The event also saw the presentation of the annual grant to a young researcher. The winner was Valeria Tubita from the VHIR
Her Majesty Queen Letizia, President of the Honorary Committee of the Dexeus Mujer Foundation, presented the XIX Dexeus Mujer Foundation Award to Professor Arri Coomarasamy, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to preventing pregnancy loss and reducing maternal mortality during childbirth. This international prize is awarded each year to an individual, team or institution for their contribution in the field of health sciences, particularly as they relate to women.
Professor Arri Coomarasamy is Professor of Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine in the Department of Metabolism and Systems Science at the University of Birmingham and the lead investigator of the E-MOTIVE, study, which developed a new method for rapid diagnosis and combined treatment of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) in vaginal birth. The work was carried out on a sample of 200,000 women from 80 hospitals in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania. The results, published in the New England Journal Of Medicine , showed that the treatment was incredibly effective, reducing severe haemorrhage – the loss of more than a litre of blood after childbirth – by 60 per cent and also reducing the likelihood of patients dying.
Arri Coomasamy currently directs Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research, Europe’s largest miscarriage research centre, and is founding Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Global Women’s Health at the University of Birmingham. Professor Coomarasamy was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2023, an honour bestowed on individuals for services to the community.
The event also saw the presentation of the Dexeus Mujer Foundation’s annual grant to a young researcher. This year’s winner was Valeria Tubita for a research project focused on evaluating the efficacy of combining anti-HER2 therapies and PARP inhibitors to improve the anti-tumour response and reduce the growth of HER2-positive endometrial cancer. Valeria Tubita is a postdoctoral researcher in the Biomedical Research in Gynaecology group at the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), where her work focuses on the study of innovative therapies for endometrial cancer.
The event, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Foundation, was attended by various authorities: the Minister for Equality, Ana Redondo; the Government Delegate in Catalonia, Carlos Prieto; the Regional Minister for Health, Ms Olga Pané; the Mayor of Barcelona and member of the Honorary Committee, Jaume Collboni; the President of the Dexeus Mujer Foundation, Dr Pedro N. Barri; the Vice-President of the Dexeus Mujer Foundation, Dr Rafael Fábregas; and the President of the Dexeus Mujer Centre, Dr Pere Barri Soldevila, among other members of the Board of Trustees, the Advisory Council and the Scientific Committee.