He has been living in Chile for four years and says he already feels at home. “I applied for a doctorate at the Catholic University of Maule and passed the selection. I think I was brave, because I came to Talca with my husband and my three children”, recalls the now doctor in Genetics, Vivan DÁfonseca Da Silva, a native of Brasilia, in Brazil. “They are very used to it”, she emphasizes calmly regarding her family.
DÁfonseca, professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the UCM and author of compelling research, has recently plunged into two lines of research: the Genetics and Genome of microorganisms, on the one hand, and the Genetics and Genomics of cancer, for another. Keen observer of the so-called cancer biomarkers, such as substances or processes indicative of the presence of the disease in the body, the scientist reviews her remarkable career.
How were the beginnings of your career?
I started my scientific activities in 2002, when I started my undergraduate degree in Biology. At that time, I had the opportunity to work in a large Brazilian research company called EMBRAPA, from the Portuguese Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria. ANDThis was my first contact with Molecular Biology and Genetics. I dedicated myself to projects that focused on the genetic modification of tobacco plants, with a focus on generating resistance to water stress. Since undergraduate I had contact with the world of research and I really decided to continue in it. However, my focus has always been the area of biomedicine. During my master’s and doctorate I was able to work with genetics and genomics of pathogenic bacteria and finally in my first post-doctorate I was able to start experiments in the area of cancer epigenetics.
What would you say motivates your scientific work?
It motivates me to know that every day something new will happen. Science is very dynamic. Every day are new challenges, new questions, new strategies. I am also motivated by the search for knowledge; keeps you updated and connected to the world. I cannot imagine the dynamic routine that science offers in other areas, not with the same intensity.
What things were relevant, situations or people, when choosing to follow science as a career and during your training as a scientist?
I feel that the curiosity to know how things work and my desire to contribute something concrete to the world were the two most important things that led me to choose to do science. I always wanted to do something that could impact people’s lives in a concrete way and that continues to be my daily inspiration. I discovered that science could lead me to do something for society. Science tells us about problems, about people’s needs, and seeing that people in general expect an answer for their lives from our work is really something that motivates me.
What lines of research are you currently developing?
I work with Genetics and Genomics of pathogenic microorganisms and cancer, all focused on Bioinformatics. Through Bioinformatics I managed to make the connection between the mentioned areas. I have been working on this line since my master’s degree, I started with animal pathogenic microorganisms and I am currently working on microorganisms of clinical interest. I have also developed the cancer part by mining biological data found in public repositories, to find new genetic targets for the study of certain types of cancer.
What would you say would be the greatest achievement in your scientific career?
I can mention a few. First, having completed my Ph.D. Anyone doing a Ph.D. knows what the words sacrifice and resilience mean. It was a very complex stage, I lived far from my family, I did not have much life experience and it was a very big life change for me. Knowing that I did this fills me with pride. Second, living in Chile is also an achievement for the same reasons mentioned and carries even greater weight. On the one hand, I miss my family a lot and everything I have experienced in my country, and on the other, I am very proud to contribute scientifically to another country. Finally, the most recent achievement and I think the greatest of all was becoming a professor at the UCM School of Medicine. This achievement has always been part of my plans and achieving it fills me with joy and motivation.
How do you project your scientific work?
I have medium and long term projections. I intend to approve projects in my lines of research, train human capital in the lines in which I work, continue publishing my work and make my work be seen not only nationally, but also internationally. Of course, all these projections require time and dedication, and I’m working on it. I also intend to do an internship abroad and enhance scientific contributions among my collaborators.
What view do you have on the development of science in Chile?
I see Chile as having enormous potential to become a benchmark in research in Latin America. Here there are opportunities that are not easily found in other countries, the knowledge of professionals in their training areas is recognized and valued. Such recognition is an important step in establishing a solid scientific base. Investment in human capital and resources to do science are very important for the scientific and technological development of a country.
What message do you deliver to the new generations so that they are motivated to follow a scientific career?
My message is that people try to do what they like, that they work for pleasure and not out of obligation. To do science, all you need is curiosity, a desire to learn more and more, creativity and a little perseverance. Science is increasingly inclusive and needs new people who have passion and desire to contribute to a better society.
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