Morel is director, Centre for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro. A molecular biologist and medical doctor, he received his MD from the Medical Faculty, Federal Univ. of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil, and completed PhD work at the Biophysics Inst., Federal Univ. of Rio de Janeiro, and Molecular Biology Dept., Swiss Cancer Inst., Lausanne. He has led research projects in molecular parasitology and collaborated with others on neglected diseases and capacity building. He was previously: Professor, UnB; president, FIOCRUZ; and director, UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, Geneva, where he moved WHO forward in areas such as the unveiling of genomes of parasites and vectors, and establishing relationships with product-development partnerships and global ventures in public health.

Moura is director, Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia and vice-Pres., World Meteorological Organization. He was previously: Dir. Gen., Intl. Res. Inst. for Climate and Society, Columbia U.; snr. researcher and dir. meteorology, INPE, Brazil; and physics prof., U. of Taubate, Brazil. He has advanced research in climate forecasting, El Nino and Atlantic influences on droughts in northeastern Brazil and contributed to application of meteorological satellites and climate modelling in agriculture and water resources. He works on climate forecast system for global food security and relationships between climate and vector-born diseases. Awards include: Rossby Award, MIT; Awards from U. Fed. de Minas Gerais, Brazil; Award for Young Scientists, WMO, Geneva; Santos Dumont Medal, Min. of Aeronautics; Tamandaré Award, Navy, Brazil; elected Hon. Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society, 2013.

Professor and Head of the Institute of Pharmacology and Molecular Biology at the Federal University of São Paulo. Obtained her PhD at Unifesp and post-doctoral training as a Fogarty fellow at the Univ. of Southern California. Since 1985, she is a 1A research fellow of the National Research Council for the Scientific and Technological Development. Her research field is molecular and cell biology of glycoconjugates. At Unifesp, she was the first woman to become Pro-Rector of Undergraduate and Pro-Rector of Research and Graduate programmes. She is a member of several national science and education councils and has received several national and international awards and honours. She is president of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (BAS), co-chair of the Inter-American Network of Academies of Sciences and Governing Board member of the International Science Council. She is member of the BAS, The World Academy of Sciences, and the Latin America Academy of Sciencies. Former president of the Brazilian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2007-2008), honorary president, vice-president (2007-2011) and president (2011-2017) of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Sciences

Nussenzveig Lopes (PhD, 1991, UC Berkeley, USA) is full professor at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; prior to this she was a professor at the Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Her research area is fluid dynamics and partial differential equations. She served as editor-in-chief for the Brazilian Math Society publishing company and on several mathematics journals editorial boards; she is managing editor for Orbita Mathematicae, the new journal of the Unión Matemática de América Latina y el Caribe. She was second vice-president of the Sociedade Brasileira de Matemática Aplicada e Computacional. She served on the scientific council of the Centre International des Mathématiques Pures et Appliquées - CIMPA and is currently President of CIMPA. She is a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society and of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. She is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences. She was inducted to the Order of Scientific Merit, Comendador class, and she was an invited speaker at the 2018 International Congress of Mathematicians. She received the TWAS Award in Mathematics in 2022.

Oliva is a prof. at the Inst. of Physics of São Carlos, U. of São Paulo. He obtained his PhD in Protein Crystallography and Structural Bio. at the U. of London in 1988. He was the key leader in the establishment of Protein Crystallography res. in Brazil, including the development of the first protein crystallography beamline at the Braz. Natl. Synchrotron Lab., and has served as pres. of the Braz. Natl. Council for Scientific and Techn. Development - CNPq (2011-2015). He is member of the Braz. Acad. of Sci., the Natl. Order of Scientific Merit of Brazil, Intl. Scholar of the Howard Hughes Medical Inst. (1997-2001), Fellow of Birkbeck College (2014-) and was profiled by the American magazine Time and CNN (1999) as one of the 50 Latin-American Leaders for the New Millennium. His main res. interests are in structural bio., drug discovery and development against tropical infectious diseases.

Goulart graduated as a pharmacist at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil, where she then got her PhD in Science (1983). She did postdoctoral studies in London, Münster, and Paris. She was a Visiting Professor at Ecole Normale Supérieure, Département de Chimie, Paris (2004–2005, 2007, 2008). She is now a Full Professor at the Federal University of Alagoas, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology (UFAL); a researcher 1B at Brazilian Research Council (CNPq); and full member of the Brazilian Academy of Science (ABC), since 2015. She has published 210 articles, nine patents, 12 book chapters. She received several awards: Young Scientist Award by CNPq (1985); Foreign Young Chemist Award (1997) at International Symposium-Electroorganic Synthesis ’97, Japan; National Award Marie Curie - Distinguished Women on Chemistry by the Brazilian Society of Chemistry (SBQ) (2011); Jabuti Award (2012); Award Roberto Alves de Lima, by UFAL (2018); Prêmio Inovadores by Inova, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) (2020); and Brazilian Women in Science, Scientific Leadership by SBQ/American Chemical Society (2021). She supervised 31 MSc, 40 PhD students and 10 postdoctoral fellows.

Pena is professor of biochemistry at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) in Brazil, where he graduated in medicine in 1970. He became a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada in pediatrics in 1975 and obtained his PhD in human genetics at the University of Manitoba in 1977. He is member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and received the Great-Cross of the National Order of Scientific Merit of Brazil in 2006. is currently a member of the National Council of Science and Technnology of Brazil. Among other honours, he was awarded the 2007 TWAS Prize in Medical Sciences. He was president of the Brazilian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and member of the Council of the Human Genome Organization (HUGO). He created and directs the Danilo Pena Foundation, which grants scholarships to poor students with high intellectual potential.

Rech has been a scientist at EMBRAPA Recursos Geneticos e Biotecnologia, Brazil, since 1981. He obtained his PhD in 1989 at the University of Nottingham, England. He is recognized by his studies on the recombinant DNA technology and its application for development of processes and products with economic and social impacts. His work focuses on the molecular and biochemical mechanisms that governt several types of protein-conformational expression. His awards include: Prize Estado de Sao Paulo Governator; Embrapa Prize for Research Excellence; Commander of the Order of National Scientific Merit, Brazil; and Fellow of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences.

Reis is Prof. of Political Sociology at the Federal U. of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). She obtained her BA (sociology) and MA (political science) in Brazil and her PhD (political science) from MIT. She has been visiting professor at several universities including UC San Diego, Columbia U., MIT, and the Ludwig Maximilian Universität, Munich. She chairs the Interdisciplinary Res. Network on Inequality (NIED) at UFRJ. She is former president of the Natl. Ass. for the Social Sciences. (ANPOCS); former secretary general of Brazilian Sociological Society; she has also served in the Executive Committee of both the International Political Science Association (1988-1994) and the International Sociological Association (2006-2010), and was vice-president of the International Science Council (2018-2021).

Rios-Neto is a visiting professor in the applied economics graduate programme at the Federal University of Ouro Preto. From April 2021 to December 2022, he served as the president of the Brazilian National Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), and from May 2019 to March 2021 he was the director of surveys at IBGE. A member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, he was a distinguished Lemann Visiting Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2015–2016). In 2015, he retired as a full professor of demography at CEDEPLAR-UFMG, where he served from 1980. In 2010, he received the Brazilian Federal Government Medal of Scientific Merit, and in 2006 he was appointed as Tinker Professor at the University of Texas at Austin. From 2004–2011 he was president of the National Committee on Population and Development, and from 1999–2002 he was president of the Brazilian Population Association. From 1996–2000, he served as graduate training director in demography at CEDEPLAR. In 1996, he carried out postdoctoral research in demography at the University of Texas, Austin. He earned his PhD in demography from the University of California at Berkeley.

Roque da Silva is a full professor in the field of electronic structure simulations of condensed matter systems, Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, where he has been working since 1997. His research focuses on nanostructured materials and the exploration of both static and dynamic processes, in particular on charge transport calculations—a field in which he has pioneered methods for large, disordered systems. In 2009 he joined the Brazilian Centre for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), serving first as the director of the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory and, since 2018, as director-general of CNPEM. His leadership has been instrumental in the development of Sirius, the state-of-the-art synchrotron light source in Brazil. He holds a bachelor's and master’s degree in physics from Unicamp, a PhD and postdoctorate from UC Berkeley, and a postdoctorate from UCLA. He is a full member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Sciences of the State of São Paulo. In 2018, he received the National Medal of the Order of Scientific Merit, Commander Class, by the Presidency of the Republic, and in 2025 the Almirante Álvaro Alberto prize.

Ruas is a professor emeritus at the Institute of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, University of São Paulo, where she served as a professor (1981–2012). During her tenure, she served as head of the Department of Mathematics and deputy director of the institute, was a member of the University Council, and vice-chair of the University’s permanent evaluation committee. She also served in the advisory committees of CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel) and CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development). A founding member of the Brazilian Mathematical Society, she sits on its board of directors. A leading expert in singularity theory, Ruas has coordinated international research exchange projects including Brazil’s most prominent research groups in the field. Since 1990, her group has organized the internationally reputed workshop on real and complex singularities. Her scientific contributions to singularity theory include advances in the classification of singularities and their applications to geometry. A member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, she has received the Order of Scientific Merit by the Brazilian government.

Saldiva graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (USP) in 1977, earned his PhD in 1983, and became full professor in the Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine (USP) in 1996. He was the director of the Institute of Advanced Studies at USP (2016–2020) and was elected a member of WHO Air Quality Committee (in 2005 and 2021). He is also a member of the IARC panel that evaluated the carcinogenicity of ambient air pollution in 2013, and of the WHO panel for the development of the verbal autopsy instrument to improve global vital statistics. In the past six years he has developed an autopsy platform for public health studies, which was used during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2023, he serves on the TWAS committee on Urban Health and on the committee of the Public Policies Research Program of São Paulo’s State Scientific Agency. He is a member of the Brazilian National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Medicine, the recipient of the Anchieta Medal (São Paulo Municipality), the Order of Scientific Merit awarded by the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, and was included in Brazilian Forbes as one of the 50 most influential personalities (2024).

Savino was graduated in Biological Sciences at the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (1974), got his MSc degree in Histology and Embryology at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (1979), PhD degree in Cell and Tissue Biology at the University of São Paulo (1982), and had a post-doc training in Cellular Immunology at Necker Hospital, Paris (1983-1985). Presently, he is full researcher at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. He is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences; Editor-in-Chief of the journal NeuroImmunoModulation and Associated Editor of Frontiers in Immunology. He received international awards, namely the title of Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques (France), Doctor Honoris causa by Sorbonne Université (France), the Luis Federico Leloir Medal (Argentinian government), Guest of Honor (National University of Rosário, Argentina) and Eduardo Charreau Award (Argentinian Government). His research is focused in cellular immunology, with emphasis in cell migration in the hemopoietic system; neuroimmune interactions; cell therapy and immunotherapy in neuromuscular diseases.

Sial is full professor (retired, 2012; Emeritus Professor, 2016) in the Department of Geology, Federal U. of Pernambuco, Brazil (UFPE). He obtained his PhD from UC Davis (1974) and did postdoctoral work at the U. of Texas at Austin (1977-78), U. of Georgia at Athens (entire 1983, entire 1988) and U. of Wisconsin (2001). He also trained in Portugal, Canada, Japan and Scotland. He founded a Laboratory for Stable Isotope Studies at UFPE, only one in South America with facilities to analyze O isotopes from silicates, and pioneered the use of isotope stratigraphy in S. America. He has received several honours including: Silver Hammer and José Bonifacio Golden Medals (Brazilian Geological Society); Centennial Medal, Engineering School, UFPE; National Order of Scientific Merit commendator and Grao Cruz classes (by President of Brazil decree); special foreign member, Society of Resource Geology, Japan; and foreign member, Brazilian Academy of Sciences, Lisbon Academy of Sciences, Portugal.

Silva is prof. of biochemistry at the Federal Univ. of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), dir. of the Jiri Jonas Natl. Center of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, and scientific dir. of the Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. His research interest revolves around the understanding of biological recognition processes, especially how proteins correctly fold, misfold into species involved in neurodegenerative diseases, and form supramolecular complexes, such as virus particles. His work has opened new vistas for the use of pressure perturbations in the field of protein folding, structure and dynamics. He was nominated fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, member of the Brazilian Acad. of Sciences. His honours include: Brazilian Order of Scientific Merit (Great-Cross), TWAS Prize in Biology and the FCW Prize in General Science from Fundação Conrado Wessel.

Simis is emeritus full prof., Federal U. of Pernambuco, Brazil, and presently a FAPESP Vis. Sen. Researcher at ICMC-USP. He is First Class research grant recipient from the Brazilian Research Council. He earned his PhD from Queen's U., Canada. In Brazil, he was prof. at IMPA in Rio de Janeiro until 1980. He was president of the Brazilian Mathematical Society and has been member on several occasions of international commissions of the IMU and TWAS. He has been director of 3 workshops in his field at the ICTP. He is a recipient of the Natl. Medal Grã-Cruz for Scientific Merit, Min. of Science and Technology, and was a JS Guggenheim Fellow. He has been awarded other fellowships from the Max-Planck-Institut, Japan Soc. for Promotion of Science and the Istituto Nazionale di Alta Matematica. He is a member of the Brazilian Acad. of Sciences and serves on several committees in Brazil. His mathematical work concerns the interlaciing of commutative algebra and algebraic geometry.

Soares is a senior researcher at the Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, and a full professor at Senai Cimatec in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. She earned her Bachelor of Science in genetics and her PhD in immunology from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, completing a visiting fellowship at Harvard University. She is a senior research Fellow of the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, a member of the Academy of Sciences of Bahia, and the Brazilian Academy of Sciences. Her research focuses on translational medicine, with the goal of developing new diagnostic tools, therapeutic drugs, and advanced therapeutic products. Her work primarily targets neglected and unmet medical needs, including Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, and spinal cord injury. A pioneer in the field of ATMPs in Brazil, Soares was an expert advisor with the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency and the Ministry of Health. In her career, she has led collaborative research with national and international institutions, mentoring a new generation of researchers and health professionals, making a significant contribution to scientific capacity-building in Brazil.

Souza Filho was born in 1975, in Jucás, Brazil, and received his doctorate in physics from the Federal University of Ceará (UFC), Fortaleza, Brazil, in 2001. In 2000, he joined the group of Prof. Mildred Dresselhaus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a PhD visiting student, where he worked on single carbon nanotube resonance Raman spectroscopy. He has authored and co-authored about 270 papers in refereed international journals including review articles, book chapters, and books. He is currently a full professor of physics at the Federal University of Ceará, Brazil. He was one of the recipients of the 2009 Sômiya Prize awarded by the International Union of Materials Research Societies (IUMRS) and elected fellow of the Brazilian Academy of Science in 2018. His main research interests are the electronic and optical properties of nanomaterials with emphasis on carbon nanostructures.

Teixeira graduated in biological sciences, and obtained a MS degree in molecular biology at University of Brasília (1986). She received her PhD in Biochemistry in 1990 from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, and did postdoctoral training on molecular parasitology at the University of Iowa, in the US. In 1997, she became an Assistant Professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Immunology of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, where she became a Full Professor in 2013. In 2005, she was awarded an international grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. She acted as Vice-Head and Head of the Department of Biochemistry and Immunology at UFMG and President of the Brazilian Society of Protozoology (SBPz). She also acted as Head of the Centre for Vaccine Technology at UFMG (CTVacinas) where she is currently Vice-Director. For more than 30 years, she has studied genome, gene expression and host-parasites interactions involving Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania species with the aim of developing new treatments and methods to control Chagas disease and leishmaniasis.

Teixeira (MD) is full professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Immunology at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). He obtained his PhD in 1994 at the National Heart and Lung Institute, University of London. He was president of the Brazilian Society of Pharmacology (SBFTE, 2011-2014), Brazilian Society of Inflammation (SBIN, 2018-2020), Member of the Brazilian Academy of Science (currently vice-President responsible for Regions Minas Gerais and Center-west) and Commander of the National Order of Scientific Merit. He is currently Vice President of the International Association of Inflammation Societies (IAIS, 2023-). Teixeira demonstrated the crucial role of the microbiota and microbial-derived products in controlling inflammatory and behavioural responses, and the relevance of inflammation in mediating tissue damage and lethality during infectious diseases, especially arboviral infections. This knowledge has led to mechanistic molecular studies which have led to new targets for anti-inflammatory drug development. Special focus is given to molecules which bind and block the function of 7-TM chemotactic receptors and induce the resolution of inflammation.

Tenenblat obtained her MSc (1969) at the Univ. of Michigan and PhD (1972) at the Instituto de Matemática Pura e Aplicada, Rio de Janeiro. She has served in various capacities at the Univ. de Brasilia, Brazilian Mathematical Society, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology (Brazil) and other organizations and committees. She is professor emeritus of mathematics at the Univ. de Brasilia. An expert in differential geometry, she has advanced understanding of the interaction between differential geometry and partial differential equations. With S.S. Chern and other collaborators, she helped develop the classification of systems of differential equations that describe pseudo-spherical surfaces. Her membership includes: Brazilian Mathematical Society; American Mathematical Society; Brazilian Academy of Science; and Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science. She received the Comendador de Ordem Nacional do Merito Cientifico from the President of Brazil in 1996.

Tenório de Carvalho earned his PhD from Paris Dauphine University, in 1992, and is now a full professor at the Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil. He received the Scientific Merit Award from the Brazilian Computer Society in 2021, and is now classified as a level 1A researcher—the highest category—by the Brazilian National Research Council. He is a Fellow of the following institutions: Science Academy of the State of Pernambuco-APC, Brazil (2020), Brazilian Academy of Sciences (2023), Core Academy (2024), Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (2024). He was a visiting professor at many European universities and research centres. He supervised 25 master’s and 14 doctoral theses, and authored more than 240 articles in high-impact journals and conferences. Now his h-index scores at 35 (Google Scholar), 27 (Scopus), and 24 (Web of Science). He is in the range of 2% of the most influential scientists in the world in the area of Artificial Intelligence. He is also a member of the Computer Science Advisory Committee of CNPq (2017–2020 and 2023–2026), and a member of the council of the International Association for Statistical Computing (2009–2013).

Ticianelli obtained his BSc degree in 1976 and his PhD in 1985 in Physical Chemistry at University of São Paulo. He developed his full academic carrier at the Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos (IQSC) and in November 2003 reached the category of Full Professor. Ticianelli was head of the Department of Physical Chemistry of Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos for four years and the Director of this Institute from 2006 to 2010. He is member of the São Paulo Academy of Science and of the Brazilian Academy of Science. He collaborated in the writing of two textbooks in the Electrochemistry area. Publication of scientific research includes 220 scientific papers in journals listed in several indexing platforms. He has given several plenary conferences and has presented tenths of invited lectures and keynotes in national/international scientific meetings. He has acted as advisor for over 50 MSc and PhD theses in the Post-Graduation programmes at the Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos. He is an expert in fuel cells, particularly the proton exchange membrane alkaline and solid oxide systems.

Toledo Filho is a full professor of materials and structures at Coppe-Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (PEC/COPPE/UFRJ), Brazil. He is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, of the National Academy of Engineering, Researcher 1A with the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), and a senior scientist of the Carlos Chagas Foundation (FAPERJ), Rio de Janeiro State. He is the CEO of the Science Park of UFRJ, head of the Sustainability Center for Research and Education on Environmental Friendly Materials and Technologies (NUMATS) of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, member of the INBAR construction task force and vice-president of the Brazilian Society for Non-Conventional Materials (ABMTENC). He has conducted extensive research on sustainable materials for construction, decarbonisation of the construction industry, vegetable fibre-reinforced cement composites, bamboo materials characterization, and structural use, cement replacement by bioashes and the use of waste materials in the construction industry.

Toma is prof., Inst. of Chem., U. of Sao Paulo, Brazil. He obtained his PhD in 1974 in a program sponsored by the US Natl. Acad. of Sci. and the Conselho Nacional de Pesquisas, Brazil, under J. M. Malin and H. Taube, and postdoc, CALTECH (1979). His publ. include 360 papers and reviews in intl. j., with +6700 citations, 13 books, 25 patents. He has been responsible for the Supramolecular NanotechLab, and is head of the USP Center on Nanotech. and Nanosci.. He has advised over 60 PhD and MS theses. His honours include: Henrich-Rheinboldt Prize, 1987; TWAS Chem. Prize, 1996; Simao Mathias Medal, 1997; Guggenheim Fellow Awd., 1999; Fritz-Feigl Prize, 2001; Abrafati-Petrobras Prize, 1996; Grã-Cruz Medal, Braz. Pres. of Republic, 2006; Innovation Prize from Petrobras, 2011; Innovation Prize, Braz. Chem. Soc., 2012, Jabuti Literature Prize, 2014. He is member of the Braz. Acad. of Sci., and IUPAC.

Trindade is a full professor at the University of São Paulo, where he served as vice-director and director of the Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics and Atmospheric Sciences. He coordinates the USP-China Center, fostering institutional collaboration with Chinese partners. He holds a BSc in geology from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (1995) and a PhD in geophysics from the University of São Paulo (1999). His research focuses on rock magnetism, paleomagnetism, and archeomagnetism, with emphasis on paleoenvironmental changes throughout Earth’s history, including the Neoproterozoic-Cambrian transition, Phanerozoic biotic crises, and recent geomagnetic field behaviour across the South Atlantic Magnetic Anomaly. He authored more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, and is among Brazil’s most cited geophysicists (h-index 50 on Google Scholar). He leads major national and international projects and has supervised more than 40 graduate and postdoctoral researchers. He is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, Secretary of the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy, and a voting member of the International Commission on Stratigraphy.

Nísia Trindade Lima was the first woman to hold the position of Brazil’s Minister of Health (2023–2025) and to preside over the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz, 2017–2022). She holds a PhD in Sociology and a Master’s in Political Science. She is a Public Health researcher at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Fiocruz, a professor in the Graduate Program in the History of Science and Health, and a collaborating professor in the Graduate Program in Sociology at Institute of Social and Political Studies of the State University of Rio de Janeiro (IESP-UERJ). Her work focuses on Brazilian social thought, public health ideas, and state-building. As Fiocruz president, she led the COVID-19 response and joined international efforts such as Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, the Lancet Commission on Global Health Threats, and the Global Council on Inequality, HIV and Pandemics. She launched the Fiocruz Strategy for the 2030 Agenda, aligning the UN SDGs with institutional planning. A member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, she was awarded the Knight of the Legion of Honor by France. Since May 2025, she holds the Olavo Setúbal Chair at the University of São Paulo.

Ugarte (PhD, 1990, Université Paris-Sud) is professor, Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin, Campinas, Brazil. His activities have been related to the experimental study of structural and electronic properties of nanoscale systems (nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanowires, etc.), using high spatial resolution techniques associated with electron microscopy. He designed and implemented the Brazilian Electron Microscopy Facility, which was opened in 1999; this microscopy lab was the seed to the subsequent creation of the Brazilian National Nanotechnology Lab in 2011. His prizes include Latsis Prize, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland; Guggenheim Fellowship, USA; Scopus Prize, Brazil; TWAS Prize in Physics. His is a member of the Brazilian science academy.

Val has been investigating environmental adaptations of fish of the Amazon, their use for food security, and fish farming for the last 40 years. He contributed to personnel training in the Amazon and headed the National Institute for Amazonian Research for 8 years. He is an accredited professor at the Graduate School of the University of Laval, Canada, and in local schools. He maintains intense international collaboration and is member of the Canadian Society of Zoology, the American Fisheries Society, the Society for Experimental Biology (UK) and of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, acting as its Vice-President for the Amazon. He was awarded: Commendation of the National Order of Scientific Merit (Class Commander, 2002, and Grand Cross Class, 2013), American Fisheries Society's Excellence Award (2004); Grand Order of Legislative Merit of the State of Amazonas (2008); Citizenship award of the Amazonas State (2015); and the prestigious Anísio Teixeira Prize for Higher Education (2016).