Biologist Bruna Corrêa

Some of the best moments of my childhood were spent on my grandparents’ farmhouse
in a small countryside town. Growing up surrounded by nature, animals, and the
traditions of rural life, I developed a deep curiosity about how the environment works and
how living beings interact with it. I was already thinking like a researcher: observing
details, forming questions, and creating my own explanations about why things
happened the way they did. This curiosity, combined with my determination to learn,
eventually led me to become a biologist.
I prepared for three consecutive years for Brazil’s competitive university entrance exam.
I was not admitted in my first two attempts, but in 2015, I succeeded and entered the
Biological Sciences program at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS),
one of the top-ranked universities in Brazil and Latin America. That year, 717 applicants
competed for 70 seats in Biology, while 39,849 candidates applied to fewer than 4,000
openings university-wide1. I graduated ranked fifth in my class, and this remains one of
my most meaningful achievements. This experience showed me that with focus,
organization, and perseverance, I can achieve the goals I set for myself. My
undergraduate years, however, were also marked by significant challenges.
During my first semester, a national strike affected federal universities for more than 100
days, delaying courses and disrupting academic schedules. The following year, another
student movement occupied university buildings in protest of the Proposed Constitutional
Amendment 241 (PEC 241), which aimed to freeze public spending for 20 years.
Students mobilized against its potential impact on education funding, and the
occupations extended the academic calendar in the years that followed. Despite these
institutional challenges, I actively sought opportunities to engage with research and
scientific practice during my undergraduate studies.
When courses returned to a stable schedule, I began my first research project in applied
microbiology. Until then, my laboratory experience had been limited to practical classes,
but this project taught me to handle equipment, process samples, prepare culture media,
maintain yeast strains, and follow biosafety procedures. I quickly mastered these
techniques and collaborated with graduate students on their research. Beginning my own
research project and presenting a poster at a university science fair that same year was
a turning point, showing me that I could contribute to academic research early in my
training.
Inspired by courses in the teaching track of my degree, I sought practical experience in
education. For two years, I worked at a municipal elementary school in a program for
students in special education. Although not focused on teaching biology, this experience
showed how concepts from genetics, physiology, neurology, and molecular biology
intersect with learning. I observed how teachers supported cognitive and social
development and how scientific research can inform more inclusive approaches. This
strengthened my belief that research and education are transformative forces and should
remain connected.
I later joined a science communication group responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We developed accessible educational materials and held weekly meetings to review research literature and prepare content collaboratively. These materials later became
the basis of my undergraduate thesis, a qualitative study examining how such resources
can bridge scientific research and classroom practice. Although I could not test the
materials in classrooms due to pandemic restrictions, their online availability ensured
teachers could use them as needed. I presented my research thesis to a committee and
received the highest evaluation. This project strengthened my autonomy, research
methodology, academic writing, and adaptability.
Currently, at the Veterinary Bacteriology Laboratory, I continue expanding my technical
research skills. When severe floods affected Porto Alegre in 2024, I contributed to a
research project investigating leptospirosis in rescued dogs. We detected pathogenic
Leptospira spp. using DNA extraction, qPCR, and sequencing under a One Health
approach. Conducting research under disaster conditions required resilience: some
animals treated with antibiotics produced false negatives, supplies were limited, and the
workload was intense. We applied pooling strategies and strict biosafety protocols,
identifying zoonotic strains that supported discussions on mandatory reporting of canine
leptospirosis. This work resulted in a peer-reviewed research article in Infectious Disease
Reports and reinforced my commitment to research that addresses real public health
challenges.
My journey has shown me that science and education are interconnected and
strengthened when informed by research. Through every challenge and opportunity, I
have learned that knowledge reaches its true value when it can be shared and applied
to improve lives. My greatest ambition is to become a professor and researcher recognized in my field. Coming
from a family that did not have access to higher education, reaching this stage represents
the breaking of a cycle and the opening of new possibilities. I am confident in my ability
to contribute meaningfully to the OWSD community, I see this opportunity as a way to connect science with
people and ensure that knowledge continues to serve as a tool for inclusion,
understanding, and positive change.