Dr. Marina Campos Rocha
Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences
My life before BGU:
I was born in Mariana, a historic town in Minas Gerais, Brazil. I first trained in pharmacy and biochemistry, then completed my master's and PhD in evolutionary genetics and molecular biology at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar). I stayed at UFSCar for my first postdoc before moving to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Faculty of Agriculture, in Rehovot, for my second. Along the way, I became fascinated by fungi, especially how they adapt to very different environments and sometimes cause disease.
Why BGU?
BGU felt like a great place to start my own lab. I was especially drawn to the Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics because it brings together microbiology and immunology, two fields that are central to the questions I want to explore. To understand a fungal infection, we need to understand both the fungus and the person it infects. Just as important, the people I met were welcoming and supportive. Starting a lab is exciting (and a little intimidating!), and I liked the idea of doing it somewhere that values collaboration, curiosity, and new ideas.
My research:
I study how fungi adapt, survive, and sometimes cause serious infections. Some of the fungi I work with can live in the environment, infect plants, or cause disease in humans, which makes them fascinating to study. My earlier research explored how a fungus's outer wall helps it cope with stress, and how viruses living inside fungi can change their behavior and even their ability to cause disease. In my new lab, I want to understand how fungi interact with our immune system, how they behave differently in different organs, and why antifungal treatments sometimes fail. I am also interested in the bigger picture: how our past exposures, immune defenses, and the environment around an infection can shape what happens next. There is still so much to discover, and that's what makes the work exciting.
An insight from my research:
One thing fungi have taught me is that context matters. The same organism can behave very differently depending on where it is and what it encounters. It's a useful reminder, in science and in life, to stay curious before jumping to conclusions.
Something you won’t find on my CV:
Outside the lab, I love cooking, discovering new wines, and having people around the table. I'm happiest when there's good food, a long conversation, and no one is in a hurry to leave.
A source of inspiration:
My parents. They taught me, mostly by example, the value of hard work, persistence, and caring for others. Those lessons have stayed with me through every move, every experiment that didn't work, and every new beginning.
When I grow up…
I don't think my younger self would have guessed 'fungal researcher'! I may be grown up now, but I still get excited about discovering something new. Today, I'd say I want to keep asking questions and build a lab where other people feel just as excited to ask their own.
If I weren’t a researcher, I would work in…
Maybe something involving food. I love the mix of creativity, curiosity, and bringing people together. I suspect I'd still spend a lot of time experimenting, just with tastier results.
In brief:
- Summer or winter? Summer, preferably near the sea.
- Steak or tofu? Always.
- Meticulous planning or spontaneity? Careful planning. I'm quite methodical, but I do like a nice surprise.
- Trekking or lounging on the beach? Relaxing on the beach, without a schedule.
- Car or train? Train when I want to sit back; car when I want the freedom to explore.
- Market or mall? I love discovering ingredients.
- Sea or pool?
- Dog or cat? Dog!
- Movie theater or streaming? Streaming, curled up on the sofa.
- Three things I would take to a desert island? Sunscreen, plenty of drinking water, and freeze-dried food. I enjoy adventures, but I believe in being well prepared!
