Three young researchers linked to the Genomics and BioEnergy Laboratory (LGE) at Unicamp, in different stages of training, give their testimonies about the effects of the abrupt break in routine and the reorganization of their lives in the midst of this historic milestone: The arrival of a new infectious disease caused by the new coronavirus and its rapid spread around the world.
Much of the work of these young people is made up of practical work that depends on the laboratory infrastructure and contact with more experienced researchers who contribute to their training and improvement. This means that Science has not stopped. Scientists from various areas, in addition to those seeking efficient vaccines and medicines against SARS-Cov-2, have experienced changes in their work routine. The three gave interviews telling how their life projects were reorganized during the pandemic.
Fellipe Mello
Fellipe Mello, aged 29, has a degree in Chemical Engineering and a PhD in Bioenergy, all from Unicamp and is in his first year of post-doctorate. As soon as Fellipe finished assembling a plasmid (circular molecules of genetic material generally found in bacteria), Unicamp decreed the suspension of non-essential face-to-face activities. “I needed to edit a gene in one of my yeasts, in fact, knock it out, which is deleting the gene from the genome of a strain and replacing it with another. To do this, I need a plasmid from the CRISPR system, which allows gene editing,” he explains. Assembling a plasmid is a complicated process, he says, which takes more than a month to complete and he was pleased to finish this stage of work on time, avoiding losses to his project.
Visits to the laboratory and bench work have decreased, although Fellipe still needs to go to the university a few times a week to be able to use the pipetting robot, for which he is responsible, but most of the work is done at home. Even though he is far away, he is in daily contact with students he mentors, discussing projects and helping them with data analysis. The majority of students still work in the laboratory on a rotational basis to respect social distancing. “In addition to conventional laboratory meetings, I have made several video calls with my students about the biosensor project,” he says.
In addition to guiding his students remotely, Fellipe is focused on writing a new project, launching himself into a new stage of his work. The objective is to develop a yeast-based biosensor Saccharomyces cerevisiae capable of detecting the Covid-19 virus. Gonçalo Pereira, laboratory coordinator, and master's student Carla Maneira are also involved in the proposal, which has already been approved by Inova to be patented. The three developed the project at the beginning of the quarantine, recently submitted it to Fapesp and are awaiting the result for financing. In a short time, Fellipe managed to advance in his studies, going beyond his expectations.
“I thought I wouldn't be able to work from home because my work was purely experimental and at the bench, but it's been very productive and I'm managing to get a lot done”, he says. Despite being attached to the routine and enjoying in-person activities in the laboratory, the postdoctoral fellow is happy with the routine imposed by the quarantine.
What keeps Fellipe excited is physical activity. Before quarantine, he practiced triathlon, crossfit, running and cycling. Today, by purchasing some equipment, he trains at home and stays healthy. For Fellipe, sports, especially individual sports, offer a way to connect with oneself. Fellipe, like Jennifer, is also isolated at home with his boyfriend and three other friends, far from his family. “Everyone is together, which helps the process a lot. Being alone would be more complicated”, he concludes.
Jennifer Wellen
Jennifer Wellen, aged 21, studies Biological Sciences at Unicamp and is on her way to finishing her degree. Before the quarantine was established, she was excited about writing her scientific initiation project and following ongoing experiments at the Pain and Inflammation Study Laboratory at the Institute of Biology.
The influence of dietary changes on depressive behaviors is the focus of the research, which uses mice as a model for testing, offering them a diet rich in sugar and fat. Techniques for studying pain and depression, such as the Von Frey test, to quantify the pain the animal is feeling, and the social interaction test are applied to detect the development of depressive behaviors.
This workflow, however, has been modified. Laboratory experiments had to be interrupted, giving more space for analyzes carried out on the computer. Using free software, Jennifer analyzes the videos of the mice for the social interaction test. Jennifer had trouble continuing to perform the analyzes when her laptop fell during quarantine. She managed, however, to save the project files, but had to continue her studies with a notebook provided by the coordination of the Institute of Biology.
“Communication is more flawed at a distance and learning is much more theoretical in a project that would be very experimental, so it is difficult to learn, as a whole”, he says. The interactions with more experienced scientists, the experiments, and all the learning in the lab enriched Jennifer's research, which she regrets is learning more slowly. Jennifer's agony is similar to that of other people who feel pressured to act in the face of the new reality. “I'm trying to improve what bothers me little by little, without demanding too much of myself and without freaking out. It's a slow and difficult process, but I'm fine!” she says.
Jennifer, from Indaiatuba, is living in a republic with her boyfriend and three other colleagues. She preferred to stay in the district of Barão Geraldo due to her studies and research and considers that returning to her parents' house now would be breaking the quarantine and bringing unnecessary risks to her family. Even though she misses her, Jennifer is happy. Her relationship with her boyfriend is closer. The support and companionship in these times has grown. The two walk about 5 km in the afternoons with Greg, the republic's dog, and then exercise at home.
Art and culture have also proven to be refuges for young scientists. Devouring new series, films, music and anime are sources of fun for Jennifer. “In this quarantine I became a otaku In fact, I could recommend several animes I watched here. I finished about five,” she declares. She also says that the release of the album Future Nostalgia by singer Dua Lipa saved her quarantine, highlighting the song “Break my Heart”.
Luan Beschtold
Luan Beschtold, 19, finished high school in 2019 and now his main focus is studying for the university entrance exam. Her goal is to study Chemical Engineering at Unicamp. He is also thinking about the possibility of studying Biological Sciences or Pharmacy as a second option.
Last year, Luan did an internship at Unicamp's Genomics and BioEnergy Laboratory as part of the technical course in Biotechnology. Despite the internship being over, Luan made many friends, which helped him with his studies for the university entrance exam. He says that he received a large number of books for pre-university exams from the laboratory staff and is using them as guidance. When he doesn't understand some content, he looks for video lessons on the internet. Luan organizes a weekly study routine in Excel, separating subjects into periods. “I am studying from Monday to Saturday, from 8 am to 18 pm with a 10-minute break for every 50 minutes of studying.” During the night, he rests and takes the opportunity to perfect his guitar skills, practicing new songs.
Physical activities are an important way to keep your body and mind healthy. Luan regrets that her sports and exercise routine has now become very limited, but she is trying to adapt to the circumstances of the quarantine. “I recently started training at home and sometimes ride my bike around my neighborhood,” she says.
