- Argentina - Portal público de noticias de la República Argentina.
The researcher Ana Belén Elgoyhen has received the L’ORÉAL-UNESCO Award For Women in Science for her contributions towards understanding the molecular basis of hearing.
Since 1998 the cosmetics company known as L’Óreal, and UNESCO have been devoted to promoting scientific projects undertaken by female researchers through the so-called “For Women in Science” program. Apart from granting fellowships to female researchers all around the world, a jury of 18 internationally renowned scientists selects a researcher per continent working for two fields which are alternately awarded prizes: Material and Life Sciences. This prize, which has been awarded for 10 years has definitely turned into the top prize that a woman engaged in science may ever dream of receiving.
The Argentine scientist Ana Belén Elgoyhen has turned into the 2008 Laureate for Latin America within the field of Life Sciences because of the research project she carried out on the molecular basis of hearing. Back in 2003 Mariana Weissman was acknowledged for her works on mathematical physics.
In an interview with Argentina.ar, Ana Belén Elgoyhen admitted that that was the most important prize that she had ever been awarded during her professional life. All winners receive a U$S100.000 apart from the above mentioned acknowledgement.
Ana Belén Elgoyhen has been working at the Research Institute on Genetic Engineering and Molecular Biology (INGEBI) coming under the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET) for over 10 years. Between 1991 and 1994, she was engaged in research projects conducted at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California where she was awarded a Post-PhD fellowship. Nevertheless, she decided to come back to her country and stated: “I have come back because I wanted to live in Argentina. Such was a personal life decision I made. I did not want to live in the USA. I wanted to live in my country and start a family here”.
As regards her studies, she attended the high school for international studies at Santa Catalina School located in Belgrano, in the City of Buenos Aires. After completing her studies, she decided to take up Biochemistry at the University of Buenos Aires and completed a PhD. course in Pharmacology at Conicet. Concerning her educational track record in her country, she asserts: “I have received a first-class education here, both at primary and high school and at undergraduate and graduate levels, an example of which definitely being the PhD. program that I completed in Argentina. When I went to the United States, I never felt that I was at a disadvantage vis-â-vis any other European or American researcher. Argentina has an additional asset in education, it owns more well-rooted paths”.
-What your contribution to science was whereby you have been awarded the above mentioned prize?
This prize actually stands as an acknowledgment for researchers´ background and experience. As a matter of fact, we have been working on hearing phisiology for 4 years in an attempt to figure out what role certain information-carrying genes play in the synthesis of molecules housed within the ear sensing cells. We basically study a system by which the Central Nervous System sends information to the ear and regulates how such cells work. Therefore, it regulates the dynamic range of human hearing, that is to say, the way we hear. This system is of utmost significance since, if compared to the hearing, touching and tasting senses, it is the the only one sensing system receiving information from the Central Nervious System, and therefore regulating the way in which this system works.
- What is its applicability in terms of social usage?
We are engaged in basic science. Nevertheless, this system I am describing serves two major purposes within the ear. One of them consists in maximizing sound detection in a noisy environment. We may filter sounds we are not interested in, for instance that of the air-conditioner when it is on, and focus all our attention on a major sound. The other purpose served by this system is protecting the ear from acoustic trauma, which is regarded as an irreversible damage caused to the ear sensing cells when being confronted with very intense noise. Once these cells are damaged, they die and do not reproduce again, thus resulting in two disorders known as hypoacusia, that is to say deafness, and the appearance of acuphens or tinnitus, which is the ongoing perception of a buzz, sound or noise within the head when there is no external sound source. Actually, these symptoms are very debilitating for the patient suffering from this disorder. These would thus be said to be the two practical applications of this system.
Even when Ana Belén Elgoyhen acknowledges that carrying out research projects in Argentina is not easy at all, she also argues that “the creation of a Department for Science,Technology and Productive Innovation“ appears to be a step forward in science and it is the first time we own a Department for Science. Furthermore, the minister in charge is a scientist [Lino Barañao] rather than a politician.
I believe this initiative definitely stands as a big change, and a symbol of great interest shown by the government. I hope other measures will be taken following this undertaking, and that this trend may last over time after the term of office of this government has been completed”.
Elgoyhen coordinates a 10-staff team made up of researchers, fellowship and post PhD. holders working at Ingebi. She also points out that there are foreign colaborators from Harvard, UCLA and John Hopkins universities also taking part in her projects since “research works currently require such a diverse technology that no laboratory owns it all. That is to say, if you look at the research works conducted, they clearly involve the work carried out by several cooperating laboratories”.
Ana Belén Elgoyhen admitted that that was the most important prize that she had ever been awarded during her professional life. All winners receive a U$S100.000 apart from the above mentioned acknowledgement.
