Team

Principal Investigator

Ana Carolina Junqueira

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), where I teach Evolution and Bioinformatics. My research combines genomics and metagenomics to study insect vectors, parasites, and the interactions between microorganisms, their hosts, and their environments. I also use metagenomics to map urban microbiomes and detect emerging antimicrobial-resistant pathogens in densely populated areas. This work helps reveal how urban systems respond to a changing world.

Master's Students

Lucas Pereira da Rocha

I am a master's student in genetics at UFRJ (PPGGEN/UFRJ). My research aims to explore the evolutionary dynamics of immune effector gene families in flies. By annotating and comparing flies' genomes, I try to understand how these rapidly evolving genes are related to the immense ecological diversity of insects and what processes shape genetic convergence in different species. I am interested in bioinformatics, molecular evolution, and scientific communication.

Gabriela Ferreira Mota

I hold a B.Sc. in Biological Sciences from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), where I’m now pursuing a Master’s in Genetics through the Graduate Program in Genetics (PGGen). In the Junqueira Lab, I work on the phylogenomic reconstruction of Diptera (Arthropoda: Hexapoda) using genomic data. My research interests include molecular biology, bioinformatics, and metazoan evolution.

Undergraduate Students

Tiago C. Xavier dos Santos

I’m an undergraduate student at UFRJ, where I study the phylogeny of Wolbachia, a genus of endosymbiotic bacteria that infects arthropods and filarial nematodes. My work explores the diversity of Wolbachia lineages and their evolutionary relationships with their hosts. I’m currently carrying out a phylogenomic analysis of the Wolbachia strain found in the blowfly Chrysomya megacephala. My academic interests lie in evolutionary biology and bioinformatics.

José Mateus dos Santos

I’m an undergraduate student in Biological Sciences with a strong interest in bioinformatics and metagenomics. My research focuses on characterizing microbiomes in urban environments and identifying the antimicrobial resistance genes they carry.

Past Members

Rodrigo Duque R. e Freitas
Daniel Torraca
Carolina Soares Esperidião
Clara de Paulo Lima
João Felipe Moreira Salgado
Luisa Pessoa Fant
Daniel Serwy Braz
Eduardo C. S. Q. Nascimento
Luiza Gomes de Oliveira