Elisa Marozzi Cruz

I studied Biological Sciences at State University of Northern Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, graduating in 2017 and completed my Masters degree at the same university in 2019. I finished my PhD at Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2024. The focus of my doctoral research was on modelling astrogliosis and astrocytic differentiation in 3D models using extrusion-based 3D printing. In 2022 I was awarded an International Internship Grant by the Sao Paulo Research Foundation at the University of Oxford for one year. During this time, I worked on elucidating the effect of astrocytes in neuronal maturation and survival in 2D cultured and 3D Matrigel droplets, as well as their effect on H9-derived neurons implanted into the murine somatosensory cortex. In June 2024, I joined DPAG as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Salman Group. My work is supported by the BBRSC Pioneer Award in collaboration with Professor Roslyn Bill from Aston University, Birmingham, UK. Our aim in this project is to build and develop advanced microfluidic devices to model the gliovascular unit to study the molecular mechanisms involved in brain waste clearance and glymphatic function.