Ceremony for the 12th Remedios Caro Almela Award, April 24 2026

21 de April de 2026

The Institute for Neurosciences, a joint center of the Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), together with the Remedios Caro Almela Chair of Neurobiology, are pleased to invite you to the award ceremony of the XII Remedios Caro Almela Prize in Developmental Neurobiology, which will take place on April 24th in the Assembly Hall of the Neurosciences Institute.

This year, the researcher selected by the scientific committee is Professor Sonia Garel (Institut de Biologie de l’École Normale Supérieure de Paris and Collège de France), in recognition of her innovative discoveries on the molecular mechanisms underlying nervous system development. Her work has significantly advanced our understanding of how interactions between cells shape neuronal circuits in the cerebral cortex.

Among her most notable discoveries, the laboratory led by Professor Sonia Garel revealed that transient interactions between neurons with no functional relationship are crucial for the formation of neuronal circuits. In this context, her identification of the so-called ‘corridor’, cells—embryonic neurons essential for thalamocortical projections, highlighted the importance of neuronal migration and transient cellular interactions in the development of the nervous system.

Professor Sonia Garel has also been a pioneer in the study of neuroimmune interactions, focusing on microglia and demonstrating that these cells play an active role in the wiring of cortical circuits, while also being modulated by factors such as the gut microbiota in a sex-specific manner, with important clinical implications. These advances have opened new avenues for understanding the origins of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia, and further underscore the relevance of her work in the study of the developing brain.

The event will consist of two parts:

Remedios Caro Almela Lecture 2026

10:30. XII Remedios Caro Almela Lecture delivered by the awardee: ‘Microglia in the early choreography of brain construction’.

11:30. coffee break.

Award Ceremony of the XII Remedios Caro Almela Prize

12:00. Institutional ceremony for the presentation of the XII Remedios Caro Almela Prize