His curiosity led him to the heart of innovation

Osvaldo Linares-Gutiérrez believes that research shouldn’t be defined by a student’s major. It should be driven by curiosity.

“You don’t need to do STEM research just because you’re a STEM major or humanities research because you’re a humanities major,” he says. “What matters is finding the question you actually want to chase and the problem you want to solve.”

For Linares-Gutiérrez, a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill, that mindset has led him across disciplines and into research that tackles real-world challenges. He is majoring in neuroscience in the UNC College of Arts and Sciences and biomedical engineering in the Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State University.

He first worked on a prize-winning project to develop a probiotic to help remove forever chemicals from the gut microbiomes of the people exposed to them. Then he became interested in neural engineering. He’s helping develop a wireless, noninvasive, wearable device that stimulates the nerves that regulate heart rate and blood pressure.

“This technology has the potential to help patients across a wide range of healthcare problems, not just one narrow condition,” Linares-Gutiérrez says. “Working across material science, neural engineering and beyond has given me a broad view of the disciplines this work touches and how much progress happens at their intersections.”

As a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow, Linares-Gutiérrez spent his summer testing new ideas, analyzing results and helping move the technology closer to practical applications. He shared what he learned through SURF and why curiosity is the best place for students to begin their own research journeys.

What does the day-to-day research for your SURF project look like?

Developing this device means creating a new type of material that can comfortably stick to the skin and deliver nerve stimulation over long periods of time. Day to day, that means making samples, running tests and comparing results to identify the formulations that perform best in both areas.

How does your SURF research apply to people and the real world – even if that application doesn’t occur until much further down the road?

My SURF research could one day help patients with cardiac regulation problems, chronic pain, and certain psychological conditions, including anxiety and depression.

How has this research experience changed the way you think about your field or about problem-solving in general?

It has shown me that tunnel vision is real. There will always be challenges within the problem you’re trying to solve, and there is often more than one path forward. Sometimes the best solution comes from stepping back and looking at the problem from a different angle.

What is it like to be part of a research team or lab at Carolina?

It is a unique experience that I think everyone should attempt at least once. You learn an incredible amount, but you also become part of a team working to make a real difference through research. I’m grateful to contribute to that effort.

What would you say to students who feel intimidated or unsure if they belong in research?

Instead of starting with, “Do I belong here?” I would encourage you to start with, “What am I curious about?” Because when curiosity is real, intimidation tends to disappear.

If you could sum up your summer research experience in one word or phrase, what would it be and why?

Eye-opening. I have learned far more than I expected, and the experience has changed the way I think about research and problem-solving.