Matheus Augusto Calvano Cosentino

Background

About

PhD Candidate in Genetics at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil, currently conducting a doctoral internship at the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) in Montpellier, France. My research specializes in the discovery and characterization of novel viruses in wildlife, with a primary focus on unveiling "Viral Dark Matter" in American bats through meta-transcriptomic mining of public repositories (SRA/NCBI) and metagenomic analysis. I possess a comprehensive hybrid profile that bridges the gap between field research and computational science. My expertise spans the entire genomic research cycle: from field collection and bat handling to laboratory diagnostics (Illumina MiSeq, Sanger, RT-qPCR) and the development of reproducible bioinformatic pipelines (Snakemake, Unix, R, and Python). My academic trajectory has been recognized by prestigious awards, including the Nota 10 Doctoral Fellowship FAPERJ and the TERREE Fellowship from the French Embassy in Brazil.

Work Experience

International Doctoral Internship,
Sep, 2025 - Apr, 20268 months
Developing reproducible bioinformatic pipelines for viral discovery in meta-transcriptomic data. Advised by Ahidjo Ayouba, Ph.D.
PhD Researcher,
Mar, 2023 - Present
Investigating "Viral Dark Matter" in American bats through a hybrid approach of field sampling and large-scale data mining. Orchestrated the mining of public NGS repositories (SRA/NCBI) to identify divergent viral lineages. Designed and optimized protocols for virus discovery in Atlantic Rainforest bat populations.
Researcher Associate,
Apr, 2022 - Apr, 20231 year
SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
- Sequenced over 1000 SARS-COV-2 genomes of surveillance data.
Teaching Assistant,
Apr, 2022 - Aug, 20224 months
Graduation discipline "Introduction to unix and perl for biologists".
Volunteer Researcher (COVID-19 Diagnosis),
Mar, 2020 - Mar, 20222 years
COVID-19 Diagnosis Volunteer.
- Performed over 5000 diagnostic tests using RT-qPCR under biosafety level 2 conditions.
Master Researcher,
Mar, 2020 - Mar, 20222 years
Master's level research.
- Captured and processed over 300 bats from the Atlantic Rain Forest for CoV diagnostics under biosafety level 2 conditions.
Undergraduate Internships,
Jun, 2016 - Dec, 20193 years 6 months
Internships at the Laboratory of Viral Diversity and Diseases, Laboratory of Human Virology, and Laboratory of Insect Biochemics.

Skills

Programming & Bioinformatics
R

UNIX/Bash

Snakemake

Perl

Python
Molecular Biology
Biological Sample Nucleic Acids Extraction (DNA & RNA)

Molecular Viral Diagnosis (RT-PCR, Sanger Sequencing & NGS)

Illumina Sequencing (Virome & Meta-transcriptomics)

Serology (ELISA & Multiplex ImmunoAssays xMAP)

Education

Genetics, PhD, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ, Brazil
Mar, 2023 - Present
Thesis: Unveiling Viral Dark Matter in American Bats.
Genetics, Master, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ, Brazil
Mar, 2020 - Mar, 2022
Thesis: Characterization of new viral strains naturally infecting bats and Brazilian primates.
Biological Sciences - Genetics, Bachelor's, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ, Brazil
Mar, 2016 - Dec, 2019
Thesis: Molecular characterization of betacoronavirus that infects Pecari tajacu (Linnaeus, 1758) in RioZoo.

Certificates

28th International Bioinformatics Workshop on Virus Evolution and Molecular Epidemiology (VEME), Brasília, Brazil
Issued on: Jan 01, 2024
São Paulo School of Advanced Science on Epidemic Preparedness (SPSAS), University of São Paulo (USP)
Issued on: Jan 01, 2023
CADDE Workshop on Portable Metagenomics for Pathogen Surveillance, Institute of Tropical Medicine (USP)
Issued on: Jan 01, 2023
Phylogenetic and Molecular Epidemiology of Human Viral Pathogens, Kwazulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP) / NGS-BRICS
Issued on: Jan 01, 2022
Theoretical and Practical Course on Chiroptera Photography, Brazilian Society for the Study of Chiroptera
Issued on: Jan 01, 2022

Awards

Nota 10 Doctoral Fellowship , FAPERJ
Awarded on: Jan 01, 2025
Granted to Ph.D. candidates who demonstrate exceptional academic performance and high scientific productivity. Amount awarded: R$ 98.400 / €16.400.
TERREE Fellowship , Campus France - French Embassy in Brazil
Awarded on: Jan 01, 2025
Research International Internship Grant in Ecology and Environmental Sciences. Supports outstanding Ph.D. students to conduct a research internship in France. Amount awarded: €14.200.
Oral Presentation Award - Master Category , XI Brazilian Congress of Mastozoology and XI Brazilian Meeting for the Study of Chiroptera
Awarded on: Jan 01, 2022
Awarded for the work 'In Silico Mapping of Bat Coronavirus Diversity with Emphasis on Neotropical Sampling'.
Academic Honors Title Cum Laude , Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ
Awarded on: Jan 01, 2020
Honorable Mention for Poster Presentation , IV Symposium of Virology from UFRJ
Awarded on: Jan 01, 2020
Awarded for the work 'Molecular Characterization Of Betacoronavirus Infecting Pecari tajacu'.
Honorable Mention for Poster Presentation , 8th Academic Integration Week from UFRJ
Awarded on: Jan 01, 2017
Awarded for the work 'The role of RpP62 during embryogenesis and oogenesis of the insect vector Rhodnius prolixus'.

Volunteer Work

Undergraduate thesis co-supervisor, UFRJ
Jan, 2024 - Dec, 2024
Mentored Victor Wanderkoke Gonçalves Silva on his Undergraduate Thesis in Biological Sciences – B.Sc. Genetics: Characterization of coronavirus diversity in bats from Conceição de Macabu, Rio de Janeiro.
Joint Organizer, 13th International Foamy Virus Meeting (Foamy 2023)
Jan, 2023 - Dec, 2023
Jointly organized by INCA & UFRJ.
Organizing Committee, IV International Symposium on Genetics, UFRJ
Jan, 2023 - Dec, 2023
Postgraduate Program in Genetics, UFRJ.

Publications

Coronavirus Detection in Bats Captured on the Deforestation Arc of Mato Grosso, Brazil , Zoonoses Public Health
Published on: Feb 16, 2026
Cosentino MAC, Wanderkoke V, Ferreira FF, Silva SG, D'arc M, Dos Santos AFA.
Evolutionary Insights From the COVID Pandemic: Genomic Diversity and Origins of SARS-CoV-2 , Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Biology (Second Edition)
Published on: Jan 01, 2025
Cosentino MAC, Moreira FRR, D’arc M and Santos AF.
Characterization of a new anellovirus species infecting an ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) in Brazil , Genet Mol Biol
Published on: Dec 04, 2023
Cavalcante LTF*, Cosentino MAC*, D'arc M, et al.
Discovery of two novel Torque Teno viruses in Callithrix penicillata provides insights on Anelloviridae diversification dynamics , Front Microbiol
Published on: Sep 08, 2022
Cosentino MAC, D'arc M, Moreira FRR, et al.
A novel Betacoronavirus characterised in collared peccaries from the Rio de Janeiro Zoo (Brazil) killed by unknown disease , Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz
Published on: Jan 01, 2020
D'arc M*, Cosentino MC*, Moreira FRR, et al.

Interests

Research Interests
Viral DiscoveryBioinformaticsEvolutionary BiologyZoonosesWildlife Surveillance