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Kowalski TW, Giudicelli GC, Pinho MCDF, Rockenbach MK, Maciel-Fiuza MF, Recamonde-Mendoza M, Vianna FSL. Brazilian women in Bioinformatics: Challenges and opportunities. Genet Mol Biol 2024; 46:e20230134. [PMID: 38259034 PMCID: PMC10829893 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2023-0134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Bioinformatics is a growing research field that received great notoriety in the years of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a very integrative area, comprising professionals from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In agreement with the other STEM areas, several women have greatly contributed to bioinformatics ascension; however, they had to surpass prejudice and stereotypes to achieve recognition and leadership positions, a path that studies have demonstrated to be more comfortable to their male colleagues. In this review, we discuss the several difficulties that women in STEM, including bioinformatics, surpass during their careers. First, we present a historical context on bioinformatics and the main applications for this area. Then, we discuss gender disparity in STEM and present the challenges that still contribute to women's inequality in STEM compared to their male colleagues. We also present the opportunities and the transformation that we can start, acting in academia, inside the family and school environments, and as a society, hence contributing to gender equality in STEM. Finally, we discuss specific challenges in the bioinformatics field and how we can act to overcome them, especially in low and middle-income countries, such as Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thayne Woycinck Kowalski
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Departamento de Genética, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Serviço de Genética Médica, Unidade de Genética Laboratorial, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Centro Universitário CESUCA, Cachoeirinha, RS, Brazil
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Núcleo de Bioinformática, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Laboratório de Medicina Genômica, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Laboratório de Imunogenética, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Giovanna Câmara Giudicelli
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Departamento de Genética, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Serviço de Genética Médica, Unidade de Genética Laboratorial, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Núcleo de Bioinformática, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Laboratório de Medicina Genômica, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Laboratório de Imunogenética, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Maria Clara de Freitas Pinho
- Centro Universitário CESUCA, Cachoeirinha, RS, Brazil
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Laboratório de Medicina Genômica, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Marília Körbes Rockenbach
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Departamento de Genética, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Miriãn Ferrão Maciel-Fiuza
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Departamento de Genética, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Laboratório de Medicina Genômica, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Laboratório de Imunogenética, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Mariana Recamonde-Mendoza
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Núcleo de Bioinformática, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Instituto de Informática, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Sales Luiz Vianna
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Departamento de Genética, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Serviço de Genética Médica, Unidade de Genética Laboratorial, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Laboratório de Medicina Genômica, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Laboratório de Imunogenética, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Rockenbach MK, Fraga LR, Kowalski TW, Sanseverino MTV. Expression profiles of meiotic genes in male vs. female gonads and gametes: Insights into fertility issues. Front Genet 2023; 14:1125097. [PMID: 36999055 PMCID: PMC10045993 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1125097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Gametes are specialized cells that, at fertilization, give rise to a totipotent zygote capable of generating an entire organism. Female and male germ cells undergo meiosis to produce mature gametes; however, sex-specific events of oogenesis and spermatogenesis contribute to specific roles of gametes in reproductive issues. We investigate the differential gene expression (DGE) of meiosis-related genes in human female and male gonads and gametes in normal and pathological conditions. The transcriptome data for the DGE analysis was obtained through the Gene Expression Omnibus repository, comprising human ovary and testicle samples of the prenatal period and adulthood, additionally to male (non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) and teratozoospermia), and female (polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and advanced maternal age) reproductive conditions. Gene ontology terms related to meiosis were associated with 678 genes, of which 17 genes in common were differentially expressed between the testicle and ovary during the prenatal period and adulthood. Except for SERPINA5 and SOX9, the 17 meiosis-related genes were downregulated in the testicle during the prenatal period and upregulated in adulthood compared to the ovary. No differences were observed in the oocytes of PCOS patients; however, meiosis-related genes were differentially expressed according to the patient’s age and maturity of the oocyte. In NOA and teratozoospermia, 145 meiosis-related genes were differentially expressed in comparison to the control, including OOEP; despite no recognized role in male reproduction, OOEP was co-expressed with genes related to male fertility. Taking together, these results shed light on potential genes that might be relevant to comprehend human fertility disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marília Körbes Rockenbach
- Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lucas Rosa Fraga
- Department of Morphological Sciences, Institute of Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine: Medical Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Laboratory of Genomic Medicine, Center of Experimental Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Thayne Woycinck Kowalski
- Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Laboratory of Genomic Medicine, Center of Experimental Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Bioinformatics Core, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Medical Genetics Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Centro Universitário CESUCA, Cachoeirinha, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Thayne Woycinck Kowalski, ,
| | - Maria Teresa Vieira Sanseverino
- Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Medical Genetics Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- School of Medicine, Pontifícia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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