Dr. Leonardo de Assis

Since my first biology classes, the complexity and beauty of nature, more specifically the human body, have always fascinated me. Fortunately, during my time in high school I had the privilege of being taught by teachers who always encouraged me to pursue more knowledge. This journey was intensified when I started my major in Pharmacy back in Brazil. At that time, I was introduced to science and its investigative methods, and obviously, I realized that I should become a scientist. Such experience was intensified when I spent 15 months at the University of Montana (USA) in which I took classes and had the opportunity to have hands on experience in a lab. 

Then, upon my return to Brazil, I started my PhD at the University of São Paulo (USP) under Dr. Castrucci’s mentoring. During 5 years of academic training, I developed a research project that aimed to explore the functionality of the photosensitive system and the circadian clock in the skin as well as in melanoma development. In my first postdoctoral experience, I focused on exploring the therapeutical role of the photosensitive system in melanoma therapy. Currently, my research goals are still in circadian biology but now more focused in the metabolism field. Using in vitro and in vivo models in association with advanced gene editing, molecular biology, and omics techniques, our aims are to understand how thyroid hormones may be used to reverse liver diseases in a putative interaction with biological clock. Such research efforts are one of the objectives of the Local Control of Thyroid Hormone Action (LOCOTACT) research consortium, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). 

If you are interested in this field or have an interesting idea for a project and/or collaboration, please do not hesitate to contact our group.