Interview MDR Postdoc: David Baião Barata

Who are you, what is your background and how did you get involved in MDR?
Starting as a cell and molecular biologist, but later specialized in several engineering disciplines during my PhD, which included the development of microfluidics for studying cell-biomaterials interactions. Since then I have been involved in the development of microfabricated instructive biomaterials, microfluidic platforms for screening, biomimicking and microparticles production. I joined MDR as part of Prof. Truckenmüller goals to generate new microtechnologies which can support musculoskeletal regeneration.
Tell us a little bit more about the research you are planning to do within MDR.
We will look at different lithography and microfluidic strategies to generate instructive biomaterials. Our scope is yet broad, but we want to use the power of high resolution methodologies do address current challenges on generating hierarchical organization on microtissues. This should be based on fun science, creative bioengineering, but specially focused on enabling new solutions for patients benefit.
Who is your biggest example in science and why?
I like to use as example my closest peers, my colleagues and the students. Is too hard to pick up a scientific big idol, because is too far in the type of scientific output, and learning tips for career and personal development. For me, is more useful to look what the closest persons are doing well/great and let be guided by those examples, in special by the persons you can directly address. In such way, we can assess not only the success but he failure involved in progression. Also the students and younger scientists recurrently remind us that evolution is possible when organizing the resources and the motivation for such. Both help to manage in healthy doses motivation and frustration.
What do you do in your free time and how can we recognize the typical David?
I just realized that free time does not exist. In this moment, I am still working on “how to address work-family balance”, so there is not much time to be bored. I guess everybody is always finding cool stuff to fill the unofficial agenda, in that regard, I just try to enjoy basic beautiful things as having a walk, finding great food or planning my next holidays.