I am a first-generation neuroscientist who grew up in a small village with no reference of what it is to be a scientist. However, I always have been curious about the world we live in. Many of my influences and inspirations were books I read, as well as my favorite kid’s show, The Magic School Bus. I found myself eager to discover how a certain phenomenon came about, and what its purpose was. That curiosity flourished with all the biology and physics classes in school and bloomed in the middle of high school when I had the opportunity to do an internship in the city hospital and connected with real scientists for the first time.

As a junior leader who is starting my independent career, my primary responsibility is to lead and manage a research group. My daily duties include mentoring students; coming up with research ideas; building research networks; attending conferences; and writing papers, protocols, and grant proposals that support our research.

My main research interest is understanding how brain blood vessels develop and interact with other brain cells during the neonatal period. I employ the quote “Seeing is believing” by using advanced optical imaging techniques to study how the brain works. Every day brings new data, new ideas, and new challenges, but it is a very rewarding job. Being the first to see and know something before anyone else is fascinating.

My most difficult decision was deciding the next step after my PhD. I ended up moving out of my home country to the United States for a postdoctoral adventure. It turned out to be the best decision of my life. I was extremely lucky: I found a supportive mentor and amazing team players who stimulated my intellectual curiosity without being overly competitive. This professional and personal experience shaped my way of thinking, and I am very grateful for not letting fear of the unknown prevent me from seizing this enriching experience.

I am a believer in all of you! So, my best advice is this quote: “Believe you can, and you are halfway there.” Believe and work hard but try to have fun in the process. Take your time, and don´t compare yourself with others! Celebrate every milestone; don´t wait to celebrate just the successes. Life is not only successes: not “winning” is also a lesson in growing!

Vanessa Coelho-Santos
Junior Leader (Assistant Researcher), Institute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS) and Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research (CIBIT), University of Coimbra
Born in Portugal / Resides in Portugal
Educational Background: BSc in Biotechnology, MSc in Cellular and Molecular Biology and PhD in Aging and Chronic Diseases (Inter-University), Coimbra, Portugal; Post-doctorate at Seattle Children's Research Institute and University of Washington, Seattle, United States