In memoriam Guillermo Giménez Gallego

The passing away of our colleague Guillermo Giménez-Gallego on the 8^th of July caught us unaware. A few weeks earlier he had spoken on the telephone with some of us, following the retirement of Antonio García, and had warmly discussed on the news from our institute, with which he always maintained a tight connection.

Born in Ceuta 77 years ago, he received his Ph.D. in 1977 under the direction of Juan Manuel Ramírez de Verger at the CIB in Velázquez. He then worked as a professor at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid until 1981, when he was appointed as CSIC Research Associate at CIB. In 1984 he moved to the Merck laboratories in New Jersey, where he actively participated in the determination of the amino acid sequence of several proteins. Upon his return in 1988, he established a research team at CIB, where he worked steadily on the fibroblast growth factor, a protein to which his career was strongly linked.

Not surprisingly, about two-thirds of his more than 160 articles are related to this protein, which is involved in angiogenesis and inflammation and, therefore, in tumor development. During his postdoctoral stay, he isolated it, uncovered its sequence, and discovered that it induced fibroblast mitosis. He later characterized its biochemical properties and, through nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray crystallography studies, its three-dimensional structure. Finally, he identified inhibitors of its activity, one of which is used in the treatment of several diseases. The road he had traveled from basic research to clinical applications gave him great satisfaction.

He was CIB director for two different periods. Among his distinctions, he was awarded the National Biomedicine Prize in 1993. In 2004 he was admitted to the Royal Academy of Pharmacy with a speech that reviewed the history of protein studies. Even then, he stressed the importance of intrinsically unstructured regions in cell function. He also perceived that it would be possible to predict three-dimensional structures from protein sequences, and followed with interest the advances in this field until the recent development of Alphafold2. He was undoubtedly one of the pioneers of Protein Science in Spain, both from a biochemical and biophysical approach as well as functionally. He also played a fundamental role in the implementation of structural biology within the CIB.

As a scientist, he was able to carry forward his ideas with determination and rigor. As a group leader, he never stopped proposing experiments and generating new knowledge, while being open to new perspectives. As a mentor, he always knew how to listen and build trust. As a humanist, he was interested in other areas of knowledge, such as philosophy and theology, disciplines in which he graduated, or history, even making expeditions to the area of Navas de Tolosa in search of vestiges of the famous battle of the same name. A music lover and inveterate reader, he frequently attended concerts at the National Auditorium and gathered a vast library. He was also a lover of cycling, a sport he practiced and followed with passion.

He left an extensive school of scientists spread throughout different research institutes and universities in our country and abroad. And, while due to his ecclesiastical status he had no children, his sudden loss has made us feel like orphans. His teachings and bonhomie will prevail in our memory.

Carlos Fernández-Tornero & Antonio Romero