Mónica Bettencourt-Dias, main researcher of cell cycle regulation of Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência received the scholarship «Keith r. Porter» of the American society for cell biology (ASCB), reports CiênciaHoje.
This annual award was established in 1999 and recognizes the excellence of the work of a cell biologist at the beginning or middle of his scientific career and aims to encourage other young people and scientists to pursue studies in this area. The scholarship can be used from January 2013.
The work of the laboratory of Mónica Bettencourt-Dias focuses in the study of multiplication and movement of cells. The cells have a skeleton that holds the location of its various components, such as the roads of a city. The laboratory focuses on how the cell skeleton is formed, in particular the role of centrosomes, very small structures in cells that help increase and form their flagella, enabling them to move. Changes in these structures are associated with diseases such as cancer and infertility.
“Not being American, or working there, it’s an honor to have our work recognized by the scientific community. It is a very prestigious award, having been previously assigned to scientists who I admire greatly. It was a surprise too friendly before Christmas, “said the scientist.
The Keith r. Porter was announced at the annual Conference of the ASCB (15-19 December 2012), in San Francisco, the largest and most important international conference in the field of cell biology.
The work of the laboratory of Mónica Bettencourt-Dias has been recognized with several prizes for young scientists, such as the Eppendorf (2007), the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO-2009) and of the European Research Council (ERC-2010), having already won this year, for the second time, the Pfizer Award for basic research. This is the first time that receives a prize. The communication of science is also an area to which a researcher gives more attention, having done a two-year course in England and organized various activities to promote this field.
Keith R. Porter Prize “»
Keith r. Porter, who died in 1997, is considered by many the father of cell biology. He was the first scientist to watch entire cells in electron microscope and one of the first to study the structure of plagues, among many other structures of the cells. The old students of this scientist created a Fund in 1981, ‘ The Keith r. Porter Endowment for Cell Biology», in recognition for his enormous contribution in the field of cell biology and education of young scientists.
This Fund promotes communication and education of young scientists in this field. The award of five thousand dollars to organize educational activities related to cell biology, as is support for the holding of a Conference.
Image courtesy of kevin dooley