A young researcher from the Molecular Genetics Laboratory at the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM) at Unicamp, has a trip scheduled for the second semester of this year, to begin her degree at Columbia University, United States, one of the most recognized in the world. Caroline Magalhães de Toledo is a volunteer scientific initiation student in the laboratory coordinated by professor Iscia Lopes Cendes. It is part of a research project developed with the Center for Research, Innovation and Diffusion (Cepid) linked to the Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (BRAINN).
Caroline works to identify structural changes in genes that are responsible for a severe type of childhood epilepsy. Together with two other authors and guidance from Professor Iscia, the research was presented at the XXIV Congress of Scientific Initiation at UNICAMP.
When she arrived to work in the laboratory in 2015, the student, now 18 years old, was already building her history in the scientific world. Among other achievements, she took a winter course at Harvard University and won two consecutive neuroscience Olympiads. For Columbia, Caroline got a scholarship that should cover about 90% of her costs. She is still looking for alternatives to cover the rest of the expenses. Her goal at the North American university is to return with a degree in neuroscience and biology.
The researcher considers the work at Unicamp to be essential for obtaining a place at Columbia University, which requires, in addition to a test and an evaluation of academic records, extracurricular activities. “At Unicamp I learned a lot about scientific analysis, about how to carry out research, develop a project, present a poster. Contact with the scientific method was very important,” she says. She continues working in the laboratory until September and intends, once in college, to collaborate with research at FCM.
“She participates in our activities at the same level as any scientific initiation student who is already an undergraduate”, highlights professor Iscia Lopes Cendes. The professor says that the student really “gets her hands dirty” and has even trained younger people in the laboratory. She also highlights that the university must be open to new talents and people who have enough interest and training to work. “I have no doubt that Caroline will be a great researcher.”
