Opportunities at the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH)

Opportunities at the Alexander von

Humboldt Foundation (AvH)

Prof. Dr. Alessandra Sussulini

University of Campinas

Institute of Chemistry

Department of Analytical Chemistry

sussulini@iqm.unicamp.br

Campinas, September 26th 2016

CAPES-Humboldt Research Fellowship

For Brazilian Researchers: Joint fellowship program

(until 31 July 2017).

Postdoctoral Researchers: If you are at the beginning of

your academic career and completed your doctorate less

than 4 years ago. Duration: 6-24 months.

Experienced Researchers: If you are a scientist (Assistant

Professor or Junior Research Group Leader) and completed

your doctorate less than 12 years ago. Duration: 6-18

months (flexible).

Humboldt Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Researchers

German course: up to 4 months

prior to the research fellowship

(including accompanying spouse)

My research experience in Germany:

Metallomics in the study of brain

diseases

BrainMet - Bioimaging of Metals in

Brain and Metallomics

Forschungszentrum Jülich - BrainMet

Dr. habil. J. Sabine Becker

What is Metallomics?

Genomics

Transcriptomics

Proteomics

Metabolomics

DNA

RNA

Proteins

Lipids Sugars Amino

acids

Nucleotides

Metallomics Metalloproteins Free elements

Systems biology

Degenerative disorder of the central

nervous system:

Loss of dopamine in substantia nigra

Protein accumulation (Lewy bodies)

in brain cells

Causes:

Genetic or environmental

factors

Diagnosis:

Medical history and

neurological examination

Treatment:

Only management

(levodopa)

http://nihseniorhealth.gov/parkinsonsdisease/

Parkinson’s Disease

Forschungszentrum Jülich in collaboration

with Philipps Universität Marburg

Study of mouse models of Parkinson’s disease induced by

6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA):

Only PD induced, n = 6

Treated with L-DOPA (L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine), n = 12

6-OHDA injection

(PD)

Control

(without PD)

Parkinson’s Disease Metallomics

Parkinson’s Disease Metallomics

Animal

experiment

LA-ICP-MS

(Elemental

MS imaging)

Forschungszentrum Jülich in collaboration

with Philipps Universität Marburg

Higher concentration in animals without

L-DOPA treatment (control):

Fe in striatum

Mn in cortex and ventral forebrain nucleus

Zn in agranular insular cortex posterior (AIP)

Cu in hypothalamus and periventricular zone

Parkinson’s Disease Metallomics

Impact of the AvH fellowship in my carreer

During the fellowship period (2011-2012): 2 papers

(Metallomics and Biomedical Spectroscopy & Imaging), 5

conferences (3 in Germany, 1 in Brazil, 1 in the USA).

After the fellowship period: 3 papers: Mass Spectrometry

Reviews (2016), Talanta (2015), and Contrast Media &

Molecular Imaging (2013). Book chapter in progress:

Methods in Molecular Biology (Springer).

Impact of the AvH fellowship in my carreer

“Once a Humboldtian, always a Humboldtian”

AvH Alumni Programs:

Return fellowships (for reintegration at home country)

Book donations (donation of academic literature)

Participation in specialist conferences in Germany

Equipment subsides (purchase of scientific equipments)

And others… Please visit: www.avh.de

Special Thanks

Dr. Sabine Becker