Josep Brugada Terradellas
Clinical Medicine 2015In the field of research, Dr Brugada’s greatest achievement has been the description of a syndrome causing sudden death, which is referred to in all medical textbooks as Brugada syndrome. Subsequently, together with his brothers, he described the genetic cause of the syndrome and identified the mutations responsible for the dysfunction of the cardiac sodium channel.
He has published over 400 original articles (in *Nature*, the *New England Journal of Medicine*, *The Lancet*, *Circulation*, *JACC*, etc.), with an H-index of 60. He is a member of numerous scientific societies. He is an Honorary Corresponding Member of the Royal National Academy of Medicine and an accredited expert with the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS).
The jury for the Rei Jaume I Prizes in Clinical Medicine has unanimously awarded the 2015 Prize to Dr Josep Brugada Terradellas for his description of a syndrome causing sudden cardiac death, known worldwide as Brugada syndrome. In collaboration with his brothers Pedro and Ramón, his work encompasses the description of the syndrome, the discovery of the underlying mechanism of the disorder in terms of electrophysiological abnormalities, its appropriate treatment; and, finally, the identification of the responsible mutations in the cardiac sodium channel. This work serves as a true benchmark in cardiology worldwide, paving the way for the new concept of so-called ion channel diseases, representing a revolution in medical and scientific knowledge.
