Meet the Alumni: Dr André Luís Mazzari

André's thesis was on cellular and molecular pharmacology (Cell-based assays with cancer cells, PCR, HPLC). André was also a Chevening Scholar when he obtained his MSc in Pharmacognosy in 2012. After completing his PhD at the UCL School of Pharmacy, he volunteered as a Science Mentor in Human Health for Frontiers for Young Minds. Since then, he has been working with several children worldwide, promoting science and providing them with an opportunity to engage in science at an earlier age.

Tell us about your journey to the UCL School of Pharmacy and why you chose to study there. 

I started my journey at UCL in 2011 when I was awarded a Chevening Scholarship to study for my MSc in Pharmacognosy at UCL School of Pharmacy. This process began in 2009 when I took time out of my job in Brazil and moved to the US to study English at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). During this period, I took both IELTS and TOEFL exams and achieved the grade to apply for a graduate course in the US and the UK.

On my return to Brazil in 2010, I learned about the MSc in Pharmacognosy at UCL School of Pharmacy (still under the University of London premises). I always dreamed about living in London and pursuing an academic degree from a reputable university. I was really excited when I learned that the School of Pharmacy offered an MSc in Pharmacognosy, which is the field of Pharmacy that deals with natural products research. Therefore, I submitted an application. The application review process was swift, and I received my conditional admission letter in a few days.

The Chevening Scholarship selection process was intense, and only a small amount of funding was allocated for Brazil. A few months later, after passing through all the selection process steps, including tough interviews, I received a call from a representative of the British Council Brazil giving me the good news. Three months later, I was already in London, living my dream.        

How did your family respond to your decision to study in London?

When I received a call from the British Council confirming my Chevening scholarship, I was having lunch with a friend. I was so excited about the news that I could no longer touch my food. I called my mom immediately, and she said she was thrilled and proud of me. I remember I had mixed feelings about moving to London at the beginning. My dad passed away a few months before I received the positive outcome of the Chevening Scholarship process. I thought living abroad at that moment would be tough for my mom and me. However, we both understood that the opportunity I had was unique and life-changing and before I knew it, I was on a flight to Heathrow Airport. 

You're working in Regulatory Affairs at SC Johnson. Tell us a bit about what you do and how you got to be involved in this area of work. 

My journey at SC Johnson started in 2006 when I worked as a Quality Control Analyst in Rio. That was my first job after graduating in Pharmacy, and I was excited about my role in the industry. SC Johnson's manufacturing site in Rio was huge. Seeing all that machinery on the production site and my involvement with the stakeholders was fascinating. Two years later, in 2008, I requested to be relocated to the company's Regulatory Affairs department, allowing me to work closely with the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) and learn more about health regulations. Hence, I managed to work with the Regulatory Affairs as an Analyst team until mid-2009.

Fast forward ten years, and I returned to SC Johnson as an Associate Manager of Brazil's Global Safety Assessment and Regulatory Affairs (GSARA) team. I was excited to return to such an incredibly supportive company. When I started the new role, I was amazed at Brazil's changes and improvements in product regulation. During my PhD at UCL, I worked closely with ANVISA to improve the regulations on the safety of herbal use in the country. I had the opportunity to work and publish research articles with ANVISA's herbal department. Some publications were eventually referenced in the Brazilian Herbal Pharmacopeia (or in Portuguese - Formulário de Fitoterápicos da Farmacopeia Brasileira, 2021) and WHO guidelines on the interaction of herbals with other medicines (Key Technical Issues of Herbal Medicines With Reference to Interaction With Other Medicines, 2021).

The technical knowledge and skills I obtained during my MSc and PhD at UCL were pivotal to delivering high-quality work at SC Johnson. As a Regulatory Affairs Associate Manager, I now lead the registration of the company's most strategic categories of products at ANVISA and liaise with regulatory authorities in Brazil and Latin America. The steps between the project's conception and being displayed on store shelves are highly complex. It involves numerous people from different departments. The Regulatory Affairs professional should have numerous skills and be able to effectively communicate with all areas of the company, trade associations, and regulatory bodies. The everyday challenges are significant, but the excitement to see the final product being purchased by the consumers and their satisfaction is priceless. I am very proud to be part of the SC Johnson team! 

You volunteered on an amazing project that encourages young children to review scientific papers. Can you tell us a little bit more about this project? 

Education has always been my priority in life. It opened the world's doors for me and changed my life for good. When I published my first research paper in 2014, during my PhD at UCL, I had the most amazing feeling I still cannot describe today. The challenging manuscript peer-review process taught me more about the critical analysis skills we must develop as graduate students. When I learned about the Frontiers for Young Minds (FFYM) work, I was thrilled to be able to provide a new generation of students the opportunity to develop analytical skills at an early stage of their lives. I then applied to FFYM to volunteer as a Science Mentor in the Human Health subject and was accepted a few weeks later. 

As a Science Mentor at FFYM, I work with kids from 8-15 years old, helping them peer-reviewing scientific manuscripts. The process begins with the Frontiers team contacting the authors of papers on several subjects, including human health. The authors are invited and challenged to shape their published articles in a language accessible to kids. When the manuscript is submitted, the Science Mentors are contacted. We select the kids who will be reviewing the work. As Science Mentors, we work closely with kids to elucidate any difficulty regarding the paper and stimulate them to develop critical review skills.

Similarly to a standard peer-review process, the editor gives the final decision on the manuscript. If the paper is accepted for publication, the name and picture of the young student are featured in the paper as the reviewer. I find it fascinating to see a junior reviewer get to the same level of excitement as me when I published my first paper. It is gratifying to see the kids thrilled about the brilliant job they delivered.     

What have you learned from being involved in Frontiers for Young Minds and what would you say to any young scientist wanting to follow in your footsteps?

I believe that the earlier you get involved with research developments, the better you will be at making your career choice. I strongly encourage kids to keep up-to-date with new scientific developments and read as much as possible. The future of science is so accessible today! 

What is your fondest memory from your time studying at UCL?

I usually say that since 2017, I left UCL, but UCL never left me. I consider myself very privileged to have had an opportunity to obtain a Master's and PhD degrees from UCL. The School of Pharmacy allowed me to study in a very inspiring environment while working with people from numerous cultural backgrounds. We all worked hard on our projects but saved some time to celebrate our achievements. I remember the PhD research day, which happened twice a year, where we were challenged to present our research to a broad audience. After the long day of presentations, we met in the Junior Common Room (JCR) for drinks, karaoke, and fun. I am still in contact with most of my UCL SoP friends, and I miss them all. 

Although working in the industry since 2019, I still peer-review manuscripts for scientific journals, such as Frontiers and Journal of Ethnopharmacology, whenever I have spare time. My PhD supervisor and good friend, Dr Jose Prieto Garcia, and I have continued our collaboration and published numerous articles and book chapters together. Besides the publications, this partnership also granted me the "Seal of Excellence" from the European Commission (Horizon 2020) in 2018, when I wrote a grant proposal under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie postdoctoral fellowship scheme. In addition, Jose and I established a research collaboration between UCL SoP and the University of Brasília (Brazil) for the first time. This work between the institutions was pivotal for achieving my degree and passing my PhD Viva with no corrections. I am incredibly proud of my time at UCL!

Further information:

• Connect with André on Linkedin
• Washington Post article: Kid-edited journal pushes scientists for clear writing on complex topics
• SC Johnson Brazil
• Chevening Scholarships
• UCL School of Pharmacy
• Studentships at the UCL School of Pharmacy

Image credit:

Courtesy of André Luís Mazzari