José Moura Gonçalves
Encyclopedia
José Moura Gonçalves Brazilian physician
, biomedical scientist
, biochemist
and educator, one of the pioneers of biochemistry
in the country.
Moura Gonçalves studied medicine
in Belo Horizonte
. While a student, he began to work as an assistant in the laboratory of physiological chemistry of Professor José Baeta Vianna. After graduation, he accepted an invitation to work on the chemistry of protein
s and enzyme
s at the Instituto de Biofísica da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, under noted scientist Carlos Chagas Filho
. His post-doctoral work was carried out at University of Wisconsin–Madison
, in the United States
, where he produced what was his most important work, the isolation of a new toxic
protein from the venom
of rattlesnake
s, which he named crotamine
.
Returning to Brazil in the first years of the 1950s, he was invited by Dr. Zeferino Vaz
to join the new and ambitious project of a research medical school at the hinterland city of Ribeirão Preto
, the Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto
of the Universidade de São Paulo, where he became the chairman of the department of biochemistry, and, after Vaz's departure, the new dean of the medical school, in 1964.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, biomedical scientist
Biomedical scientist
A biomedical scientist is a scientist trained in biology, particularly in the context of medicine...
, biochemist
Biochemist
Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. Typical biochemists study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. The prefix of "bio" in "biochemist" can be understood as a fusion of "biological chemist."-Role:...
and educator, one of the pioneers of biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
in the country.
Moura Gonçalves studied medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
in Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
. While a student, he began to work as an assistant in the laboratory of physiological chemistry of Professor José Baeta Vianna. After graduation, he accepted an invitation to work on the chemistry of protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
s and enzyme
Enzyme
Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...
s at the Instituto de Biofísica da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, under noted scientist Carlos Chagas Filho
Carlos Chagas Filho
Carlos Chagas Filho was a Brazilian physician, biologist and scientist active in the field of neuroscience. He was internationally renowned for his investigations on the neural mechanisms underlying the phenomenon of electrogenesis by the electroplaques of electric fishes...
. His post-doctoral work was carried out at University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he produced what was his most important work, the isolation of a new toxic
Toxin
A toxin is a poisonous substance produced within living cells or organisms; man-made substances created by artificial processes are thus excluded...
protein from the venom
Venom
Venom is the general term referring to any variety of toxins used by certain types of animals that inject it into their victims by the means of a bite or a sting...
of rattlesnake
Rattlesnake
Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus of the subfamily Crotalinae . There are 32 known species of rattlesnake, with between 65-70 subspecies, all native to the Americas, ranging from southern Alberta and southern British Columbia in Canada to Central...
s, which he named crotamine
Crotamine
Crotamine is a toxin present in the venom of the South American rattlesnake . It was first isolated and purified by Brazilian scientist José Moura Gonçalves, and later intensively studied by his group of collaborators at the Medical School of Ribeirão Preto of the University of São Paulo Crotamine...
.
Returning to Brazil in the first years of the 1950s, he was invited by Dr. Zeferino Vaz
Zeferino Vaz
Zeferino Vaz led the construction, establishment and development of the Unicamp university, in the interior of the State of São Paulo, Brazil in the 1960s and 1970s...
to join the new and ambitious project of a research medical school at the hinterland city of Ribeirão Preto
Ribeirão Preto
Ribeirão Preto is a municipality and city in the Northeastern region of the state of São Paulo in Brazil. It is nicknamed Brazilian California, because of a combination of an economy based on agrobusiness plus high technology, wealth and sunny weather all year long. With 605,114 inhabitants,...
, the Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto
Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto
Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto is a medical school of the University of São Paulo located in the city of Ribeirão Preto, state of São Paulo, Brazil, founded 1952...
of the Universidade de São Paulo, where he became the chairman of the department of biochemistry, and, after Vaz's departure, the new dean of the medical school, in 1964.
External links
- Interview with José Moura Gonçalves, Canal Ciência, IBICT (in Portuguese)
- Leite, FV: O Professor Moura Gonçalves. Revista USP Ribeirão Preto, 2002.
- Nóbrega, FG: José Moura Gonçalves. Revista ADUSP, 1998.