Claudio Sunkel elected corresponding member of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences
Claudio Sunkel, director of the i3S and Full Professor at the Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), was recently elected corresponding member of the 5th section – Biological Sciences – by the full members of the Sciences Class of the prestigious Lisbon Academy of Sciences. This is an award that recognizes the scientific reputation of Portuguese professors and researchers.
Proposed by the Secretary-General of the Sciences Class of the Academy, biologist Salomé Pais, and then elected by the remaining members, Claudio Sunkel says he feels “deeply honored and humbled to be incorporated into the Lisbon Academy of Sciences as a member.” He emphasizes that this is “a highly prestigious recognition that I believe is a testament not only to my personal dedication and passion for the advancement of knowledge and science in Portugal, but also to the collective effort of all those who have inspired, supported and collaborated with me throughout my career since I arrived in Portugal 38 years ago.”
The Lisbon Academy of Sciences, continues the director of i3S, “is a very important institution of intellectual excellence that aims to contribute to the development of all sciences that transcend disciplinary boundaries, contributing to the broader development of science and society. As such, being among its members, who are all great scientists, is a privilege and a responsibility that I embrace with great enthusiasm. I thank the Academy for this honor and I hope to contribute to its mission of promoting scientific progress, innovation and interdisciplinary dialogue and to work within the framework of the Academy's concept to influence public policies and promote the development of science in Portugal”.
This election, guarantees Claudio Sunkel, “motivates me even more to continue my work, striving for discoveries that contribute to the enrichment of knowledge and the improvement of our world. This recognition is not only a personal achievement, but a success shared with all those who have been part of my journey - colleagues, mentors, students and collaborators. Together, we continue to push the boundaries of what we know and understand, with the ultimate goal of having a positive impact on society through the power of science.”
The election of the new corresponding members took place on December 10, during the plenary meeting of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences, and the signing of the academic pledge will take place on Academy Day, July 3, 2025.
About Claudio Sunkel
Claudio Sunkel was born in Chile in 1958 and studied Biology and Genetics at the University of Sussex, UK, where he obtained a PhD in Genetics. Between 1983 and 1987 he worked as a researcher at Imperial College, University of London, and in 1987 he moved to Porto, where he set up the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics at the Center for Experimental Cytology of the University of Porto. Eight years later he was elected vice-director of this center. Between 2000 and 2009 he was vice-director of the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of the University of Porto (IBMC), which was born from the Center for Experimental Cytology and is now integrated into the i3S, having been elected director in 2009, a position he held until 2019.
As a research group leader at IBMC, Claudio Sunkel studied cell division and the genetic basis of cancer, having discovered and characterized the function of the Polo gene (Plk1), an essential gene in the regulation of cell division and proliferation. He also contributed to the study and understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for the organization of chromosomes during cell division, the organization of the mitotic spindle, a network of microtubules responsible for chromosome segregation during division and, more recently, the mechanisms that monitor the fidelity of the division process.
He was member of the Wellcome Trust Molecules, Genes and Cells, founding committee (2006-2009), member of the Wellcome Trust India Alliance funding program (2009-2019), national coordinator of the evaluation of research units funded by FCT (2007-2009) and member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO), and was President of the board of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (2013-2015). Throughout his scientific career, Claudio Sunkel has been a member of project and researcher evaluation panels at institutions such as INSERM, EMBO, Austrian Science Fund, Cancer UK, Irish Research Foundation, Italian National Science Foundation, Swiss Cancer League, MRC, and the Dutch Cancer Agency, and is currently a member of the Austrian Science Fund's funding program evaluation committee. He also regularly participates in the evaluation of manuscripts submitted to scientific journals such as Nature Cell Biology, Current Biology, Journal of Cell Science, Journal of Cell Biology, PlosBiol, PlosGen, amongst others.
With over 100 original articles published in international journals, Claudio Sunkel is currently Full Professor in Molecular Biology at the Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences of the University of Porto, director of the doctoral program in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Porto, director of the i3S and leader of the research group Cell Division & Genomic Stability of the same institute.
About the Lisbon Academy of Sciences
The Lisbon Academy of Sciences is one of the oldest national scientific institutions in continuous existence. It was founded on December 24, 1779, during the reign of D. Maria I, with the aim of promoting the study of Sciences and Arts when Portugal was recovering from the earthquake, and is currently presided over by José Luís Cardoso. Among other missions, the Academy is responsible for encouraging scientific research, stimulating the study of the Portuguese language and literature, and promoting the study of Portuguese history and its relations with other countries. The Academy is also an advisory body to the Government.
The election as corresponding member of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences is a distinction that primarily recognizes the scientific reputation earned by the distinguished members. Corresponding members are responsible for attending plenary sessions, taking part in the work of the academy, participating in the work of the academy and promoting the activities of the sections to which they belong.