We are profoundly saddened by the loss of Professor Federico Mayor Zaragoza, who passed away on December 19, 2024. We would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our gratitude for his enormous contribution and service to FEBS and the scientific community.
2000: In 1999, FEBS Secretary General Prof. Julio Celis suggested the establishment of the FEBS Science and Society Committee to bridge the gap between scientists and society. One year later, Professor Federico Mayor Zaragoza was appointed as the committee’s first chairman. This led to FEBS’ involvement in the creation of the European Research Council (ERC).
2002: In November 2002, an agreement was reached during the EU ministerial conference on research, for the first time, to explore the options for creating a European Research Council. Professor Federico Mayor Zaragoza was designated as the President of a small expert group —known as the “Mayor Group”— because of his extended commitment to science and society’s welfare as former Director-General of UNESCO and Chair of FEBS Science and Society Committee.
2003: In December 2003, he delivered the group’s report at the ministerial conference, during which the significant historical phrase was incorporated: ‘New European dimension for research of funding – the ERC – will allow researchers in any European state to compete with all other researchers on the basis of excellence‘. The European Research Council (ERC) was established as the primary funding body for basic research.
2012: In recognition of his contributions, Professor Federico Mayor Zaragoza was awarded the Diplome D’Honneur by FEBS, an honor that was conferred during the FEBS-IUBMB Congress in Sevilla. The FEBS Diplome D’Honneur was established to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of FEBS, recognizing the exceptional contributions of Biochemists and Molecular Biologists who have provided significant service to the organization. Professor Federico Mayor Zaragoza served as the President of the Sociedad Española de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular (SEBBM) from 1972 to 1976. SEBBM remains one of the most engaged member societies of FEBS.
2014: He played a pivotal role in documenting FEBS’s history, contributing to two publications celebrating the organization’s 50th anniversary: ‘FEBS at 50’ and ‘Fifty Years of FEBS’.
2020: Professor Federico Mayor Zaragoza was invited to attend the FEBS Congress to receive a special award to mark twenty years since the commencement of FEBS’ Science and Society Committee and his role as the committee’s first Chair. This opportunity was also intended to recognize his work in establishing the European Research Council (ERC) and shaping the European scientific policy in the area of the Life Sciences. Following event postponements due to the pandemic, FEBS presented the award at the FEBS Congress in Lisbon in 2022, which Professor Miguel A. De la Rosa, FEBS Secretary General, accepted on his behalf, as Professor Federico Mayor Zaragoza had requested.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Professor Federico Mayor Zaragoza and express our deep appreciation for the remarkable impact he had on FEBS.
