First Portuguese scientist elected to the American Academy of Microbiology

Cecília Arraiano joins the 2700 renowned scientists who have been elected Fellows of the American Academy for Microbiology over the last 50 years. The coordinator of the Gene Expression Control Laboratory at ITQB, a member of an Associate Laboratory supported by FCT, thus becomes the first Portuguese scientist to be part of this prestigious academy.

For Cecília Arraiano, this election is a great honor, especially since "it's the first time there's been a Fellow from Portugal". A biologist with a PhD in Genetics and several distinctions and participations in scientific committees and societies, Cecília Arraiano is dedicated to studying the mechanisms that regulate the activation and inactivation of genes in microorganisms. Her work, and that of her team, has implications for biotechnology and health.

According to the American Academy for Microbiology website, election as a Fellow marks "peer recognition of excellence in microbiology". It is the result of a highly competitive peer review process, based on the candidate's "outstanding achievements and original contributions that have advanced microbiology". Many Fellows have been recognized with other distinctions, such as the Nobel Prize and the Lasker Award.