Paula Coutinho, pioneer of neurogenetics in Portugal, has died
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Neurologist and researcher Paula Coutinho, who has dedicated herself to studying neurodegenerative diseases, particularly paramyeloidosis and Machado Josef’s disease, commonly known as “foot disease”, considers it “one of the biggest drivers of predictive genetics in Portugal.” She died this Saturday a few weeks after her health deteriorated which led to her being hospitalized at Santo Antonio Hospital in Porto, ending up dying during the night in the dorm she had lived in for five years, according to her family members. Sunday.
The doctor, born in Macieira de Cambra, graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of Porto, with 18 values, and began her FMUP career (18 values) at the Geral de Santo António (HGSA) Hospital, where – from 1967 to 1998 – she was an intern, general trainee and integrator , specialist, assistant, head of the clinic and service. In this hospital unit, with a grant from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, I began investing in the application of immunofluorescence in familial amyloid neuropathy.
From 1975 to 1992, she worked as a clinical consultant at the Center for the Study of Paramyeloidoses in Porto, and as a Visiting Professor of Neurology at the Abel Salazar Institute for Biomedical Sciences (1979-1998). “Since its inception in 1992, he has been a member of the research team at UnIGENe (Unit for Genetic and Epidemiological Research in Neurological Diseases), which was later installed at IBMC (Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology), now at i3S (UP), where he was also a member of the team. Clinical CGPP (Centre for Predictive and Preventive Genetics)”, recalls geneticist Jorge Siqueiros, colleague at IBMC, in a biographical note sent to journalists that was also signed by José Barros, Clinical Director of the Porto Hospital Center.
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Specialists point out that Paula Coutinho has devoted herself primarily to the practice and teaching of neuroscience, neurogenetics and neuroepidemiology. In particular, familial amyloidosis (paramyeloid neuropathy) and Machado-Joseph disease, which helped define it as a clinical entity. “She has been the guide and responsible for the national, systematic, population-based screening for hereditary ataxia and spastic paralysis, which has been carried out in Portugal for more than 12 years, leading to the description of new clinical and genetic entities and which to this day remains a valuable source of information for the investigation of these groups of diseases” Jorge Siqueiros Books. .
“Machado-Joseph disease: an attempt to define“It was the title of the doctoral dissertation that earned her the Medal of the First Edition of the Bial Prize, in 1993. She was the author or co-author of dozens of scholarly articles.” He had reference personalities Corino de Andrade and João Resende. He has inherited this inspiration for several generations, weaving a network of free people, committed to a converging perspective of medicine, science and society,” says José Barros.
Finally, the geneticist remembers some of the character traits of a woman who stood out in her career, but not only. In addition to teaching neuroscience and neurogenetics, she was passionate about the Azores (Flores, more than the others), dogs (mutations), gardens (camellias, magnolia, cryptomeria, and araucaria), cinema (for the author), and detective novels (Maigret), from Among others), Formula 1 (Ayrton Sena, only!) and by Futebol Clube do Porto (always!)”.
In a tribute given to her by the Center for Predictive and Preventive Genetics in 2016, Paula Coutinho helped plant a magnolia tree in the garden between the two i3S buildings, symbolizing the clinic’s connection to research, now recalls Jorge Siqueiros, concluding: “Magnolia continues to be lush.”
“Entrepreneur. Music enthusiast. Lifelong communicator. General coffee aficionado. Internet scholar.”
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