Face of the LIB: Camilla Bruno Di Nizo

What led you to biology?

Since I was a child, I always wanted to be a scientist. I was always very curious - my parents almost couldn't stand me asking "Why?" so often. At school, my favourite subjects were always science or especially biology (especially laboratory lessons). So one thing led to another.

What would you have become if biology hadn't worked out?

That's a difficult question because I can't imagine doing anything else. But maybe I would have become a writer or journalist.

What drives you as a researcher?

The chance to discover something new, the fact that science is constantly changing and we are always in search of knowledge. As a researcher, I am also driven by the fact that when we try to answer one question, many more questions arise.

What are the highlights of your daily work?

Highlights are when I can extract cells and thus living material from an animal that has just died and later preserve them under extreme cold, not only for future ex situ preservation, i.e. outside the actual habitat of the species, but also for biotechnological approaches. In addition, my work is very integrative and I have the opportunity to collaborate with different people and researchers at the LIB.

Are you creating a "frozen zoo" like your colleagues at San Diego Zoo?

Yes, our colleagues in San Diego were pioneers in this field and have been cultivating animal cells since the 1970s. They are certainly a reference for us and other cell banks around the world. The LIB has been involved in this field since 2019 (initially as part of the FOGS project). So far, we have frozen more than 100 species with cells or viable tissue. Our next goals are the extraction of cells from invertebrates and the cryopreservation of germ cells. Freezing cells at extremely low temperatures guarantees their structural and functional integrity and makes them the best source of material for high-quality DNA, RNA, proteins or chromosomes. In addition, LIB has experienced a renaissance in cytogenetics thanks to the cells.

Will it be possible in the future - or is it being attempted at the LIB - to bring extinct species back to life from cell material?

At present, it is only possible to ensure the preservation of highly endangered species. Stem cells have been combined with assisted reproduction techniques to ensure the reintroduction of genetic variability into the population and improve sustainability (genetic rescue). In addition, some endangered species have already been cloned by somatic cell nuclear transfer. Both approaches require frozen cells as we produce them in the LIB. However, these two technologies are still limited to a few model organisms and the success of assisted reproduction is still limited.

As far as reviving an already extinct species is concerned, I think science still has a long way to go. But with the development of new technologies, this may be possible in the future. However, storage facilities for body-related and sex cells will be essential.

What significance does nature have for you personally? Do you have a favourite place in nature?

For me, nature means life. Coming from Brazil's largest city, São Paulo, it has always been very exciting and a great pleasure for me to spend my holidays in the countryside (in the mountains) or on the beach. If I had to choose a favourite place in nature, it would be the Caatinga - a natural landscape characteristic of Brazil, characterised by semi-arid tropical vegetation. The fauna and flora here are adapted to a semi-arid climate. When it rains in the Caatinga, it's the best smell in the world!

Crabs, fish, butterflies. What is your personal favourite and why?

I think it's small mammals. They have been my objects of study for many years. But since I joined the LIB, I've also found fish and birds very interesting!

How do you explain biodiversity to children?

It's about all the variability and diversity on our planet.

What do you want people to associate with the LIB in ten years' time?

A reference centre for biodiversity research: a place that combines our valuable biological collections, the tissue collections and environmental DNA and the living collection with cells with genetic, molecular and morphological studies, thus contributing to the conservation of and information about biodiversity.

What do you see as the greatest challenge in the field of environmental protection?

I think it's about convincing people that they can make a difference together if everyone does a little bit.

What advice would you give to young biologists at the beginning of their careers?

I would tell them to read and study a variety of topics, not just those that are limited to their own research project.

What other area in the LIB is particularly close to your heart?

I think the exhibition brings together all the centres of the LIB and explains the importance of our work to the public in an educational way.

Dr Camilla Bruno Di Nizo, Head of the Biobank (cell culture laboratory)

Camilla Di Nizo studied Biology and obtained an M.Sc. in Biotechnology in São Paulo, Brazil. During this time, she expanded her knowledge of cell culture and molecular cytogenetic approaches at the University of Cambridge, UK. She completed her PhD in Genetics and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Sao Paulo, focusing on karyotype evolution and speciation in a phylogenetic context in small mammals. Since 2021 she is responsible for the cryopreservation of cells of different species in the LIB biobank.