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Indigenous Health and Social Dynamics in Vulnerable Communities
Projeto Dourados began when researchers from South and North America met at the Universidade Federal de Grande Dourados (UFGD), Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Projeto Dourados literally means “The Golden Project” in English, pronounced doe-RAH-doose. Dourados, then, is an adjective, meaning golden.
We recognized the need for new efforts to bring together epidemiologists and social scientists, and to connect researchers from Brazil and the United States, so they could learn from one another and strengthen scientific ties between the two largest democracies in the Americas—both with rich Indigenous cultural heritage.
In both countries, Indigenous peoples have historically suffered more acutely from disease than colonial arrivals for a variety of reasons—and continue to do so, as the COVID-19 pandemic made clear.
In response, we developed a new educational and research exchange program to connect South and North American scientists, beginning with our two institutions, UFGD and Stanford University.
Our Project
The project builds on public health partnerships and research led by Prof. Simone Simionatto, her students, and colleagues at UFGD and beyond, which have advanced both the science and practice of public health in her community: the city of Dourados and the neighboring Dourados Indigenous Reserve.
We are currently recruiting UFGD students to work remotely with researchers in the United States, with the possibility of visits from Stanford University researchers during the 2026 academic year.
One group of participants will help document and communicate Prof. Simionatto’s work, including producing Guaraní- and Terena-language translations of this website and other Projeto Dourados materials.
Another group will advance interdisciplinary research on how social behavior shapes disease spread, contributing to improved pandemic preparedness and public health in Dourados and the surrounding Indigenous Reserve.
Learn more about how to participate here: Opportunities.
Learn more about our work: Research.
Stay informed:
More on Project Goals
We have two primary short-term goals for project outputs over the next few years:
Document public health conditions in the Dourados Indigenous Reserve and how science is put into practice locally. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Prof. Simionatto tracked the spread of different SARS-CoV-2 variants. In ongoing work, she coordinates with hospital epidemiologists monitoring the origins and trajectories of new outbreaks to enable rapid response if the next COVID-19—or worse—emerges.
Develop computational decision-support tools for pandemic preparedness that explicitly model how social and economic factors influence disease spread.
How to Contribute
We welcome students from epidemiology, social sciences, political science, international relations, and related fields who are interested in contributing during the upcoming academic year.
If you have a research idea aligned with the project, are interested in working with us, or would like more information, please contact us: contato@projeto-dourados.org
Timeline and Deliverables
- Q1 2026: Recruit UFGD student participants; introductions; begin projects.
- Q2 2026: First journal article drafts; release short documentary films (≤3-minute videos produced with mobile phones); publish initial translations and web content.
- Q3 2026: Revise and submit manuscripts; expand documentary and outreach materials; continue collaboration.
- Q4 2026: Synthesize project outputs; assess next phases of collaboration and funding.
- 2027 and beyond: Sustain and expand the exchange program as opportunities allow.
Our Team
Project Leads
- Simone Simionatto — UFGD • ResearchGate
- Matheus de Carvalho Hernandez — UFGD • ResearchGate
- Izabela Maurício de Rezende — Stanford University • LinkedIn
- Matthew Turner — Stanford University • Website
Student Leaders and Contributors
- Laís Albuquerque de Oliveira — UFGD • LinkedIn
- Caio Gustavo Simonelli — UFGD • CNPq Online CV
Foundational Support
Projeto Dourados was made possible through the support of Mrs. Jill Freidenrich, whose funding provided fellowships and research support for Rezende and Turner at the Pandemic Preparedness Hub at Stanford Medicine. This support enabled Rezende to initiate collaboration with Simionatto, with Turner joining soon after. It quickly became clear that this project was a strong fit for advancing the practical use of social science in epidemiology.
