About Meritxell Zurita Turk
Meritxell ZURITA TURK is a young researcher that decided to leave Europe to perform her PhD in Brazil and is currently doing a post-doc in the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) in Belo Horizonte.
Born in Spain, Meritxell grew up in the Netherlands and Belgium, where she attended three different European Schools, and studied Biochemical Engineering at University College London (UCL) in London, and realized her Master’s exchange year at the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) in Lisbon.
To contact her, find her on LinedIn.
Interview
You are currently doing a post-doc in a Brazilian university, funded by CNPq. How did you find out about this grant?
I was finishing my PhD at UFMG and wanted to continue my research project. I then wrote a project and applied for a CNPq post-doc scholarship which was granted to me and implemented the day after I presented my thesis.
Can you share any tips with our readers of all nationalities for a successful application in Brazil?
You can’t come to Brazil on your own without “knowing” anyone… It is really important that you first contact a research group with whom you would like to work. Brazilian research groups welcome foreign researchers, so you can find several options… If coming for a PhD, scholarships are usually granted by the department you will belong to or by your future professor. In my case it took a few months before I got my PhD scholarship because at the time the demand was higher than the offer…
Could you tell us a little bit about your research?
My research group has been working on the development of new biotechnological uses for Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) for over a decade now. In this regard, LAB strains have been tested and used for the production of proteins of economic and/or medical interest and more recently also as delivery vehicles of specific proteins for the treatment of a vast array of diseases. My research project has focused on the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases by the use of LAB as delivery vehicles of an anti-inflammatory cytokine.
You have studied in Europe and are now working in Brazil. Could you tell us more about your research career so far? Why Brazil?
My research career is still quite short! I started gaining some research experience during my undergraduate studies when I participated in different projects, but it was not until my Master’s when I had my own project and worked in a laboratory in the area of biological engineering. It was something new for me and I really liked it, so I decided to do a PhD in the area of biological sciences. Although having proposals both from the UK and Portugal, I was quite young and felt like it was the moment to leave Europe for a whole new experience that I would maybe never do afterwards... Brazil was quite an appealing choice: hopeful country with fast growing economy and scientific progression, together with the challenge of living and working in a new society and culture.
Having conducted research both in Brazil and in Europe, what are the best aspects of either research community?
I believe that excellent research is performed in both, Brazil and Europe. We may have less funding in Brazil and require improvement in our infrastructures, but this doesn’t prevent great research from being done. I now have more research experience in Brazil and see that people here are passionate about what they do and also more intrepid and capable to find solutions with less logistic support. This is also why the working groups are like a big family, everybody always helping the others…
How important is the scientific cooperation between these two regions in your area?
It is very important to remember that research can’t be done alone, cooperation is essential, not only from an economic point of view, but also regarding ideas, knowledge, experience… In the case of Brazil and Europe, I believe that they can complement each other in both scientific and cultural terms, achieving win-win situations in areas of common interest. It is enriching for both parts contributing to the researchers’ growth.
In your opinion, what could be done to further enhance international scientific cooperation and, most importantly, the mobility of international researchers?
I think that international scientific cooperation can only exist with funding and scientific interest. This is essential for research to progress and innovate. I believe that mobility is a must for any researcher; it is by working in different places with different environments, experiences and habits that you can grow as a scientist and as a person, and make contacts from all around the world, which are necessary for future cooperation. Science and research can’t exist without cooperation. Scientific research should contribute to find solutions to global challenges. And this is also feasible with strong S&T exchanges connecting networks and building multicultural bridges. In this framework, research mobility is essential.
Did you face any specific difficulty to come to Brazil (visa, practical organization, language,..)?
Coming to Brazil was definitely much more complicated than when I moved around different countries in Europe. Everything was complicated, including renting a flat or opening a bank account. The case of the visa was easier since I was linked to a postgraduate program. And Portuguese was not that hard for me as my mother tongue is Spanish and I spent a year in Portugal.
What motivates you as a researcher?
The most motivating thing about research is that you continuously learn and discover new things since there are no rules or unique ways to follow, and that one is often confronted alone with the difficulties. Research will somehow never stop, there will always be further fronts to investigate!! The most exciting thing, without a doubt, is being able to answer initial questions and find solutions to problems.
Which goals are you still hoping to achieve?
I would like to take my research career to the next level in the sense of not only doing research in the lab but being able to contribute to cooperation activities of common interest between Brazil and Europe.
Thank you Meritxell and good luck with your challenging projects!
Attachment: meet_the_researcher_-_meritxell_zurita_turk.pdf