Emilio Méndez Scolari

Emilio was born in Pirayú, a small city in the Paraguayan countryside. He earned his BSc in Biochemistry and MSc in Biological Chemical Sciences at the Facultad de Ciencias Químicas of the Universidad Nacional de Asunción (FCQ-UNA). His master’s research in the Biotechnology Department focused on engineering a recombinant M13 phage to carry an immunogenic peptide from the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) for vaccine development. He later studied the antiviral activity of natural extracts against HSV-1. Despite his strong interest in phage and virus research, his next goal was to pursue his passion for neuroscience. To achieve this goal, he obtained the Fulbright–CAL scholarship to pursue a PhD in the USA. In 2025, he joined the Iyer Laboratory as a PhD student in the Biochemistry and Cell Biology program within the BioSciences Department at Rice University.
In his free time, he enjoys playing the electric guitar, watching movies, going to concerts, and engaging in sports such as running, soccer, biking, and hiking.