Juliana Rizzo

Biologist, MSc. in Microbiology and PhD. in Biological Chemistry with emphasis in fungal biology and host-pathogen interactions. International scientific training, committed to broaden scientific perspectives and research collaboration. Interested in the role of extracellular vesicles underlying fungal pathogenesis and omics tools applied to the identification of biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for fungal infections.

EDUCATION
FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF RIO DE JANEIRO (UFRJ) | BRAZIL
· PhD. in Biological Chemistry (2013-2017)
PhD Thesis: ‘Functional studies on secretory mechanisms in pathogenic fungi’. Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis (IBqM). Advisor: Dr. Marcio L. Rodrigues.
· MSc. in Microbiology (2011-2013)
STATE UNIVERSITY OF SÃO PAULO (UNESP) | BRAZIL
· Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences (2007-2010)

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
INSTITUT PASTEUR, DEPARTMENT OF MYCOLOGY | FRANCE (September 2019 – present): 
Postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Guilhem Janbon 
The postdoctoral research proposal intends to study the compositional aspects of fungal extracellular vesicles, comprising protein and RNA species, and design new experimental models aiming to elucidate the biological role of these compartments during infection and development of drug resistance.

FUNDAÇÃO OSWALDO CRUZ (FIOCRUZ)| BRAZIL (November 2017- August 2019)
Junior investigator 
Dedicated to investigate the antifungal potential of hydrophobic peptides to combat a range of fungal pathogens and analyzing its toxicity to mammalian cells. 

FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF RIO DE JANEIRO (UFRJ) | BRAZIL (July 2011 – September 2017)
MSc. and PhD. student with Dr. Marcio L. Rodrigues 
Master thesis focused on studying the role of yeast unconventional secretion pathways in the release of fungal virulence-associated molecules during interaction with host cells. 
PhD thesis focused on identification and characterization of lipid flippases as new cell target for the development of antifungal drugs. 

INSTITUT PASTEUR, DEPARTMENT OF MYCOLOGY | FRANCE (September 2015 - March 2016)
Research trainee with Dr. Jean-Paul Latgé 
Dedicated to characterize the release of extracellular vesicles by Aspergillus fumigatus, analyze its cargo and biological function and search for new biomarkers for aspergillosis. 

ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY | USA (October 2013 - April 2014)
Research trainee with Dr. Joshua D. Nosanchuk 
Involved in the study of evolutionary aspects of Cryptococcus neoformans extracellular vesicles on phagocytic and antifungal activities of the environmental predator Acanthamoeba castellanii. 

PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AND COURSES
CONFERENCES
· 20th Congress of the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology – ISHAM (Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2018). 
· 10th International Conference on Cryptococcus and Cryptococcosis (Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, 2017). 
· International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) Workshop (São Paulo, Brazil, 2016). 
· 9th International Conference on Cryptococcus and Cryptococcosis (Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2014). 
· International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (Boston, USA, 2013). 
COURSES 
· Research Explorer Ruhr. Two-week summer school for excellent early career researchers, funded by Germany's Excellence Initiative. Ruhr-Universität Bochum (Bochum, Germany, 2018).
· Molecular Mycology: Current Approaches to Fungal Pathogenesis. Advanced Research Training Course. Marine Biological Laboratory. The University of Chicago (Woods Hole, USA, 2017).
· 5th Central European Summer Course and 2nd Rising Star in Mycology Workshop. University of Szeged (Szeged, Hungary, 2016).