Lacerda (PhD, Biophysics, 1983) is Titular Professor, Federal U. of Ceará in Fortaleza, Ceará and Fluminense Federal U. in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is a CNPq-National Research Council of Brazil Senior Researcher (1A) and a Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences. He is a Member of the FEC-Academy (Future Coasts Academy) and of ISME (International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems); under these institutions and UNESCO-UNEP he has coordinated global research programmes on mangrove conservation and coastal zone management in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. He received the Excellence Award in Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, U. of Florida (1995); the BUNKA-SUMITOMO Prize of Scientist of the Year (1999); and the Bunge Prize 2011 in Oceanography. In 2018 received the National Order of Scienctific Merit from the Federal government. Lacerda has authored over 290 journal papers, 80 book chapters and 21 books and majored over 100 PhD, MSc and Postdoc researchers.

Graduated in Medicine in 1953. From 1957 to 1985, worked at the Medical School of Ribeirão Preto-USP. From 1985 to 2010: chaired the Hypertension Unit, Heart Institute of the Medical School of the University of São Paulo (InCor-FMUSP). His main research field is experimental and clinical hypertension, especially the neurogenic mechanism. From 1993 to 2007: President of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences. From 1998 to 2002: Chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology in Developing Countries (COSTED) of the International Council of Science. From 2000 to 2003: co-chairman of the InterAcademy Pannel-IAP, representing Brazil at the Executive Committee of the InterAcademy Council-IAC (2000-2010), and the Inter-Academy Medical Panel (2010-).He is currently the director for International Relations of the Medical School of the University of São Paulo, member of the National Council of Science and Technology, and the Vice-President of São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP).