Mayana Zatz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mayana Zatz
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| Born | 16 July 1947 Tel Aviv, Israel
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| Nationality | Brazilian |
| Alma mater | University of California, Los Angeles University of São Paulo |
| Awards | National Order of Scientific Merit (2000) L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards (2001) Premio México de Ciencia y Tecnología (2008) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics |
| Doctoral advisor | Oswaldo Frota-Pessoa |
Mayana Zatz (born July 16, 1947) is a famous Brazilian scientist. She is a molecular biologist, which means she studies tiny parts of living things like DNA. She is also a geneticist, someone who studies genes and how traits are passed down in families. Mayana Zatz is a professor and a research dean at the University of São Paulo.
Contents
Her Early Life and Education
Mayana Zatz was born in Israel in 1947. When she was a child, her family moved to France and then to Brazil in 1955.
She studied Biology at the University of São Paulo, earning her first degree in 1968. She continued her studies there, getting her master's and doctorate degrees in Biological Sciences. Later, she did more advanced research in Medical Genetics at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1977.
Mayana became very interested in studying muscular dystrophy while she was in college. This is a group of diseases that cause muscles to become weak over time. She followed the case of a patient whose family had many members with this condition. This experience made her want to help others.
Helping Families with Genetic Diseases
In 1969, Dr. Zatz began working with families who had neuromuscular diseases. These are problems that affect both muscles and nerves. She helped them understand the risk of their children having similar health issues.
Years later, she checked in with these families again. She found that many families who were at high risk had decided not to have more children. However, she was sad to see that many children born with these problems had been left without proper care. These children often had normal minds but needed help with their muscles. They were not going to school or getting physical therapy.
The Brazilian Association of Muscular Dystrophy (ABIM)
Because of what she saw, Mayana Zatz and her team started the Brazilian Association of Muscular Dystrophy (ABIM) in 1981. It was the first center in Latin America to help people with muscular dystrophy.
ABIM helps about 100 children and teenagers every week. They also see many other patients each month. Since it started, ABIM has helped over 1,000 children, many of whom come from poor families. The organization provides physical therapy, water therapy (hydrotherapy), and fun activities. They also offer support to help with creativity and thinking skills. Both patients and their families receive psychological support.
Important Discoveries and Recognition
Mayana Zatz is a member of important science groups, including the International Human Genome Project. Her work has been mentioned in many scientific papers. She has published over 170 articles in well-known science magazines like "Nature Genetics". She also writes a column for the Brazilian "Veja Magazine".
Throughout her career, Mayana has helped around 16,000 people from families affected by genetic diseases. This is one of the highest numbers of cases recorded anywhere in the world.
In 1995, Mayana, along with professor Maria Rita Passos Bueno and student Eloísa de Sá Moreira, made a big discovery. They were the first scientists in the world to find one of the genes linked to a type of dystrophy that affects the arms and legs. They also found the gene responsible for Knobloch syndrome. This condition causes a type of progressive blindness.
Mayana Zatz has received many awards for her important work. These include the 2000 L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science and the 2001 Claudia Woman of the Year Award. She also received the National Order of Scientific Merit in 2000 and the Premio México de Ciencia y Tecnología in 2008.
See also
- In Spanish: Mayana Zatz para niños
