Thiago Arzua
Postdoctoral Scientist, Zuckerman Institute, Columbia University
Born and raised in Curitiba, Brazil, Thiago Arzua studies the neurodevelopmental aspects of how trauma is passed down through generations. Dr. Arzua completed his bachelor’s degree in chemistry at the University of South Florida, and his doctoral degree in neuroscience at the Medical College of Wisconsin. There, he used brain organoids — a 3D stem cell-derived model of the human brain — to examine the mechanisms and potential therapies for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, a group of conditions that can occur when pregnant mothers drink alcohol. Outside the lab Dr. Arzua also engages and fights for diversity and equity within science, being a co-founder of Black In Neuro, as well as a policy ambassador for the Society for Neuroscience.
Posted: May 28, 2026