Hi there! My name is Catarina Monteiro Gomes, and I am a Portuguese biomedical engineer-turned-scientist, currently working as a postdoctoral researcher in Prof. Hierlemann’s lab at ETH Zürich, in the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering in Basel. My research focuses on building intricate 3D human brain cell models to study neuroinflammation and regeneration. In other words: I explore how the brain breaks – and, more importantly, how it might heal.
These models simulate the central nervous system and allow us to investigate innate immune responses, paving the way for developing advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs). I’m drawn to this intersection of biology, technology, and creativity—where each experiment feels like a small act of discovery in uncharted territory.
Beyond the lab, I have always been captivated by storytelling. Working with the inspiring team at Soapbox Science Lisbon sparked a deep passion for science communication, especially in challenging gender stereotypes in STEM. I am also a lifelong lover of art, literature, and cinema – worlds that, like science, strive to explore who we are and how we make meaning.
The Locarno Film Festival offers a rare opportunity to blur the lines between science and the arts. Both fields seek to question, interpret, and imagine - and BaseCamp is a unique space where these parallel pursuits can intersect. I am coming to Locarno not just as a scientist, but as a curious observer - eager to listen, reflect, and uncover unexpected connections between neural circuits and cinematic narratives.