Maria do Carmo-Fonseca is the executive director of the Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM) and Full Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon. In addition, she is also the director of the translational and clinical research international programme, Harvard Medical School – Portugal. The Research Unit she directs at the Institute of Molecular Medicine studies nuclear dynamics and gene expression of eukaryotic cells, with the aim of gaining a better understanding of related diseases.

Last December, she put science on the agenda of the media when she received one of the most prestigious prizes in Portuguese society, the Pessoa Prize 2010. She was the first female scientist to receive the award on an individual basis. The panel stressed the “original contribution” of her research and the “culture of rigour in the scientific practice she fosters at the Institute of Molecular Medicine” to justify their decision. She will use the prize, worth 60 thousand Euros, to purchase a microscope for IMM.

Her honours first degree in Medicine and PhD in Cell Biology from the University of Lisbon marked the start of a career that has earned her several prizes and over 92 original research articles.

You are used to receiving scientific awards, but this time you were selected among leading representatives from distinct fields to receive a prize that is amply renowned as one of the most prestigious in Portugal. How do you interpret this award?
The Pessoa Prize was undoubtedly an award with a very special meaning, because it shows that the Portuguese society acknowledges the contribution of science to the development of the country.

Do you think that the Portuguese have greater recognition of the importance of science? Should this be the case, what do you think are the reasons for it? 
Yes! Besides, at surveys carried out at European level, the Portuguese youth stand out for the importance they assign to scientific research. In my view, three key aspects account for this recognition: firstly, the growing number of researchers working in Portuguese institutions, and the subsequent major growth in scientific output; secondly, the massive dissemination by the media with regard to scientific inventions “made in Portugal”; and thirdly, the pioneer initiative undertaken by the Ciência Viva (Living Science) Programme and its multiple projects aimed at stimulating the curiosity of the younger generation about science.

What is your highest ambition as a scientist?
To make a discovery that revolutionizes our current knowledge on how genes are expressed.

What is the added value for science to participate in consortiums like the Lisbon Medical Academic Centre, which IMM is part of, alongside the Faculty of Medicine of Lisbon and Santa Maria Hospital?
For science to be able to actually contribute to the development of the country, it is vital to coordinate the activity of researchers with other economic sectors. In order to be applied, biomedical research needs to work closely with the clinical atmosphere of a university hospital.

How would you describe last year for IMM and for science in Portugal?
The year of 2010 was excellent for IMM, which was awarded a record number of prizes and started new international projects.

Which are the main objectives for 2011?
To raise awareness of IMM and of its international credibility.
Communication and Training Unit
Institute of Molecular Medicine
ucom@fm.ul.pt