“Ola Pessoal”! I joined SSU in September 2019 and it has been an incredible experience – it immediately felt like home!
I was born and raised in Brazil and came to the US when I was 15. While completing my Bachelor’s in Biology at UMass Lowell, I worked in a neurobiology lab and during the summer I was part of an NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) internship. While in school I joined a team of teachers and we started to teach Biology at local middle schools and high schools. Research and teaching are what inspired me to pursue my PhD. While at Brandeis University for my PhD in Molecular & Cell Biology, I taught many classes, mentored several groups, and conducted research in a genetics lab. I studied a specific class of mutation created during DNA replication and have made contributions to the field with my publications. In my lab here at SSU I work with a team of incredible students who are just as curious as I am, and our goal is to continue to test FDA-approved drugs for their ability to cause specific types of DNA mutations using bacteria as our model organism. We are collaborating with a lab at Framingham State University to write and publish a review on Oxidative Stress Response.
I am also quite interested in educational research. I love discovering new tools and better ways to teach and learn! My other passion is in outreach. Coming from an unprivileged background, I make it my mission to encourage those who want to pursue science, but do not feel worthy of it. I live by the quote “Be who you needed when you were younger.”
I am also a proud SACNista for the past 7 years. The Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in STEM (SACNAS) is an inclusive organization dedicated to a vision of TRUE Diversity in STEM, where the STEM workforce reflects the diversity of the population. SACNAS is open to the entire STEM community and the national conference welcomes presenters in a full range of STEM fields, including Traditional Knowledge. We plan to start a SACNAS chapter at Salem State University, and we invite you to join us! Two of our current students who are doing research in my lab had a wonderful time presenting at this year regional's conference, and you can get involved too! Check out the SACNAS website for more information.