Winner. Scientist of the Year 2020

Angela TS Wyse

Academic title, degree: Professor, Ph.D.
Fields of science: Biochemistry, Neuroscience
Research interest: Neurometabolic, neurodegenerative diseases and neuroprotection
Institution: Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)
Position: Full Professor
Country: Brazil

Angela Terezinha de Souza Wyse began her academic trajectory in Universidade de Rio Grande (FURG) since falling in love with Biochemistry discipline in the first year of undergraduate course. She obtained her Master and PhD degrees in Biochemistry at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). After PhD, she entered as Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry to the Health Basic Science Institute at the UFRGS. In the last 20 years she has been engaged in activities, such as mentoring and research teaching, having so far supervised 17 post-doctoral fellows, 29 PhD and 45 MSc students, some of whom currently hold academic research positions at various universities in Brazil, as well as in the United States and Europe.

Professor Wyse has been a member of Editorial Boards of specialized journals, and participates in peer review projects in many Research Funding Agencies in both Brazil and abroad.

Her research comprehends multiple experimental approaches that range from neurochemistry to behavior. She is also concerned with the investigation of neuroprotective agents, such as antioxidants and physical exercise on behavioral and/or neurochemical alterations in experimental animals of neurodegenerative disorders. Professor Wyse has shown that homocysteine, an amino acid accumulated in homocystinuria are known to be a risk factor for ischemia and neurodegenerative diseases, causes brain and heart damage by affecting energy metabolism, Na+, K+-ATPase activity and neural excitotoxicity. She developed a well-accepted experimental model of hyperhomocysteinemia that has been employed to perform biochemical and behavioral studies relevant to unveil the neurotoxicity of homocysteine. Findings of her research group have been acknowledged and cited by many researchers all over the world. These studies have also set the basis for the understanding of lipid and DNA damage found in homocystinuric patients, and her results are of great potential to improve medical practice since they opened new perspectives for preclinical and clinical studies in order to treat hyperhomocysteinemic condition. She is also dedicated to the investigations of potential neuroprotector molecules, especially creatine and folate, as well as other antioxidants. She has opened a line to investigate the neurobiology of menopause, ranging from biochemistry to behavior in experimental models, with focus on development of alternative treatment to fight brain damage found in menopause.

Professor Wyse has published more than 390 scientific papers in international peer reviewed journals that have received an expressive number of citations (Web of Sciences, citation 7035, H index= 39, Scopus number of citation 7299, H index 40).

Professor Wyse has received several awards, including the "Awards CAPES-Elsevier 2014" for her contribution to the development of science in Brazil.

She also published a book of poetry entitled "Neuropoesia".

Angela Wyse is Full Professor of Biochemistry of the Institute of Basic Health Sciences at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). She is a Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC), in the area of Biological Science, and a Member of the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), in the area of Medical and Health Sciences in Neuroscience. Professor Wyse has been supervising many post-graduate students. Her research work is focused on the neurotoxic mechanisms of homocysteine and neurometabolic diseases, as well as on brain ischemia. Findings of her research group have correlated with signals and symptoms found in patients affected by classical homocystinuria. Convinced that access to science and education are pillars to citizenship, Professor Wyse has recently launched a social project for underprivileged children of the public school system on the outskirts of Porto Alegre, the town that has become home for the last few years.

Recently, Professor Wyse received the award entitled "Awards Pesquisador Gaúcho 2018” for her contribution to the development of science in Rio Grande do Sul. More recently, Professor Wyse was awarded with the Woman Protagonist of Science in Brazil Biological Science/ Open Box of Sciences and the title of “Illustrious Riograndina from the city of Rio Grande”. She is the Regional Secretary of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC), which focuses on promoting scientific and technological advances and furthering education and culture in Brazil.