Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from UFRJ and postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, San Diego. His contributions to science have been recognized with the National Medal of Scientific Merit (2023). He has also held research positions at the Usona and Promega Institutes in the United States. His current research focuses on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), brain organoids, and the effects of psychedelic substances, including LSD, 5-MeO-DMT, and ayahuasca.