On the day Oswaldo Cruz would have turned 153, 15 women who bear his legacy in science were honored with the 'Maria de Nazareth Meirelles Medal of Feminine Merit in Science'.
The celebration took place on Tuesday (05/08), during the fifth edition of the Somos Manguinhos project, an initiative of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC/Fiocruz) dedicated to preserving institutional memory and recognizing trajectories that transform science and society.
In this edition, the activity was part of the first day of the 2nd act of the Symposium IOC Jubilee 125 Years.
The scientist for whom the medal is named, Maria de Nazareth Meirelles, was one of the most influential figures in the Institute's recent history. A mother of seven, she balanced motherhood with her scientific career, and her career reaffirmed that academia and dedication to family are not mutually exclusive.
"Nazareth showed that motherhood and academic excellence are not opposites. On the contrary, they can coexist and enhance each other," said Helene Barbosa, a researcher at the Structural Biology Laboratory.
Renowned primarily for her studies on Chagas disease, Nazareth also left a profound mark on the education of new generations. Over 35 years dedicated to IOC, supervised 37 dissertations and theses and helped shape a lineage of 899 “scientific children” — a number that makes his 7 children seem few.
Nazareth's example continues to inspire the Institute's community, which now recognizes, in other female trajectories, the same values that marked her life.
Fifteen researchers were awarded the Maria de Nazareth Meirelles Medal for Feminine Merit in Science:
— Ana Jansen
— Anna Kohn
— Delir Correa
— Elba Lemos
— Helene Santos Barbosa
— Margareth Dalcolmo
— Marilda Siqueira
— Marilza Maia Herzog
— Mariza Morgado
— Marli Maria Lima
— Martha Pereira
— Miriam Tendler
— Monika Barth
— Rita Nogueira
— Yara Traub Cseko
Watch the full event broadcast.
A dedicated researcher, author of numerous scientific articles, and mother of seven children, Maria de Nazareth Silveira Leal de Meirelles built a career marked by the balance between affection and academic excellence.
Having graduated in Natural History in 1958 from the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), she interrupted her studies when her husband, a doctor, was invited to work in the United States. She made it clear, however, that she would resume her career after ten years.
And so she did. Back in Brazil, she taught in the state school system and completed her master's and doctorate at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Researcher at IOC Since 1976, he has stood out in studies on Chagas disease, in the consolidation of electron microscopy and in the training of new generations of professionals.
Throughout his career, he published 130 scientific articles—about four per year, on average—on topics such as cellular morphology, cellular biophysics, parasitic protozoology, and more. His ease with words and academic writing was a talent that did not go unnoticed even at home.
"It was impressive how she could tune into her work and references and 'start writing.' Between one child and another, one fight and another, she would simply sit down and write," joked her son and doctor Sérgio Meirelles.
A survey published in the Journal of the Institute of Tropical Medicine of São Paulo, including, recognized Nazareth among the most productive authors in the world in research on Chagas disease from 1940 to 2009.
In addition to her academic prominence, Nazareth played a leadership role at the Institute: she was vice-director between 1989 and 1993, headed the then Department of Ultrastructure and Cell Biology, the Laboratory of Cellular Ultrastructure and coordinated the Postgraduate Program in Parasite Biology.
He was also a member of national and international scientific societies, such as the American Society for Cell Biology and the Brazilian Society for Electron Microscopy, of which he served two terms as vice president. He was also a member of the editorial board of the journal Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz.
Maria de Nazareth Meirelles passed away on January 19, 2019, but her scientific legacy lives on, along with the affection she shared among colleagues, students, and family. Proof of this was the emotion visible on the faces and voices of those who participated in the tribute during the 'Somos Manguinhos' project.
"Launching the medal on this day means recognizing the role of women in Brazilian history, giving them the importance they deserve in the development of science. And there is no one better than Maria de Nazareth Meirelles to express the femininity, sweetness, and warmth that are so characteristic of women," commented the director of the IOC and the honoree’s second student, Tania Araujo-Jorge.
The celebration began with testimonies from Nazareth's family, who emphasized how science was always present in her life, including in her most intimate relationships. Ana Luiza Leal de Meirelles, granddaughter and medical student, shared memories that demonstrated how much her grandmother's scientific perspective also permeated the family's daily life.
"She always passed on her knowledge, whether as a researcher and teacher, or as a grandmother. She let us use makeup and paint pictures with her grandchildren, but she also taught us about the formation of continents, volcanoes, embryo division, and even the insects that entered her house," she said.
These fond memories reveal a scientist who didn't confine her knowledge to the confines of academia, but brought it into her home, between paintbrushes and games. More than simply imparting knowledge, Nazareth taught by example, inspiring with her firm and affectionate presence.
"The way she taught most was through example. She was always a tender and maternal woman, but above all, firm in her principles and goals," he added.
Psychologist Cristina Meirelles, the researcher's daughter, highlighted her mother's importance as a female icon in science, emphasizing not only her intellectual contribution but also her ability to pave the way for other women.
"She left a legacy. She brought to the world of science a host of wonderful women who today lead laboratories across Brazil and the world. This is absolutely relevant, because we live in a very masculine world, where everything is done by men, with men, for men," he noted.
Between scientific publications, children at home, and academic children, Maria de Nazareth Meirelles built a legacy that spans generations. The medal that now bears her name celebrates not only her story, but that of all women who, like her, make science an act of care, rigor, and transformation.
If the tribute to the trajectory of Maria de Nazareth Meirelles was marked by emotion and joy, the opening program of the second act of the Symposium IOC Jubilee 125 Years also reserved a moment of mourning and reflection.
In the morning, the project “In Memoriam – Presences beyond COVID-19” unveiled a plaque at the Leônidas Deane Pavilion in memory of Juliana de Meis and Délcio Freitas da Silva, professionals at the Institute who died prematurely as a result of Covid-19.
"The most important thing is to remember that each of these losses was affected by very serious political issues. It is essential that the Institute and the Fiocruz preserve this memory, so that it can serve as critical reflection in decisive moments”, highlighted the head of the Thymus Research Laboratory, Adriana Bonomo.
The researcher at the Thymus Research Laboratory and former director of the IOC, Wilson Savino, also pointed out the political nature of the losses caused by the pandemic and the urgency of accountability.
"A significant portion of Covid-19 deaths were crimes—and these crimes remain unpunished. Júlia and Délcio were victims," he said.
Still as part of the symposium program IOC, but organized by the presidency of the Fiocruz, the 'Oswaldo Cruz Forum – Connections for the future of science' was held.
With a focus on collective dialogue and the construction of strategic guidelines for the Fiocruz, the event took place in the auditorium of the Vinícius Fonseca Administrative Center, in Bio-Manguinhos and was also broadcast on YouTube.
Professor and former Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education of Portugal, Manuel Heitor, gave the conference 'Challenges of science in the contemporary world: the role of research in Fiocruz', which had as debater the rector of UERJ, Gulnar Azevedo.
On the day Oswaldo Cruz would have turned 153, 15 women who bear his legacy in science were honored with the 'Maria de Nazareth Meirelles Medal of Feminine Merit in Science'.
The celebration took place on Tuesday (05/08), during the fifth edition of the Somos Manguinhos project, an initiative of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC/Fiocruz) dedicated to preserving institutional memory and recognizing trajectories that transform science and society.
In this edition, the activity was part of the first day of the 2nd act of the Symposium IOC Jubilee 125 Years.
The scientist for whom the medal is named, Maria de Nazareth Meirelles, was one of the most influential figures in the Institute's recent history. A mother of seven, she balanced motherhood with her scientific career, and her career reaffirmed that academia and dedication to family are not mutually exclusive.
"Nazareth showed that motherhood and academic excellence are not opposites. On the contrary, they can coexist and enhance each other," said Helene Barbosa, a researcher at the Structural Biology Laboratory.
Renowned primarily for her studies on Chagas disease, Nazareth also left a profound mark on the education of new generations. Over 35 years dedicated to IOC, supervised 37 dissertations and theses and helped shape a lineage of 899 “scientific children” — a number that makes his 7 children seem few.
Nazareth's example continues to inspire the Institute's community, which now recognizes, in other female trajectories, the same values that marked her life.
Fifteen researchers were awarded the Maria de Nazareth Meirelles Medal for Feminine Merit in Science:
— Ana Jansen
— Anna Kohn
— Delir Correa
— Elba Lemos
— Helene Santos Barbosa
— Margareth Dalcolmo
— Marilda Siqueira
— Marilza Maia Herzog
— Mariza Morgado
— Marli Maria Lima
— Martha Pereira
— Miriam Tendler
— Monika Barth
— Rita Nogueira
— Yara Traub Cseko
Watch the full event broadcast.
A dedicated researcher, author of numerous scientific articles, and mother of seven children, Maria de Nazareth Silveira Leal de Meirelles built a career marked by the balance between affection and academic excellence.
Having graduated in Natural History in 1958 from the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), she interrupted her studies when her husband, a doctor, was invited to work in the United States. She made it clear, however, that she would resume her career after ten years.
And so she did. Back in Brazil, she taught in the state school system and completed her master's and doctorate at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Researcher at IOC Since 1976, he has stood out in studies on Chagas disease, in the consolidation of electron microscopy and in the training of new generations of professionals.
Throughout his career, he published 130 scientific articles—about four per year, on average—on topics such as cellular morphology, cellular biophysics, parasitic protozoology, and more. His ease with words and academic writing was a talent that did not go unnoticed even at home.
"It was impressive how she could tune into her work and references and 'start writing.' Between one child and another, one fight and another, she would simply sit down and write," joked her son and doctor Sérgio Meirelles.
A survey published in the Journal of the Institute of Tropical Medicine of São Paulo, including, recognized Nazareth among the most productive authors in the world in research on Chagas disease from 1940 to 2009.
In addition to her academic prominence, Nazareth played a leadership role at the Institute: she was vice-director between 1989 and 1993, headed the then Department of Ultrastructure and Cell Biology, the Laboratory of Cellular Ultrastructure and coordinated the Postgraduate Program in Parasite Biology.
He was also a member of national and international scientific societies, such as the American Society for Cell Biology and the Brazilian Society for Electron Microscopy, of which he served two terms as vice president. He was also a member of the editorial board of the journal Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz.
Maria de Nazareth Meirelles passed away on January 19, 2019, but her scientific legacy lives on, along with the affection she shared among colleagues, students, and family. Proof of this was the emotion visible on the faces and voices of those who participated in the tribute during the 'Somos Manguinhos' project.
"Launching the medal on this day means recognizing the role of women in Brazilian history, giving them the importance they deserve in the development of science. And there is no one better than Maria de Nazareth Meirelles to express the femininity, sweetness, and warmth that are so characteristic of women," commented the director of the IOC and the honoree’s second student, Tania Araujo-Jorge.
The celebration began with testimonies from Nazareth's family, who emphasized how science was always present in her life, including in her most intimate relationships. Ana Luiza Leal de Meirelles, granddaughter and medical student, shared memories that demonstrated how much her grandmother's scientific perspective also permeated the family's daily life.
"She always passed on her knowledge, whether as a researcher and teacher, or as a grandmother. She let us use makeup and paint pictures with her grandchildren, but she also taught us about the formation of continents, volcanoes, embryo division, and even the insects that entered her house," she said.
These fond memories reveal a scientist who didn't confine her knowledge to the confines of academia, but brought it into her home, between paintbrushes and games. More than simply imparting knowledge, Nazareth taught by example, inspiring with her firm and affectionate presence.
"The way she taught most was through example. She was always a tender and maternal woman, but above all, firm in her principles and goals," he added.
Psychologist Cristina Meirelles, the researcher's daughter, highlighted her mother's importance as a female icon in science, emphasizing not only her intellectual contribution but also her ability to pave the way for other women.
"She left a legacy. She brought to the world of science a host of wonderful women who today lead laboratories across Brazil and the world. This is absolutely relevant, because we live in a very masculine world, where everything is done by men, with men, for men," he noted.
Between scientific publications, children at home, and academic children, Maria de Nazareth Meirelles built a legacy that spans generations. The medal that now bears her name celebrates not only her story, but that of all women who, like her, make science an act of care, rigor, and transformation.
If the tribute to the trajectory of Maria de Nazareth Meirelles was marked by emotion and joy, the opening program of the second act of the Symposium IOC Jubilee 125 Years also reserved a moment of mourning and reflection.
In the morning, the project “In Memoriam – Presences beyond COVID-19” unveiled a plaque at the Leônidas Deane Pavilion in memory of Juliana de Meis and Délcio Freitas da Silva, professionals at the Institute who died prematurely as a result of Covid-19.
"The most important thing is to remember that each of these losses was affected by very serious political issues. It is essential that the Institute and the Fiocruz preserve this memory, so that it can serve as critical reflection in decisive moments”, highlighted the head of the Thymus Research Laboratory, Adriana Bonomo.
The researcher at the Thymus Research Laboratory and former director of the IOC, Wilson Savino, also pointed out the political nature of the losses caused by the pandemic and the urgency of accountability.
"A significant portion of Covid-19 deaths were crimes—and these crimes remain unpunished. Júlia and Délcio were victims," he said.
Still as part of the symposium program IOC, but organized by the presidency of the Fiocruz, the 'Oswaldo Cruz Forum – Connections for the future of science' was held.
With a focus on collective dialogue and the construction of strategic guidelines for the Fiocruz, the event took place in the auditorium of the Vinícius Fonseca Administrative Center, in Bio-Manguinhos and was also broadcast on YouTube.
Professor and former Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education of Portugal, Manuel Heitor, gave the conference 'Challenges of science in the contemporary world: the role of research in Fiocruz', which had as debater the rector of UERJ, Gulnar Azevedo.
The non-profit reproduction of the text is allowed as long as the source is cited (Comunicação / Instituto Oswaldo Cruz)
 |
 |
