Dr Márcio Donadio’s inauguration as full professor took place on 19 June in the auditorium on the Sant Cugat Campus, in an emotional ceremony attended by representatives of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at UIC Barcelona, colleagues, doctoral students and family members.

The appointment of the deputy director and researcher in the Department of Physiotherapy to the rank of full professor comes in recognition of an outstanding academic and research career in the field of paediatric cardiorespiratory physiotherapy, characterised by a strong connection between research, teaching and clinical practice.

Dr Alfonso Méndiz, rector of UIC Barcelona, was tasked with welcoming attendees and presiding over the committee comprised of Dr Daniel Romero, director of the Department of Physiotherapy; Dr Margarita Pérez, a specialist in Physical Education and Sports Medicine and member of the teaching staff at the Polytechnic University of Madrid; and Dr Cecilia Dorado, full professor at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

During the laudatio, Dr Margarita Pérez highlighted both the scientific excellence and human qualities of the new full professor. “If we assess his career solely on the basis of traditional metrics, we could already consider it exceptional. But if we add other, less visible indicators, such as mentorship, collaboration, empathy, resilience and legacy, we see that his excellence is not only scientific, but also profoundly human,” she affirmed.

Dr Pérez also underscored his ability to build teams and international collaboration networks: “He is someone who brings out the best in those around him. Working with him and his team is remarkably easy thanks to his generosity, discipline and commitment.”

With a degree in Physiotherapy from Brazil and a solid international career, Dr Donadio has developed a renowned research profile centred on cystic fibrosis and other chronic paediatric respiratory diseases. His work has contributed to the validation of functional tests adapted to the paediatric population and has demonstrated the role of physical exercise as a therapeutic tool for improving quality of life and survival in paediatric patients.

In 2015, he spearheaded the creation of a paediatric physical activity laboratory in Porto Alegre, a pioneering initiative that consolidated a research line focused on integrating therapeutic exercise and respiratory physiotherapy. He currently leads the Physiotherapy Procedures and Therapeutic Exercise (IFET) research group at UIC Barcelona.

In his address, the new full professor outlined the main contributions of his research career and stressed the role of research as a driver for improving clinical care. “Research only makes sense when it improves patients’ quality of life and trains new professionals capable of generating knowledge and contributing to society’s wellbeing,” he pointed out.

The University Rector brought the ceremony to a close by highlighting Dr Donadio’s capacity to build bridges between disciplines, professionals and generations within the University. In this regard, he noted that “Dr Donadio has succeeded in fostering dialogue between basic and clinical research, between physiotherapy and medicine and between established researchers and new generations. He has united the language of data with that of people.”

He also argued that the new full professor’s career reflects the values that the University seeks to promote: “Contemporary science requires the ability to persuade without imposing and to lead without raising one’s voice. Dr Donadio has proven to have both abilities throughout his career.”

This appointment strengthens UIC Barcelona’s commitment to excellent research with clinical and social impact, as well as to teaching linked to the generation and transfer of knowledge.