Ana Teresa Rajado (211E-A1B0-AC5E)

Curriculum Vitae

Ana Teresa Rajado is currently a research fellow at Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute (ABC-Ri). Her main research interests are gene therapy, epigenetics, neurodegenerative disorders, aging, and computational biology. Within these fields, she developed 3 internships (molecular biology (160 hours, 2016), microbiology (40 hours, 2017) and neurosciences and gene therapies (400 hours, 2021)). She published a review paper as first author (Aging, 2023), and is co-author of 3 other reviews (Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, 2023; Biogerontology, 2023 and npj Aging, 2023) and of a research paper (Cell Reports, 2021). Additionally, she presented 2 posters (EMBO workshop, 2023, Alexandoupoli - Greece & ABC-Days, 2022, Sagres - Portugal) and did 2 post-graduate courses, one on Computational Biology and the other on Experimental Approaches to Biomedicine (20/20). Ana Teresa obtained her bachelor's degree in Biology in 2018 at University of Coimbra. During this degree she was part of the ERASMUS+ program, having studied at the University of Oslo during the Autumn semester of 2017-2018. Afterwards, she obtained her master's degree (MSc) in Biochemistry (2020) by the University of Coimbra. Her MSc thesis was developed at UC-Biotec, within the Rational Protein Engineering research group led by Dr Alexandra Carvalho. In this work, Molecular Modelling, Molecular Mechanics, as well as Molecular Dynamics tools were used to induce (and analyse) mutations on a genome editing enzyme (Cas12a, of the CRISPR-Cas system) amino acid sequence, in silico, to increase the interactions between the protein and its target nucleic acids and prevent potential off-target effects. This work led to her enrolling in advanced courses to develop computational skills on a broad range of bioinformatical tools, having given a hands-on lecture of Computational Biology. Afterwards, she volunteered as an intern at Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute (2021), within the Molecular Neuroscience and Gene Therapy research group led by Prof. Clévio Nóbrega, studying neurodegenerative disorders and particularly Spinocerebellar Ataxias type 2 and 3. During this internship, she acquired hands-on experience with several molecular biology techniques, animal behavior testing and cell culture. Afterwards, she joined the ALFA Score project at ABC-Ri as a research fellow, in January 2022, under the supervision of Prof. Pedro Castelo-Branco, who leads the research group Epigenetics and Human Disease. This project focused on the development of an algorithm to integrate multi-omics data with epigenetics, biochemical parameters and demographics to unravel patterns of healthy aging in the region of Algarve. Within the ALFA Score project, she acquired skills on epigenetics analysis, particularly regarding DNA methylation. Currently, she is a research fellow within the project AdvGT-CSB - "Advancing the development of a gene therapy for Cockayne Syndrome type B" - at the Molecular Neuroscience and Gene Therapy Lab, supervised by Prof. Clévio Nóbrega, on ABC-RI.

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Identification

Personal identification

Full name: Ana Teresa Rajado

Citation names

Rajado, Ana Teresa
Rajado, A. T.

Author identifiers

Ciência ID: 211E-A1B0-AC5E

Email addresses

anateresa.rajado@abcmedicalg.pt (Professional)

Knowledge fields

Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Biochemistry
Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Molecular Biology
Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Molecular Biology

Languages

Language	Speaking	Reading	Writing	Listening	Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English	Advanced (C1)	Proficiency (C2)	Advanced (C1)	Proficiency (C2)	Advanced (C1)
French	Beginner (A1)	Elementary (A2)		Elementary (A2)
German	Beginner (A1)	Beginner (A1)		Beginner (A1)

Education

	Degree	Classification
2024/01/09 - 2025/01/09 Ongoing	Metodologia E Comunicação Científica Avançada (Pós-Graduação) Major in Comunicação Científica Universidade do Algarve - Campus de Gambelas, Portugal
2022/01 - 2022/12/31 Concluded	Abordagens Experimentais em Biomedicina (Pós-Graduação) Major in Biomedicina Universidade do Algarve - Campus de Gambelas, Portugal	20
2022/10/26 - 2022/10/27 Concluded	Advanced Training - Tidy Data Visualisation with R (Outros) Major in Computational Biology Centro de Ciências do Mar, Portugal
2021/09 - 2021/12 Concluded	Internship (Outros) Major in Biomedicine Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute, Portugal
2021/02 - 2021/07 Concluded	German A1 (Outros) Major in Languages Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra Escola Superior de Educação de Coimbra, Portugal	19
2021/05/24 - 2021/05/28 Concluded	The CRISPR Revolution Workshop (Outros) Major in Biomedicine Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute, Portugal
2018/09 - 2020/11/10 Concluded	Bioquímica (Mestrado) Major in Biologia Computacional - Engenharia de Proteínas Universidade de Coimbra Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Portugal "Computation meets experimentation to improve the catalysis and specificity of Cas12a genome editing enzyme" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)	17
2020/08/07 - 2020/11/07 Concluded	Curso Não Conferente de Grau de Biologia Computacional (Outros) Major in Biologia Computacional Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal	APMB
2015/09 - 2018/06 Concluded	Biologia (Licenciatura) Universidade de Coimbra Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Portugal	14
2017/08/10 - 2017/12/20 Concluded	ERASMUS+ (Outros) Major in Biosciences Universitetet i Oslo, Norway
2017/03 - 2017/05 Concluded	Internship (Outros) Major in Microbiology Universidade de Coimbra Centre for Functional Ecology - Science for People & the Planet, Portugal
2016/07 - 2016/08 Concluded	Summer Internship (Outros) Major in Neuroscience Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal

Affiliation

Science

	Category Host institution	Employer
2024/01/01 - Current	Researcher (Research)	Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute, Portugal
	Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute, Portugal
2022/01/01 - 2023/12/31	Researcher (Research)	Universidade do Algarve Algarve Biomedical Center, Portugal
	Universidade do Algarve Algarve Biomedical Center, Portugal
2020/08/07 - 2020/11/07	Research Trainee (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
2021/02 - 2021/06	Recenseadora - Censos 2021	Instituto Nacional de Estatistica, Portugal
	Instituto Nacional de Estatistica, Portugal

Projects

Contract

	Designation	Funders
2024/01/01 - 2024/09/30	AdvGT-CSB: Advancing the development of a gene therapy for Cockayne Syndrome type B AdvGT-CSB Research Fellow Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, Portugal	Ongoing
2022/01/01 - 2023/12/31	ALFA Score - ALgarve Fit Aging Score: uma nova ferramenta integrada para melhorar a qualidade de vida e o envelhecimento saudável ALG-01-0145-FEDER-072586 Research Fellow Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute, Portugal	Concluded

Outputs

Publications

Conference poster	Ramos, Mónica; Santos, Daniela F.; Rajado, Ana Teresa; ALFA Score Consortium; Silva, Nádia; Araújo, Inês; Pedro Castelo-Branco. Corresponding author: Pedro Castelo-Branco. "Associations between a DNA methylation-based telomere length estimator, the redox state, diet and aging in the Algarve population". Paper presented in IX Clinical Biochemistry Workshop, 2024. Matos, José; Castelo-Branco, Pedro; Silva, Nádia; Rajado, A. T.; Faleiro, Maria Leonor. Corresponding author: Faleiro, Maria Leonor. "Gut Bacterial Metataxonomic Analysis of Elderly from Algarve". Paper presented in CONGRESS OF MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 2023, MICROTIOTEC23, 2023. Apolónio, Joana ; Silva, Nádia; Rajado, Ana Teresa; Brito, David; Esteves, Filipa; Clévio Nóbrega; Araújo, Inês; et al. Corresponding author: Pedro Castelo-Branco. "ALFA Score - Algarve Fit Ageing Score Project, a multidisciplinary approach for ageing assessment". Paper presented in 19th Congress of the European Geriatric Medicine Society, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-023-00883-x Rajado, Ana Teresa; Pestana, Daniel; Silva, Nádia; Apolónio, Joana ; Esteves, Filipa; Brito, David V.C.; Trindade, Marlene; et al. Corresponding author: Pedro Castelo-Branco. "Algarve Fit Ageing Score Project, A Multidisciplinary Approach To Assess Healthy Ageing Status". Paper presented in EMBO Workshop - Systems Biology: Linking chromatin and Epigenetics to Disease and Development, 2023. Marcelo, Adriana; Afonso, Inês T.; Rajado, Ana Teresa; Rafael G. Costa; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Pereira de Almeida, Luis ; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues . Corresponding author: Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "Tackling Machado-Joseph disease through stress granules: is protein CARHSP1 a potential target for therapeutics?". Paper presented in FENS Regional Meeting 2023, 2023. Marcelo, Adriana; Afonso, Inês T.; Rajado, Ana Teresa; Rafael G. Costa; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Pereira de Almeida, Luis ; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues . Corresponding author: Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "Stress granule protein CARHSP1 as a potential therapeutic strategy for MJD". Paper presented in ENCODS 2023, 2023. Marcelo, Adriana; Afonso, Inês T.; Rajado, Ana Teresa; Costa, Rafael G; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; de Almeida, Luís Pereira; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "Modulation of stress granules components as a therapeutic approach for spinocerebellar ataxia type 3". Paper presented in V Encontro Anual do Algarve Biomedical Center, 2022. Rajado, Ana Teresa; Raquel P. Andrade; Apolónio, Joana ; Inês Maria Pombinho de Araújo; Brito, David V.C.; Sofia M. Calado; Esteves, Filipa; et al. "ALFA Score - Algarve Fit Ageing Score". Paper presented in ABC-Days, 2022. Koppenol, Rebekah; Conceição, André; Afonso, Inês T.; Rajado, Ana Teresa; Matos, Carlos A; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "Generation of a novel transgenic mouse model of spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 expressing mutant ATXN2 in cerebellar Purkinge cells". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2021.
Journal article	Brito, D. V. C.; Esteves, F.; Rajado, Ana Teresa; Silva, N.; Andrade, R.; Apolónio, J.; Calado, S.; et al. Corresponding author: Nóbrega, C.. "Assessing cognitive decline in the aging brain: lessons from rodent and human studies". npj Aging 9 1 (2023): http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41514-023-00120-6. Published • 10.1038/s41514-023-00120-6 Esteves, Filipa; Brito, David; Rajado, Ana Teresa; Silva, Nádia; Apolónio, Joana; Roberto, Vânia Palma; Araújo, Inês; et al. Corresponding author: Bragança, José. "Reprogramming iPSCs to study age-related diseases: Models, therapeutics, and clinical trials". Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 214 (2023): 111854. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mad.2023.111854. 10.1016/j.mad.2023.111854 Silva, Nádia; Rajado, Ana Teresa; Esteves, Filipa; Brito, David; Apolónio, Joana; Roberto, Vânia Palma; Binnie, Alexandra; et al. Corresponding author: Castelo-Branco, Pedro. "Measuring healthy ageing: current and future tools". Biogerontology (2023): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10522-023-10041-2. 10.1007/s10522-023-10041-2 Rajado, Ana Teresa; Silva, Nádia; Esteves, Filipa; Brito, David V.C.; ALFA Score Consortium; Binnie, Alexandra; Araújo, Inês Maria; et al. Corresponding author: Pedro Castelo-Branco. "How can we modulate aging through nutrition and physical exercise? An epigenetic approach". Aging 15 8 (2023): 3191-3217. Open access • Published • 10.18632/aging.204668 Ramos, Helena; Soares, Maria I.L.; Silva, Joana; Raimundo, Liliana; Calheiros, Juliana; Gomes, Célia; Reis, Flávio; et al. Corresponding author: Saraiva, Lucília. "A selective p53 activator and anticancer agent to improve colorectal cancer therapy". Cell Reports 35 2 (2021): 108982. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108982. Published • 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108982
Thesis / Dissertation	"Computation Meets Experimentation to Improve the Catalysis and Specificity of Cas12a Genome Editing Enzyme". Master, Universidade de Coimbra, 2020.

Activities

Oral presentation

	Presentation title	Event name Host (Event location)
2023/05/26	Algarve Fit Ageing Score Project, A Multidisciplinary Approach to Assess Healthy Ageing Status	EMBO Workshop - Linking chromatin and epigenetics to disease and development EMBO - Democritus University of Thrace, GR (Alexandroupoli, Greece)
2022/10/14	ALFA Score - Algarve Fit Ageing Score	ABC Days Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute (Sagres, Portugal)

Event organisation

	Event name Type of event (Role)	Institution / Organization
2024/03/17 - 2024/03/17	Marcha Pelas Ataxias - Caminhada solidária de sensibilização sobre doenças do movimento, em particular sobre a Ataxia Espinocerebelosa do Tipo 2 e sobre a Ataxia Espinocerebelosa do Tipo 3. O valor angariado reverteu para a Associação Atlântica de Apoio aos Doentes de Machado Joseph e para a Associação Portuguesa de Ataxias Hereditárias. (2024/03/17 - 2024/03/17) Other (Member of the Organising Committee)	Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, Portugal
2023/10/23 - 2023/10/23	Mama em Movimento - Marcha/Corrida Solidária - 2ª Edição. Objetivo: obtenção de donativos decorrentes das inscrições, que serão entregues à Associação Oncológica do Algarve e à Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro com o intuito de apoiar e promover de atividades relacionadas com a prevenção e investigação em cancro da mama. (2023/10/23 - 2023/10/23) Other (Member of the Organising Committee)	Universidade do Algarve Algarve Biomedical Center, Portugal
2023/05/03 - 2023/05/05	FENS Regional Meeting 2023 - I was volunteer at this event. This enabled me not only to help the participants to have the best experience possible, but also allowed me to closely contact with amazing researchers who are pioneers in their neuroscience fields. (2023/05/03 - 2023/05/05) Conference (Other)	Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute, Portugal
2022/10/23 - 2022/10/23	Mama em Movimento - Marcha/Corrida Solidária. Objetivo: obtenção de donativos decorrentes das inscrições, que serão entregues à Associação Oncológica do Algarve com o intuito de apoiar e promover de atividades relacionadas com a prevenção e investigação em cancro da mama. (2022/10/23 - 2022/10/23) Other (Member of the Organising Committee)	Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute, Portugal

Event participation

	Activity description Type of event	Event name Institution / Organization
2023/07/12 - 2023/07/13	Oncobiology Workshop, by Mahmoud A. Alfagih Workshop	Oncobiology Workshop, by Mahmoud A. Alfagih Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute, Portugal
2022/12/06 - 2022/12/07	International Conference "Aging Without Borders". Topic such as healthy aging, age-associated disroders (particularly neurodegenerative disorders) and strategies to study aging (for example through induced pluripotent stem cells and microbiome studies) were approached. Congress	Ageing Without Borders Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute, Portugal
2022/11/22 - 2022/11/22	Participation in a "Basic Life Support and Automatic External Defibrillator" course (7hours). Other	Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute, Portugal
2022/11/08 - 2022/11/08	Participation in the Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute Fall International Forum titled "Tackling the Burden of RARE diseases" - Algarve Other	Fall International Forum Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute, Portugal
2022/10/15 - 2022/10/15	Participation in the international science fair "FIC.A". Presentation of several activities developed within Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute - Oeiras. Festival	Festival Internacional de Ciência (FIC.A)
2022/04/12 - 2022/04/12	Participation in the Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute Spring International Forum titled "Gene and Cell Therapies for Healthy Ageing" - Algarve. Other	Spring International Forum Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute, Portugal
2022 - 2022	9 hours Online Course "Healthy Ageing: Concepts, interventions and Preparing for the Future", by University of Birmingham - FutureLearn Platform. This online course explored perceptions and experiences of healthy ageing, frailty, physical activity guidelines, debunked myths surrounding nutrition in older age, applied different research methodologies to extending healthspan via lifestyle interventions, and looked at preparing for the future. Other	Online Course "Healthy Ageing: Concepts, interventions and Preparing for the Future" University of Birmingham Birmingham Medical School, United Kingdom
2021/03/18 - 2021/03/21	Participation in the AIMS Meeting, promoted by the students association of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon. I joined the workshops "Neurodevelopmental Disorders" and "Cancer Immunotherapy: Upgrade your Defenses". Conference	AIMS Meeting Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal
2021 - 2021	Postgraduate-level online course (15 hours). It explored how genomic technologies (molecular genetic and cytogenetic techniques) are used in healthcare to investigate genetic disorders. Other	Genomic Technologies in Clinical Diagnostics: Molecular Techniques St George's Hospital Medical School, United Kingdom
2021 - 2021	Participation in the seminar "Emerging Gene Therapies for the Brain", by Beverly Davidson - Coimbra. Seminar	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2021 - 2021	Participation in the webinar "Gene Therapy and Genome Editing using Recombinant AAV vectors", by Nature. Seminar
2021 - 2021	4 hours Online Course "Computer Programming for Everyone" by University of Leeds and Institute of Coding - FutureLearn Platform. This course presented computer programming and the problems it can be an answer to, the different coding languages and fundamental coding principles. Other	Computer Programming for Everyone University of Leeds School of Computing, United Kingdom
2021 - 2021	15 hours Online Course "Genomic Technologies in Clinical Diagnostics: Molecular Techniques" by St George's, University of London - FutureLearn Platform. This was a postgraduate level course that explored how genomic technologies (molecular genetic and cytogenetic techniques) are used in healthcare to investigate genetic disorders Other	Online Course "Genomic Technologies in Clinical Diagnostics: Molecular Techniques" St George's Hospital Medical School, United Kingdom
2021 - 2021	12 hours Online Course "Food as Medicine" by Monash University - FutureLearn Platform. This course explored the different types of food and how it can influence the treatment and prevention of disease. Other	Food as Medicine Monash University, Australia
2021 - 2021	8 hours Online Course "Interdisciplinary Learning: Working Across Disciplines", by University of Leeds - Future Learn Platform. This course explored interdisciplinary learning applied to study and research projects. It focused on communication techniques, teamwork and planning encompassing the different disciplines and expertises that will contribute to the project. Other	Interdisciplinary Learning: Working Across Disciplines University of Leeds Institute of Communications Studies, United Kingdom
2020/08 - 2020/09	40 hours Online Course "Project Management" by FormaçaOnline. Other	Project Management
2020 - 2020	Participation in the masterclass "A cell culture master class: What your cells wish they could tell you", by Science. Other
2019 - 2019	Participation in the seminar "The CRISPR revolution", by Chase Beisel - Coimbra. Seminar	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2019 - 2019	Microbiotec, a microbiology and biotecnology conference. Meeting	Microbiotec Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal
2018/04 - 2018/04	Attendance to the World Health Summit - Regional Meeting - Coimbra Conference	World Health Summit - Regional Meeting
2018/03 - 2018/03	Participation in the XXI Nacional Meeting of Biology Students - Lisbon. Participation in an animal experimentation workshop. Meeting	Encontro Nacional de Estudantes de Biologia
2017/04 - 2017/04	Attendance to the "8th Symposium of Bioengineering" (18 hours), in Porto Symposium	8th Symposium of Bioengineering
2016/07 - 2016/07	Participation in the XL Jornadas Portuguesas de Genética - Coimbra Conference	XL Jornadas Portuguesas de Genética
2016/03 - 2016/03	Participation in the XIX Nacional Meeting of Biology Students - Coimbra. Participation in a science communication workshop. Meeting	Encontro Nacional de Estudantes de Biologia Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal

Association member

	Society Organization name	Role
2016 - 2021	Orquestra Académica da Universidade de Coimbra	Member
2015 - 2021	Tuna Académica da Universidade de Coimbra (TAUC). Member of TAUC's direction during the lective year of 2016-2017.	Member
2016 - 2018	Núcleo de Estudantes de Biologia. Member of the Profissional Opportunities division during the lective year of 2016-2017, and member of the International Relationships division during 2017-2018.	Member

Course / Discipline taught

	Academic session	Degree Subject (Type)	Institution / Organization
2020/02/27 - Current	Lecturer of the hands-on session "Molecular Dynamics" on the "Computational Biology" course of the PhD Program "Experimental Biology and Biomedicine" of University of Coimbra.	Experimental Biology and Biomedicine (Curso de doutoramento (conclusão de unidades curriculares))	Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2019/01 - 2019/04	Buddy of the program SPEAK. I taught conversational portuguese to a class of imigrants from 6 different nationalities.	Conversational Portuguese (Outros)