Natália Aparecida Fontana
Background: Bachelor´s degree in Biomedical Sciences from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) in 2010. She has worked with electrophysiology and computational biology before joining the group, also being a guest student at University of Dundee (Scotland), under the Science without Borders Program. In her PhD she has been working with spectroscopy and microscopy techniques, also applying molecular biology tools to be able to study proteins in vitro. She was recently a visiting student at Oxford University, under the supervision of professor Anthony Watts.
Research Project: Biophysical characterization and molecular interactions of the yeast Golgi ReAssembly and Stacking Protein (Grh1). Grh1 is involved in the maintenance of the Golgi, but also processes of Unconventional Protein Secretion. We have recently discovered the formation of amyloid-like fibrils by Grh1. My aim now is to understand how these fibrils are related to the functions of Grh1.
Contact: nafontana@usp.br (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9224-8545)
Mariana Chaves Micheletto
Background: Bachelor’s degree in Medical Physics and Science Master’s degree from the Physics Department of the Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Languages of Ribeirão Preto/University of São Paulo (FFCLRP / USP). Currently she is a PhD student from the Postgraduate Program in Physics Applied to Medicine and Biology (FAMB) of the same Department under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Antonio José da Costa Filho. (More information at http://lattes.cnpq.br/8513521939753003).
Research Project: Activation of photosensitive proteins with radioluminescent nanparticles and x-rays. This PhD project involves the development of radioluminescent nanoparticles (capable of converting the energy of ionizing radiation into photons of UV-visible light) for the activation of photosensitive proteins through X-rays.
Contact: mmicheletto@usp.br (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5054-8769)