Researcher Ohara Augusto, from the Universidade de São Paulo (USP), is one of the winners of the 5th Brazilian Women in Chemistry Award. She won the Academic Leader category, in an award offered by the American Chemical Society (ACS), in partnership with the Brazilian Chemical Society (SBQ).

One of the most distinguished Brazilian scientists, Ohara Augusto has been working for almost 50 years in research involving free radicals and oxidants. Studies carried out during her doctorate at the Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, USP (1972-1975) provided initial indications that free radicals are generated in biological systems.

“At that time, recognition began that the adaptation of terrestrial organisms to an atmosphere rich in molecular oxygen had advantages and disadvantages. The advantage was obtaining more energy from fewer nutrients, enabling the evolution of complex organisms, including Homo sapiens. The downside was living with the fact that molecular oxygen tends to generate oxidants and free radicals that are toxic to life. To survive and evolve, organisms have developed defenses against free radicals and oxidants and have also learned to use them to their advantage. It was important to know free radicals and oxidants and I contributed to this knowledge,” says the researcher.

She was responsible, along with Professor Shirley Schreier, for creating the electronic paramagnetic spectroscopy (EPR) laboratory at USP’s Institute of Chemistry. With this laboratory, Ohara continued to investigate the production of free radicals during drug metabolism, focusing on compounds used against neglected tropical diseases. “More importantly, our EPR laboratory promoted Brazilian science because it attracted researchers from all over Brazil and Latin America,” says the researcher.

At the end of the 1990s, the discovery of nitric oxide had a great impact on Biology and Medicine, demonstrating that free radicals can be produced in vivo to mediate processes essential to health. From nitric oxide, new oxidants were discovered to cause cell damage in infections and inflammations. Among them, the carbonate radical for whose characterization Ohara received the Medal of Biology and Medicine of the International Society of EPR in 2002. This work was carried out in collaboration with the group of Uruguayan researcher Rafael Radi. The researcher is currently investigating the effects of carbon dioxide (CO₂) on redox biology.

“I am very proud of this award, as it recognizes so many years of work in this area, which is fundamental to our health, and I feel rewarded for having supervised many students and post-docs. Some of them became distinguished scientists. And today I coordinate the RIDC Redoxoma, a Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center supported by FAPESP”, says Ohara.

The objective of the Brazilian Women in Chemistry Award is to promote gender equality in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in the country and advance understanding of the impact of diversity on scientific research.

Also awarded were Carolina Horta Andrade (Emerging Leader), from the Federal University of Goiás (UFG), and Thais Guaratini (Industrial Leader), from the company Lychnoflora. The award is supported by C&EM (Chemical & Engineering News) and CAS (a division of the ACS). The winners will be honored at a ceremony on June 2, in Maceió (AL), during the 45th SBQ Annual Meeting.

“Each year, the Brazilian Women in Chemistry Award grows in importance”, says the president of SBQ, Romeu C. Rocha Filho. “The quality of candidates in all three categories has been exceptionally high, making the work of the selection committees very difficult. At SBQ, we are pleased to honor the achievements of the 2022 winners”, he adds.

“This year, the Brazilian Women in Chemistry Award reaches its fifth edition and I am very happy to see another trio of outstanding scientists being recognized by SBQ and ACS”, says Bibiana Campos Seijo, editor-in-chief of C&EN and vice-president from the C&EN Media Group. “Brazil is a country with rich cultural diversity and enormous scientific talent. Let’s take this opportunity to celebrate its scientific capital as it deserves.”

Denise Ferreira, CAS Country Manager for Brazil, adds: “It is an honor to recognize these talented women and to see the community’s growing interest year after year for the award. We know that Brazil has highly qualified female professionals and we are very happy to recognize their contribution to science.”