KARINA BORTOLUCI

Principal Investigator

Associate Professor at Federal University of São Paulo. CNPq Pq1c Investigator

Mum of 2 kids and 3 cats. Science, yoga, nature, kids, and cats crazy lover

​​

Karina is an expert in Innate Immunity.  Her scientific contributions include the demonstration of the role of NLRP3 to the control of T. cruzi infection by macrophages (doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0002469) and by glial cells from CNS (https://doi.org/10.1002/JLB.4AB1118-416RR) and the description of non-conventional effector mechanisms mediated by inflammasomes to control infections such as iNOS activation (doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M110.124297), epigenetic regulation of inflammatory genes (doi.org/10.1038/srep41686), a cathepsin-mediated process of cell death (doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1305316110) and autophagy (https://doi.org/10.1002/JLB.HI1118-461R).

Her lab is currently focused on the study of molecular pathways involved in the activation of inflammasomes and their impact on the control of infections.
 

Karina is also a Hatha Vinyasa and Multidimensional Vinyasa Yoga teacher (400 YTT), and she is the creator of the #yogacomciencia #Project.

ALINE PACHECO

Ph.D. Student

The crosstalk between necropstosis and inflammasomes  in controlling Trypanosoma cruzi infection.

She enjoys art in many ways. Saxophonist and Lindy Hopper in her spare time. Bioinformatician "wannabe".  Loves coffee, music, human rights, and science. Quoting Liza Simpson: "my interests include music, science, justice, animals, shapes, feelings.."

​

Bachelor in Biological Sciences and Master of Science in Biological Chemistry from the Federal University of São Paulo. Currently a Ph.D. student from the Department of Immunology from the University of São Paulo (USP). Performing research focusing on molecular and innate immunology in glial cells from the central nervous system, with previous experience with molecular biology, genetics, and immunology.

MARCELO AMARAL

Ph.D. Student

Role of NAIP/NLRC4 inflammasomes in controlling protozoan infections 

Loves science, immunology, microorganisms, innovation, teaching, nature, coffee, chocolate, flavors, and aromas.

Marcelo graduated in Biological Sciences (2015) and also obtained his Master of Science title in Microbiology and Immunology (2018), both at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) - Brazil. He is at present a Ph.D. student in the Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology Department at UNIFESP. He is currently developing his research investigating the role of inflammasome proteins after protozoa parasites infection.

INGRID FARIAS

Master Student

Role of inflammasomes in the control of ZIKV infection by glial cells.

​Loves science, TV shows, Star Wars, books, and coffee.

​

Bachelor of Biomedicine from Paulista University (2017).

Ingrid is currently a master's student in the Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology Department at Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP). She is investigating the role of inflammasomes in glial cells from the central nervous system after ZIKV infection.

LUIZA ZAINOTTI

Master Student

Role of pyroptosis in the control of  protozoan infections

Loves science, pets, poetry, music and coffee.

​

Luiza is a biologist graduated at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) in which she studied the modulation of inflammasomes mediated by extracellular vesicles derived from head and neck squamous carcinoma cells during her undergraduate research.

Currently she is a master's student in the Immunology Program at the University of São Paulo (USP) and her main interest is to evaluate the effect of pyroptotic cell death in the control of infection by protozoa parasites in different cell types.