Catarina Augusta Florêncio Faustino (331B-3073-0348)

Curriculum Vitae

Catarina Augusta Florêncio Faustino

Catarina Faustino has a Bachelor's degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology (July 2021, 17/20) and a Master's degree in Molecular Genetics and Biomedicine (November 2023, 18/20), both from NOVA School of Science and Technology (FCT-NOVA). Currently she is enrolled as a Ph.D. student in the Eutopia PhD co-tutelle program, at FCT NOVA (Biotechnology) and at TU Dresden, as a collaboration between Biomolecular Engineering Lab (@UCIBIO), Seatox Lab (@UCIBIO), and Politi’s Lab (B CUBE, TU Dresden). Even before starting her academic career, Catarina already showed great interest in science, namely biology, and has participated in scientific events and congresses between 2016 and 2018, receiving the 1st award at the XI National Congress of Scientists in Action for the oral presentation "Osmosis in action" (2016). The Bachelors and Master degrees further increased her curiosity and thirst for knowledge in this and other scientific areas. She participated in several symposiums and trainings over the last years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she carried out her final individual BSc project, focused on studying the interactions between a bacterial protein effector (important for infection) with human proteins through a yeast two-hybrid assay. Most recently, she concluded her master's thesis (September 2022 – November 2023; Grade 19/20), entitled "Marine bioprospecting for drug discovery: Exploring novel toxin-derived bioactives from venomous annelids". This was a collaborative project between the SeaTox Lab and the Biomolecular Engineering Lab, both at UCIBIO-NOVA. Catarina produced a marine protein through heterologous expression in E.coli with its further purification and characterization and carried out cytotoxicity and genotoxic assays followed by histology and microscopy analysis. She was selected for a flash oral presentation about her master's thesis work at Affinity 2023 Lisbon (international event). During her PhD she will continue the study of marine proteins, focusing on their biological role and potential applications for biotechnology.

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Identification

Personal identification

Full name: Catarina Augusta Florêncio Faustino
Date of birth: 2000/10/20
Gender: Female

Citation names

Faustino, Catarina
Faustino, C.A.

Author identifiers

Ciência ID: 331B-3073-0348
ORCID iD: 0009-0000-8841-4790

Email addresses

ca.faustino@campus.fct.unl.pt (Professional)

Addresses

NOVA SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, FCT NOVA Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Setúbal, Portugal (Professional)

Websites

https://www.linkedin.com/in/catarina-faustino-959314252/ (Professional)
https://biomolecular-engineering-lab.pt/ (Professional)
https://sites.fct.unl.pt/seatox/ (Professional)

Knowledge fields

Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Cell Biology
Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Molecular Biology
Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Microbiology
Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Genetics and Heredity
Natural sciences - Biological Sciences
Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Biology
Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Biochemistry

Languages

Language	Speaking	Reading	Writing	Listening	Peer-review
English	Intermediate (B1)	Upper intermediate (B2)	Upper intermediate (B2)	Upper intermediate (B2)	Intermediate (B1)
Spanish; Castilian	Intermediate (B1)	Upper intermediate (B2)	Intermediate (B1)	Upper intermediate (B2)	Intermediate (B1)
Portuguese (Mother tongue)

Education

	Degree	Classification
2024/01/01 - 2028 Ongoing	PhD in Biotechnology (Doutoramento) Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal Technische Universität Dresden Fachrichtung Biologie, Germany
2021/09 - 2023/11/16 Concluded	Master in Molecular Genetics and Biomedicine (Mestrado) Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal ""Marine bioprospecting for drug discovery: Exploring novel toxin-derived bioactives from venomous annelids" (19/20)" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)	18 (120/120 ECTS)
2018/09 - 2021/07 Concluded	Bachelor Degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology (Licenciatura) Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal "Yeast two-hybrid screen for human proteins interacting with Chlamydia trachomatis effector CteG (18/20)" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)	17

Affiliation

Others

	Category Host institution	Employer
2024/01/01 - 2028	EUTOPIA PhD Co-tutelle Program - Collaboration Seatox Lab and Biomolecular Engineering Lab @UCIBIO - NOVA and Politi's Lab (B CUBE - TU Dresden)	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal
	Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
2022/09/01 - 2023/11/16	Masther thesis: "Marine bioprospecting for drug discovery: Exploring novel toxin-derived bioactives from venomous annelids" (19/20) Collaboration Seatox Lab & Biomolecular Engineering Lab@UCIBIO-NOVA	Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
	Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
2021/02 - 2021/06	Individual project (BCs Celullar and Molecular Biology): "Yeast two-hybrid screen for human proteins interacting with Chlamydia trachomatis effector CteG"(Grade 18/20)- Infection Biology Lab @UCIBIO	Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
	Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal

Projects

Grant

	Designation	Funders
2024/01/01 - Current	Integrated approach to harness the biotechnological potential from cephalopods PRT/BD/154731/2023 PhD Student Fellow Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Ongoing

Contract

	Designation	Funders
2024/01/01 - Current	Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit UIDB/04378/2020 10.54499/UIDB/04378/2020 PhD student in the scope of the project Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal Unidade de Ciências Biomoleculares Aplicadas, Portugal Rede de Química e Tecnologia Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde, Portugal Associação para a Inovação e Desenvolvimento da FCT, Portugal Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Tecnologias e Agroambiente, Portugal Universidade do Porto, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Concluded
2024/01/01 - Current	Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit UIDP/04378/2020 10.54499/UIDP/04378/2020 PhD student in the scope of the project Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal Unidade de Ciências Biomoleculares Aplicadas, Portugal Rede de Química e Tecnologia Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde, Portugal Associação para a Inovação e Desenvolvimento da FCT, Portugal Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Tecnologias e Agroambiente, Portugal Universidade do Porto, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Concluded
2024/01/01 - Current	Institute for Health and Bioeconomy LA/P/0140/2020 10.54499/LA/P/0140/2020 PhD student in the scope of the project Associação do Instituto Superior Técnico para a Investigação e Desenvolvimento, Portugal Universidade de Lisboa Instituto de Bioengenharia e Biociências, Portugal Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal INESC Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias, Portugal Rede de Química e Tecnologia Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde, Portugal Associação para a Inovação e Desenvolvimento da FCT, Portugal Unidade de Ciências Biomoleculares Aplicadas, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Ongoing

Other

	Designation	Funders
2024/01/01 - Current	Proteios Protein Tunable Materials for Non-Invasive Sensing PTDC/CTM-CTM/3389/2021 PhD student in the scope of the project Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Ongoing
2022/09 - 2023/11/16	Proteios Protein Tunable Materials for Non-Invasive Sensing PTDC/CTM-CTM/3389/2021 Master's Student Thesis Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Ongoing
2022/09 - 2023/09	The MARVEN Project: The Portuguese biotechnological database for marine animal venoms and toxins FA_05_2017_007 Master's Student Thesis Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal	Fundo Azul Ongoing

Outputs

Publications

Conference paper	Faustino, C.A.; Ana MGC Dias; Roque, ACA; Costa, Pedro M.. "A biotechnological approach to produce a recombinant protein from a marine annelid toxin". Paper presented in Jornadas do Mar 2023, Almada, 2023. Submitted
Conference poster	Faustino, C.A.; Ana MGC Dias; Roque, ACA; P.M. Costa. "Drug discovery from marine bioactives: producing a recombinant protein from an annelid toxin". Paper presented in 2nd One Health Symposium, 2023.
Thesis / Dissertation	"Master's Thesis: "Marine bioprospecting for drug discovery: Exploring novel toxin-derived bioactives from venomous annelids" (expected to end 10-2023)". Master, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, 2023. "Bachelor Project - "Yeast two-hybrid screen for human proteins interacting with Chlamydia trachomatis effector CteG" (Grade: 18/20)". Degree, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, 2021.

Activities

Oral presentation

	Presentation title	Event name Host (Event location)
2023/11/30	A biotechnological approach to produce a recombinant protein from a marine annelid toxin	Jornadas do Mar Escola Naval (Almada, Portugal)
2023/06	Flash Presentation: A biotechnological approach to a marine toxin candidate (presented at Affinity Lisbon 2023)	Affinity Lisbon 2023 (Lisbon, Portugal)
2023/02	"Marine bioprospecting for drug discovery: Exploring novel toxin-derived bioactives from venomous annelids" - Interim Meetings of the Master's Annual Dissertations; NOVA School of Science and Technology	Interim Meetings of the Master's Annual Dissertations NOVA School of Science and Technology (Lisbon, Portugal)
2018/04	"Demonstrating the Cellular Metabolism" - XIII National Congress of Scientists in Action; Estremoz	XIII National Congress of Scientists in Action Ciência Viva (Estremoz)
2016/04	"Osmosis in Action" - XI National Congress of Scientists in Action; Estremoz	XI National Congress of Scientists in Action Ciência Viva (Estremoz, Portugal)

Event organisation

	Event name Type of event (Role)	Institution / Organization
2023/11 - 2024/01	Member of the Organizing Committee - Winter Symposium: Biomolecular Engineering Lab, January 2024 Lisbon, Portugal (2024/01/04 - 2024/01/05) Symposium (Member of the Organising Committee)	Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
2023/01/01 - 2023/06	Member of the Organizing Committee - Affinity 2023 5-7 June Lisbon, Portugal (2023/06/05 - 2023/06/07) Conference (Member of the Organising Committee)	Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
2022/11 - 2023/01	Member of the Organizing Committee - Winter Symposium: Biomolecular Engineering Lab, 6 January 2023 Lisbon, Portugal (2023/01/06 - 2023/01/06) Symposium	Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
2018/01 - 2018/01	"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree" - School exhibition about genetics and DNA; Castro Verde (2018/01 - 2018/01) Exhibition (Member of the Organising Committee)	Agrupamento de Escolas de Castro Verde, Portugal

Event participation

	Activity description Type of event	Event name Institution / Organization
2023/11/28 - 2023/11/30	Jornadas do Mar 2023 - Escola Naval (Students Conference) Conference	Jornadas do Mar 2023 Escola Naval, Portugal
2023/11/03 - 2023/11/03	2nd Egas Moniz One Health Symposium - Poster Symposium	2nd One Health Symposium Instituto Superior de Ciências da Saúde Egas Moniz, Portugal
2022/11 - 2022/11	One Health Day - Lisbon 11-2022 Symposium	One Health Day Instituto Superior de Ciências da Saúde Egas Moniz, Portugal
2022/04 - 2022/04	Scientific Writing - Workshop from Tec2Med 2022 (NOVA Biomedical Nucleus - NBN); Lisbon Workshop	Scientific Writing - Tec2Med 2022 Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
2022/04 - 2022/04	Tec2Med 2022 (NOVA Biomedical Nucleus - NBN); Lisbon Congress	Tec2Med 2022 Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
2021/01/21 - 2021/01/25	Scientific Writing - Workshop by Cellular and Molecular Biology Nucleus (NBCM); Lisbon Workshop	Scientific Writing - Workshop Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
2020/02 - 2020/02	JorTec (Technological Journeys) Cellular and Molecular Biology; 21th edition; Lisbon Symposium	JorTec Cellular and Molecular Biology Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
2020/01 - 2020/02	Marine Annelids Tissue Analysis - Workshop with hands-on training; Seatox Lab; Lisbon Workshop	Marine Annelids Tissue Analysis Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
2019/09 - 2019/09	Conversations: Epigenetics - Cellular and Molecular Biology Nucleus; Lisbon Meeting	Conversations: Epigenetics Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
2019/02 - 2019/02	JorTec (Technological Journeys) Biochemistry; 20th edition; Lisbon Symposium	JorTec Biochemistry Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
2019/02 - 2019/02	JorTec (Technological Journeys) Cellular and Molecular Biology; 20th edition; Lisbon Symposium	JorTec Cellular and Molecular Biology Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
2018/09 - 2018/09	Conversations: Oncobiology - Cellular and Molecular Biology Nucleus; Lisbon Meeting	Conversations: Oncobiology Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
2016/06 - 2016/07	Live Science in the Laboratory, Scientific Occupation of Young People on Holidays: Genetics in the investigation of Crime 1 - Workshop with hands-on training; Aveiro Workshop	Genetics in the investigation of Crime 1 Universidade de Aveiro Departamento de Biologia, Portugal Ciência Viva, Portugal

Association member

	Society Organization name	Role
2022/09 - Current	Social Team - Biomolecular Engineering Lab	Event organization
2019 - 2020	Project PATA - Animal support volunteering	Feed and animals' care

Committee member

	Activity description Role	Institution / Organization
2023/04/19 - 2023/04/19	Presenter of the Biomolecular Engineering Lab at EXPO FCT 2023 (Lisbon, Portugal) - Science communication for the public Member	Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
2022/04/28 - 2022/04/28	Presenter of "Discovering the brain" at EXPO FCT 2022 (Lisbon, Portugal) - Science communication for the public Member	Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal

Distinctions

Award

2023	Award ex-aequo do 1º Escalão da área Ciências Militares e Navais Escola Naval, Portugal
2016	1st place - XI National Congress of Scientists in Action: "Osmosis in Action" Centro Ciência Viva de Estremoz, Portugal