By Pioneer Science | Published on December 4, 2025 | Last updated on May 14, 2026
The physicist Iara Ramos, a PhD student at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), participated in the first School of Quantum Biology organized by Pioneer Science in August 2025 with a clear purpose in mind: to meet professionals from different fields to generate new collaborations and knowledge.
The event proposed a seven-day multidisciplinary immersion in Paraty, a historic city located in Rio de Janeiro, with a series of classes taught by leading professors in their fields, international seminars, poster presentations, and networking sessions among students, professors, and speakers.
During this experience, Iara met Clarice Aiello, founder of the Quantum Biology Institute and one of the specialists present in the program. Months later, Aiello invited her to lead a group of researchers from South America in the first Quantum Biology Hackathon held in Berlin, an initiative by Clarice’s Institute in partnership with the Haus der Kulturen der Welt.
Pioneer Science spoke with the young scientist to understand the impact of connections on science, the behind-the-scenes of the experiences she lived, and her expectations for Quantum Biology.
The Beginning: School of Quantum Biology
When you signed up for the School of Quantum Biology, did you imagine that the connections from the event would generate new possibilities so quickly?
I didn’t imagine! It was so surprising for me, but that’s exactly what makes science interesting, because connections can and should be made whenever possible.
When I went to the School of Quantum Biology in Paraty, one of my main goals was to learn from other researchers tools and ideas that could contribute to improving my work, so networking was very important for me and for my career.
What do you think could be different if you hadn’t participated in the School of Quantum Biology?
The School of Quantum Biology was extremely crucial for me as a researcher because it offered me a great glimpse into what networking is.
From this School, so many cool and interesting projects are emerging, such as the possibility of a published article and another one that is starting to unfold with the people who participated in the Hackathon.
I can only thank all the organizers and thinkers who dreamed of this school. I am sure they motivated many young researchers like me. This is the part that makes science so rich and beautiful to do!
New Opportunities from Brazil to Germany
How was it to receive the invitation to lead a research group formed by South Americans at the Quantum Biology Hackathon in Berlin?
Honestly, I felt a great responsibility because networking in such a new area for Brazil is not an easy path. I faced several challenges to find the team I worked with during the event.
My idea now is to promote quantum biology not only in Brazil but throughout Latin America, mainly to strengthen ties and put us on the map as a continent of reference in the advances of this area.
Quantum biology is a very large field, and we can create networks of researchers from various fields and lines of research. I believe this event was a good entry point for these networks to start forming more and more.
What would you highlight from the event in Germany?
Teaching researchers from different fields what I currently research and being able to communicate the project to people who are not scientists in a more intuitive way. This way of communicating generates interest in people, and creating this is a way to help humanity understand nature from different perspectives, including that of the sciences. It brings all communities closer together even with different languages.
Connections that Promote and Future
What is the potential of connections and collaborations for science?
It is enormous; connections and collaborations help not only to do quality science but to do it quickly, efficiently, and accurately. It is exactly how some researchers do: comparing theoretical and experimental results.
Science is like a game that has been left for humanity to play; we will only win if we join forces. Quantum biology gives me exactly the impression that we are starting to win the game of understanding nature.
You are from Pernambuco, study in the South of the country, and now return to Brazil after an event in Europe. How do these different contexts impact you as a researcher?
I was very happy with the invitation because I knew that science is made this way, having the opportunity to learn from different cultures, people, and viewpoints. This experience allowed me to learn a lot, and I was motivated to continue my research activities in Brazil, eager to collaborate with other researchers.
I hope to participate in other opportunities and would like to promote this area and start forming new researchers who feel motivated to collaborate as I was.
I thank Pioneer Science, the Quantum Biology Institute, and the Haus der Kultur der Welt for the invitation and for putting together such cool and relevant events for different subfields of research.
What message would you leave for the youth?
Investigating and understanding the world around us is very important! Therefore, doing frontier science is transformative when we face the questions we need to answer as relevant questions to improve people’s lives in this world.
Being a researcher can be extremely stimulating and fun, even if sometimes our journey is stressful. So keep researching, collaborating, and making new connections.
Be open to opportunities, conversations, and exchanges between different areas. This is exactly how new ideas, new answers, and new questions arise. Investigating is part of who we are, and valuing this through research is extremely crucial because we understand ourselves better.
MEET THE FIRST SCHOOL OF QUANTUM BIOLOGY OF PIONEER SCIENCE
