Meet our Fall 2024 Graduate Student Spotlights
Cleverson Lima
1. Tell us a little about yourself.
a. When do you graduate?
b. What motivated you to come to UK’s department of biology?
c. Where are you from?
Hi, my name is Cleverson de Sousa Lima (you can call me Clev), and my research interest is in adaptations to extreme environments. I am a biologist, graduated from the Universidade Cidade de Sao Paulo, in Brazil, and I moved to the US to get my PhD in animal physiology. I first started at the Department of Entomology here at UK, and as my project progressed, I developed an interest in other disciplines that could bring different points of view to the questions that I am interested in, such as bioinformatics and population genetics. Two of the most important labs in these fields at UK are in the Department of Biology, which is the main reason why I decided to be part of the department.
2. Do you have any mentors or professors who significantly impacted your life in biology?
Absolutely! I have been involved in research since my second year in college and - if you are reading this you probably know - doing science is hard! I would not have stayed if I hadn’t had excellent researchers around me that encouraged (and inspired) me to keep going. Among these people, one of my former PIs, Agustin Camacho, got me into experimental biology, where I developed this cool little device that measured tolerance to heat stress. Later, it was used to assess how leaf-cutting ants (an important pest in tropical countries) respond to extremely high temperatures and some other environmental conditions, which was important to understand how these ants cope with harsh environmental stress as the regions that they inhabit are some of the ecosystems that have been impacted the most by climate change (you can read more about this here: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-021-01413-6). This work was presented at a conference a few years ago, where I met Nick Teets (Department of Entomology), who later offered me a position in his lab (so the work that I started with Agus set me up for grad school here at UK).
3. Describe your journey here in the department so far.
a. What are you most proud or excited about?
b. How did you overcome challenges that you may have faced?
As I mentioned above, I’m fairly new in the department, so I am excited about pretty much everything, everything is so new!! I was admitted in the Spring, but I was out for fieldwork for the most part of the semester and started interacting with the faculty and students in the beginning of the Fall term. I have been teaching for the first time (animal physiology), which has been the main challenge so far, but as I revise the class material, I get to revisit and/or learn in more depth more about physiological systems that are so interesting and important for how life works. It reassures me that I made the right choice when I decided to pursue a PhD in physiology.
4. What are you currently researching?
a. Whose lab are you working in?
b. What do you hope to gain from it?
My research interests are in evolution/adaptation, particularly to extreme environments. I work with this flightless species of fly called Belgica antarctica, which is the only species of insect endemic to Antarctica. One of the reasons why they are the only endemic insect in the continent is that they are freeze tolerant (which means that they can actually survive if they freeze during the winter and reproduce when they thaw when the summer comes). One of my projects is related to the potential fitness consequences of the ability of surviving freezing, where I am looking into the energetic demands and genes that have an increased (or decreased) expression while recovering from freezing events. I work a lot with plastic responses to stress, so how they respond to distinct degrees and durations of environmental stress (these flies are polyextremophiles, so they can deal with multiple stressors at the same time, such as freezing and anoxia). The project that I am most excited about though is on Cross-tolerance, which is another adaptative response that occurs when the mechanisms that protect these animals from one type of stress also protects them from stresses of different natures. No details for the sake of space, but I think cross-tolerance is one of the main adaptations that permitted this species to thrive in such a dramatic environment, given that resources are so scarce and deal with environmental stress is so energetically demanding. I hope we can gain a better understanding of the mechanisms that make this species so special since there isn’t any other insect that was able to persist through the separation of Antarctica from South America and Australia.
5. What could you have benefitted from in the department that you feel you were missing? For example, if the department could provide you with an additional resource to better your training here, what would it be?
A suggestion is to promote workshops during the summer that help with keeping the students engaged with each other and the department, such as short courses in grant or paper writing. We could invite guests (our own faculty, post-docs, and sixth-year PhD students) to come over and talk about their experiences in grad school and how was the transition from being a scientist in training to being a professional scientist. As a first year, there still are lots of people in the department that I want to get to know better, and it would be important for me to have avenues that can facilitate this type of networking.
6. Describe any highlights or memorable moments here in the department.
The 2024 biology alumni week was the most important event for me so far, I got the chance to meet a large portion of the faculty, eat good food and make new friends. I’m excited for the next one!
7. Have you recently received any awards, accolades or recognitions? If so, please describe the award/recognition.
I attended the International Congress of Entomology in Kyoto this August, and my talk was selected for one of the Young Scientist Presentation Awards (https://ice2024.org/presentation-awards/), which was awesome.
8. Who do you look up to and why?
Nicholas Teets, from the Department of Entomology, has been very important for my education too. The whole basis of my PhD project was developed in his lab, and he has mentored me through all the challenges that I faced during fieldwork in Antarctica and lab work with molecular biology and biochemistry (I was - still am – not that good at it). He has also been the main source of help when it comes to developing the skill that I appreciate the most in my profession, which is writing.
9. How do you spend your free time?
I like to spend time with my friends and my cats. Cooking is my favorite hobby, but I also bike a lot, and exercise.
10. What are your plans after graduating? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
10 years it’s a long way from now, but in 5 years I want to be starting my own lab, using the skills that I’m developing here to plan research projects that use integrative biology approaches to investigate how animals adapt to the most various environmental conditions. I’m thinking maybe focusing on developing conservation strategies to preserve endangered species, such as the maned wolf or the several species of tamarins that are endangered in Brazil.
11. If you could give advice to an undergraduate biology student, what would that be?
Play collective sports, make friends there and keep them in your day-to-day life. Go to therapy if you can (UK behavioral center offers some free appointments with therapists for students). School is hard, and you should make sure you got your anxiety always under control (also drink water).
12. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
>Brazilian< barbecue
13. If you could meet one famous person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
If we keep it in biology, Jennifer Doudna or Emmanuelle Charpentier. They were the people who developed the CRISPR gene editing method, which has changed the whole field of genetics in such big proportions, like when PCR was invented or when people started using Drosophila for genetics studies worldwide. CRISPR has open doors for possibilities that we used to think were science fiction types of things, so I would like to ask about their reactions or how they felt when they realized how big of a discovery they made. If we keep out of biology, Charli xcx
14. If you could share one statement about your experience as a UK Biology graduate student so far, what would it be?
I feel very welcome in the department. People are warm and make me feel included, which is so helpful when you’re new. The work is definitely demanding, but that reflects the quality of education of the program (and that’s what I wanted when I decided to come here), so if by any chance you’re thinking of applying for grad school, I would recommend our department.
15. Is there another question we could be asking in an interview like this?
I would like to read more about fieldwork that people have being doing for their research.
Anjana Subramoniam
- Tell us a little about yourself.
- When do you graduate? 2025!!! JJ
- What motivated you to come to UK’s department of biology? Interested in exploring the sleep research in Dr. Bruce O’Hara’s lab!
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Where are you from? Kerala – a beautiful state in the Southern tip of India, well-known as God’s own country.
- Do you have any mentors or professors who significantly impacted your life in biology? Dr. Bruce O’Hara, Dr. Lauren Whitehurst, and the previous graduate student in Dr. O’Hara’s lab, Dr. Ren Guerrerio 😁.
- Describe your journey here in the department so far.
- What are you most proud or excited about?
My academic journey, transitioning from Agriculture until my Master's degree to neuroscience, where I now focus on human and rodent sleep research, bridging diverse scientific disciplines with an interdisciplinary perspective.
b. How did you overcome challenges that you may have faced? An open mind toward learning, with my constant support from my family and friends here at UK. (I know it is a classic phrase, but it is the truth 😁)
4. What are you currently researching? Currently am working on understanding the role of transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation (tVNS) during sleep-on-sleep architecture, cardiovascular system, and cognition in humans. In rodents, I work on a sleep enhancement project with Alzheimer’s disease mice.
a. Whose lab are you working in? Dr. Bruce O’Hara in Biology (rodent research) and Dr. Lauren Whitehurst in Psycology (human research).
b. What do you hope to gain from it? Deepen my understanding of the intricate functionality of the brain, and explore how it manages a vast array of processes, from basic survival mechanisms to sleep, higher cognitive functions, emotional regulation, and complex decision-making.
- What could you have benefitted from in the department that you feel you were missing? For example, if the department could provide you with an additional resource to better your training here, what would it be? N/A
- Describe any highlights or memorable moments here in the department. When my cohort came together to support one another during and after our fourth-year talks. And all the brief, fun, weekly chats outside THM 107 after the Ribble seminars.
- Have you recently received any awards, accolades or recognitions? If so, please describe the award/recognition. I was super fortunate to receive UK Graduate Presidential Fellowship – This fellowship is awarded to only one graduate student a year who demonstrates outstanding academic merit and research capabilities in their field of study. This award helped me to focus on my research and the manuscripts that I am working on.
- What are your plans after graduating? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? Currently, I am eager to continue my journey in academia after graduation, by securing a postdoctoral position. I believe academia offers freedom for creativity and exploration, and I look forward to making the most of that. However, from my experience, life often presents incredible opportunities, and I’m always open to embracing new experiences as they come. I also love the element of surprise in life and am excited to see where it takes me in the years ahead.
- Who do you look up to and why? I genuinely admire strong women, especially those who demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity. In my personal life, my grandmother is a huge inspiration – I have heard stories of her strength and determination in raising my father. Beyond that, I draw inspiration from historical figures like Rani Lakshmi Bai, who embody courage and leadership. It’s hard for me to pinpoint just one name because I see and know several incredible women in my life who have shaped my perspective and values.
- How do you spend your free time? I enjoy variety of things depending on the day. Going to gym, practicing and learning Bharatnatyam – a traditional south Indian classical dance form, reading books, going on long walks with my dog, and travelling with my partner.
- If you could give advice to an undergraduate biology student, what would that be? Grab all the exciting opportunities that comes your way. Be brave, trust in the process, and make the best use of these chances. Never let anything hold you back.
- If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Kerala biriyani!!! yum yum!!!!
- If you could meet one famous person, dead or alive, who would it be and why? A.R. Rahman, the Oscar-winning musician and composer from South India, is someone I truly admire. His ability to create divine music that transcends boundaries is nothing short of magical. If I ever get the chance, I’d love to pick his brain and understand the creative process behind his masterpieces.
- If you could share one statement about your experience as a UK Biology graduate student so far, what would it be? I’m deeply grateful for the incredible support and guidance I’ve received from my mentors and friends here at UK 😁!