Mónica Bettencourt-Dias facts for kids

Mónica Bettencourt-Dias, born in 1974, is a Portuguese scientist. She is a biochemist and a cellular biologist. This means she studies the tiny parts that make up living things, especially cells. She leads a research group at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC) in Portugal.

Her main research is about how cells grow and divide. This process is called "cell cycle regulation." For her important discoveries, she has received many awards. These include the Pfizer Award for Basic Research and the Keith Porter Prize. She was also chosen as a Young Investigator Fellow by the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). In 2015, she became a full member of EMBO. Since February 1, 2018, Mónica Bettencourt-Dias has been the Director of the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência.

About Mónica Bettencourt-Dias

Early Life and Education

Mónica Bettencourt Carvalho was born in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1974. When she was a child, she dreamed of becoming an astrophysicist, someone who studies stars and space. She started her university studies in biochemistry at the University of Lisbon.

After finishing her first degree, she joined a PhD program. This was at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência. She studied cell biology there and finished her studies at University College London. In 2001, she earned her doctorate degree in biochemistry and molecular biology. Her research during this time focused on how heart cells can regrow in animals like salamanders.

Postdoctoral Research

After her PhD, Mónica continued her research at the University of Cambridge. At the same time, she also studied at Birkbeck College in London. Her work during this period focused on kinases. These are special types of enzymes that are very important for how our bodies use energy and how cells send signals to each other.

She made an important discovery about a kinase called PLK4. She found that PLK4 controls how many centrosomes an organism develops. Centrosomes are tiny parts inside cells that help them divide correctly. Her studies at Birkbeck College were also about how scientists can talk about their work more clearly to the public.

Leading Her Own Lab

In 2006, after finishing her studies, Mónica Bettencourt-Dias returned to Portugal. She opened her own laboratory at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência. There, she continued her research on how centrioles form and what they do in cells. Centrioles are also tiny parts of cells that are linked to centrosomes.

In 2007, she received the Eppendorf Young European Investigator Award. In 2009, she was selected as a Young Investigator Fellow by the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). These awards recognize promising young scientists.

Important Discoveries and Leadership

In 2010, Mónica received a grant from the European Research Council. This money helped her study problems with centrioles. She investigated how having too many or too few centrioles, or mistakes in cell division, can lead to serious health issues. These issues can include the growth of tumors or problems with fertility.

Her research has earned her many honors. In 2012, she received the Pfizer Award for Basic Research. In the same year, she also won the Keith Porter Prize from the American Society for Cell Biology. She has written many scientific papers and helps edit several science journals. In 2015, she became a full member of the EMBO.

Mónica Bettencourt-Dias became the Director of the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência on February 1, 2018. From 2022 to 2023, she was also the Chair of EU-LIFE. This is a group of research institutes that works to support excellent scientific research in Europe.

See also

In Spanish: Mónica Bettencourt-Dias para niños