Adriana Aya Yamaguchi
Postdoctoral Fellow, Holinstat Lab
Hometown: Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
Undergraduate: Nutrition, Universidade Federal do Paraná
Tell us about yourself:
I am Brazillian and it is my first time living in another country. I received both my M.S. and Ph.D. in Brazil, but my husband and I have always talked about experiencing life in a different country. He got an opportunity to work in the US and we moved to Ann Arbor in 2018. Last year, I joined the Holinstat Lab.
How would you describe your discipline/research to people outside your field?
During master and PhD, my research was focused on omega-3 fatty acids and cancer. Currently, I am working with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and how these lipids regulate platelet function.
What do you wish your colleagues/friends/family knew about your work?
That the main goal of my research is to help people through the development of targeted therapy for patients at cardiovascular risk.
What do you consider your biggest challenge?
Currently, it is getting used to a different culture and language. Not having my family close, it is also a big challenge.
What are you most proud of?
I’m proud of starting a new life in another country. While it is a challenge because of the culture, language and having to build a new life in a different environment, it is also interesting and exciting.
What do you plan to do with your degree in the future?
I’m still considering my future plans. The possibility to work in industry is kind of new for me, because in Brazil, researchers working in industry are not very common. For that reason, I’m still considering all the opportunities that I hope to have.
A fun or interesting fact about yourself.
I really enjoy travel to visit new places and taste the local food.
