By Carmen Simon Mateo | President of Apadrina la Ciencia
After more than five years of unwavering commitment to research and social well-being, Apadrina la Ciencia is preparing to close this chapter on the GlobalGiving platform. This closure is not the end of our mission, but rather the culmination of an extraordinary cycle of solidarity. We wish to begin by expressing our deepest gratitude to GlobalGiving, whose platform provided us with essential international visibility and a robust infrastructure to connect our science with supporters worldwide. Similarly, this journey would not have been possible without our donors; your trust and financial support have been the engine that transformed uncertainty into knowledge and hope.
The journey began at the beginning of the pandemic. Thanks to your initial contributions, we were able to support a network of laboratories led by the Complutense University of Madrid that performed massive PCR testing in nursing homes. This intervention was vital for isolating infection clusters and protecting the most vulnerable population at a time when access to diagnostics was extremely limited. Your generosity also allowed us to explore innovative solutions such as Plant Molecular Pharming at CEBA-CSIC, using plant species as biofactories to produce proteins quickly and economically, laying the groundwork for globally accessible diagnostic reagents.
Research continued to advance toward the search for effective treatments. The funds raised allowed teams like those at the CIMA of the University of Navarra to test dozens of antiviral compounds, trying to identify plant-derived molecules with the capacity to reduce inflammation and viral load. We did not stop at biology; technology also played a crucial role. We supported the development of an autonomous UV-light disinfection robot and funded studies published in high-impact journals on senolytic drugs, which are capable of eliminating aged cells to mitigate the severity of symptoms in elderly patients.
A fundamental milestone we were proud to showcase in our reports to provide visibility to scientific excellence was the Spanish vaccine prototype developed by Prof. Mariano Esteban and Juan García Arriaza; both of whom are deeply committed to Apadrina la Ciencia since its foundation in 2014. This breakthrough was shared with the WHO through the Medicines Patent Pool, a gesture that ensured Spanish science contributed to global equity by allowing countries with fewer resources to access this technology without the barriers of commercial patents.
In the final stage of this project, our focus was to raise awareness among our donors regarding the vital importance of the "One Health" concept, emphasizing that human health is inextricably linked to the health of our planet and its ecosystems. To prevent future pandemics, we must protect our ecosystems. Therefore, we funded research on the genetic diversity of the Iberian wolf as an indicator of environmental health and launched international collaboration grants. These grants have allowed researchers like Abdouramane Traoré, from Mali, to develop projects on diseases such as malaria at centers of excellence in Spain (IPBLN-CSIC), strengthening scientific capacity in their home countries and creating bridges of knowledge that cross borders.
Today we close this chapter with pride, but we invite you to continue walking with us through our new project on GlobalGiving: "Empower Women Scientists in Developing Countries." Our goal now is to support the talent of female scientists in regions with limited resources, convinced that their leadership is key to facing global challenges such as climate change and local health crises.
We conclude by reaffirming our conviction that supporting science in all areas of knowledge is the most profitable investment for humanity. Only through scientific knowledge is it possible to foster critical thinking among citizens, achieve solid and sustainable economic development, improve the quality of life for all people, and guarantee real care for our planet.
Thank you for having been part of this power that is science; we will see you in the next challenge.
By Abdouramane Traore | Researcher at UCRC-Mali/USTT-B
By Carmen Simon e Ines M. Anton | President and Vicepresident Apadrina la Ciencia
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