Meet the Minds

31 July 2025

Rare Microbes, Novel Molecules: Dora Ferreira on the Art of Scientific Discovery

For PhD student Dora Ferreira, the world of natural products is full of hidden stories — and her job is to uncover them. At the heart of her research lies a powerful combination of genomics and metabolomics, aimed at discovering new molecules from rare actinomycetes. In this interview, Dora shares what it’s like to work at the crossroads of data and discovery, the joy of scientific secondments, and why the collaborative spirit of MAGic-MOLFUN is just as important as the science itself.

24 July 2025

From the Deep Sea to Shared Science: Katherine Duncan on Ocean Microbes and Collective Discovery

Marine actinomycetes may be microscopic, but they have a lot to say , and Dr. Katherine Duncan is listening. Based at Newcastle University, her work maps the chemical language of ocean bacteria to uncover new antibiotics and decode how microbial communication is influenced by environmental factors. In this conversation, Kate shares her thoughts on community-driven research, dynamic skill-building, and why ecology and medicine need to stop existing in silos.

21 July 2025

Interconnected Science: Gioele Pecin on Fungal Molecules and the Power of Collaboration

For Gioele Pecin, understanding how fungi produce biologically active molecules is more than just scientific curiosity — it’s a complex and collaborative journey. As part of the MAGic-MOLFUN network, he’s studying how nonribosomal peptide synthases contribute to the biosynthesis of fungal lipopeptides, a promising class of natural compounds. In this interview, Gioele reflects on the unexpected challenges of staying organized in the lab, the deep interconnection of disciplines in natural product research, and the professional growth made possible through international collaborations.

15 July 2025

From Soil to Solutions: Luca Salvi on Discovering Antibiotics from Underexplored Microbes

Antibiotic resistance is rising, and Luca Salvi is digging deep for answers. As part of the MAGic-MOLFUN doctoral network, Luca is exploring the biosynthetic secrets of rare soil bacteria. In this interview, he talks about what makes microbes so fascinating, the joys (and quirks) of growing new strains, and why a well-organized PhD start makes all the difference.