Tribute to Benedita Rocha

1949 – 2021

I would not be able to specify since when, given the depth of time, but I have known Benedita since I knew myself as a scientist. Nineteen-eighties? Most probably. She immediately offered me with great familiarity, there was empathy, a long friendship developed. Although our meetings were sporadic at first, they became regular since she, António Freitas and Ana Cumano started coming to Porto carrying “weapons and luggage” one week every year to teach and discuss immunology with the GABBA students. She was there from before the beginning, in 1996, until the very end. And Immunology was established as one of the 3 or 4 pillars of the program. I suppose that the best personal tribute I can pay is to reveal, although neither she nor António may be aware, that it was to them that I turned every time I wanted to clarify any fundamental doubts about immunology. It would do good to a lot of people these days. To know, for example, that memory T cells are essential in protecting against re-infections or as a consequence of vaccines. Although your mission here on Earth ended prematurely, up where you are, Benedita, you will inspire many generations of scientists in years to come.

Alexandre do Carmo

INSERM Archive

I had the privilege to meet Professor Benedita Rocha in 2000 at the time I started as PhD student in the GABBA doctoral program. Beside her intelligence, disruptive curiosity and major contributions in the area of Immunology at the highest international level, I would like to emphasise the pivotal role she had in the formation of generations of Immunologist and the impact this had in the development of Science not only in Portugal but also worldwide. On a more personal note, I had the opportunity to interact scientifically with Benedita in Paris while I was conducting my Post-doctoral research at Pasteur. I will treasure her humble generosity in sharing her wide knowledge and unique reagents without asking anything in return. The best homage to Benedita is to remember these examples and attempt to apply them in the interactions with my students and collaborators.

Nuno Alves

I first met Benedita at the interview for the GABBA PhD program, and then at the course presented with António Freitas in the first year of the program. Benedita caused an immediate impression for her intelligence and sharpness, also reflected in elegant experiments around really interesting problems... so much interesting that I ended up joining António’s unit at the Pasteur for my PhD Thesis. In Paris, we collaborated in some of my initial articles, and her suggestions were always of extreme value, but it was mostly outside of the lab that I enjoyed her company, in several dinners, some social events and unforgettable lunches António and Benedita organized at their home in Paris with many of the students and friends. In those occasions I could appreciate her sometimes subtle and sometimes strong but always excellent sense of humor. An extraordinary and influential scientist it is her humanity that comes to my mind whenever I present her experiments and work in the context of courses or seminars on T cell homeostasis. We will all surely miss her. Afonso Almeida

Pessoas como a Benedita Rocha fazem falta à Ciência, por não se acomodarem no estabelecido, por nos fazerem questionar, por não gostarem de ciência “bonitinha” em que tudo é perfeito e previsível. A Benedita tinha um riso bom, e um sentido de humor grande, tão grande quanto o seu sentido crítico apurado - algo que me marcou quando a conheci a ela e ao António Freitas e, graças a eles, me espantei, preocupei e deleitei com a complexidade da imunologia. Dava prazer ver o gozo quase infantil e, ao mesmo tempo, extremamente profundo, com eles se divertiam a ensinar-nos. Da Benedita Rocha, fica a saudade da sua irreverência e a enorme qualidade da sua Ciência. João Taborda Barata