INDOMITABLE: Cajal

In the photo, Carlos Llonis, Chaiman of TW Group, at the Artes Gráficas Lorea printing facility.

Discover the project : www.tw-group.com/en/cajal
Click here to download the book.

INDOMITABLE | Santiago Ramón y Cajal

TW Foundation presents INDOMITABLE | Santiago Ramón y Cajal, the second volume of an educational and editorial collection in picture-book format, officially recognised as a project of social interest by the Government of Navarre.

Through this collection, TW Foundation connects great historical figures with leading business figures of today, encouraging children to believe in themselves, dare to think differently, and strive to achieve whatever they set their minds to.

The collection includes a distinctive element: each historical figure is accompanied by a contemporary business role model (a advocate or advocate), who shares a personal reflection with readers on the values that made that legacy possible.

In this edition, the advocate is Belén Garijo, one of the most influential executives on the international stage and a global role model in the fields of science and healthcare, currently CEO of Sanofi.

The project is complemented by a free digital version, teaching materials, educational activities, and partnerships with schools, institutions, and organisations linked to social inclusion.

THE COLLECTION

Each volume presents a person who has stood out throughout history for:

• Their curiosity.
• Their ability to question the established order.
• Their commitment to knowledge.
• Their perseverance in the face of difficulties.
• Their desire to put their talents at the service of others.

The collection is aimed at children aged 6 to 8, but has been designed to be enjoyed by families and in educational settings as well.

The first edition, in 2025, told the story of Jerónimo de Ayanz, an inventor who patented the steam engine 100 years before the Industrial Revolution. An engineer ahead of his time, with Antonio Catalán, founder of NH Hotels and chairman of AC by Marriott, as his advocate.

A ONE-OF-A-KIND SCIENTIST

Few figures better embody the spirit of INDOMITABLE than Santiago Ramón y Cajal.

Born in Petilla de Aragón (Navarre) in 1852, he revolutionised our understanding of the brain and became one of the most influential scientists of all time.

He stood up to the leading scientists of his era, who claimed the brain was a reticulum — a tangled network. His research using microscopes and staining techniques proved that the nervous system is made up of independent cells — neurons — that communicate with each other through electrical impulses known as synapses. In doing so, he laid the foundations of modern neuroscience.

His work earned him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1906.

Cajal’s story is that of a person who dared to think differently, at a time when most of his colleagues defended opposing ideas.

THE BOY WHO DARED TO THINK DIFFERENTLY

The story highlights moments from Cajal’s life that go beyond a standard academic biography — moments he described in his own autobiography:

• He was bullied at school because of the way he spoke and dressed.
• He wanted to be an artist; his father was set on science.
• He was expelled from school for his rebellious behaviour and worked as a barber’s assistant.
• A solar eclipse changed his life and sparked his obsession with the brain.
• He learned anatomy by building skeletons from bones collected at a cemetery.
• He was one of the pioneers of bodybuilding.
• He served as a military doctor in the Cuban War and nearly died from malaria.
• At a time in Spain when investment in science was virtually impossible, he challenged Europe’s leading scientists — the “reticulists” — with his neuronal theory, which brought about a true paradigm shift.

A STORY ABOUT THE BRAIN… AND HUMAN POTENTIAL

One of the central elements of the book is the metaphor of the “garden of neurons”.

Through this image, readers discover that the brain is not a fixed structure, but an organ capable of changing and developing throughout a person’s entire life.

The story introduces concepts such as the brain being made up of independent cells, neural connections, and neuroplasticity — all presented through accessible, visual language.

The narrative depicts the brain as a garden. Each child tends to their own, and that garden grows and changes as they learn, practise, observe, and make an effort. This concept connects directly with modern neuroscience’s findings on neuroplasticity.

The book also includes a section called “How to Train Your Brain”, featuring five simple exercises inspired by scientific research (breathing, continuous learning, movement, mindfulness, and rest), along with a visual explanation of how neurons communicate through synapses.

ADVOCATE | Belén Garijo

Belén Garijo is one of the most recognised executives in the international health and scientific innovation sector, and a regular presence on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women rankings.

Following a distinguished international career in France, Germany, and the United States, she took on the role of Chief Executive Officer of Sanofi in 2026.

Her involvement in this edition stems from a conviction she shares with Santiago Ramón y Cajal: science transforms lives.

Through a letter addressed directly to children, Belén Garijo invites readers to embrace science, trust in their own abilities, cultivate their curiosity, and pursue their goals with determination:

“Important things never happen on their own. You have to put in the effort, prepare yourself, and have the ambition to go out and find them.”

THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE PROJECT | Carlos Llonis

INDOMITABLE would not exist without the vision of Carlos Llonis, chairman of TW Group, the Navarrese industrial organisation with an international presence that stands behind TW Foundation.

The collection was born from a single idea: the historical figures who changed the world are not distant characters locked away in textbooks. They are real people whom children can relate to.

Behind INDOMITABLE lies a firm commitment to the two pillars of TW Foundation’s identity: knowledge as a source of rigour and precision, and critical thinking as a driver of creativity and ingenuity.

Cajal embodies these values better than anyone: he refused to accept the prevailing narrative about the brain, questioned it, and challenged it with evidence.

In the words of Carlos Llonis:

“A story of effort, curiosity, and defiance. The story of someone who combined art and science to understand the invisible. Someone who believed in himself and went on to become one of the most important scientists in the world.”

A DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL MODEL

The structure of INDOMITABLE combines three complementary perspectives:

1- An indomitable historical figure, such as Santiago Ramón y Cajal. The captivating character who gives the story its meaning.

2- The advocate, Belén Garijo. A contemporary role model from the business world who connects that legacy with today’s challenges through a personal letter addressed directly to children.

3- A specialist who provides context, rigour, and depth through a thematic summary of the Nobel laureate’s biography, written for adult readers.

This model creates a dialogue between generations and brings real role models from different fields closer to readers.

SCIENTIFIC RIGOUR

The scientific supervision and thematic biography included in the book were carried out by Santiago Lamas, Research Professor at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).

His connection to Cajal is both personal and family-related: his father, the physician Francisco Lamas López, maintained an epistolary relationship with Santiago Ramón y Cajal and worked with members of his school of neuroscience. Until recently, Santiago Lamas held letters, portraits, and first editions of Cajal’s works, which have now been donated to the CSIC.

“Cajal changed the paradigm of neuroscience forever.”

BEYOND THE BOOK 

For the second year running, from September onwards, the story will be accompanied by free educational resources in digital format, designed to support classroom work.

The materials will include:

• Teaching activities.
• Resources for educators.
• Supplementary materials in Spanish and English.
• Content related to Belén Garijo and Santiago Ramón y Cajal.

EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT

The project is being developed in partnership with a range of educational and social organisations.