Ilum graduate ranked first in admission to Unicamp doctoral program

The student Mayllon Emanuel Pequeno Santos Silva, who completed his undergraduate degree in Science and Technology at Ilum School of Science at the end of 2025, was ranked first in the selective process for the Doctoral Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology at Unicamp. This achievement stands out and highlights the quality of the academic training and the integration with the scientific environment that Ilum provides, through continuous exposure to cutting-edge research conducted at CNPEM.

Direct admission to the doctoral program was motivated by early immersion in research, made possible by Ilum’s curricular structure and by constant interaction with CNPEM’s scientific staff. Throughout his academic trajectory, Mayllon worked at the Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory (LNBR) under the supervision of researcher Gabriela Persinoti, an experience that proved decisive for both his choice of field and his preparation for the selection process.

“It was an extreme happiness. I truly didn’t expect it, precisely because I was aware that I was competing with people who had studied for six years—four in undergraduate studies and two in a master’s program—and all in a single field, biology. At Ilum, I studied for three years, with an extremely strong foundation in biology and bioinformatics, but also with attention to physics, chemistry, data science, and the humanities. It was perhaps the best day of my life when I received the news of my acceptance.”

The result achieved in the selection process—which combines theoretical questions, analysis of a scientific article, and curriculum evaluation—reflected the multidisciplinary foundation of his education. With a score of 9.83, the Ilum graduate secured first place among all candidates to the program. Mayllon emphasizes the importance of the courses taken in the sixth and final semester: “They were extremely necessary and essential for my approval, because the exam was exactly an intersection between these two areas”—referring to the classes in advanced topics in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics Algorithms.

The student’s performance and dedication are a direct result of the engagement of Ilum’s entire faculty, which integrates Life Sciences, Humanities, Mathematical Language, Material Sciences, and Data Science in a cohesive manner, promoting a solid, critical, and contextualized scientific education. Added to this is the constant interaction with CNPEM researchers and scientific infrastructure, which exposes students—since the beginning of their undergraduate studies—to real-world problems whose solutions lie at the frontier of knowledge. This formative environment, based on scientific rigor, collaboration, and cross-disciplinary exchange, creates the conditions for talents to fully develop and achieve prominent positions in highly competitive programs,” said Leandro Nascimento Lemos, Ilum professor, PhD in Bioinformatics and Microbial Ecology, and Mayllon’s undergraduate advisor.

The doctoral research will be conducted in the area of enzyme bioprospecting, with a focus on microorganisms capable of generating new biofuels, biochemicals, and biorenewable energies—a direct continuation of his work at LNBR. The PhD will be carried out at the interface between Unicamp and CNPEM, allowing the student to continue working in the laboratory where he began his scientific career.