Melissa Carolina Pereira

Holds a Bachelor's and Teaching Degree in Biological Sciences from São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro campus (2018). Obtained a Masters degree in Biological Sciences (Cell and Molecular Biology) from the same institution (2021), funded by FAPESP (grant no. 2019/02831-3). Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the Graduate Program in Cell, Molecular and Microbiology at the Institute of Biosciences, UNESP Rio Claro, with a scholarship from FAPESP (grant no. 2025/01903-1).Developed undergraduate research from 2015 to 2018 at the Institute of Biosciences, UNESP Rio Claro, also funded by FAPESP (grant no. 2015/20745-6). Completed mandatory teaching internships in elementary (2017) and high school education (2018) in the city of Rio Claro/SP. Served as a teaching assistant in the undergraduate course "Functional Histology of Systems and Epithelium" in 2017 and 2025. In 2025, also taught the course "General Biology" in the Environmental Engineering program at the Institute of Geosciences and Exact Sciences (IGCE), UNESP Rio Claro.From 2022 to 2024, worked as a Science, Biology, Biotechnology, and Technology teacher in both public and private school systems in the state of São Paulo. Recognized as a Representative Teacher by the Brazilian Astronomy and Astronautics Olympiad (OBA) and the Brazilian Rocket Show (MOBFOG/OBAFOG).Member of the Brazilian Central of Studies on Ticks Morphology (BCSTM), a research group nationally and internationally recognized for its expertise in tick morphology. Research experience includes internal morphology of ticks, with an emphasis on histology and histochemistry, as well as the evaluation of the effects of chemical acaricides (synthetic and natural) on ticks and non-target organisms. Also experienced in toxicology, essential oils, histological and cytological techniques, mammalian and tick cell culture, cell viability assays, flow cytometry, and the immunomodulatory activity of tick salivary gland extracts on immune-inflammatory cells. (Source: Lattes Curriculum)