Lucía Hipólito, a researcher from the Faculty of Pharmacy, has been awarded the Valencian Youth Talent Prize in Science

Lucía Hipólito teaches and researches in the Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology Department at the Faculty of Pharmacy. Her main line of research is focused on how different factors, especially chronic pain, have an influence in addictive disorders. This project is developed in coordination with research staff from the Washington University in St. Louis (USA).

“I want to thank everyone who has helped me or backed me and my work up. I want to especially thank my family and my fellow researchers” said Lucía Hipólito after receiving the award at the gala that took place in the theatre La Rambleta. More than 800 people went to the event, including the President of the Valencian Government, the Councillor of Justice, the Councillor of Economy, the President of the Valencian Courts (main legislative body in the Valencian Community) and the President of Bankia, among other public figures. Rafael Crespo, vice-principal in Post-graduate Studies at the Universitat de València attended the event as a delegate of the principal of the Institution. “Lucía is a young woman who has surmounted barriers. She is not only a brilliant researcher but a great person as well. We cannot lose these people in our University. We are very proud that we have researchers like her. In spite of the scarcity that young researchers are suffering, we are making efforts to flip this situation. We must achieve it soon” stated Rafael Crespo.

Lucía Hipólito’s research team, led by Ana Polache and Luis Granero, is also working in another project related to addictive disorders. They are researching new therapeutic strategies (new medicines) for treating relapse in alcoholism. The researcher from the Universitat de València performed her post-doctorate project at the University of Columbia, in which she focused in studying chronical pain and addiction to opioids. She had previously been at the University of Cambridge and the University of New Jersey. “Receiving this award greatly boosts our research and demonstrates that if we invest in our young talents we will acquire a goose that lays golden eggs”.