Lúcia Mendonça Previato
Lúcia Mendonça Previato | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1949 Maceió, Brazil |
| Occupation | Biologist |
| Known for | Pioneering work in prevention of Chagas disease |
| Notable work | Research on Trypanosoma cruzi immune evasion mechanisms |
Lúcia Mendonça Previato (born 1949) is a distinguished Brazilian biologist known for her pioneering work in the prevention of Chagas disease. In recognition of her significant contributions, she was honored with the L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science in 2004.
Biography
Previato was born in Maceió, Brazil, and relocated to Rio de Janeiro at the age of five. She completed her undergraduate studies at Universidade Santa Úrsula in 1971 and obtained a Doctorate in Microbiology and Immunology from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in 1976.
Her postdoctoral training in Carbohydrate Chemistry took place at the National Research Council in Saskatoon, Canada, followed by research at the University of California, Berkeley, under the mentorship of biochemist Clinton E. Ballou. Upon returning to the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in 1980, she founded the Surface Structure of Microorganisms Laboratory within the Institute of Microbiology. She was promoted to Full Professor in 1992 and directed this laboratory until 2001. Subsequently, she assumed leadership as Director of the Laboratory of Glycobiology at the Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho.
Her research team elucidated the mechanisms by which Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan responsible for Chagas disease, escapes detection by the human immune system. This discovery led to her receiving the L'Oréal-UNESCO award in 2004. Additionally, she was awarded the TWAS Prize in Biology in 2007 and was named Comendador of Brazil’s National Order of Scientific Merit in 2001.
Personal life
Previato is married to Jose Osvaldo Previato and together they have two children.
Selected awards and honors
- Top Research Career Investigator, National Research Council of Brazil, 1986
- National Invention Prize, Petrobras Award, 1987
- Elected Member, Brazilian Academy of Sciences, 1992
- International Research Scholar, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 1997
- Biological Sciences Scientist of Rio de Janeiro State Award, 1999
- Editor-in-Chief of Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Science, 2003