As the current cycle of the Fulbright/NAF Heersink Family Charitable Foundation Scholarships wraps up, we’re proud to spotlight the journeys of this year’s two fellows: Cristian Ghergu from Maastricht University and Marcelo Malisano Barreto Filho from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Their experiences reflect the power of international collaboration to advance global health research while fostering personal and professional growth.

From the Netherlands to Alabama: Ghergu’s UAB experience

Ghergu was the first to receive the Heersink Fellowship. He spent a year at UAB, building networks across the School of Public Health and Medicine. His work focused on health interventions in urban communities in Bangalore, India. Supported by mentor Olakunle Alonge, Ph.D., professor and director of Sparkman Center for Global Health, he advanced his Ph.D. and finalized two publications in the field of Leprosy elimination.

His time at UAB also offered opportunities to participate in faculty development programs, attend academic conferences, and build meaningful connections across disciplines. The supportive environment made a lasting impression, and Ghergu found that the fellowship rewarded curiosity and openness, offering academic and personal benefits.

From Alabama to the Netherlands: Filho’s research at Maastricht

Filho, a Ph.D. candidate in systems biology at UAB, spent his fellowship year at Maastricht University, where he investigated microbial interactions that lead to the production of BMAA, a neurotoxin associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Working closely with Ilja Arts, Ph.D., founding scientific director of the Maastricht Centre for Systems Biology, and Marian Breuer, Ph.D., assistant professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering, MACSBio Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Filho applied advanced computational methods, Constraint-based Reconstruction and Analysis (COBRA), to model how environmental changes affect neurotoxin production in aquatic ecosystems.

This research has the potential to guide future public health strategies around seafood safety and harmful algal blooms. Filho also gained knowledge from Maastricht’s collaborative research culture, which played a key role in his development as a scientist. 

Building global health bridges

Together, Ghergu and Filho embody the mission of the Fulbright/NAF Heersink Fellowship: to strengthen transatlantic research partnerships and empower future leaders in global health. With support from the UAB Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health and Maastricht University, the program continues to foster long-term connections that extend far beyond the fellowship year.

As this funding cycle concludes, we encourage students and researchers to explore future opportunities to be part of this meaningful exchange.

Learn More and Apply

Find out more about eligibility and application details for the Fulbright/NAF Heersink Fellowships in Global Health—from the Netherlands to the U.S., or the U.S. to the Netherlands.

Netherlands to U.S.: Fulbright Netherlands Heersink Fellowship

U.S. to Netherlands: Fulbright/NAF Heersink Family Foundation Fellowship in Global Health