Mona Oliveira wins 2022 Alumni USP Prize for contribution in innovations and entrepreneurship

Mona Oliveira, first recipient of a double doctorate between the University of São Paulo and International Postgraduate School Jožef Stefan, Ljubljana, has been awarded the 2022 Alumni USP Prize for her contributions to society in the area of “innovations and entrepreneurship”.

Mona Oliveira is founder of the biotechnological startup Biolinker focused on discovery, development and manufacturing of recombinant proteins. The company won various prizes, among others the Top500 startup in the world in the area of deep technology (Hello Tomorrow).

Prof. Dr. Tamara Lah Turnšek, former director of the National Institute of Biology and doctoral mentor, said:  "Congratulations to Mona Oliveira on winning the prize! During her doctoral studies, she was a young researcher at the National Institute of Biology studying the microenvironment of the brain tumour glioblastoma. She defended her PhD thesis in Slovenia about one of the most aggressive types of cancer with an 11-member committee from Brazil and Slovenia. I am pleased to see that her work also results in such recognition."

Considered one of the pioneers of synthetic biology in Latin America, Mona Oliveira, PhD, led research activities in developing a kit for protein synthesis without the use of living cells, followed by manufacturing and supplying SARS-CoV-2 antigens in Brazil in the beginnings of the pandemic. The company’s cell-free protein synthesis platform SynthEasy™ is used for expression of toxic or difficult-to-express proteins. She also contributed to the discovery and development of key peptides for a new Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy.  

Mona Oliveira, PhD, also acts as a mentor to startups and as a lecturer.

The USP announced the winners of the Alumni USP Prize on the 27th of October 2022.