College of Agriculture

The College of Agriculture welcomes two new faculty members for Spring 2026 semester

Story by Devyn Raver
Photography by Joshua Clark
January 13, 2026

CAMILA NICOLLI, RESEARCH ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MYCOTOXIN FUNGAL BIOLOGY, BOTANY AND PLANT PATHOLOGY

Camila Nicolli has joined the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Purdue University. She holds a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and a master’s degree in plant pathology from Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, as well as a doctorate in plant pathology from the Federal University of Lavras. Both universities are in Brazil.

Her academic training has provided a foundation in plant disease biology, epidemiology and crop health. Early in her career, Nicolli developed a strong interest in applied science, with a focus on fungal biology, molecular identification and the mycotoxin-producing potential of pathogens affecting wheat, rice and corn. Her collaboration with the agricultural industry began in Brazil at the BASF Seed Treatment Center, an experience that inspired her to pursue a postdoctoral appointment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Nicolli later joined the University of Arkansas, as an assistant professor - extension plant pathologist, where she gained experience working with major rice and corn diseases. She enjoys integrating traditional plant pathology approaches — field trials, disease assessments and epidemiology — with emerging technologies, including drone applications, and advanced molecular tools, to improve disease detection, prediction and management.

At Purdue, Nicolli will collaborate across disciplines to foster interdisciplinary research, mentor and support the next generation of plant scientists, and develop strategies to manage diseases and reduce mycotoxins in corn and wheat crop. Motivated by the opportunity to impact both growers and industry stakeholders in Indiana and beyond, she is excited to work directly in the field and translate research into practical solutions. Outside of her professional work, Nicolli enjoys exploring new places and learning from different cultures, and she hopes to visit all 50 U.S. states.

MATHEUS ZAVADINACK, RESEARCH ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN CARBOHYDRATE CHEMISTRY, FOOD SCIENCE

Matheus Zavadinack has joined Purdue University’s Department of Food Science after earning both his master’s and Ph.D. in biochemistry from Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) in Brazil.

During his master’s studies, Zavadinack gained experience in the extraction, purification and structural characterization of carbohydrates from natural sources. Zavadinack expanded this work during his doctoral training and as a visiting researcher in the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials at Virginia Tech, where he investigated chemical modification strategies and the synthesis of carbohydrate-based hydrogels, with a focus on the chemical and physicochemical characterization of complex carbohydrates and the evaluation of their biological activity.

In addition to his background in biochemistry, Zavadinack brings a distinctive interdisciplinary perspective shaped by his clinical experience in dentistry. Following in his father’s footsteps, he earned a degree in dentistry from UFPR in 2018 and completed specialist training in facial aesthetics, pharmacology and clinical bacteriology.

His clinical experience sparked an initial interest in carbohydrate-based biomaterials, particularly hyaluronic acid, which motivated him to pursue a new academic direction and later expand his focus to complex polysaccharides during his graduate studies.

Zavadinack has strong expertise in carbohydrate chemistry, with an emphasis on structure–function relationships. His research primarily focuses on polysaccharides—polymeric chains formed by multiple carbohydrate units—and understanding their biological functions and translational potential, including mushroom-derived β-D-glucans and other functional carbohydrates. By balancing clinical activities as a practicing dentist with laboratory research as a graduate student, Zavadinack developed a practical perspective that is relatively uncommon in the field of biochemistry. As a multidisciplinary researcher, Zavadinack is enthusiastic about continuing to advance his academic and laboratory work while mentoring and supporting students. Outside of academia, he enjoys playing soccer, reading, spending time with his family, and traveling with his wife and son.

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