Alexander Birbrair, a biomedical doctor, earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Wake Forest University in the United States. His thesis was won the Gordon A. Melson Outstanding Doctoral Student Award in 2014/2015. Birbrair furthered his studies with post-doctoral work in cell biology at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine in New York. His work gained notable recognition when it was featured on the cover of the esteemed journal Science in 2016.
His research is primarily focused on cancer. Birbrair is interested in the mechanisms of the cellular microenvironment in regulating cancer cells, with a particular emphasis on the role of the peripheral nervous system in this regulation. He is an affiliate member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and a member of the Global Young Academy.