Group Leader
Prof. Andrea Balan
Prof. Balan is Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the State University of Campinas, Masters in Biotechnology from the University of São Paulo and a PhD in Biological Sciences (Microbiology), also from the University of São Paulo. In this period she worked with bacteria and yeasts systems for expression of heterologous proteins and the development of containment systems for genetically engeneered micro-organisms, which gave to her the Prize of the Governor of the Sao Paulo State for Innovation. She did postdoctoral studies at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences – USP, Brazilian National Biosciences Laboratory – LNBio/CNPEM, California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, USA) and at the University of Cambridge (Cambridge, England), all in the area of Protein Structure and Function. She is currently a professor at the Department of Microbiology, University of São Paulo, in São Paulo. Her area of expertise mainly involves the structural and functional characterization of transporter proteins and their role in the mechanisms of virulence, pathogenesis and drug resistance. She also works with the structural characterization and engineering of proteins of biotechnological interest, including membrane proteins involved in drug resistance. She is Vice-Coordinator of the NIDUS/INOVA USP, a program for residence in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of São Paulo. CNPq productivity scholarship – level 2.
Prof. Balan has special interest for classical books, music, art and photography.
email: abalan@usp.br
PhD. Students
Nelson Alejandro Sierra Córtes (Colômbia)
Denise da Silva Oliveira (Brazil)
Bachelor in Biological Sciences at the University of São Paulo. During her undergraduate, Denise developed scientific projects with Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (HRSV) to understanding the replication of HRSV. She also worked as a microbiologisty in industry, with biocides to provide safe and effective protection against the microbiological spoilage of a wide variety of products such as personal care, home care, paints, construction and agricultural pesticides. Currently, she is a doctorate student at the Universidade de São Paulo (Brazil) studying the immunological, vaccine, and cytotoxic potential of SARS-CoV-2 from an epitope and antibody platform.
In her free time, Denise likes to stay home with her daughters, watch movies, and go listen music.
Lucas Souza dos Santos (Brazil)
BSc in Biological Science by the Centro Universitário do Distrito Federal (UDF). During his undergraduate, Lucas developed scientific projects in his alma mater regarding Structural Bioinformatics of viral proteins. He also worked as a research intern at EMBRAPA Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia and the Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas (UCB), developing research projects into proteins/peptides and their chemical and biological aspects. Currently, he is a Dual Ph.D. Student at the Universidade de São Paulo (Brazil) and University of Groningen (the Netherlands), where he works in the structural and functional characterization of proteins involved in the phosphate-uptake and regulation in Xanthomonas citri through biophysical and biochemical techniques.
In his spare time, Lucas likes to read, cook, watch cliche movies, and go to museums. If you seek a hiking fellow, call on him!
“If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not, speak then to me…” – Macbeth (W. Shakespeare)
Valeria Valle-Riestra Felice (Perú)
Victor Bolsanelli (Brazil)
Bachelor in Biological Sciences by the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas and Bachelor in Cellular and Molecular Biology by Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa where I was intern in Lab of Plant Biochemistry at Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica de Lisboa. In the group, my research is focused on development of a platform for studies of viral proteins, specifically from SARS-CoV-2, focusing on immunological analysis and diagnosis.
Vinicius Carneiro Barbosa (Brazil)
Master Students
Stephany da Costa Torres (Brazil)
Undergraduate Students and Trainees
Natalia von Staa Mansur (Brazil)
Lab Manager
Marco André Alves
Parasitologist technician, with more than 20 years of experience in good practices in bioterium and animal experimentation. Biosecurity level 2.
He is musical producer and in the free time likes to listen samba.
Collaborators
Dr Maria Fernanda de Castro Amarante (Laboratory of Vaccine Development, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo)
Dr Ana Carolina Ramos Moreno (Institute Butantan)
Prof Dr Luis Carlos de Souza Ferreira (Laboratory of Vaccine Development, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo)
Prof Dr Cristiano Oliveira (Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo)
Dr Gabriel Vignoli (Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo)
Prof Dr Maria Tereza Lamy (Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo)
Dr Isabel de Moraes (National Physics Laboratory), England
Dr Marko Hyvonen (University of Cambridge), England
Dr Albert Guskov (University of Groningen), Netherlands