Member Spotlight: Filipe Pereira, PhD

Filipe Pereira, PhD
Lund University, Sweden

Hometown
Vila Nova de Cerveira, Portugal

Current Residence
Lund, Sweden

Graduate Degree
PhD

Postdoc Work
Hematopoietic reprogramming

Current Position
Professor

• What is the current focus of your research?

  The focus of my research is to understand the molecular determinants underlying cellular reprogramming and hematopoietic specification. We develop and apply immune cell reprogramming approaches for regenerative medicine and immunotherapy.

• How would you explain the significance of this work to a lay audience?

  Immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of cancer but many patients do not respond. Our team is investigating ways to reprogram cells from the adult organism into immune cells that activate immune responses. We are applying our findings to develop new forms of immunotherapy, such as reprogramming tumor cells into antigen-presenting cells to elicit a response against cancer and open immunotherapy to more patients and indications.

• What do you find most rewarding about your work?

  I am motivated by generating knowledge and unique contributions to science. The most rewarding part of the process are the rare Eureka moments, whether they are ideas born out of the constant intellectual challenge or initial experimental findings validating our working hypothesis. Interacting and training students in the lab and watching how they progress into scientists is also a unique source of motivation.

• What is the most exciting aspect of your work?

  Pursuing scientific curiosity is exciting and unpredictable. To generate new insights, I often see myself focused on developing new technologies and very excited about the small steps and small victories along the way. Lately, I became passionate about exploring how immune reprogramming strategies can be applied for the treatment of human disease and benefit society. It is thrilling to work on small discoveries that have the potential to save people's lives.

• What led you to become a scientist and to stem cell research?

  In 1996, I was finishing high school and debating whether I should become a scientist or an architect. The cloning of Dolly the sheep, announced during that year, helped tipping the balance. At the time I was fascinated with the possibility of converting adult cells into an entirely new organism and wanted to understand the biology behind it. During my undergraduate studies, the role of chromatin and the “histone code” was emerging as a sound mechanism to explain cell-type diversity. This motivated me to pursue a PhD in epigenetics, stem cells, and cellular reprogramming. It turns out that I have been architecting strategies for reprogramming cells for most of my career.

• What guidance would you share in talking with trainees interested in pursuing your area of research?

  Focus on the Science. Stay passionate, curious and creative but be patient as deeper insight into important problems or ground-breaking discoveries take time to achieve.

• Do you have any mentors or individuals who have inspired you in your stem cell work?

  My thinking has been very much influenced by my early carrer mentor Maria de Sousa, PhD mentor, Amanda Fisher, and my postdoc mentors, Kateri Moore and Ihor Lemischka. Maria showed me the importance of asking the right questions. Mandy introduced me to the field of stem cell research, exposed me to fundamental questions in cellular reprogramming, and taught me the value of rigor and uniqueness of the scientific approach. Ihor and Teri, on the other hand, showed me how to be ambitious and tackle important challenges in a timely fashion as well as the remarkable translational applications of stem cell and cellular reprogramming research.

• How do you spend your free time?

  Whenever I find free time, I love skiing or hiking mountains with my son and getting to know new countries and cultures. Right now, I spend my free time holding my newborn daughter.

• What is something your peers would be surprised to learn about you?

  I circumvented the globe on a round-the-world trip! I managed to find time after my PhD in London to go around the world and regain energy for a postdoc in NYC.

• What do you most value about your membership with the ISSCR?

  As a scientist exploring what can be learned from approaches inspired by but not strictly limited to stem cell research, the ISSCR community has been fundamental in giving me a broader outlook on the evolving technologies and concepts of the field. I have been a member of the ISSCR for 14 years and since then felt at the core of the global stem cell community. The ISSCR annual meetings are the yearly events where I meet my friends established at the several countries where I have worked (UK, USA, Portugal, and Sweden) and make new connections with other stem cell scientists. Being a member of ISSCR is extremely valuable to me!