Vitals
Karina Carneiro
▸ Hometown: Belo Horizonte, Brazil
▸ Education: BSc, chemistry, Mount Saint Vincent University and Dalhousie University, 2006; PhD, chemistry, McGill University, 2013
▸ Current position: Associate professor of dentistry and biomedical engineering, University of Toronto
▸ What reminds me of home: Pão de queijo and brigadeiro
▸ First job: Bookstore clerk
▸ I am: Latina, Japanese
Karina Carneiro’s story is a testament to creativity and representation. Like something out of a science fiction novel, Carneiro’s lab at the University of Toronto is designing biomaterials out of DNA that could prompt wounds to heal themselves. Dagwin Wachholz Júnior interviewed Carneiro about her passion for chemistry and regenerative medicine, her unique position working among dentists, and her advice for young Latin American researchers.
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Karina Carneiro
HOMETOWN: Belo Horizonte, Brazil
EDUCATION: BSc, chemistry, Mount Saint Vincent University and Dalhousie University, 2006; PhD, chemistry, McGill University, 2013
CURRENT POSITION: Associate professor of dentistry and biomedical engineering, University of Toronto
WHAT REMINDS ME OF HOME: Pão de queijo and brigadeiro
FIRST JOB: Bookstore clerk
I AM: Latina, Japanese
Image Credit: Jeff Comber/University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry
Dagwin Wachholz Júnior: You are originally from Brazil, but now you work at the University of Toronto. What brought you to Canada, and how did that move shape your career?
Karina Carneiro: I was born in Brazil, but when I was 16, I participated in an exchange student program in the US. At the time, I thought I would return to Brazil to continue my education. But while I was abroad, I developed a passion for studying and for chemistry.
I started considering the possibility of pursuing my undergraduate degree in North America and applied to a lot of different universities in the US and Canada. I eventually got accepted at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, where I started working in a lab during the summers. That’s really when I started getting involved in research.
When I finished undergrad, I could have gone back to Brazil, but I decided to stay in Canada and chose to do my PhD at McGill University because I wanted to work with Hanadi Sleiman. For me, it was an incredible opportunity to learn how to use chemistry to modify biological molecules, such as DNA, which felt almost like science fiction.
If you love researching and being a professor, make the mold fit you.
DWJ: So you’re a chemist, but now you are working at the faculty of dentistry. How did that happen?
KC: It does seem odd that I ended up in dentistry! But after my PhD, I wanted to change fields to work on something that was more biologically applicable and relevant to a different area—but that still let me use all of these skills I learned on my PhD.
I began searching for postdoc positions and ended up getting an offer from the University of California, San Francisco, in the faculty of dentistry. The professor I worked with was looking at how proteins influenced tooth enamel growth in vitro. My research was to look at the self-assembly of this protein and draw predictions as to whether this could happen in vivo as well.
After my postdoc, one of the jobs I applied to was my current position at the University of Toronto. They were looking for a scientist to join their research facility in their faculty of dentistry.
DWJ: That sounds like a position that was made for you, a chemist who already had experience working with dentists. Did you always want to be a professor?
KC: Well, at that point in my postdoc, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be an independent primary investigator. One of my mentors asked me why I didn’t want to go into academia. I told her, “I don’t think I fit the mold. I don’t think I would do a good job becoming a professor.”
She said, “It’s not for you to decide if you fit the mold. If you love researching and being a professor, make the mold fit you.” I honestly never realized until that point that I was the one holding myself back.
DWJ: That’s great advice! We need to stop excluding ourselves from a position and from opportunities just because we think we don’t fit it. What are you working on now?
KC: Currently, I’m working on mineralized tissue regeneration and designing biomaterials that will give little signals to our body to [prompt it to] repair itself.
We are specifically designing DNA sequences that can hybridize with one another, almost like holding hands, to form an injectable soft gel. These hydrogels are made out of synthetic DNA, not carrying any genetic information, and are intended to be stable in a calcium media.
What we have seen so far is that when the hydrogel is injected in rats, the DNA gets degraded, releasing calcium and phosphate ions. We hypothesize that these ions could act as signaling molecules, potentially helping cells to differentiate or to rebuild damaged tissue.
DWJ: I am working with DNA in my PhD as well. More specifically, with CRISPR-based systems for diagnostics purposes. But considering the primary application of CRISPR on gene editing, do you think you could use it to design these DNA sequences?
KC: That’s a tough question. It’s truly inspiring to witness the advancements in the CRISPR field and the pace at which the science and its applications in humans are progressing. It’s an exciting era to be involved in DNA research.
However, while I would love to be super confident and say yes, I think we know how research goes. Our work in rats looks promising, but using DNA hydrogels in humans still has a long way to go.
DWJ: Do you see other potential applications for DNA hydrogels beyond tissue regeneration?
Vitals
Dagwin Wachholz Júnior
▸ Hometown: Pomerode, Brazil
▸ Education: BSc, chemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 2019; MSc, analytical chemistry, State University of Campinas, 2021
▸ Current position: PhD candidate, analytical chemistry, Lauro Kubota’s laboratory, State University of Campinas
▸ Favorite molecule, and why: DNA. I really appreciate its elegant structure and its capacity to store huge amounts of information in a remarkably compact form.
▸ Fvorite song: “Reconvexo” by Caetano Veloso. It is a meaningful song that represents the Brazilian cultural identity and celebrates the power of Brazil worldwide.
▸ I am: Latino, German Brazilian
KC: Since it is a biodegradable and biocompatible gel, it could also be used as a carrier for cell and drug delivery. The initial fear was if these structures are toxic, but so far it doesn’t look like there is anything that could be dangerous. I think there’s a lot of potential.
DWJ: That sounds amazing. It’s really an honor for us Brazilians to have researchers like you working on such important research. How do you think we could increase this representation and open up opportunities for other Latin American researchers?
KC: What I’m doing is getting myself involved in different programs that support international students and women in science with backgrounds similar to mine.
There are also some things that I do specifically for my lab. When I’m recruiting, I prioritize curiosity and interest in a field over work experience, knowing there are barriers that can limit experience. I also try to minimize my bias by considering all aspects of a candidate instead of just focusing on their [grade point average] or publications.
And further, as a [Latina in science], it’s crucial to speak up when something feels wrong, especially if you have a seat at the table where your voice matters.
DWJ: Related to the last question, what advice would you give to young researchers, like me, who are just starting out in their own careers?
KC: The most important thing is to put ourselves out there. There’s such strength in the research that’s being done in Latin America. I want people to recognize the hard work, energy, and creativity that goes into research there as well—all the hard work and sense of collaboration—with people just working together and trying to push things forward.
I also wish I’d actively sought out mentors. Every major step in my career has happened because of my mentors, even if I didn’t seek them out specifically. But I wish I had asked for more help. That might have made things faster or caused me to make fewer mistakes.
DWJ: That makes sense. There can be a lot of shame around asking researchers we respect for help. But, as you said, the guidance and experience these people can share with us is important.
KC: Yeah, and it’s important to network with others as well. I wish I had started networking earlier on in my career. I always thought I could succeed by keeping my head down and working hard. But nobody can do it alone.
Dagwin Wachholz Júnior
HOMETOWN: Pomerode, Brazil
EDUCATION: BSc, chemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 2019; MSc, analytical chemistry, State University of Campinas, 2021
CURRENT POSITION: PhD candidate, analytical chemistry, Lauro Kubota's laboratory, State University of Campinas
FAVORITE MOLECULE, AND WHY: DNA. I really appreciate its elegant structure and its capacity to store huge amounts of information in a remarkably compact form.
FAVORITE SONG: "Reconvexo" by Caetano Veloso. It is a meaningful song that represents the Brazilian cultural identity and celebrates the power of Brazil worldwide.
I AM: Latino, German Brazilian
Dagwin Wachholz Júnior’s current work focuses on the development of CRISPR-based biosensing devices for point-of-care diagnostics.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Dagwin Wachholz Júnior
DWJ: Any other advice you’d like to share?
KC: Don’t try to fit the mold! We have to own who we are.
DWJ: That seems like the theme of our conversation!
KC: That’s right! We make the mold!
Chemical & Engineering News
ISSN 0009-2347
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