Andrea Gamarnik (Capital Federal, Argentina, 5 October 1964)[1] is an Argentine molecular virologist noted for her work on Dengue fever.[2] She received a 2016 L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science fellowship for work on mosquito-borne viruses include Dengue fever.[3][4] She also was granted the Konex Award Merit Diploma in 2013 and the Platinum Konex Award in 2023 for her work in those last decades.[5] She studied at the University of Buenos Aires and the University of California, San Francisco. She has done work for the Leloir Institute.[6] She is the first female Argentinian to become a member of the American Academy of Microbiology.[7]

Andrea Gamarnik
Andrea Gamarnik at L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science in 2016
Known forwork on dengue fever
Scientific career
Fieldsvirology

Biography

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Early years

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Gamarnik was raised in the city of Lanús.[8] In 1988, she graduated in Biochemistry with golden medal in the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires, due to her family's effort and a scholarship from the Lanus College of Pharmacists.[9] Gamarnik finished her doctorate studies in the same university in 1993, then, between 1994 and 1999, did a post-doctorate in virology in the University of California in San Francisco,[10][11] where she studied the molecular mechanisms of poliovirus.[8]

Professional career

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Gamarnik worked at the biotech company ViroLogic on the development of phenotypic assays for HIV, and hepatitis B and C viruses between 2000 and 2001. She returned to Argentina at the end of 2001 to join the Leloir Institute,[12][13][14] where she created the first Molecular Virology laboratory,[15] and from which she has already published more than 30 research papers on the dengue virus.[16] From 2005 to 2011, Gamarnik was an International Research Scholar at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.[17] She is currently head of the Molecular Virology Laboratory at the Leloir Institute Foundation,[18][14][19][20] independent researcher at the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET),[18][14] associate editor of the journal PLoS Pathogens, and member of the editorial board of the journal Virology.[21][22][23][24]

One of the most important research that came out of the Molecular Virology laboratory at the Leloir Institute, was the discovery of the mechanism by which the dengue virus multiplies between molecules.[18] Additionally, in 2015 they determined what the dengue virus needs to pass from mosquito to human, that is, how it changes to be able to infect two types of cells.[16]

Gamarnik actively participates in policy discussions related to the promotion of science and women in science, from speeches at award ceremonies[25] or interviews with sitting presidents in Argentina,[26][14] to signing public letters with the S&T Group.[27][16] Additionally, she has published research in prestigious journals in her field such as Genes and Development, Virology, RNA and Journal of Biological Chemistry.[18] Her studies on viral attenuation mechanisms are the basis for the design of vaccines, which resulted in a technology exported to the United States.[18]

During the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Gamarnik and her team at the Leloir Institute developed the first antibody test for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, "COVIDAR IgG", in only 45 days. This antibody test was manufactured in Argentina.[28][29][30][31]

References

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  1. ^ "Quiénes son las científicas más destacadas del país". clarin.com (in Spanish). 17 July 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Dengue Virus Reveals Its Circular Secret". ScienceDaily. May 27, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  3. ^ "Discover the 2016 L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science laureates". Fondation L'Oréal. March 24, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  4. ^ UNESCO
  5. ^ Fundación Konex (2 May 2023). "Andrea Gamarnik - biografía en Fundación Konex". fundacionkonex.org (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-05-16.
  6. ^ "Andrea V. Gamarnik". Molecular virology. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  7. ^ "Spotlight on the Scientist Andrea Gamarnik". Discov’Her, L'Oreal Foundation. May 30, 2014. Archived from the original on June 24, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Andrea Gamarnik, la científica que no se calla". clarin.com (in Spanish). 3 April 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  9. ^ "Premian investigaciones en dengue". lanacion.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 October 2016.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ "Spotlight on the Scientist Andrea Gamarnik: the first Argentinian, female member of the American Academy of Microbiology". discov-her.com. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Premian los avances sobre el virus de una científica argentina". lanacion.com.ar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  12. ^ "Premian los avances sobre el virus de una científica argentina". lanacion.com.ar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  13. ^ "Premian investigaciones en dengue". lanacion.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 October 2016.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ a b c d "Andrea Gamarnik, la científica que no se calla". clarin.com (in Spanish). 3 April 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  15. ^ "ANDREA GAMARNIK Reconocimiento a una investigadora". lanacion.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 October 2016.[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ a b c "Quiénes son las científicas más destacadas del país". clarin.com (in Spanish). 17 July 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  17. ^ "Distinguieron a 12 científicos argentinos". lanacion.com.ar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 21 June 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  18. ^ a b c d e "Spotlight on the Scientist Andrea Gamarnik: the first Argentinian, female member of the American Academy of Microbiology". discov-her.com. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  19. ^ "En el Día Internacional de la Mujer, la ciencia sigue en deuda con ellas". lanacion.com.ar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  20. ^ "Dengue: logran ver la estructura del virus". lanacion.com.ar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 18 March 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  21. ^ Andrea V Gamarnik
  22. ^ Jefe de laboratorio
  23. ^ Andrea V. Gamarnik, PhD
  24. ^ Virología Molecular
  25. ^ "Científica argentina recibió el premio L'oréal-Unesco por sus descubrimientos sobre el dengue". telam.com.ar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  26. ^ ""Las mujeres siguen teniendo obstáculos en la ciencia", dijo la científica que se reunirá con Macri". telam.com.ar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  27. ^ "Preparando una nueva fuga de cerebros". pagina12.com.ar (in Spanish). 5 December 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  28. ^ "Investigadores argentinos logran desarrollar el primer test serológico del país para el nuevo coronavirus SARS-CoV-2" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-12-17.
  29. ^ "Desarrollaron un test local para medir anticuerpos contra el coronavirus". www.lanacion.com.ar (in Spanish). 7 May 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  30. ^ "Científicos argentinos logran desarrollar el primer test serológico de Covid-19 del país". Perfil.com. 2020-05-07. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  31. ^ "Andrea Gamarnik: "Esto también es una forma de independencia"". Página 12. 11 May 2020. p. https://www.pagina12.com.ar/. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
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