Project Description:

   The search for the “fountain of youth” has persisted throughout history. Humans have already increased their life-span by improving life conditions, such as hygiene, nurturing and medical care. The perverse side of this reality is that, in developed countries, we now face the challenge of dealing with an increasingly aged population that lives longer with a heavy burden of age-associated disabilities.

    Despite the several theories of ageing, the most accepted integrative models place the telomere/ telomerase axis at the centre of multiple crossroads, ultimately affecting cells ability to proliferate and survive. I have been given a unique opportunity to assess the role of telomeres in whole organism ageing using Zebrafish as an exciting new vertebrate model.

Academic Degrees:

2010  PhD in Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine University of Lisbon, Portugal.

1.           Thesis Title: The regulation of interleukin 7 receptor α internalization, recycling and degradation
   

2.                                 by IL-7: Possible implications in T-cell homeostasis, leukaemogenesis and migration.
   

2005  BSc Honours in Molecular and Cellular Biology

          University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

          Final grade: Upper second degree.

Professional Experience:

2006 - 2010: PhD in Biomedicine: “The regulation of interleukin 7 receptor α internalization, recycling and degradation by IL-7: Possible implications in T-cell homeostasis, leukaemogenesis and migration”- Faculty of Medicine, Univeristy of Lisbon, PT @ Unit of Cancer Biology (Dr. João Barata), Instituto de Medicina Molecular . Joint collaboration with the department of Immunology, Infection and Inflammation (Prof. Gerard Graham and Dr. Rob Nibbs), University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

2001-2005: BSc Honours in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Final grade: Upper second degree.

2004:  BSc honours degree final year’s project: “The cell cycle and DNA damage responses: The checkpoint kinase 1 is preferentially activated in S-phase in response to DNA damage, even though it is expressed throughout the cell cycle”. Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Checkpoints and cell cycle control laboratory- Prof. David Gillespie-Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

2004: Vacation  research- wellcome trust scolarship holder: “Regulation of the cellular splicing factor SF2/ASF during the life cycle of HPV-16”. Supervised by Dr. Sheila Graham, department of Microbiology, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK. (Wellcome trust VS/04/GLA/A5/OA).

2003: Vacation research position: “Stable isotope evidence of diverse species-specific and individual wintering strategies in seabirds”- Supervised by Dr. Rona McGill at Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.