Edroaldo Lummertz da Rocha is a systems biologist dedicated the intriguing interdisciplinary field of cancer research. A graduate of Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, he also holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering (EE) and a doctorate in materials science and engineering (MSE) from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). During his doctorate, he was a Sandwich fellow at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University. His thesis received the CAPES award for Doctoral Theses in the Materials category and also the Aziz Nacib Ab’Sáber Thesis Grand Prize.

Edroaldo is working to unravel the signaling pathways between the cells in a primary tumor and the bone marrow.  Understanding how metastasis works is one of science’s best hopes for beating cancer. Edroaldo uses computational and experimental biology to help solve this mystery. Outside the lab, he dedicates all his time to his family. He finds peace and quiet near the water and the mountains. The scientist says he gets his best ideas on weekend mornings, over a cup of coffee.