Ana Maria da Graça Fernandes Vasconcelos (171B-1662-EC3D)

Curriculum Vitae

Ana Maria da Graça Fernandes Vasconcelos

Ana Vasconcelos is a scientific illustrator and PhD student at Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC-UC), conducting a project in the field of Visual Science Communication. Her work focuses on the role of information design as a vector in science communication and health literacy. Graduated in Biomedical Sciences in 2018 (BSc, University of Aveiro) and in Cellular and Molecular Biology in 2020 (MSc, University of Coimbra). She has training in the field of visual science communication, particularly in scientific illustration and information design applied to life sciences. She frequently collaborates in science communication projects and activities, particularly in the context of health and neurosciences.

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Identification

Personal identification

Full name: Ana Maria da Graça Fernandes Vasconcelos
Date of birth: 1997/10/07
Gender: Female

Citation names

Vasconcelos, Ana M.
Vasconcelos, Ana

Author identifiers

Ciência ID: 171B-1662-EC3D
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3168-6274

Email addresses

avasconcelos@cnc.uc.pt (Professional)

Telephones

Mobile phone

932133717 (Professional)

Addresses

Universidade de Coimbra, pólo I, Faculdade de Medicina, 1º andar, 3004-504, Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal (Professional)

Websites

https://www.cnc.uc.pt/pt/science-communication (Professional)

Knowledge fields

Social Sciences - Media and Communications
Medical and Health Sciences - Basic Medicine - Neurosciences

Languages

Language	Speaking	Reading	Writing	Listening
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English	Proficiency (C2)	Proficiency (C2)	Proficiency (C2)	Proficiency (C2)
Spanish; Castilian	Intermediate (B1)	Intermediate (B1)	Intermediate (B1)	Upper intermediate (B2)

Education

	Degree	Classification
2022/10/07 - 2026 Ongoing	Biologia Experimental e Biomedicina (Doutoramento) Universidade de Coimbra Instituto de Investigação Interdisciplinar, Portugal
2023/10/09 - 2024/03/04 Attended	Applied Research Skills (Outros) Major in Science Communication Research Skills University of the West of England, United Kingdom
2023/02/06 - 2023/07/03 Concluded	Técnicas Qualitativas de Investigação Sociológica (Licenciatura em Sociologia - Disciplina isolada) (Outros) Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Economia, Portugal	19
2022/09/22 - 2023/01/25 Concluded	Tipografia (Licenciatura Design e Multimédia - Disciplina isolada) (Outros) Universidade de Coimbra Departamento de Engenharia Informática, Portugal	16
2022/09/26 - 2023/01/03 Concluded	Narrativa Visual (Mestrado em Design e Multimédia - Disciplina isolada) (Outros) Universidade de Coimbra Departamento de Engenharia Informática, Portugal	18
2022/03/03 - 2022/07/21 Concluded	Curso de Desenho de Observação I - Introdução (Outros) Clube de Desenho, Portugal
2021/09/06 - 2021/10/31 Concluded	Curso Illustra Micorscopía (Curso de Ilustração de Microscopia) (Outros) Illustraciencia, Spain
2021/01/26 - 2021/06/04 Concluded	Curso de Formação - Metodologias de Investigação em Ciências da Vida, da Natureza e da Engenharia (Outros) Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal	19
2018/09/10 - 2020/12/30 Concluded	Biologia Celular e Molecular (Mestrado) Universidade de Coimbra Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Portugal "Exploring the pathogenic mechanisms elicited by antibody-mediated loss of Caspr2 in autoimmune synaptic encephalitis" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)	19
2020/07/26 - 2020/10/30 Concluded	Curso de Formação - Curso de Verão da UC "Metodologias de Investigação Científica - Módulo e I&D - "Metodologias Avançadas para o Estudo do Cérebro" (Outros) Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal	17
2015/09/14 - 2018/06/25 Concluded	Ciências Biomédicas (Licenciatura) Major in Molecular Universidade de Aveiro Departamento de Ciências Médicas, Portugal	17

Affiliation

Science

	Category Host institution	Employer
2022/10/01 - Current	Researcher (Research)	Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal (...)
2021/03/15 - 2021/12/31	Research Assistant (Research)	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal

Others

	Category Host institution	Employer
2022/02/01 - Current	Collaboration with CNC Science Communication Office to develop infographics about CNC research	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2018/09/10 - 2020/12/10	MSc student at Synapse Biology Lab	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
	Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2019/05 - 2019/06	Laboratory Rotation at Neuronal Circuits and Behavior Lab (CNC-UC)	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
	Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2019/01 - 2019/02	Laboratory Rotation at Synapse Biology Lab (CNC-UC)	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
	Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2017/07 - 2017/07	Summer Science Internship at Microbiology Development Lab	Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
	Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal

Projects

Grant

	Designation	Funders
2023 - Current	PARTICIPATE2ENGAGE - Human centred-design as a vehicle to science communication: a participatory and citizen science research approach Semente PCSI Researcher Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal	Banco Santander Portugal Ongoing
2021/03/15 - 2021/12/31	Understanding the pathogenesis in CASPR2-antibody autoimmune synaptic encephalitis PTDC/MED-NEU/29452/2017 Researcher Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal

Other

	Designation	Funders
2021/03/15 - 2021/12/31	BrainHealth2020 - Early Detection, Neuromodulation and Advanced Therapies to Brain Disorders CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-000008 Researcher Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal	European Regional Development Fund

Outputs

Publications

Book	Amaral, Sandra; Vasconcelos, Ana M.. Essa (não) é uma pergunta fácil. Portugal: Alfarroba. 2024. Published
Conference poster	Serrenho, Débora; Fernandes, Dominique; Vasconcelos, Ana; Santos, Sandra; Cortes, Luisa; Coutinho, Ester; Carvalho, Ana Luisa. "Human anti-CASPR2 autoantibodies impact synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability". Paper presented in 8th European Synapse Meeting, 2022. Vasconcelos, Ana; Fernandes, Dominique; Santos, Sandra; Coutinho, Ester; Carvalho, Ana Luisa. "Concentration-dependent effects elicited by CASPR2 autoantibodies in the regulation of AMPA receptor trafficking and synaptic plasticity". Paper presented in Encephalitis Conference 2021, 2021. Vasconcelos, Ana; Fernandes, Dominique; Santos, Sandra; Coutinho, Ester; Carvalho, Ana Luísa. "Concentration-dependent effects elicited by CASPR2 autoantibodies in the regulation of AMPA receptor trafficking and synaptic plasticity". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2021. Fernandes, Dominique; Vasconcelos, Ana M.; Santos, Sandra; Coutinho, Ester; Whitt, Jessica L; Beltrão, Nuno; Rondão, Tiago; et al. "Disrupted AMPA receptor function and synaptic plasticity upon genetic- or antibody-mediated loss of autism-related CASPR2". Paper presented in CIBB Annual Meeting, 2019., 2019. Fernandes, Dominique; Vasconcelos, Ana M.; Santos, Sandra; Coutinho, Ester; Whitt, Jessica L; Beltrão, Nuno; Rondão, Tiago; et al. "CASPR2 autoantibodies disrupt AMPA receptor function". Paper presented in Encephalitis Conference 2019, 2019.
Thesis / Dissertation	"Exploring the pathogenic mechanisms elicited by antibody-mediated loss of Caspr2 in autoimmune synaptic encephalitis". Master, Universidade de Coimbra, 2020. https://eg.uc.pt/handle/10316/93934.

Activities

Oral presentation

	Presentation title	Event name Host (Event location)
2024/06/07	Information design as a vector in science communication: A co-design approach involving Autoimmune Encephalitis patients, their families, scientists and medical professionals	SciComm Southwest Conference Science Communication Unit at UWE Bristol (Bristol, United Kingdom)
2024/05/10	Cientistas em Foco: Aprofundando experiências na comunicação com a sociedade	SciComPT 2024 Universidade do Minho (Braga, Portugal)
2023/05/04	Viagem pelo Corpo Humano: Uma Narrativa Visual de Comunicação de Ciência	SciComPT 2023 Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (Bragança, Portugal)
2021/12/06	Concentration-dependent effects elicited by CASPR2 autoantibodies in the regulation of AMPA receptor trafficking and synaptic plasticity	Encephalitis Conference 2021 Encephalitis Society (Londres, United Kingdom)

Event organisation

	Event name Type of event (Role)	Institution / Organization
2023/08/15 - 2023/12/15	Member of the Support Committee of the training school "Neuroscience meets society: transversal skills for future neuroscientists" (2023/12/11 - 2023/12/15) Workshop (Other)	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2022/09/01 - 2023/02/15	Member of the Organising Committee of BEB DAY 2023 - A symposium organised by students of the doctoral programme in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine of the University of Coimbra. (2023/02/07 - 2023/02/08) Symposium (Member of the Organising Committee)	Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal

Event participation

	Activity description Type of event	Event name Institution / Organization
2024/06/07 - 2024/06/07	Conference about Science Communication research and practice - SciComm Southwest Conference 2024 Conference	SciComm Southwest Conference University of the West of England, United Kingdom
2024/05/08 - 2024/05/10	National conference about Science Communication - SciComPT 2024 Conference	SciComPT 2024 Universidade do Minho, Portugal
2023/12/20 - 2023/12/20	Participation and 1st place in the "Draw your science" activity of the CIBB meeting 2023 Call	CIBB Annual Meeting, 2023 Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia, Portugal
2023/11/23 - 2023/11/24	Conference about Information Design and Data Visualisation Conference	Information+ Conference 2023 The University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
2023/07/03 - 2023/07/08	Summer Course in Science Communication - Leiden University Other	Summer Course Science Communication Universiteit Leiden Faculteit der Wiskunde en Natuurwetenschappen, Netherlands
2023/03/31 - 2023/05/28	Hackathon em comunicação e literacia em saúde	Hackathon em comunicação e literacia em saúde Ciência Viva, Portugal
2023/05/04 - 2023/05/06	National conference about Science Communication - SciComPT 2023 Conference	SciComPT 2023 Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Portugal
2022/05/11 - 2022/05/13	National conference about Science Communication - SciComPT 2022	SciComPT2022
2022/02/07 - 2022/02/23	Introduction to information design for life sciences \| 2nd Edition Workshop	Introduction to information design for life sciences Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2021/12/06 - 2021/12/07	Encephalitis Conference 2021 Conference	Royal College of Physicians, United Kingdom
2021/12/01 - 2021/12/03	XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience Conference	Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências, Portugal
2021/07/06 - 2021/07/15	Illustration - Introduction to Photoshop Workshop	Nextart Centro de Formação Artística, Portugal
2021/03/06 - 2021/03/27	Desenho I - Introdução Workshop	Desenho I - Introdução Nextart Centro de Formação Artística, Portugal
2021/03/04 - 2021/03/05	Ilustração-Introdução Workshop	Ilustração-Introdução Nextart Centro de Formação Artística, Portugal
2021/01/12 - 2021/02/02	Illustration and Design for Scientists Workshop	Scientific Illustration ANCiB Associação Nacional de Ciências Biomédicas, Portugal
2019/10/17 - 2019/10/28	Functional Neuroanatomy Course Other	Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal

Association member

	Society Organization name	Role
2021/11 - 2023/01/01	Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências (SPN)
2020 - 2021	Associação Nacional de Ciências Biomédicas

Course / Discipline taught

	Academic session	Degree Subject (Type)	Institution / Organization
2024/07/03 - 2024/07/03	Invited lecturer in the Summer School Science Communication. Lecture and practical workshop "Visual Communication for Scientists" (1 hour and 30 minutes)		Universiteit Leiden Faculteit der Wiskunde en Natuurwetenschappen, Netherlands
2024/05/27 - 2024/05/27	Invited lecturer in the Master's Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology. Lecture "Visual Communication for Scientists" and "Information Design as a Vector in Science Communication" (1 hour)	Master's Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology	Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal
2024/02/22 - 2024/02/22	Invited lecturer in the Master's Program in Pharmaceutical biotechnology. Lecture "Comunicação Visual de Ciência" (30 minutes)	Biotecnologia Farmacêutica (Mestrado integrado)	Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2023/12/13 - 2023/12/13	Invited lecturer in the training school "Neuroscience meets society: transversal skills for future neuroscientists" Lecture "Poster & Presentation Design" (1 hour)	(Outros)	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2023/12/01 - 2023/12/01	Invited lecturer in the master's specialisation "Science Communication & Society". Lecture and practical workshop "Scientific Design & Illustration" (3 hours)	Biology and Science Communication and Society (Master)	Universiteit Leiden Faculteit der Wiskunde en Natuurwetenschappen, Netherlands
2023/11/20 - 2023/11/20	Invited lecturer in the advanced course "Connecting Researchers with the Society and Industry". Lecture and practical workshop "Illustration and Design for Scientists" (3 hours)	Biologia Experimental e Biomedicina (Doutoramento)	Universidade de Coimbra Instituto de Investigação Interdisciplinar, Portugal

Distinctions

Award

2022	Quadro de Mérito da UC 2019/2020 Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2022	PhD grant Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal
2021	1º lugar Concurso de Ilustração Científica Associação Nacional de Ciências Biomédicas, Portugal

Other distinction

2020	Studenship "Summer Course Scientific Research Methodologies" Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal