The mayoress of Mijas, Ana Mata (PP), welcomed the scientist Carlos Huesa Berral to the Town Hall on Monday 13th to officially recognise him as an Adopted Son of the municipality. The researcher, who specialises in the fight against cancer, was unanimously honoured by the municipal council at the ordinary plenary session held on the 23rd of June. The mayoress, accompanied by the city’s deputy mayor, Juan Carlos Cuevas Dawson (Vox), announced that the official ceremony will take place this coming December.

Roots in Mijas

For Huesa, a Málaga native whose mother is from Mijas and who has been closely linked to the municipality since childhood, this recognition means much more than just an award. “This is my home, and I am receiving this honour here, in my home. I can only express my gratitude and also a certain surprise, because it was something I wasn’t expecting”, said the scientist.

 

The researcher emphasised that a large part of his personal identity has been shaped by his experiences in the village. “I am who I am thanks to all the experiences I’ve had here. My parents and grandparents provided me with a loving environment in Mijas. I used to come here practically every weekend and would also spend long periods here during the summer”, he explained, also recalling his grandparents, José María and Juana, who taught him “to be loving and to feel passion and pride in my roots. The love they always had for my sister and me was unconditional”, he said.

Recognition and responsibility

In 2025, the researcher was awarded the Andalusian Flag for Research, Science and Health. However, when asked which of the two honours entailed greater responsibility for him, Huesa did not hesitate to point out that “being an Adopted Son of Mijas carries more responsibility because Mijas sums up very well who I am. Walking around here and remembering all those experiences gives me a very special flutter in my heart”, he confessed, visibly moved.

Huesa stated that he does not want the appointment to be limited to the official ceremony scheduled for December, but rather wishes to turn it into a commitment to the municipality, as “I feel a duty and a moral and ethical commitment to my town to bring research and science closer to young people”, he declared. His aim, he explained, is to show the younger generations that a career in science is within the reach of anyone with a calling.

A role model for young people

For her part, the mayoress of Mijas highlighted Carlos Huesa’s career and described him as a role model for the municipality’s youth, “because he has shown that, with hard work, effort and dedication, you can achieve great things and contribute to society to make it a better place every day”, said Mata, adding that “we want young people to see Carlos as a role model who always remembers the town where he grew up. Although he lived in Málaga, a part of his heart has always been here”, she noted.

 

Mata emphasised that the researcher’s achievements are particularly significant, as “despite his youth, he is making major strides for history and for the hope of many people suffering from cancer. We are very pleased and proud”, she said.

The Town Hall has confirmed that it is already working on organising various events so that Huesa can share his knowledge and experience with students from Mijas.

Fighting liver cancer

Carlos Huesa is currently based at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he is researching new strategies for the treatment of liver cancer. The US Government has awarded him the ‘Pathway to Independence Award’, a programme offering up to five years’ funding to postdoctoral researchers who submit projects relevant to one of the participating centres within the US National Institutes of Health.

In Huesa’s case, the grant is linked to the National Cancer Institute. “The project has practically completed its technical development. Over the next five years, the challenge will be to validate it in prospective patients. So far, we have tested it using retrospective patient data to verify that the technical validation was correct”, he explained.

 

In the longer term, “over an estimated period of between five and ten years”, the scientist stated, the aim would be to launch a clinical trial to test the project’s hypothesis. “We believe this approach could extend the possibility of a cure to a greater number of liver cancer patients. It is a hypothesis and a promise. We believe we have the necessary foundations in place and now have significant resources to try to carry it out”, said Huesa.

The research focuses on treatment using radioactive microspheres, which are injected into the blood vessels near the tumour. These particles reduce the blood supply to the tumour and emit localised radiation to destroy cancer cells.

Education and career

Carlos Huesa began his university studies at the University of Málaga, where he studied Health Engineering. He subsequently completed a PhD in Medical Physics at the University of Navarra. He has been living in Boston since late 2022. In 2024, he was awarded a fellowship by the American Cancer Society, and his honours also include the Best in Physics award, presented by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

In 2025, he was awarded the Flag of Andalusia and has now added to his achievements the honour of being named an Adopted Son of Mijas, a distinction he regards as a commitment to the municipality. “I believe I am on the right path, both professionally and personally. With the support the town of Mijas is now giving me, I almost see it as an emotional obligation. I have to live up to it", he concluded.

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