Professor Daniela Truzzi, from the Departamento de Bioquímica do Instituto de Química at Universidade de São Paulo (USP) and a member of the RIDC Redoxoma, was one of the seven winners of the Program for Women in Science 2020, promoted by L’Oréal Brasil, in partnership with UNESCO in Brazil and the Brazilian Academy of Science (ABC). The program aims to “transform the scientific landscape through female empowerment”. Quoting a post from L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science, “the world needs science and science needs women!”

“The importance of this award is the visibility it brings, not only in our community, but also to society, to show people how we are working, and that women do science. One of the objectives of the award is to show girls that women can be scientists. This is the issue of the example and the fact that you can reach out to society and show what you are doing”, Truzzi said.

According to the award’s website, each year, the fourteen members of the program’s jury select works with the potential to find solutions to important environmental, economic, and health issues. Truzzi was awarded in the Chemical Sciences category for her work with nitric oxide. “The project is to understand how nitric oxide behaves in the biological environment and more specifically to study a class of its metabolites, which are the dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNIC)”, explains the researcher. Nitric oxide is a free radical gas naturally produced by our organism. It is involved in several physiological and pathological processes and plays an important role in vasodilation, inflammation, and immune response.

This year, nitric oxide also inspired the project of another scientist awarded the prize. Fernanda Farnese, from the Instituto Federal Goiano, developed a method to preserve soybean plantations in periods of drought, which consists of spraying substances that produce the gas on the leaves of the plant. “Nitric oxide alters the plant’s metabolism, intensifying defense mechanisms and, thus, increasing drought tolerance. We see a 60% growth in soybean productivity,” she said.

The winners will receive a scholarship worth 50 thousand reais, and they join the team of more than 100 promising female scientists already included in the program. “The award comes at the beginning of my career as a scientist. I passed the contest [IQ-USP] two years ago and I’m still without resources. This award comes at a very important moment, because, with the pandemic, resources are directed towards COVID-19, so it is the first resource, apart from RIDC Redoxoma, that I receive as a scientist ”.

Truzzi is a chemist and has a master’s and doctorate in inorganic chemistry. It was during her post-doctorate, in the laboratory of Professor Ohara Augusto, at IQ-USP, that she worked on the knowledge of Inorganic Chemistry in the biological area.

The other winners are: Vivian Costa, from UFMG; Luciana Tovo, from UFPEL - RS; Andreia Melo, from INCA - RJ; Rita de Cássia, from UFPR; María Amelia Salazar, from UFF.

More information at https://www.paramulheresnaciencia.com.br