Mariano Barbacid, head of the Experimental Oncology Group at the CNIO, has been recognized with the Santiago Ramón y Cajal National Research Award in the area of Biology “for his pioneering and internationally recognized contributions in the field of molecular oncology, where he has achieved world leadership positions, as well as contributing to the development of cancer research in Spain and the training of a new generation of researchers”. We publish a brief interview produced by the Ministry of Science and Innovation on the occasion of the award ceremony.