María Teresa Miras Portugal

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Miras and the second or maternal family name is Portugal.

María Teresa Miras Portugal (19 February 1948 – 27 May 2021)^[1] was a Spanish scientist, pharmacist, biochemist, molecular biologist and Emeritus professor at the Complutense University of Madrid. She was a member of the Spanish "Real Academia Nacional de Farmacia" and served as President of this Institution from 2007 to 2013, becoming the first female to be elected for this position in a Spanish "Real Academia".^[2][3] She was Honorific President.^[4]

María Teresa Miras Portugal
Born	(1948-02-19)19 February 1948 Carballiño, Orense, Spain
Died	27 May 2021(2021-05-27) (aged 73)
Nationality	Spanish
Alma mater	University of Santiago de Compostela, Complutense University of Madrid
Known for	First female elected President of a Spanish "Real Academia"

She was also a member of several scientific institutions such as the Spanish Biophysical Society, the Spanish Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the Spanish Society of Neuroscience, the European Society for Neurochemistry, the International Society for Neurochemistry, the Advisory Board of Chromaffin Cells, the Purinergic Club, the editorial board of the Journal of Neurochemistry, the IUPHAR sub-committee for the nomenclature of P2Y nucleotide receptors and the Scientific Panel of the NATO.^{[5][6][7][8][9]}

Biography

María Teresa Miras Portugal was born in 1948 in Carballino (Orense), where she completed her primary and secondary studies. She started her university studies in Pharmacy in the University of Santiago de Compostela and continued them at the Complutense University of Madrid. Her marks at the Licenciate university degree led her to get a Special Mention at National Level.^[10] She completed a PhD in Sciences at the University of Strasburg and Pharmacy at the Complutense University of Madrid.^[11] She later became a professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Oviedo, the University of Murcia and the Complutense University of Madrid.^[12]

In her more than 40 years engaged in research, she has focused in the study of nucleotide receptors and their impact on neurodegenerative diseases^[13][14] and has published more than 350 research articles in specialized journals,^[2] combining this research with teaching and institutional work. In 2012, she was appointed president of the Committee of Experts for the study of the need for reforms in the Spanish university system.^[4]

Awards

In 2005 she received the Alberto Sols Medal to Research in Biochemistry,^[4] in 2008 the María Josefa Wonenburger Planells Prize by the Xunta de Galicia,^[15] in 2011 the Community of Madrid honoured her with the Miguel Catalán Research Award for her entire professional career^[13] and in 2016 in Galicia received the Castelao Medal.^[16]

She was given honorary doctorates from the University of Murcia and the University Rey Juan Carlos of Madrid and was an honorific member of the "Academia Nacional de Farmacia y Bioquímica de Argentina", "Academie Nationale de Pharmacy de France", "Académie Européenne des Sciences des Arts et des Lettres" and the European Academy (physiology and medicine).^[2]

References

1. Fallece María Teresa Miras Portugal, la bioquímica ourensana que quiso cambiar la Universidad española (in Spanish)
2. "María Teresa Miras Portugal - Real Academia de Doctores de España". www.radoctores.es. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
3. "María Teresa Miras-Portugal, presidenta de la Real Academia de Farmacia, defiende un cambio organizativo de la carrera". ibercampus.es. 21 January 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
4. "MARÍA TERESA MIRAS PORTUGAL Catedrática de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de la UCM | Revista de la Sociedad Española de Bioquímia y Biología Molecular | SEEBM". www.sebbm.es. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
5. "María Teresa Miras Portugal, reelegida presidenta de la Real Academia de Farmacia". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 12 January 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
6. "CURRICULUM VITAE - Maria Teresa Miras Portugal - Enero 2018".
7. "María Teresa Miras, elegida "Gallega de Abril" por el Grupo Correo Gallego". www.elcorreogallego.es (in European Spanish). Retrieved 11 April 2021.
8. "Miras Portugal, Mª Teresa – Real Academia Nacional de Farmacia" (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 April 2021.
9. "Mª Teresa Miras reelegida Presidente – Real Academia Nacional de Farmacia" (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 April 2021.
10. Alejandra. "Marzo 2021: Mª Teresa Miras Portugal". www.sebbm.es. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
11. "madri+d. Entrevista a: Mª Teresa Miras-Portugal". www.madrimasd.org. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
12. "Miras Portugal, Mª Teresa – Real Academia Nacional de Farmacia" (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 April 2021.
13. "Tribuna Complutense :: UCM". www.ucm.es. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
14. "madri+d. Entrevista a: Mª Teresa Miras-Portugal". www.madrimasd.org. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
15. "María Teresa Miras Portugal | Unidade Muller e Ciencia". unidadedamullereciencia.xunta.gal. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
16. Lugo, El Progreso de (18 June 2016). "Alfredo Conde, Xerardo Estévez, Teresa Miras, Xosé Antonio Vilaboa y Cántigas, distinguidos". El Progreso de Lugo (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 April 2021.