The Gold Medal for Scientific Merit is a distinction awarded by the City of Barcelona to publicly recognise the dedication and contribution to science, the quality and excellence of the work of those who receive it, and their contribution to the city from their areas of knowledge.

Dr Mercè Boada, lecturer for the Department of Medicine at UIC Barcelona and co-founder and medical director of Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona, was honoured with this award in the field of life sciences and health. This is an acknowledgment “for her lifetime dedication to the study of dementias and Alzheimer’s disease, and for her innovative approach in the fight against the disease, through non-pharmacological treatment based on holistic patient care, which includes improving their independence and quality of life, as well as listening to their caregiver’s concerns and fears.”

Dr Boada’s research career was also recognized the Stanford University’s recent World Top 2% Scientist ranking, which includes the neurologist among the world’s most influential scientists for her career in Alzheimer’s research.

Andreu Mas-Colell, president of the BIST (Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology) and Lluís Torner, director of the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO), were also recognised with the Gold Medal for Scientific Merit for their dedcation in the institutional and physics area and in mathematics and robotics areas, respectively.