Angie Valeria Quinones Olaya’s Research Internship Strengthened International Collaboration

We are delighted to share the successful completion of a research internship by Angie Valeria Quinones Olaya, a postgraduate student from Universidade del Valle (Cali, Colombia), who joined our research group at the University of São Paulo, Piracicaba (USP). Angie stayed with us from March 1st to May 30th on a 3‑month fellowship provided by CAPES through the Move La America program, an initiative designed to foster international academic and research exchange.

During her stay, Angie was actively engaged in innovative research projects that involved analyzing public genomics data using a pan-genome approach. Her work focused on evaluating gene content variation in Puccinia species, significantly contributing to our understanding of fungal genomics and its implications for agricultural sciences. The insights drawn from her research supported her master’s degree studies in Colombia and helped pave the way for future collaborations between institutions across Latin America.

About the CAPES’s Move La America Program

The “Move La América” program, initiated by Brazil’s Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), aims to bolster the internationalization of Brazilian higher education institutions by attracting master’s and doctoral students from Latin America and the Caribbean. These students engage in short-term academic exchanges—ranging from 2 to 3 months for master’s and 2 to 6 months for doctoral candidates—at Brazilian universities, federal institutes, or research centers, participating in research, internships, extension activities, and coursework relevant to their fields of study.

In its edition CAPES select 1463 students from Latin America and the Caribbea, approx 60% doctoral student, and 40% master students. Benefits include monthly stipends (R$2,100 for master’s and R$3,100 for doctoral students), travel allowances, a one-time installation grant of R$2,200, and health insurance coverage of R$400 per month.