This week we’ll meet Dr Kristina Stapornwongkul, a new incoming faculty at IMBA, Vienna where her lab will focus on how metabolism influences the dynamic process of embryonic development. Kristina’s journey into the world of biology began with a simple school experiment involving potatoes, iodine, and saliva—an early lesson in the unseen chemical choreography that drives life. Today, she is at the forefront of a rapidly evolving field that explores how metabolism shapes embryonic development. With a background in developmental biology and a growing toolkit of synthetic and molecular approaches, Kristina investigates how cellular metabolism influences stem cell fate decisions during the earliest stages of life. Her recent work using gastruloids – a stem cell-based model of early embryos, reveals how metabolic pathways like glycolysis do more than supply energy; they act as key regulators of signaling and pattern formation. She often refers to metabolites and metabolic enzymes as “moonlighting” agents, highlighting their unexpected and influential roles in directing cellular behaviour. As she prepares to launch her own lab at IMBA in Vienna, Kristina is driven by a deep curiosity about how cells make decisions under changing nutritional conditions, and how robust development is maintained despite metabolic challenges. Through her interdisciplinary lens, she brings fresh insights into how environmental and cellular metabolism shape the blueprint of life. Check out her Lab page here and give her a follow over Twitter and Bluesky. She will be hiring soon at all levels so please reach out to her if you’re interested !
What was your first introduction to the field of metabolism, what’s your first memory?
It was actually the first experiment I ever did in school: an iodine starch test with potatoes. We took a potato slice and applied saliva to one half before adding the iodine solution, which normally turns black in the presence of starch. The half without saliva turned black as expected, while the other half didn’t—showing that something in the saliva had already broken down the starch into simpler sugars. That clear, visual result was such a striking demonstration of how our bodies are built to break down food, and I think that’s why it made such a lasting impression on me.
Tell us how you got interested in the field of nutritional and metabolic aspects of animal development from a cell cycle/cell fate perspective?
I did my Master thesis in the Aulehla lab which did some pioneering work in the field of developmental metabolism at that time. It was a completely new and fascinating concept for me. So even though I didn’t work on a metabolism-related project myself at that time, it really got me interested in that topic.
Your work intersects metabolism, development and cell biology. How do you integrate these disciplines in your research, and what unique insights have emerged from this approach?
To understand how metabolism shapes development, I believe we need to uncover molecular mechanisms at the cellular level and understand how they influence tissue-level behaviour and function. So far, my work has been mainly based on developmental and synthetic biology approaches. Looking ahead, I would like to incorporate mass spec-based readouts and develop new tools to manipulate metabolism in a targeted manner.
Introduce us to the field of embryonic development and how does cellular metabolism influence stem cell behavior and fate decisions during embryonic development. Tell us about your recent work on the relationship between glucose metabolism and signaling pathways during cell fate determination during embryonic development?
In the last decade, it has become increasingly clear that metabolic pathways do more than meet the bioenergetic needs of cells—they also play an active role in regulating differentiation. The underlying mechanisms include metabolite-driven post-translational modifications, metabolite-protein interactions, and moonlighting functions of metabolic enzymes, which can influence the epigenetic and signalling state of cells. Based on this, I set out to investigate whether the metabolic state can significantly impact cell fate decisions during the exit from pluripotency.
Using an in vitro model for gastrulation based on mouse embryonic stem cells (gastruloids), we found that inhibiting glycolysis promotes ectodermal differentiation at the expense of mesoderm and endoderm lineages. This effect is dose-dependent, indicating that germ layer proportions can be modulated by adjusting exogenous glucose levels. We further showed that glycolysis acts upstream of key developmental signalling pathways, including Nodal and Wnt, and that its influence on cell fate can be separated from its effects on growth. DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2025.03.011.
What evidence supports the idea that glycolytic activity acts as a signaling regulator rather than merely an energy source during gastruloid development and what are the broader implications of glycolysis functioning as an activator of morphogen signaling pathways in early development?
The inhibition of glycolysis resulted in the clear downregulation of Nodal and Wnt signalling targets, which are absolutely required for mesoderm and endoderm specification. This suggested that glycolytic activity might be upstream of morphogen signalling. To test this we tried to rescue the phenotype by activating Nodal or Wnt signalling while inhibiting glycolysis. To my surprise, this restored normal germ layer patterning, even though glycolytic activity and overall growth were not recovered. That indicates that glycolysis is not merely fueling signalling but rather functions as an upstream activator!
Tell us about gastruloids as a model. In your view, what advantages do gastruloids offer for understanding early development and metabolism?
The original work establishing gastruloids as a model is here – https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.113001. For me, stem cell-based model systems are an exciting and versatile tool for studying specific processes during development. Pluripotent stem cells are easy to genetically engineer, which opens the door to powerful synthetic and (opto)genetic tools for controlling metabolism in space and time. Their accessibility makes it possible to observe metabolic and signalling dynamics in real time, and the controlled culture conditions allow us to explore how different nutritional environments influence cell behaviour.
How challenging were the experiments in the paper—both in terms of building or standardizing the model, and in the day-to-day logistics?
Mouse gastruloids are a well-established and robust model system, and they were already up and running in the Trivedi Lab when I joined. Thanks to that, it was quite straightforward for me to start working with them. But I did get great help from others in the lab, especially during revisions. So, it was really a team effort.
What are your upcoming plans – what questions are you excited to pursue in future?
I am currently trying to put together an enthusiastic team and tackle some of the questions I am really excited about: How does metabolism influence cell fate decisions? What is the energetic cost of morphogenesis, and do cells adapt their metabolism to overcome energetic constraints? How robust are developmental processes, such as patterning and morphogenesis, to changes in the nutritional environment? We’ll definitely keep an eye on glycolysis, but I’m also really keen to explore other metabolic pathways and see what else we can discover.
What role does curiosity play in your life, both within and outside of science? How important it is for you to answer basic science questions?
I would say that being curious is one of my most important character trait, and I really cherish it. It’s what drives me to explore new people, cultures, places, and ideas. When it comes to basic science questions, I think curiosity is absolutely essential, since you can’t always rely on other motivations, such as direct applications to human health. For me, basic science questions are usually the most exciting ones, and I wouldn’t want to work on anything that doesn’t truly fascinate me. I guess it comes from the longing to understand how life works. How can that not be exciting J?
How can insights from understanding basic science aspects of early development help us understand the impact of maternal nutrition and metabolic microenvironment on embryonic health and the risk of congenital/metabolic disorders in humans?
I think understanding basic science aspects of early development is absolutely crucial to understand the impact of the nutritional environment on embryonic development on a molecular level. We know since a long time that the maternal nutrition impacts even early stages of embryonic development. What we often don’t understand are the phenotypes and their underlying mechanisms. So, it’s important to support basic science on early development to better understand what goes wrong in suboptimal nutritional environments or during metabolic disorders.
Tell us about how you see the future of developmental metabolism and cell fate evolve with the new upcoming tools.
Development happens in time and space, so I believe that visualizing metabolic dynamics is essential for better understanding the role of metabolism during development. Techniques like spatial metabolomics and the use of biosensors will be incredibly valuable for this purpose.
I’m also really excited about the development of new tools that allow us to manipulate metabolic pathways in a spatiotemporal manner. In my recent work, I developed a genetic tool to restrict glucose availability by leveraging a sucrose-cleaving enzyme from yeast, and I’m eager to further refine and expand this approach in the future.
Were there any pivotal moments that shaped your career path? What’s an unexpected place you’ve found inspiration for your work? What advice would you offer to students and early-career scientists interested in exploring the intersections of metabolism and cell fate regulation?
One pivotal moment was seeing a zebrafish embryo develop during an undergraduate course (thank you, @Gerrit Begemann!). It was so beautiful and fascinating that I immediately wanted to understand how something like that works.
Not sure, whether there is an unexpected place but I like to think about things I don’t understand (including science) when I am moving between places, especially while cycling. Maybe it’s something about being in motion.
For students early-career scientists and actually everyone interested in the intersection of metabolism and cell fate regulation, my advice is to seek as much feedback as possible on your ideas and work. This is a complex and rapidly evolving field, and most of us were trained primarily in either developmental biology or metabolism, but rarely both. Engaging with experts from different backgrounds can really broaden your perspective and strengthen your research.
How do you maintain a balance between your rigorous research activities and personal life?
I really like to do outdoor sports, such as rock climbing and beach volleyball. It helps me to clear my head.
If you hadn’t embarked on a career in biological research, what other profession might you have pursued, and why?
That’s a tough question—I really love what I do! But if I hadn’t gone into biological research, I think I’d still want a career where I’m surrounded by smart, creative people and constantly learning new things. Whether it was in education, technology, or even the arts, the most important thing for me would be working in an environment that challenges me intellectually and encourages curiosity.
Anything you’d want to highlight for the future !
Yes, I actually will be starting my lab at IMBA Vienna in September! We’ll be looking at environmental and metabolic regulators of embryonic development. There is more info on our website (https://www.oeaw.ac.at/imba/groups/kristina-stapornwongkul). So please reach out if you feel enthusiastic to join the team!
Previously we learnt about the role of metabolism in seasonal adaptations and phenotypic plasticity using two unique insect models – butterflies and budworms. Check out – The season’s script: Tales of Metabolic adaptation (Karin Van Der Burg).
Spotted a preprint in this list that you love? If you’re keen to gain some science writing experience and be part of a friendly, diverse and international community, consider joining preLights and writing a preprint highlight article.
Ravindra B. Chalamalasetty, Haley Tran, Ryan Kelly, Samuel Kuo,Mark W. Kennedy,Moonsup Lee, Sara Thomas,Nikolaos Mandalos,Vishal Koparde,Francisco Pereira Lobo,Terry P. Yamaguchi
Auriana Arabpour, Jonathan Adam DiRusso, Qiu Ya Wu, Mark Larsen, Young Sun Hwang, Elsie Jacobson, Thi Xuan Ai Pham, Nicole Agranonik, Megan Sparrow, Vernon Leander Monteiro, Zenya Rebecca Bian, Nicolas Pelaez-Restrepo, Antuca Callejas-Marin,Vincent Pasque,Kathrin Plath, Amander T. Clark
Elizabeth Abraham, Thomas Roule, Aidan Douglas, Emily Megill, Olivia M. Pericak, Jordan E. Howe, Carmen Choya-Foces, Joanne F. Garbincius, Henry M. Cohen, Paula Roig-Flórez, Mikel Zubillaga, Mark D. Andrake, Seonhee Kim, John W. Elrod, Naiara Akizu, Conchi Estaras
Christopher J. Panebianco, Yuming Huang,Nidal Khatib,Devin C. Gottlieb,Maha Essaidi,Saima Ahmed,Nathaniel A. Dyment,Rebecca A. Simmons,Joel D. Boerckel,Niamh C. Nowlan
Jeremy E Sandler, Ya-Yin Tsai, Shiyuan Chen, Logan Sabin, Mark E. Lush, Abhinav Sur, Elizabeth Ellis, Nhung TT Tran, Malcolm Cook, Allison R Scott, Jonathan S. Kniss,Jeffrey A. Farrell, Tatjana Piotrowski
Hyunwook Lee, Abigail Jaquish, Sharlene Fernandes, Barbara Zhao, Amber Elitz, Kathleen Cook, Sarah Trovillion,Natalia Bottasso-Arias, Simon J. Y. Han, Samantha Goodwin, Nicholas X. Russell,Amanda L. Zacharias, Samantha A. Brugmann,Jeffrey A. Whitsett,Debora Sinner, Xin Sun, Daniel T. Swarr,William J. Zacharias
Madeleine Fosslie, Erkut Ilaslan, Trine Skuland, Adeel Manaf, Mirra Louise Cicilie Soegaard, Marie Indahl, Maria Vera-Rodriguez, Rajikala Suganthan, Ingunn Jermstad, Shaista Khanam, Knut Tomas Dalen,Ragnhild Eskeland, Michel Choudalakis, Magnar Bjoras, Peter Zoltan Fedorcsak, Gareth David Greggains, Mika Zagrobelny,John Arne Dahl,Mads Lerdrup
Rocío B. Marquez,Estefanía Sánchez Vázquez,Andrés M. Alonso, Yanel E Bernardi,Emilio M. Santillan,Peter Lwigale,Luisa Cochella,Marianne E. Bronner,Pablo H. Strobl-Mazzulla
Pavel A. Komarov, Philipp Bammer,Ching-Yeu Liang,Hans-Rudolf Hotz,Grigorios Fanourgakis,Sunwoo Chun,Hubertus Kohler,Tim-Oliver Buchholz,Jean-Francois Spetz,Antoine H.F.M Peters
Joyce Esposito,Felipe de Souza Leite,Igor Neves Barbosa,Thaís Maria da Mata Martins, Giovanna Gonçalves de Oliveira Olberg,Ziad Al Tanoury,Kayque Alves Telles-Silva,Mayana Cristina da Silva Pardo,Tatiana Jazedje,Raul Hernandes Bortolin,Mario Hiroyuki Hirata,Olivier Pourquié,Mayana Zatz
Allara K. Zylberberg,Emma I. Scully,Pei Xuan Er, Hannah Baric, Michelle Scurr,Mian Xie,Thanushi Peiris,Sara E. Howden,Kynan T. Lawlor,Melissa H. Little
Angelica Varesi, Murtaza S. Nagree, Isabella Di Biasio, Andy G.X. Zeng, Sayyam Shah, Hyerin Kim, Michael Zhang, Alex Murison, John E. Dick,Stephanie Z. Xie
Daniel P. Moore, Heather B. Steele-Stallard, Luca Pinton, Valentina Maria Lionello, Lucia Rossi, Artadokht Aghaeipour, Salma Jalal, Cherry Tsz Yan Wong, Angela Clara-Hwang, Gisèle Bonne, Peter S. Zammit,Francesco Saverio Tedesco
Nicole Szeluga, Noor AlBader, Samantha Pelletier, Kylie Weis, Arielle Johnson, Noah Fahlgren,Mikhaela Neequaye, Gus Vogt, Ryan DelPercio,Patricia Baldrich, Kelsey J.R.P. Byers,Blake C. Meyers,Margaret H. Frank
Jim Renema,Svitlana Lukicheva, Isabelle Verwaerde,Stijn Aesaert,Griet Coussens,Jolien De Block,Carolin Grones,Thomas Eekhout,Bert De Rybel,Rhoda A.T. Brew-Appiah, Christopher A. Bagley,Lennart Hoengenaert,Klaas Vandepoele,Laurens Pauwels
Chancelor B. Clark,Denise Caldwell, Qiang Zhu, Dominic Provancal, Austin C. Edwards, Qijian Song, Charles V. Quigley,Anjali S. Iyer-Pascuzzi, Jianxin Ma
Allan M. Carrillo-Baltodano,Emmanuel Haillot,Steffanie Mutiara Meha, Imran Luqman, Artenis Pashaj, Yun-Ju Lee,Tsai-Ming Lu,David E. K. Ferrier,Stephan Q. Schneider,José M. Martín-Durán
Zaili Luo, Mingyang Xia, Feng Zhang, Dazhuan Xin, Rohit Rao, Karrie M. Kiang, Kalen Berry, Yu Xiong, Hongqi Liu, Yifeng Lin, Ming Hu, Mei Xin, Jie Ma, Hao Li, Michael D. Taylor, Wenhao Zhou, Q. Richard Lu
Chenhao Tong, Tao Lin, Han Wang, Carolina De La Torre, Hui Liu, Chen Shao, Seddik Hammad, Roman Liebe, Matthias P Ebert, Huiguo Ding, Steven Dooley, Hong-Lei Weng
E. I. Bakhmet,E. V. Potapenko,O. Y. Shuvalov,A. A. Lobov,E. A. Repkin,N. E. Vorobyeva, A. N. Korablev,A. S. Zinovyeva, A. A. Kuzmin,N. D. Aksenov,A. T. Kopylov,G. Wu,H. R. Schöler,A. N. Tomilin
Siddharth Acharya,Eric Hanssen,Veronica B. Botha, Tia M. Smith,Sahan Jayatissa, Zlatan Trifunovic,Lucy A. Bartho,John E. Schjenken,Tu’uhevaha J. Kaitu’u-Lino,Anthony V. Perkins,Joanna L. James,Kirsty G. Pringle,James C. Bouwer,Roger Smith,Joshua J. Fisher
Suma Garibova, Eva Stickler, Fatima Al Ali, Maha A Abdulla, Abbirami Sathappan,Sahar Da’as, Lilian Ghanem, M Nadhir Djekidel, Rick Portman,Matteo A Avella
Abhrajit Ganguly, Cynthia M Carter, Aristides Rivera Negron, Hua Zhong, Alvaro Moreira, Matthew S. Walters, Lynette K Rogers, Y S Prakash, Trent E Tipple, Arlan Richardson
Christina M. Kaszuba, Sonali Sharma, Benjamin J. Rodems, Cameron D. Baker, Palomi Schacht, Takashi Ito, Kyle P. Jerreld, Chen Yu, Edgardo I. Franco, Emily R. Quarato, Francisco A. Chaves, Jane L. Liesveld, Laura M. Calvi, Hani A. Awad, Roman A. Eliseev,Jeevisha Bajaj
Eloïse Bertiaux, Vincent Louvel, Caitlyn L. McCafferty, Hugo van den Hoek, Umut Batman, Souradip Mukherjee,Lorène Bournonville, Olivier Mercey, Isabelle Mean, Adrian Müller, Philippe Van der Stappen, Garrison Buss, Jean Daraspe,Christel Genoud, Tim Stearns,Benjamin D. Engel,Virginie Hamel,Paul Guichard
Rotem Leshem, Syed Murtuza Baker, Joshua Mallen, Lu Wang, John Dark, Andrew D Sharrocks, Karen Piper Hanley, Neil A Hanley, Magnus Rattray, Simon D Bamforth, Nicoletta Bobola
Stanley E. Strawbridge,Lawrence E. Bates, Connor Ross, Kenneth A. Jones,Takuya Azami,Tim Lohoff,Maike Paramor, Vicki Murray,Ana Luíza Cidral, James Clarke,Maria Rostovskaya, Ge Guo,Jennifer Nichols
I am excited to announce the release of our event carbon calculator, our latest resource to support the creation of sustainable events. Estimate your event’s carbon footprint in five minute or less. Our event carbon calculator provides insights into the main drivers of your meeting’s greenhouse gas emissions, offers reduction scenarios to test and provides resources to help you build a sustainable strategy for your event.
Our calculator is still in its beta stage, so please explore our tool and send us feedback on how to make it better suited for your needs. We hope you will enjoy using our event carbon calculator and that it will help to inspire more sustainable actions in your academic meetings.
At the end of each month, I pick the same month from a random year from the past 15 years of the Node, and take a look at what people were talking about back then.
Previously, I’ve been busy travelling back to February 2011, March 2013, April 2014 and May 2016 to have a look around the Node. It’s been really fun peeking around the archives. This June, let’s jump back to 2013…
We used to partner with the Woods Hole embryology course to run an image competition, with the winning image being featured on Development’s cover. We’re hoping to revive this tradition – watch this space!
The Fly Board is excited to announce the second cycle of FlyCROSS (2025–2026), following a successful launch in 2024. The goal of FlyCROSS is to empower early career Drosophila researchers by connecting them with mentors who can help them fly in their careers – whether in academia or beyond.
Through FlyCROSS, early career scientists in the Drosophila community will be paired with an experienced mentor who will help them navigate the world of fly research with ease. Designed to prioritize the needs of mentees by matching them with mentors of their preferences, the program offers seasoned researchers an opportunity to share their knowledge and pay it forward by supporting scientists who are seeking guidance and fresh perspectives. The program consists of three parts: the mentor survey, the mentee survey, and matching.
We are currently seeking mentors. Scientists with experience in Drosophila research, includingpostdoctoral researchers, faculty members, and those in equivalent roles across diverse scientific career paths are eligible to serve as mentors and invited to complete the Mentor survey by July 14. The mentor survey will gather important details about your areas of expertise and personal career journey. We’re looking for mentors from all career paths—academia, industry, biotech, science communication, policy, and more—who have experience with Drosophila research and are eager to support the next generation of fly scientists. (If you have earned a PhD and are currently involved in any scientific career path and have experience working with fruit flies as a model system at any stage of your career, we encourage you to volunteer to support the next generation scientists)
The prospective mentee survey will be open July 21 through September 1 and will collect in-depth information about the type of mentorship each mentee is seeking. Early-career scientists including graduate students, postdoctoral researchers working in fly labs or equivalent settings, and pre-tenure faculty leading Drosophila research groups are eligible to participate as mentees.
Mentees will review the list of available mentors and their responses, with the option to indicate their preferred mentors. After receiving mentee submissions, the FlyCROSS Committee will carefully review the preferences and finalize pairings, ensuring an optimal match between mentors and mentees. Matches will be announced by October. Incase of any queries reach out to dmelcross@gmail.com. FlyCROSS was adapted from a similar mentoring program running in the worm community, and we sincerely appreciate their support of our endeavor.
Thankyou Shefali FlyCROSS Co-chair Grad student rep, Fly Board PhD candidate, Tennessen Lab IU Bloomington Bluesky : @iamshef.bsky.social X : @iam_shef
A fever dream of science and spirit wrapped in the forests of Bohemia. Here’s an escalating list — starting with the standard (though nothing was standard about this) — and spiraling toward the legendary. This was what made Woodstock.Bio² & Night Science the most unforgettable conference of its kind (there is no such kind).
What We Had:
· Scientists across all career stages — from undergrads to full professors (yes, there was one undergrad! He’s ahead of his time).
The people. Each and every participant of this meeting.
In retrospect, being forced to choose a walk-up song might have been one of the most brilliant conference design decisions. It pushed us out of default mode, pipetted creativity and humor into the air, and made each session feel more like a show than a slot.
And because everyone was “performing” just a little — rethinking how to present their science in a more human, fun, or offbeat way — we found ourselves better able to stay tuned to ALL talks, even when they spanned wildly different disciplines. There was something about the levity and variety that made us listen more deeply.
Even the hashtag had a story. We used #TCTeAC on BlueSky – a compact string chosen as shorthand for #TheConferenceToEndAllConferences. It’s an acronym of the full phrase, but we also loved how it resembled a DNA sequence or binding motif. In a way, it was a motif — one you had to chant silently each time you typed it out.
TCTeAC… The Conference To end All Conferences…
TCTeAC… The Conference To end All Conferences…
But maybe it wasn’t just the events. It was the environment. Once a space was created where it felt safe — and common — to laugh, to question, to try weird things, to fail publicly, to be human — everything else followed. For all of us, as a collective.
People stepped out of their academic armor. Speakers forgot their next line, slides froze, and the crowd cheered. Honest dialogue blossomed. Ideas were born not just during talks, but on trains, under canopies, beside the fire.
“This project? It started with a chat on the train to the woods during Woodstock.Bio².”
Already thinking about the next one? The only spoiler I would give is that less than 24 hours after the ending of the meeting, the instigators and bohemian fixers were already conspiring on ideas for the next meeting. Needless to say the ideas are beyond imagination and bigger than life.
My talk in the first session was accompanied by a local bass guitarist:
* Thank you Patric! You rock! (and roll…)
We had a huge amount of exciting talk across a broad range of scientific fields:
The final location was a YMCA campsite at Southeast Central Bohemia:
But most importantly, we were strict with time, if a speaker went overtime and would not leave the stage – we took care of that, to keep the tight schedule of the meeting:
* This act was coordinated with the speaker ahead of time (in other words… just a joke).
This is part of the ‘Lab meeting’ series featuring developmental and stem cell biology labs around the world.
Lab introduction
Mariana S. Silveira: I am the head of LINDes, my current laboratory established in 2023. Prior to that, I shared another research space, the Neurogenesis Lab, with colleagues and my former advisor, Dr. Rafael Linden. I held the position of Associate Professor at the Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, part of the Center for Health Sciences at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Notably, this institution is the first university founded in our country, previously known as the University of Brazil, and our Institute is now approaching its 80th anniversary. In Brazil, this represents an esteemed and traditional institution, as our country is relatively young. Our Institute’s Program of Biological Sciences–Biophysics, one of the first doctoral programs in Brazil, has a history spanning 62 years.
The lab is in Rio de Janeiro and our city boasts unparalleled natural beauty and a vibrant cultural scene.
Research summary
Our current research focuses on leveraging advancements in retinal development and cell reprogramming to explore potential therapeutic strategies for vision loss. Specifically, we focus on retinal ganglion cells, the projection neurons of the retina, working in collaboration with both Brazilian and international research groups. Additionally, we are investigating the retinal microglia in a collaborative project aiming to design innovative tools employing machine learning for morphological categorization.
Lab roll call
José Nilson dos Santos – He’s been the go-to technician ready to help anyone in the lab ever since the lab head was a PhD student in the Neurogenesis Lab. Always there to tackle any kind of problem, it’s awesome to have him around!
Mariana S. Silveira – Associate professor and lab head. Honestly, leading this fresh and young team is both a challenge and a joy. My goal is to put all my energy into making sure they have a productive and happy experience in the lab.
Viviane Oliveira Valença – Postdoctoral researcher, Viviane serves as my right hand. Having recently completed her PhD; she is currently assisting in training the group and moving forward some new collaborations while finalizing manuscripts. Her presence is truly invaluable to the lab.
Daianne Torres – A combination of lab manager and technician, Daianne is consistently available to address both administrative and technical challenges.
Isabel Guedes Ferreira – A highly skilled Master’s student currently focusing on the study of retinal microglial morphology and the development of computational tools to enhance and optimize these analyses.
Bernardo Benincá – He has recently started his Master’s program, where his research project focuses on stimulating the reprogramming of Müller glial cells in vitro through the overexpression of transcription factors.
Kauã Mourão – An undergraduate student in Biological Sciences who joined the lab as a trainee in 2024. He is currently exploring various techniques to evaluate the potential for reopening the window of retinal ganglion cell generation and the synaptic integration of newly formed neurons.
Victoria Mattos – An undergraduate student in Biomedical Sciences who joined the lab in 2024. She is currently acquiring the essential foundational techniques needed to initiate her own project. Presently, she assists other students with their work and participates in routine laboratory activities.
Camila Barbosa – An undergraduate student in Microbiology and Immunology who joined the lab in 2024 and is currently enhancing her technical skills.
Loreena Klein – A PhD candidate who has recently joined the laboratory after completing her Master’s in the field of pain regulation, is currently investigating the regenerative potential of Müller glial cells for the generation of retinal ganglion cells in vivo.
Roberto Matias – An undergraduate student specializing in Biophysics, Roberto contributes to Isabel’s research by assisting in the morphological analysis of microglial cells across various functional states and investigating their correlation with neurodegenerative processes.
Talia Pontes – An undergraduate student in Biomedical Sciences, has recently joined the laboratory with the intention of pursuing a graduate program in the future.
Top row, from left to right: Jose Nilson, Daianne, Bernardo, Isabel, Kauã, and Roberto. Bottom row, from left to right: Loreena, Viviane, Mariana, Camila, Victoria and Talia.
Favourite technique, and why?
Mariana: In my opinion, microscopy remains an invaluable tool, particularly with advancements in resolution and the ability to detect multiple antigens simultaneously. This approach provides precise in situ information when combined with cell morphology, defining in a remarkably accurate way, cell identity within tissue. Nevertheless, employing a combination of various methodologies is always the optimal strategy. Recently, I have also become fascinated by scRNA-seq as a very relevant tool.
Mariana, apart from your own research, what are you most excited about in developmental and stem cell biology?
Mariana: The emerging field of organoids and assembloids, particularly for investigating early stages of brain development and the underlying mechanisms of diseases, is truly captivating.
Mariana, how do you approach managing your group and all the different tasks required in your job?
Mariana: I must admit it’s not an easy task. My approach involves holding regular meetings with the team, where we not only discuss relevant literature related to our projects and related fields but also hold individual and group follow-ups to review the goals set for each member. Despite time being limited, I always keep my office door open for them.
What is the best thing about where you work?
Mariana S. Silveira – Although science funding in Brazil remains quite limited, which makes competing for international grants an essential challenge, I truly appreciate working at such a prestigious institution. Here, we are often supported and encouraged to strive for quality and excellence, especially in training the next generation of researchers. While the number of young individuals pursuing this demanding career is gradually declining, it’s rewarding to discover talented individuals and witness their scientific growth and development. Celebrating small achievements serves as a motivation to keep moving forward.
Viviane Oliveira Valença– We are at one of Brazil’s top universities, which is definitely the highlight for me, as numerous scientific contributions are made here. Even though we lack good infrastructure, safety, and other resources, being inside the university and surrounded by students from different fields fosters interaction and knowledge exchange.
Daianne Torres – The best thing about our workplace is the people who make up our lab. Even when we’re stressed about failed experiments, having supportive and caring teammates always makes the effort worthwhile.
Isabel Guedes – The best thing about our lab is the camaraderie and sense of community. We genuinely look out for each other, and that support makes even the hardest days a lot easier to get through.
Bernardo Benincá – It is the people. The scientific environment is challenging and can often be frustrating, but we take great pride in the quality of the work we produce despite numerous hardships and limited funding. Another important factor is how we always support each other, creating a welcoming and inclusive space. It’s an honor to be part of our lab.
Kauã Mourão – The people. They are not only my lab group with whom I talk about research and papers, but also my friends whom I know I can count on in this crazy work routine. It is really great to share my workspace with them because I learn more every day. They are truly skilled at what they do.
Victoria Mattos – It’s all about the connections we build with people and what we learn. Joining the lab helped me grow, both as a student and as a person. Being part of this environment and contributing to our research is very rewarding.
Camila Barbosa – The great thing about working in this lab is the constant exchange with the whole team, which always helps me learn something new, whether during experiments or in our meetings. Outside the lab, we have the privilege of being close to renowned professionals, and we get to attend various lectures and conferences, which also helps broaden our scientific perspectives.
Loreena Klein – The best thing about where I work is the strong sense of community. Everyone is very supportive and willing to help, which has made a big difference for me as a new PhD student adjusting to the environment.
Roberto Matias – I can say for sure that the best thing about where I work is the patient, dedicated and fun people who guide me in everything I need to learn, whether they are colleagues or teachers. The Institute is a peaceful and friendly place capable of comforting anyone in difficult times.
Talia Pontes – Honestly, the best thing about working here is getting to learn hands-on lab techniques from experienced researchers right at my own university. Plus, it feels great to know I’m helping push the boundaries of retinal studies.
What’s there to do outside of the lab?
Mariana S. Silveira – Besides enjoying the quiet pleasure of reading a captivating romance, I’m a big fan of Brazilian music. I enjoy attending live shows and participating in groups that use samba school instruments to explore the diverse rhythms of our rich musical culture.
Viviane Oliveira Valença – Here in Rio de Janeiro, there are plenty of things to do outside the lab, such as hiking in various places where you can enjoy breathtaking views of the city. Besides that, you can go to the beach, soak up the sun, and spend quality time with friends.
Daianne Torres – During my free time, I enjoy curling up on the couch with a good TV series to unwind or diving into the pages of a new book to escape into a world of fantasy.
Isabel Guedes Ferreira – Outside of the lab, I like to unwind by reading, playing games, and spending time with my friends. It helps me recharge and keep a healthy balance.
Bernardo Benincá – Sometimes it is important to take a break from the routine and do things to relax. Hobbies like watching movies, reading, playing video games, going out with friends, or simply going to the garden and looking at the trees.
Kauã Mourão – We are talking about Rio, so I must mention the beaches! They are amazing! There is nothing better than heading to the sea and unwinding from everything.
Victoria Mattos – Outside of the lab, I enjoy spending my time with my family and friends, it’s always a lot of fun to be surrounded by good people in a nice place. I like to go to the beach, enjoy samba and visit new restaurants.
Camila Barbosa – In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends, going hiking, connecting with nature, watching series, and reading.
Loreena Klein – Outside of the lab, I love spending time with my friends, whether we’re going out or just hanging out together. I also enjoy staying home and watching some TV shows, which help me relax and recharge.
Roberto Matias – Rio de Janeiro offers many interesting activities, such as modern museums, restaurants with unique and exotic cuisine, and adrenaline-pumping amusement parks. With such a beautiful city full of activities and people, it is impossible to decide what to do.
Talia Pontes – Outside of the lab, I enjoy watching movies, reading, and spending quality time with my family. I also dedicate time to studying extracurricular subjects and learning new languages—currently, I am studying Spanish.
The recent Special Issue from Journal of Cell Science focussed on the cell biology of mitochondria. To showcase some of the research in this issue, FocalPlane and MITOtalks have teamed up to host a webinar on Thursday 3 July at 16:00 BST (17:00 CEST, 11:00 EDT, 08:00 PDT). MITOtalks organisers Nuno Raimundo and Sjoerd Wanrooij have invited Yuli Buckley, Mireia Nager and Dikaia Tsagkari to present their research.
Prof. Caren Norden (@nordenlab.bsky.social) appointed Darwin Professor of Animal Embryology in the Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge.
Dr. Júlia Peloggia de Castro (@jupeloggia.bsky.social) awarded the Behrensen – Guzmán Palma Award for the most outstanding research paper by a predoctoral student at Stowers Institute for Medical Research.
Special thanks to Maddie Ryan, Charli Corcoran & Michaela Noskova Fairley for putting this digest together! If you would like to thank the Zebrafish Rock! team for their time & effort, you can buy us a strong cuppa at the link below. Every little bit keeps us caffeinated and motivated! We appreciate your support 🙂
Do you have news, jobs or research that you want to add to the next digest but don’t have a social media account? Use the submission form at our website below:https://linktr.ee/zebrafishrock
Our July webinar features three early-career researchers working on early embryogenesis and will be chaired by Development’s Executive Editor, Alex Eve.
André Dias (Universitat Pompeu Fabra) ‘Opposing Nodal and Wnt signalling activities govern the emergence of the mammalian body plan’
Nikhil Mishra (Institute of Science and Technology Austria) ‘Geometry-driven asymmetric cell divisions pattern cell cycles and zygotic genome activation in the zebrafish embryo’
At the speakers’ discretion, the webinar will be recorded for viewing on demand. To see the other webinars scheduled in our series, and to catch up on previous talks, please visit: thenode.biologists.com/devpres
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