Researchers Josep Maria Antó and Alberto García-Basteiro Rewarded by the European Respiratory Society

Josep M. Antó, research professor at the Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), Profesor of Medicine at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra of Barcelona and member of Parc de Salut Mar, has been awarded one of the Lifetime Achievement Awards that the European Respiratory Society (ERS) grants in recognition of a researcher’s lifetime of excellence in the field of respiratory medicine. Another ISGlobal researcher, Alberto García-Basteiro, physician at the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, has been selected for the Early Career Member Award 2021 from the ERS as “a recognition to his success in scientific accomplishments as well as his involvement with the ERS”.

Josep M. Antó ’s research is focused on the epidemiology of asthma and COPD, with special interest in the environmental determinants and prevention of these diseases. He has been Scientific Director of ISGlobal, funding director of the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), and director of Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute.

Since 2019, he has been fully devoted to adapting environmental health strategies to fight against the climate crisis and promoting the concept of planetary health locally and internationally. He codirects the recently created Interuniversity Master in Planetary Health. He has received several local and international distinctions and is the co-author of more than 450 papers.

"It is an honor to receive an award from the largest respiratory society in the world, the most influential," says Antó. The ERS is a leading organization in the fight against air pollution and tobacco use, the two leading causes of death in the world. "This award, which has been awarded by my colleagues in the epidemiology and environment section, constitutes a great distinction and a commitment to contribute to the fight against the climate crisis and the sustainability of the planet on which we depend," he adds.

Alberto García-Basteiro coordinates the Tuberculosis and HIV Research Unit at the Manhiça Health Research Centre (CISM) in Mozambique. After joining ISGlobal in 2012, García-Basteiro has participated in several research projects and clinical trials focusing on poverty-related diseases, mostly in Central America and Africa. He currently coordinates several large epidemiological studies, evaluations of new diagnostic tools, and clinical trials in the field of tuberculosis. He is also a lecturer in Epidemiology at the ISGlobal-University of Barcelona Master of Global Health, chair of the TB group at the ERS, and author of more than 130 peer-reviewed articles in biomedical journals.

“It is an immense honour that the largest society in respiratory medicine recognizes the work we have been doing in the field of tuberculosis over the last 10 years,” says Alberto García-Basteiro. “Our scientific achievements are without doubt a direct result of the hard work of a large team of colleagues based at CISM in Mozambique, and in Spain; a team that has shown an incredible commitment to the fight against TB both from the research and public health perspective”, underlines the award-winning researcher. “We are obviously very grateful to the ERS, which has been a constant source of support, a great learning platform and an outstanding forum for scientific discussion.”

The honorary award was given on Tuesday 7th September, at the ERS International Congress 2021, in the Early Career Member Symposium entitled “Keys to success in science”, where García-Basteiro gave the “Mina Gaga Lecture” outlining his scientific research and work.

ERS, at the forefront of respiratory medicine

The European Respiratory Society is the largest scientific and clinical organisation in respiratory medicine in Europe, and one of the leading medical organisations in the respiratory field. Its growing membership spanning over 160 countries includes more than 35,000 scientists, clinicians, allied healthcare professionals and other experts. Its annual congress welcomes over 20,000 delegates and is the world's largest and most influential meeting for respiratory physicians and other professionals in this field. The ERS prioritises science, education and advocacy in order to promote lung health, alleviate suffering from disease and drive standards for respiratory medicine globally.