Parasitologist by training and spent over 20 years working on cerebral malaria and its impact on the Blood-Brain-Barrier and Blood-Cerebrospinal Fluid Barrier using a variety of 2D and 3D methods. Also actively researching the impact of neurotropic strains of borrelia to understand how they interact with the BBB and B-CSFB. Interested more broadly in the role of the peripheral immune system in barrier dysfunction.
As much as I love doing research, I feel great aversion doing it at the cost of countless animals being sacrificed. Being a passionate advocate of ethical and sustainable research practices, I am fascinated by the idea of using alternative in vitro platforms to reduce and ultimately replace animal testing methodologies. While I acknowledge the historical significance of animal testing and the complex physiological interactions that they provide, I firmly believe that the rapid advancements in the field of biomedical research and development of in vitro testing platforms such as microphysiological systems, organoids, 3D bioprinting offer a more humane and robust approach for toxicological assessments.
PhD-level Tissue Engineer, science communicator, aspiring analyst developer. Experienced in pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), 2D/3D cell culture, organoids, in vitro cardiovascular biology and organ-on-a-chip applications. Passionate about alternatives to animal models following the 3R principle, and science communication to non-experts and general audience. Nowadays taking on new challenges as an analyst developer in the fintech industry, while keeping close ties with the scientific community and the exciting advancements in organoids and NAMs.