Originally from Brazil, Haroldo moved to the United States in late 1999. Two years later, after finishing high school in Miami, Haroldo Silva started pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering at Florida International University (FIU), graduating summa cum laude with a minor in Chemistry. As an undergraduate, Haroldo Silva joined the Honors College and several honor societies at FIU, winning various scholarships and awards, including the Dean’s Merit Scholarship and the David Maurer Excellence in Biology Award. He also participated in the International Scholar Laureate Program in China. While at FIU, as a Ronald E. McNair Scholar, Amgen Fellow (Biotechnology Institute) and laboratory research assistant, Haroldo published his undergraduate research in the American Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology as well as presented it at national conferences. Haroldo's senior design project won 2nd place in the Biomedical Engineering Technology Expo & Competition, which merited a patent application that was filed by FIU.