Mayana Zatz

CURRENT POSITION: - Professor of Genetics, University of São Paulo - Director, Human Genome Research Center, University of São Paulo - President and Founder, Brazilian Muscular Dystrophy Association MAIN AFFILIATIONS: - Member of International Human Genome Project (HUGO) - Science Academy of the State of São Paulo - Brazilian Academy of Sciences -Third world Academy of Sciences (TWAS) DISCIPLINES / FIELDS OF RESEARCH: - Doctorate in Human Genetics, São Paulo University - Post-doctorate in Medical Genetics, University of California, USA Professor Zatz has devoted her career to the genetics of neuromuscular diseases. Her initial research focused on the genetics of muscular dystrophies, a group of disorders causing progressive muscle degeneration. Her group was responsible for the identification of six new genes responsible for neuromuscular disorders and for the publication of almost 300 scientific papers. Neuromuscular disorders affect 1 in 1,000 individuals worldwide, which represents approximately 180,000 people in Brazil. Among the different forms of muscular dystrophy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy is the most severe and the most prevalent. This illness afflicts one out of every 3,000 baby boys. Deeply concerned with the social and ethical difficulties facing families affected by these diseases, Mayana Zatz founded the Brazilian Muscular Dystrophy Association in 1981 to help families in any aspect that may improve their quality of life. This includes material assistance, psychological support, genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis. Through diagnosis and genetic counseling, she has assisted almost 25,000 individuals belonging to families affected by inherited neuropathies. MAIN DISTINCTIONS: - Medal of Scientific and Technological Merit, Government of the State of São Paulo (2000) - National Order of Scientific and Technological Merit, Presidency of Brazil (2000) - L'ORÉAL-UNESCO Award For Women in Science (2001) - Third World Academy of Sciences Prize in Basic Medical Sciences (2003)