"Physical Therapist and MSc, Suélen Santos-Alves, is a brilliant PhD student at our Graduate Program in Neuroscience. Our Lab is internationally recognized in epileptology/neuropsychiatric comorbidities. Once MSc Suélen came to our Lab, she manifested her strong interest in the experimental study of Alzheimer´s disease (AD) and to apply that knowledge to precise diagnosis/treatment of people with AD. We have a dogma associated to potential causes of AD (Amyloid-B [AB], hyperphosphorylated tau [HT], neurofibrillary tangles), but prognosis, pharmacological treatment and cure are almost impossible with current knowledge. Suélen, then proposed, in her successful Master project, to study what has been named “diabetes type three”, associated to insulin resistance. What is intriguing is that animals from the Wistar Audiogenic Rat (WAR) strain, genetically selected in our Lab for epilepsy, displayed memory loss, corroborated in Suélen Master´s degree, showing partial AD phenotype: increased HT, altered insulin cascade molecules; not AB. She trained molecular biology skills with former Post-Doc Rui M. da Silva in our Lab. Suélen´s PhD project, triggered Master´s Dissertation of Gabriel Servilha-Menezes, confirming bidirectionality of Epilepsy & AD. Suélen´s Project, with the help of Gabriel and Master´s student Leticia Rossi, is the basis to characterize biomarkers of AD in human temporal lobe tissue resected from epileptic patients (Center for Epileptic Surgery). Detection of immunofluorescent biomarkers of AD is being done (Suélen & Gabriel), with International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) collaboration grant, between our Lab & Center for Cerebral Studies (Cali -Colombia), directed by Professor Efrain Buriticá Ramírez. I recognize the strength of Suélen´s dreams (her origin and roots): “I was a small-town girl with big dreams and supportive parents, who believed in my potential, even though they may not have fully understood my aspirations”, and when recently she was asked about her future as neuroscientist: “I really want to make a difference in neuroscience, especially in Alzheimer’s disease research. It took a long time to find my path. Actually, sometimes it feels like I am still figuring it out, but I am pretty sure of what I want. I truly want to help unravel the enigmas of this complex disease". She is the first author of 4 papers from her studies, all reasons, why I strongly indicate Suélen as our outstanding Lab Hero!"

Nominated by Norberto Garcia-Cairasco, Neurophysiology and Experimental Neuroethology Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine - University São Paulo, Brazil