The Schizophrenia International Research Society (SIRS) – a global academic organization dedicated to the study of schizophrenia and related disorders – awarded the 2023 Basic Research Award to professor at the Institute of Biology at the State University of Campinas (IB-Unicamp) Daniel Martins- de Souza.
Biologist and doctor in biochemistry from Unicamp, Martins-de-Souza completed postdoctoral internships at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry (Germany) and at the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom), where he headed the Mass Spectrometry group at the Cambridge Center for Neuropsychiatric Research (CCNR). After working for two years as Principal Investigator at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Germany, he returned to Brazil in 2014, when he established at Unicamp, with support from FAPESP, the Neuroproteomics Laboratory, which he coordinates to this day. .
His team uses proteomic analysis based on mass spectrometry (shotgun proteomics) and systems biology techniques in studies that seek to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in schizophrenia and identify biomarkers that help in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. He has also been investigating the possible brain effects of viral infections, including Zika and SARS-CoV-2.
“When we look at the list of those who have already won this basic science award, we find renowned and very productive researchers in the areas of neuroscience, neurobiology and psychiatry”, says Martins-de-Souza to Agência FAPESP. “In view of all the challenges that we Brazilians face, even more so with all the denialism spread over the last four years, this recognition is important. I left a career outside Brazil to train students here and conduct high-quality research funded by FAPESP. Being included in this list [of award winners] shows that we are on the right path.”
Aimed at scientists dedicated to basic research in the field of schizophrenia, the Basic Research Award has been awarded annually by SIRS since 2012. It is part of the set of eight Honorific Awards (honorary awards) offered by the entity.
