Dr. Pirmez graduated in Medicine (1979) and had her medical residency in Pathology (1980-82). She obtained the Master's degree in Medicine (Pathology) in 1986 and PhD in Biological Sciences (Immunology) in 1991. Two post-doctorates were developed in Germany, one in the Tropical Institute of Hamburg (1992), and the other at the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin (1993). She was admitted at the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the year of 1986 and is now a senior research of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute. She also has an MBA degree (Executive MBA, 2008). Her scientific experience is mainly in the field of immunopathology of infectious diseases, focused in leishmaniasis, and have published more than 70 papers in the field. Her career has provided experiences across the spectrum of research and research training in global health and infectious disease from bench science, interdisciplinary group leadership to institutional policy and direction. Currently, she is the the Program Manager of the Grand Challenges Brazil, a joint initiative between the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Brazilian Ministry of Health.