Moroccan professor Mimoun Azzouz, who heads the Gene Therapy Innovation Center (GTIMC) at UK’s University of Sheffield (270 km north of London), has been honored by the British Society for Gene and Cell Therapy with the prestigious Outstanding Achievement Award, recognizing the researcher’s major contributions to research and training in the sophisticated field of gene therapy.
Also a professor of translational neuroscience at the University of Sheffield, the Moroccan researcher has established himself as a leading figure in the development of innovative therapies for neurological diseases.
His work focuses in particular on translating fundamental discoveries into concrete treatments, facilitating transition from laboratory research to clinical trials in humans.
Since 2006, Professor Azzouz has raised over 34 million pounds to fund his research and led pioneering studies in the field. His team was notably the first to demonstrate the efficacy of a gene therapy targeting the SMN gene in models of spinal muscular atrophy, paving the way for pioneering clinical trials in humans and the subsequent approval of a treatment.
As part of his research on these diseases, Professor Azzouz told MAP that he leads a network of 34 institutions and companies across Europe to advance research in this highly specialized field of scientific inquiry.
Morocco has enormous potential in research,” he said, noting that he had helped train a group of Moroccan researchers with the aim of supporting Morocco in scientific research and health projects.
As a scientific entrepreneur, Professor Azzouz founded BlackfinBio and co-founded Crucible Therapeutics. He also leads a €25.5 million European consortium bringing together 34 partners to accelerate the development of advanced therapies.
He has contributed to training the next generation of researchers, mentoring 81 scientists, including 20 PhD students.
Receiving the British Society for Gene and Cell Therapy award thus highlights the career of a Moroccan researcher whose scientific and medical impact resounds on an international scale.
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