Gustavo is a dentist with a PhD in Oral Epidemiology. He has a solid basis in epidemiology, with a focus on causal inference from observational data. He has experience with birth cohort studies as well as large studies using nationally representative registries.

Since 2013, Gustavo has published 130 peer-reviewed articles, served as a reviewer for 65 international journals, collaborated with several universities across the world, and obtained more than SGD 1.5 million in grants in Brazil and Denmark. 

He currently serves as an editorial board member for the Journal of Dental Research, BMC Medical Research Methodology, and Heliyon and as an associate editor for PLOS One, Scientific Reports, and Frontiers in Oral Health.

Gustavo's research focuses on different facets of periodontal epidemiology, which include methodological aspects of periodontal research and the relationship between periodontitis and systemic diseases. He is also interested in the role played by oral inflammation in the development of halitosis (bad breath) and the senses of smell and taste.