Unicamp professors Daniel Martins de Souza and Cassiana Montagner were awarded prizes in a selection made by international organizations.
Associate Professor of Biochemistry, Souza is the first Brazilian to receive this award. World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) – a society that has existed since 1974 and brings together the different psychiatric societies of the world. The professor was awarded the “WFSBP Research Prize”, which is intended for scientists (MD, PhD or equivalent) “whose current scientific work has had a significant impact on the area of clinical and/or basic research in psychiatry”.
The award is primarily a result of Souza's contribution to the biological understanding of schizophrenia through scientific publications and presentations at scientific conferences. In addition to basic research, Souza was recognized for his work in science outreach, which reaches people with schizophrenia and their families.
The professor says the award is an indication that his research is heading in the right direction.
“This research was conducted in Brazil. I have had a laboratory at Unicamp for 12 years, and the recognition therefore comes from something we are doing in Brazil,” he said. “I am the first Brazilian to win this award, and that alone demonstrates the strength and quality of Brazilian research,” he added.
“This is a project that involves generations of undergraduate and graduate students and is, therefore, the result of the work of many people; of many people who are here or who have passed through here (Unicamp),” he stated. “I feel honored by the recognition and even more motivated to continue on this path,” he concluded.
Mountaineer
Cassiana Montagner, a professor in the Department of Analytical Chemistry at the Institute of Chemistry (IQ) at Unicamp, was one of the winners of the 2026 Brazilian Women in Chemistry Award.
The award is an initiative of the American Chemical Society and the Brazilian Chemical Society, which aims to promote gender equality, focusing on the Brazilian scientific community, and to recognize the impact of diversity in scientific research in chemistry. Thus, the program seeks to reward women scientists with outstanding research in the field of Chemistry and related sciences. Montagner won in the Emerging Leader in Chemistry and Related Sciences category.
The honorees will be awarded during the SBQ Women's Nucleus Symposium, which will take place at the 49th Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Chemical Society, from June 15 to 18, 2026. The award ceremony is scheduled for June 17.
