The PharmaMar Foundation's Argonauta awards aim to recognise science and scientific and healthcare advances, highlighting their essential role in the progress of society. As José María Fernández Sousa-Faro, PharmaMar’s president, stated, “giving value to science is essential to fostering its growth and highlighting its influence on society”. The Foundation's parent company is PharmaMar, a Spanish biopharmaceutical company founded in 1986 and a pioneer in the development of marine-based cancer drugs.

During the awards ceremony, the Foundation presented the awards for the best basic and clinical research career (Dr. Ignacio Melero Bermejo, Dr. Mariano Provencio Pulla and Dr. Ana Oaknin Benzaquen), the best clinical case (Dr. Mar Galera López) and the best young researcher, under 42 years of age, recognising the work of Dr. Biola M. Javierre.

Dr. Javierre is currently the group leader of the 3D chromatin organisation laboratory at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, where she conducts research on how changes in the position of specific DNA regions within the nucleus are related to defects during haematopoiesis, the biological process by which blood is produced from its precursor cells. This knowledge is key to understanding the origin of many types of blood cancer and to offering new therapeutic opportunities.

Born in Sabiñánigo (Huesca) and trained at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) in Madrid, Dr. Javierre was part of Dr. Peter Fraser's laboratory at the University of Cambridge (UK) before creating her own research group at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute in Barcelona. Her research has received financial support from different public bodies and prestigious sponsors, and her brilliant career has been recognised with several awards.