their contribution to the competition.
The essay entitled “CAJAL AND PARASITES: WHO DOMESTICATES WHOM?” details some of the most direct “relationships” between Cajal’s writings and parasites. Not only regarding Plasmodium or its life cycle, but also citing other protozoa, flatworms, nematodes, and even arthropods. The work highlights Cajal’s multifaceted genius: from his work in neuroscience to his talent in art and literature, using parasites as a metaphor in his writings under the pseudonym “Dr. Bacteria” to criticize social problems, demonstrating an interdisciplinary approach that combined science and literature to address broader issues. The text mentions his famous aphorism about the struggle between the microbe and man, brilliantly reflecting the purpose of this Award, which is to expand scientific knowledge regarding the relationship between D. Santiago Ramón y Cajal and parasites.
The work “CAJAL, INVISIBLE PARASITES AND AUTOIMMUNITY: A SYMPHONY OF SCIENCE AND ART” presents a fascinating synthesis between the pioneering work of Santiago Ramón y Cajal and modern advances in neuroimmunology and the potential role of certain parasites in triggering autoimmune diseases. The essay interweaves autoimmunity, parasitosis, and neuroimmunology in a narrative that demonstrates the importance of Cajal’s studies in understanding these pathologies, through his scientific discoveries and his incomparable artistic talent. The narrative concludes in an innovative and artistic manner in which Cajal’s famous silver-stained neuron image is combined with artificial intelligence, transforming it into an image that reflects neuroinflammation, imbalance, and disease. The proposal to reinterpret Cajal’s illustrations to represent autoimmune processes is an original idea that could prove useful for scientific outreach and teaching.
The excellent narrative about “THE POWER OF A MEMORY” subtly interweaves the lives of Cajal, Ross, and malaria. Although it is well known that D. Santiago suffered from malaria during his youth, this text conveys how this experience had a significant impact on his personal and professional life. The text reflects on the ignorance regarding malaria transmission and how scientific knowledge could have saved lives in the past. The article aims to be accessible, but some scientific details could be more precise to satisfy readers with a more specialized interest. Although it is a brilliantly written text that invites reflection on how the advancement of scientific knowledge can have a direct and significant impact on people’s lives, the other two works address much more innovative and lesser-known aspects, causing this, by a very narrow margin, to be the third-ranked work by the Committee.
CLOSING
There being no further matters to address, the session was adjourned, all of which I attest to as Secretary, with the approval of the Chair.
Signed: Alexandra Ibáñez Escribano Secretary
Approved: María del Carmen Cuéllar del Hoyo Chair
