Rafael Elias Marques, researcher at the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), has been selected by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) to join the inaugural cohort of the Mid-Career Leaders Program.
Founded in 1903, ASTMH is the world’s largest international scientific organization dedicated to reducing the global burden of tropical infectious diseases and improving global health. The new program has selected 15 scientists from around the world for a one-year cohort focused on leadership and professional development, including mentorship, leadership workshops, career exchange and peer network expansion.
Rafael holds a degree in Biology from UFMG and specializes in virology and immunology, with emphasis on arboviruses that affect Latin American populations. Since joining CNPEM in 2016, he has worked in high-containment laboratories (BSL-2 and BSL-3) to unravel viral structures and propose therapeutic strategies against emerging viruses. In 2021, he led the first complete viral structure determination ever achieved in Brazil — the Mayaro virus, responsible for a fever with symptoms similar to chikungunya. More recently, his group pioneered the use of synchrotron light to obtain high-resolution 3D images showing inflammation caused by Mayaro in infected tissues, an approach that may advance future diagnostics and treatments.
Beyond his research, Rafael is part of Project Orion, a cutting-edge laboratory complex that will host the first BSL-4 facility in Latin America, directly connected to a synchrotron light source. Orion will provide unparalleled infrastructure for the study of viruses, bacteria and fungi, supporting the development of diagnostics, vaccines, treatments and public health policies.
For Rafael, leadership means “motivating people, promoting professional growth and building a cohesive team that values individual independence, collaboration and creativity, while recognizing the importance of collective work and shared achievements”.
