Mikel Izquierdo, Principal Investigator of the Physical Exercise, Health and Quality of Life Unit (E-FIT) of Navarrabiomed and professor of the UPNA, was awarded yesterday at the VII SER Navarra Awards in the research category. Cadena SER Navarra recognised a total of 10 people or groups for their work in different areas of Navarra society at a ceremony held at the Baluarte Auditorium and presented by the journalists, Mamen García and Joaquim Torrents. 

In this 2023 edition, the pharmaceutical company Cinfa sponsored the research award and Alicia López de Ocáriz was the Corporate Medical Director, in charge of presenting the award that recognises the trajectory in numerous research projects in the field of Biomechanics and the Neuromuscular System with special emphasis on the effects of muscle strength training in different sports, aging and muscle performance. 

During his speech, Mikel Izquierdo thanked the radio station and the sponsor for the award and put the focus on a pandemic that existed before COVID-19: “Today, the pandemic of physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyle still persists, which causes 10 million deaths a year, 7 million myocardial infarctions and a total impact of 250 million dollars annually.” To reverse this situation, he stressed the importance of continuous physical exercise to achieve a higher quality of life. "Physical exercise should be done chronically throughout life. Currently we don't do enough, either in terms of quantity or intensity, and we must be aware that it is necessary to survive," he said during his speech.