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Rafael Galupa

    • About Me:

      I live in Heidelberg, a city with a castle 🏰 in Germany, but I often visit my family and friends back in Portugal. I love wildlife, so you can easily find me in the forest 🌲 or in the local zoo 🦓

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      I come from Portugal but have lived in France, Sweden, and now Germany. My partner is also a scientist, but for the moment we’re apart as he lives in France, in Toulouse. I like spending time in the lab, but I also get involved with different things outside of work. I love spending time with friends, going to the cinema or volunteering, especially in activities connected to animals or youngsters.

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      Fruit flies are a great “model” to study genetics. We share 70% of our genes with them. Genes are responsible for the colour of our eyes, for instance, but also for many other important processes for our bodies to function properly. I am interested in understanding how animal bodies develop – inside an egg or inside a womb, and how genes can influence that. To do so, I insert new genes inside the flies and then follow how they behave!

    • My Typical Day:

      I go to bed rather late (1 or 2am) so I get up late as well (8 or 9 am). I always need a shower and my cereal breakfast to properly wake up! No coffee though 🙃 I arrive in the lab around 10am and along the day I spend time looking after my flies, doing experiments with their eggs and looking at them with the microscope 🔬 I go home around 7pm, using the time in the transports to read 📙

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      What else would you like to know?

    • What I'd do with the prize money:

      I would donate the prize to an organization that I help running as a volunteer: Cartas com Ciência.

    My CV

    • Education:

      1994-2004: Private school “Colégio dos Plátanos” in Sintra 🇵🇹

      2004-2007: High school “Leal da Câmara” in Sintra 🇵🇹

      2007-2010: Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon 🇵🇹

      2012-2013: Karolinska Institutet 🇸🇪

      2013-2017: Université Paris-Saclay 🇫🇷

    • Work History:

      My first job was as a clerk, in the summer after I turned 16, when I was legally allowed to work; I was keen on earning my own money! During my university studies, I worked as a guide for school groups in the Lisbon Zoo and in the Lisbon Botanical Garden. Later in Stockholm I worked sometimes as a gardener for my neighbours. I finally started making money as a scientist when I moved to Paris to do my master’s thesis and then my doctorate.

    • Current Job:

      I’m a “postdoc”, as we normally say in science, which is short for “postdoctoral researcher”. This means that (1) I’m doing research, and (2) I have already completed my doctorate: a university degree during which we conduct research for 3-5 years (variable) and then write and defend a thesis at the end. Basically I’m an experienced and independent researcher 🙂

    • My Interview

      • How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

        wildlife-loving geneticist

        What did you want to be after you left school?

        Biologist

        Were you ever in trouble at school?

        Only a few times, with colleagues

        Who is your favourite singer or band?

        I love Alanis Morisette and The Cranberries

        What's your favourite food?

        I can always eat chocolate, sushi and beans (maybe not together 😅)

        If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!

        Become a professor, help zoos save species and have a house with a garden

        Tell us a joke.

        I'm rather looking forward to hearing yours!

Questions answered by Rafael

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