Camila Innocente-Alves

Cryptococcosis is a serious fungal infection mainly caused by two Cryptococcus species, Cryptococcus gattii and Cryptococcus neoformans species complexes. Even though it is considered a dangerous disease, this infection is also neglected worldwide and its research is not adequately funded. The molecular understanding of the infection, which could help in the development of specific treatments and appropriate management, is hampered, as molecular data are not of easy access. With that purpose, our group developed a Cryptococcus molecular database, grouping published molecular data on gene and protein differential expression that occurred due to the infection. CRYPTOMICSDB presents a user-friendly interface, and users can search for both pathogen or host information and visualize data on experimental approaches, animal models or cell culture, Cryptococcus species and strain, genes and proteins. The database features 19,462 and 986,507 total genes related to the pathogen and host views, respectively. CRYPTOMICSDB is a powerful tool that can help health workers and microbiology researchers to better understand the molecular impact caused by cryptococcosis infection process.

To introduce the scientific method to children in early ages is challenging; however, it enables covering simultaneously several educational subjects and influences positively student formation and the society in future. Accordingly, this research involved two girls, aged nine and eleven, who were encouraged to investigate why a fungus that causes mold on an orange makes it soft and rotten. The girls assisted by a research team, composed mainly women scientists, observed and compared a ripe orange with a moldy one, afterwards formulating a hypothesis, and simple experiments to test it. This methodological pipeline applied with experimentation covering all steps of the scientific method introduced the children to topics such as mathematics, microbiology, chemistry, biochemistry, and biotechnology, sparking their interest in science. This article highlights the importance of stimulating scientific curiosity from an early age and addresses gender disparity in science by promoting scientific careers for girls. The methodology is adaptable to different educational levels, ages, and genders, and can be implemented in schools with limited resources. The approach not only contributes to scientific knowledge but also inspires the development of new scientists, promoting a solid and critical scientific education in new generations.