Researcher Spotlight: Visiting Scientist Dr. Eugenia Corrales-Aguilar, University of Costa Rica

The Snyder Institute’s Visiting Scientist Grant was launched to facilitate Snyder Institute members in hosting project-based visits by senior postdoctoral fellows or early- to mid-career faculty from less developed geographic regions at the Snyder Institute. Ideally, visiting researchers will acquire skills to help with their research program, career advancement and capacity building upon return to their home region.

The grant is also intended to facilitate Snyder researchers and visiting scientists in gaining an experiential advantage that will lead to external research grant and funding opportunities. An additional goal is to build research collaborations between the Snyder Institute and research programs from less-developed regions.

Dr. Eugenia Corrales-Aguilar, PhD, one of our visiting scientists, is a Costa Rican microbiologist specializing in virology and is the Coordinator of the Virology Section at the Tropical Diseases Research Center (CIET) at the Faculty of Microbiology, University of Costa Rica. Her research interests encompass immunology, clinical aspects, molecular epidemiology, and the human-animal interface of arboviruses (viruses transmitted to people by the bite of infected insects such as mosquitoes and ticks). Currently, Dr. Corrales-Aguilar’s research is focused on coronaviruses and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

We sat down with Dr. Corrales-Aguilar to learn about her experience as a visiting scientist from Costa Rica. She explains that her journey to the University of Calgary began with a conversation with Snyder member Dr. Marie-Claire Arrieta in early 2019. Having completed their undergraduate education together at the University of Costa Rica, they have maintained a friendship through the years and have collaborated on research projects along the way.

With a plan to come to UCalgary to collaborate with Dr. Arrieta in 2019, Dr. Corrales-Aguilar took a sabbatical, but as the pandemic hit, the plan was put on pause. She eventually arrived in 2021, and they managed to undertake experiments, but the pandemic was still in place and restrictions related to it presented challenges for their studies. Dr. Corrales-Aguilar had to return to Costa Rica after a short stay, however she managed to train members of Dr. Arrieta’s research team before she left so that the studies could continue.

“When the call for the Snyder Institute’s Visiting Scholar Grant was announced, Claire asked me to consider coming back to continue the studies. I thought about it, applied, and here I am, from July to December, 2023. I am running similar experiments as those previous, this time studying RSV in a neonatal mice model.”

Reflecting on her experience at the Snyder Institute, Dr. Corrales-Aguilar highlights the benefits she is gaining: “I would not be able to conduct this kind of research in Costa Rica, where there are limited resources and limited support. Only in a few places around the world are there facilities and networks of scientists and trainees like those at the Snyder Institute and International Microbiome Centre.”

“A significant positive aspect is the diverse group of researchers and principal investigators (PIs) at the Snyder Institute from both the medical and biology faculties, and the fact that they are all physically nearby. This diversity fosters collaboration and proves beneficial for my research”, adds Dr. Corrales-Aguilar.

She also values the opportunity to interact with graduate students and postdocs at UCalgary, mentioning that this level of education is not available to students at the University of Costa Rica.

“Of course there are things I am unable to achieve in just six months, for example how to analyze bioinformatics or how to process all the data; but I am very lucky that I am able to collaborate with Dr. Arrieta’s team so the research can continue through to completion.”

Additionally, Dr. Corrales-Aguilar commends the efficient administrative support she has received at the Snyder Institute, allowing her to dedicate most of her time to research.

While there are many benefits to her visit, Dr. Corrales-Aguilar said, “Challenges related to housing and inflation have been somewhat daunting, as I had to manage these things with limited resources. Also the cold temperature is tough for me!”

However, Dr. Corrales-Aguilar thinks the benefits outweigh the challenges. “I would encourage other scientists from less developed regions to apply for the grant, because it is a really good opportunity offering a strong research ecosystem here in Calgary, and the resources and grants available are so much more than in less developed countries. I have made many friends and I also feel very safe here in Calgary – this is a bonus.”

Having been highly involved as a clinical virologist throughout the pandemic in Costa Rica, Dr. Corrales-Aguilar adds that it has been a wonderful break for her to focus on new challenges with her research in Calgary. “It’s really nice to be here.”

Dr. Eugenia Corrales-Aguilar’s expertise in virology includes a vast body of work conducted during her PhD and post-doc studies in Germany and Barcelona. She is the coordinator of the ARBOred, which is a project that aims to support acquisition of funds for arbovirus research in Costa Rica. She is also a member of the 500 WomenScientists (500WS) hub of Costa Rica (www.500cientificascr.org).