Thais Azevedo Enoki
Physics
Thais Azevedo Enoki, a dedicated scientist and educator, holds a degree in biological physics from Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho and a master’s and PhD in physics from Universidade de São Paulo. Her quest for knowledge led her to the United States for postdoctoral work at Cornell and Tennessee Universities. Her current research focuses on the role of lipid oxidation in cell membrane integrity, a study with far-reaching implications for human health, technological advances, and our understanding of fundamental biological processes.
Beyond her research, Enoki is passionate about teaching and is always impressed by the power of scientific experiments to motivate her students. A devoted mother to Victória, she enjoys the company of her family, especially her parents, who have made sacrifices to help her achieve her academic goals.
Projects
Cell membranes are essential barriers that protect and define cells. These membranes comprise a complex lipid matrix; most exhibit a fascinating property called asymmetry. This means that the lipids in the outer layer of the membrane are very different from those in the inner layer. It’s as if nature has carefully selected specific lipids with different properties to meet the challenges of the external environment while using different lipids to meet the needs of the cell’s interior. These different layers are coupled together to form the lipid bilayer. Oxidative processes can damage various cellular components like DNA, proteins, and lipids. Interestingly, polyunsaturated lipids, mainly found in the inner layer of cell membranes, are particularly susceptible to oxidation. This research aims to investigate how lipid oxidation affects the mechanical properties of cell membrane models, considering the complexity of their asymmetric nature.
