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

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Karina is an expert in Innate Immunity.  Her scientific contributions include the description of the SPM peritoneal macrophage subpopulation (10.1073/pnas.0915000107 and 10.3389/fimmu.2015.00225), demonstration of the role of NLRP3 in the control of T.cruzi infection in macrophages (10.1371/journal.pntd.0002469) and CNS glial cells (10.1002 /JLB.4AB1118-416RR), description of unconventional inflammasome-mediated effector mechanisms to control infections, such as iNOS activation (10.1074/jbc.M110.124297), epigenetic regulation of inflammatory genes (10.1038 / srep41686), process of cathepsin-mediated cell death (10.1073/pnas.1305316110) and autophagy (10.1002/JLB.HI1118-461R).

Her laboratory is currently focused on studying the molecular pathways involved in the activation of inflammasomes and their impact on the control of infections and inflammatory pathologies.

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Karina is also a teacher of Hatha Vinyasa and Multidimensional Vinyasa Yoga (500 YTT), and she is the creator of the #yogacomciencia #Project.

MARCELO AMARAL

Ph.D. Student

Role of NAIP/NLRC4 inflammasomes in controlling protozoan infections

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

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 protozoan parasites infection.

INGRID FARIAS

Ph.D. Student

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

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

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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.

BEATRIZ FIGUEIREDO

Ph.D. Student

​Participation of inflammasomes in human inflammatory diseases.

​Love science, arts, pizza and açaí.

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Graduated in Biomedicine (2016) and Master in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents (2018) by the Federal University of Pará (UFPA).
Doctoral student at the Department of Pharmacology (UNIFESP).

LUIZA ZAINOTTI

Master Student

Role of pyroptosis in the control of  protozoan infections

Loves science, pets, poetry, music and coffee.

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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.

AYRTON CARVALHEDO

Master Student

Evaluation of the differential role of the NLRC4 inflammasome in the response of astrocytes and microglia to infections and coinfections.

Passionate about science, science communication, movie and sports enthusiast in general.

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Bachelor and Degree in Biological Sciences from Universidade São Judas Tadeu (2018).He completed his Scientific Initiation with pathogenic fungi at UNIFESP (2017), held an internship with endophytic bacteria at the University of Aveiro, Portugal (2019). He has worked as a Biology editor for Basic Education collections and is the host of the Palpitar Científico podcast.
He is currently developing his master's project to join the pharmacology department at UNIFESP.

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RAFAEL QUEIROZ

Undergraduate student

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 A cat´s father. Loves reading, watching animes, and learning biochemistry and immunology.

Rafael is graduating in Biological Sciences at the Federal University of São Paulo. He has a great interest in immunology and intends to work with immunometabolism, seeking to understand the metabolic changes in cells amid protozoan infections

SAMANTHA MENDES

Undergraduate student

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She loves books, art, music, nature, cats, and science.

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Samantha is a Biological Sciences student, doing her graduation at the Federal University of São Paulo since 2018. She was part of the Biology Junior Enterprise (BUDjr) for 2 years, learning and acting in the marketing field and now is ready to explore the world of immunology

AMANDA CANIATO

Undergraduate student

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Loves science, beach, series, and books.

Amanda is a graduate student in Biological Sciences at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP).  
She is currently Vice President of the Junior Biology Company at UNIFESP

Diadema. In addition, she acts as a tutor in the Immunology classes, helping students with doubts and correcting the exercises performed by them.
She is entering the laboratory aiming new discoveries and immersing herself in the universe of immunology.

NATÁLIA FORTUNY

Undergraduate student

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Natália loves nature and animals, especially dogs and horses. She loves to read books and having açaí in her spare time.

She is a medical student at Universidade Anhembi Morumbi (UAM) in São Paulo, and is the current President of the Academic Directory of Dr. Sérgio Timerman at Universidade Anhembi Morumbi. In addition, she is a Scientific Initiation student at the Bortoluci Laboratory where she is contributing to the development of research focusing on innate immunology and cells of the central nervous system.