(3de) Interdisciplinary Biomaterial Research

My research interests are related to biomaterials fabrication and characterization. My motivation for working in this field is the ability to develop tools and materials that could help to save or improve lives.

I strongly believe that collaboration and interdisciplinary research are critical factors required for a successful project. During my PhD in Brazil, my research was primarily focused on fabricating membranes and hydrogels of silk fibroin, a fibrous protein that forms the silkworms’ cocoons, for application as biomaterials. In addition to working with silk, I had collaborated with clinical and biological researchers, with a goal to optimize the durability of cardiac valves by reducing their in vivo calcification. I was also selected to perform and conduct a research project with Kimberly Clark-Brasil, which led to a patent on the incorporation of biopolymers in the paper making process to improve properties such as adsorption and mechanical strength of paper. Also, while pursuing my PhD, I was awarded a fellowship that allowed me to come to MIT in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE), where I performed research on layer-by-layer assembly and thin film characterization for 6 months. 

I worked as post doctorate researcher at the DMSE/MIT for one year, studying spray-layer-by-layer assembly of polymer and nanoparticles in order to create Bragg reflectors. After one year of pure materials science research, I received an offer to work in a collaborative project with the Departments of Chemical Engineering and Biological Engineering at MIT, where I am currently studying and applying microfabrication tools to create cell microenvironments. This project has provided me with a unique post doctorate experience by combining materials science, cell biology, and clinical research with engaged and highly competent scientists.

A research area that I would like to explore in more detail is the use of biopolymers, such as silk fibroin, chitosan, and alginate to construct biomaterials. These biopolymers have unique characteristics that can be explored individually or in combination with other materials. For instance, silk fibroin is well known for its high mechanical strength, chitosan for its antibacterial and blood clotting properties, and alginate for its high cell compatibility. Besides being renewable resources, these biopolymers can be obtained and processed at relatively low cost which could allow for the fabrication of affordable biomaterials in developing countries.

I also plan to collaborate with clinical and biological scientists in order to develop or improve existing biomaterials. Medicine still faces many challenges and unknowns that could be more quickly uncovered in a multidisciplinary collaboration. My research goals include creating tools to investigate biological questions, fabricating affordable biomaterials to allow easier access to health care, and extensive collaboration with clinical and biological fields. I look forward to further discussing these goals in this poster session.