UniversidaddeCádiz

The professor from the Department of Mathematics highlights the work of researchers and calls for a firm commitment to science

María Rosa Durán, professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Cádiz and researcher at the Cádiz Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation (INiBICA), has been honoured with the 2025 #MujerImparable Gaditana Award during the gala organised by the Red Profesional #MujeresImparables association on the occasion of its tenth anniversary.

The award, which acknowledges the social and professional impact of leading women in the province of Cádiz, recognises Rosa’s scientific career, focused on applying mathematical models to the biomedical field. It is worth noting that her project Recaída Cero: Matemáticas contra la Leucemia Infantil (Zero Relapse: Mathematics Against Childhood Leukaemia) has been praised as an innovative initiative with strong potential and clinical value, aimed at more accurately predicting relapses in paediatric leukaemia cases.

The award ceremony took place on Tuesday evening at the Museos de la Atalaya in Jerez, in a gala that featured the institutional participation of the president of the Cádiz Provincial Council, Almudena Martínez; the regional government delegate in Cádiz, Mercedes Colombo; the mayor of Jerez, María José García-Pelayo; and the UCA Vice-Rector for Entrepreneurship and Employability, Carmen Camelo — all members of the jury responsible for granting the award. The trophy was presented by Marisa de Azcárate, president of the jury and winner of the previous edition.

During her speech, María Rosa Durán expressed her gratitude to the jury and the organisers and dedicated the award to her fellow finalists, Begoña Arana and Begoña de la Marta. “We are not three candidates, but three winners,” she said. She also expressed her appreciation for the president of the Mujeres Imparables network, Lola Durán: “There are so many women who contribute so much to us; this alliance is unstoppable.”

The mathematician also took a moment to acknowledge the families and professionals who work with children in hospitals and, especially, “the researchers who chose to stand by my side despite difficult working conditions.” At this point, she did not hesitate to call for greater investment in science to advance the development of therapies that improve children’s lives.

The #MujerImparable Gaditana award is part of a gala that brought together professionals and organisations from the fields of entrepreneurship, innovation and social inclusion, and also recognised the work of individuals committed to promoting and showcasing female talent in the province.