Originally from Italy, Sara Gemini Piperni graduated from a rigorous Italian high school curriculum that emphasized Latin, Greek, and art history. Now living in Brazil, she blends her Renaissance roots with the exuberant energy of Rio de Janeiro by meditating while cooking, pondering new ideas while hiking, and hosting research meetings over homemade carbonara and fresh bread. For her, science stems from asking the right questions, many of which are inspired during lively gatherings around good food.

Her research recreates the intricate interactions between tumors and the immune system in the lab. Her goal is to understand the body’s response to cancer treatments without relying on animal models. Piperni studied biopharmaceutical biotechnology at the Università degli Studi dell’Aquila, where she also completed her master’s degree in Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology (with a sandwich period at Sierra Nevada College, USA) and obtained her PhD in Biotechnology from the Italian institution. After her doctorate, she worked as a CNPq technical fellow at INMETRO/RJ on projects focused on nanobiomaterials.

With her background in biomaterials, nanotechnology, and bone metabolism, she now directs Labεn, a state-of-the-art bioengineering and health innovation laboratory at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.