The BraIN & Phy team is honored to present our newest alumni, Dr. Felipe Andreazza.
Since teenager, Dr. Andreazza joked with his brother that he would study agronomy to produce the best grapes so that his brother, an enologist, would be able to produce the best wines for them to enjoy it together. Surrounded by good examples in his homeland, Felipe Andreazza began his education early and today, far from home, he continues his academic journey in another country.
At 14 years old, he began his technical training in Agriculture from the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Sul (IFRS), Bento Gonçalves-RS. After, he graduated in Agronomy from the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel), Faculty of Agronomy “Eliseu Maciel” (FAEM). Finally, he moved out to Viçosa, where he pursued his master’s and doctorate degrees in Entomology from the Graduate Program in Entomology (PPGEnt) at the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), both under guidance of Professor Eugênio E. Oliveira.
Dr. Andreazza believes that many people, from parents, brothers, professors, researchers, friends, all inspire us, in different ways, to grow and to seek success in our careers. During his academic journey, Andreazza could count on many people as inspiration. Professor Rodrigo Otávio Câmara Monteiro was one of his mentors during his technical course, and as a friend followed Andreazza undergrad progress. He for example, inspired Andreazza’s choice for the University of California-Davis, USA, as the place to study abroad in 2013-2014. Also, during his undergrad, Dr. Andreazza had two advisors, Professor Uemerson Silva da Cunha, FAEM-UFPel, and Dr. Dori Edson Nava, Embrapa Clima Temperado, Pelotas-RS, both of whom encouraged him, throughout his undergrad, for developing more and more in his profession. Not only both his advisors, but also his other friends and lab mates, taught him a lot about insect breeding and biology, helping him to develop his taste for entomology, an area in which he works until today.
Furthermore, Dr. Andreazza reports that when he moved out to UFV, he had the opportunity to find another group whit the same spirit, who sought to supplement their training abroad, or even coming from abroad to train with us at UFV. As a result of such good interactions and examples, he had the opportunity to execute his doctorate projects at Michigan State University and Duke University, USA, under the supervision of Professor Ke Dong.
When asked about why he chose the PPGEnt, Andreazza said that it was more than just the evaluation of the program by CAPES, but also the fact that it had a broad portfolio of subjects that would complement his training. Insect Physiology, Toxicology, Enzymology and Cell Signaling are examples of subjects that directly helped him in his project, encompassing, not only the toxicology and behavior of Aedes aegypti, but also, this pest’s neurobiology and neurophysiology. Also, Viçosa city was important in his choice, which with the low cost and the nice social life, was a perfect place to start a new life with his wife.
Dr. Andreazza reports that there were many good experiences at PPGEnt. In addition to a good academic background, he could further develop his abilities in extension programs such as the “Bar ComCiência”, “Insetos em Cena”, “Corrida Entomológica” and practical classes taught to undergraduate students. He encourages new students to enter the program, reinforcing the need for focus and effort to take advantage of all the opportunities that the program offers.
In the laboratory since February 2016, Andreazza has worked in two areas. First, during his master’s degree, he worked with the regional occurrence and susceptibility of local populations of Drosophila suzukii to insecticides. He also focused on tests using alternative products to traditional synthetic insecticides, such as essential oils, extracts and inorganic insecticides, as potential tools to control this pest. Second, during his doctorate, his focus was on understanding, at a molecular and neurophysiological level, the repellency mechanism of action by pyrethrum and its synthetic derivatives, the pyrethroid insecticides, in yellow fever mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti. Throughout his period at UFV, Andreazza was supervised by Professor Eugênio E. Oliveira. In addition, during his master’s degree he was co-supervised by Professor Khalid Haddi, and, during his doctorate, co-supervised by Professor Ke Dong.
When asked about the laboratory experience, Andreazza is delight to say that it was a good experience at all different levels, not only in the academic/scientific part but also in the social integrations between the team, which were considered great, as we say here at Minas Gerais, “nu”. In particular, he remembers an important aspect that he learned in the group, on how to prepare seminars and lectures, focusing on delivering a clear, objective and enthusiastic message. It was not only learning how to present your work, but also how to analyze data in software like SigmaPlot and SAS, improving graphics editing on CorelDraw and be able to practice leadership, communication, and advising by mentoring undergrad students in the lab.
It was a good chat moment, where he was able to share his experience here at UFV. Currently at Duke University, USA, where he now holds the position of Postdoctoral Associate, Dr. Andreazza looks back and says that all the experiences he had here, positive, or negative, served as preparation, and opened his mind to situations that could always happen to anyone in the future.
Now, we have the pleasure to say good luck in your journey, Felipe Andreazza, and we hope to see you soon.
Extension action at a school in the municipality of Ervália-MG, Race of cockroaches! 
Presentation of work at CBE-2018, Gramado-RS. 
Presentation at the ESA national meeting-Saint Louis-MO-USA, 2019. 
Fellow panelists at the Drosophila suzukii session at the IPM Symposium in Baltimore, MD-USA, 2018. 
Collection of the first Drosophilas suzukii in ES in 2017-Domingos Martins- ES. 
Defense of my Masters. 
Defense of my Masters. 
Electrophysiology Station-Single Sensillum Recording or Electroanthenogram-Duke University. 
Electrophysiology Station-Single Sensillum Recording or Electroanthenogram-Duke University. 
Newest house, Duke University, 2020. 
Members of the Prof. Lab. Ke Dong during my first visit to Michigan State University, March, 2018. 
Mosquitoes. 
Christmas with the BraIN & Phy Lab family together with my PhD co-advisor Prof. Ke Dong-Michigan, 2019. 
Lecture at IPM Symposium-Baltimore, MD-USA in 2018. 
Fishing 1.0 – Beginning of fishing with colleagues from BraIN & Phy Lab (colleagues were just tasting fermented barley juice). 
Fishing 1.2 – After all day trying, I finally fished who was going to feed the friends of BraIN & Phy Lab. 
First barbecue in the new house in Vicosa, with great friends! 
Teamwork of BraIN & Phy members allocated at Michigan State University (Me and Wilson Valbon). 
Technical visit with undergraduate students to Venda Nova do Imigrante and Domingos Martins-ES, in 2016.
BraIN&Phy Lab 