???global.info.a_carregar???
Vera Constâncio is a laCaixa INPhINIT doctoral 2020 fellow, developing her PhD thesis in the Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group (Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto) and the Systems Oncology Group (Champalimaud Foundation). She has a BSc degree in Biology (2017) from the University of Aveiro and a MSc degree in Oncology (2019) from the Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto. In 2022, she was granted an FCT exploratory project as Principal Investigator. In 2019, she was awarded the research fellowship Portuguese League Against Cancer & PT foundation 2019. She published 5 original papers, 3 review papers and 1 book chapter as a first author, being co-author (national and international collaborations) of 14 original papers, 3 review papers and 1 book chapter. She was awarded the Best Oral Abstract Presentation of PCa Research Award at the ESUR23 in Switzerland. She co-supervised a BSc dissertation and mentored 6 BSc and MSc students. She works in the area(s) of Medical and Health Sciences with emphasis on Basic Medicine. In his curriculum Ciência Vitae the most frequent terms in the context of scientific, technological and artistic-cultural output are: cancer research; epigenetics; biomarkers; prostate cancer; extracellular vesicles; metastasis; bone metastasis; urological tumours.
Read full resume ↓
Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Vera Inês Salvado Constâncio

Citation names

  • Constâncio, Vera

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
3116-280A-8462
ORCID iD
0000-0002-3151-0367

Email addresses

  • vera.salvado.constancio@ipoporto.min-saude.pt (Professional)
  • vera.constancio@research.fchampalimaud.org (Professional)
  • veraconstancio24@gmail.com (Personal)

Websites

Knowledge fields

  • Medical and Health Sciences - Basic Medicine

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2)
Spanish; Castilian Upper intermediate (B2) Proficiency (C2) Upper intermediate (B2) Proficiency (C2) Advanced (C1)
French Beginner (A1) Elementary (A2) Beginner (A1) Elementary (A2) Beginner (A1)
Education
Degree Classification
2020/11/01 - 2024
Ongoing
 Ciências Biomédicas (Doutoramento)
Major in Sem especialidade
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal
"Prostate cancer pre-metastatic niche formation: exosomal osteotropism" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
2023/05/08 - 2023/05/12
Concluded
 Basic, Advanced & Hands-On modules of the 4th edition of FLxFlow Course: Principles and Applications of Flow Cytometry (Outros)
Fundação Champalimaud, Portugal
2023/02/10
Concluded
 Mouse Dissection Workshop 2023 (Outros)
Fundação Champalimaud, Portugal
2021/04/22
Concluded
 Champalimaud Practical Course on Laboratory Animal Science (Outros)
Fundação Champalimaud, Portugal
2021/03/26
Concluded
 CONGENTO Laboratory Animal Science Theory Course (Outros)
Fundação Champalimaud, Portugal
2017/09 - 2019/10
Concluded
 Oncologia (Mestrado)
Major in Área de especialização: Oncologia Laboratorial
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal
"Cell-free DNA methylation as a biomarker for early detection of the three major cancers in males" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 19
2019/01/07 - 2019/01/17
Concluded
 Advance training course in Clinical Analysis - Immunology (Outros)
Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil EPE, Portugal
2018/11/20 - 2018/11/29
Concluded
 Advance training course in Human Laboratory Genetics - Biochemical Genetics (Outros)
Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil EPE, Portugal
2013/09/09 - 2017/07/10
Concluded
 Licenciatura em Biologia (Licenciatura)
Universidade de Aveiro Departamento de Biologia, Portugal
"Evaluation of systemic inflammation, tumour inflammatory infiltrate and androgen receptor expression as prognostic biomarkers for patients diagnosed with Prostate Cancer (Developed at University of Glasgow - Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre)" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 17
2016/06/27 - 2016/07/01
Concluded
 Advanced course on scientific writing and communication (Outros)
Universidade de Aveiro Departamento de Biologia, Portugal
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2021/01/01 - Current Researcher (Research) Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil Centro de Investigação, Portugal
Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil Centro de Investigação, Portugal
2020/01/01 - 2020/12/31 Research Assistant (Research) Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil Centro de Investigação, Portugal
Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil Centro de Investigação, Portugal
2017/09 - 2019/12 Research Trainee (Research) Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil Centro de Investigação, Portugal
Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil Centro de Investigação, Portugal
2016/10 - 2017/06 Research Trainee (Research) University of Glasgow College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, United Kingdom
University of Glasgow - Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, United Kingdom
2016/01 - 2016/06 Research Trainee (Research) Universidad de Alcalá de Henares Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Spain
Universidad de Alcalá de Henares Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Spain
Projects

Grant

Designation Funders
2021/01/01 - 2024/01/31 Prostate Cancer pre-metastatic niche formation: Exosomal osteotropism
LCF/BQ/DR20/11790013
PhD Student Fellow
Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil Centro de Investigação, Portugal
 "laCaixa" Foundation
Concluded
2020/01/01 - 2020/12/31 "PanCancer": Early detection of the four major cancers by DNA methylation-based test in liquid biopsies
LPCC/Fundação PT 2019
Research Fellow
Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil Centro de Investigação, Portugal
 Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro
Ongoing

Contract

Designation Funders
2023/03/12 - 2024/09/11 Decoding the role of extracellular vesicles in prostate cancer bone metastasis
2022.05135.PTDC
10.54499/2022.05135.PTDC
Principal investigator
Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil EPE, Portugal

Fundação Champalimaud, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2018/07 - 2020/12/31 Assessment and validation of a panel of methylation-based biomarkers in cell-free DNA for detection of recurrent first primary and second primary cancers
CI-IPOP-74-2016
Research Fellow
Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil Centro de Investigação, Portugal
Ongoing
Outputs

Publications

Book chapter
  1. Sarmento Ribeiro, Ana Bela; Botelho, Maria Filomena; Gonçalves, Ana Cristina; Melo, Joana Barbosa; Laranjo, Mafalda; Alves, Raquel; Jorge, Joana; et al. "Aging-related neoplasia". In Aging, 547-575. Elsevier, 2023.
    Published • 10.1016/b978-0-12-823761-8.00026-4
  2. Constâncio, Vera; Henrique, Rui; Jerónimo, Carmen. "Extracellular vesicle-contained microRNAs in prostate cancer: From pathophysiology to emerging translational opportunities". In MicroRNA in Human Malignancies, 291-299. Elsevier, 2022.
    Published • 10.1016/b978-0-12-822287-4.00028-1
Conference poster
  1. Vera Constâncio; Sandra P. Nunes; Catarina Moreira-Barbosa; Rui Freitas; Jorge Oliveira; Inês Pousa; Julio Oliveira; et al. "DNA methylation-based test in liquid biopsies as a novel tool for major male cancers’ early detection". Paper presented in EATRIS Annual Meeting 2020, 2020.
  2. Vera Constâncio; Sandra P Nunes; Francisco Lobo; Sanches Magalhães; Jorge Oliveira; Rui Henrique. "“EpiProState”: Prostate cancer detection by DNA methylation assessment in liquid biopsies". Paper presented in 26th ESUR Meeting in collaboration with SBUR and ESUP, 2019.
    10.1016/S1569-9056(19)33355-X
  3. Vera Constâncio; Sandra P. Nunes; Francisco Lobo; Isac Braga; Jorge Oliveira; Julio Oliveira; Inês Pousa; et al. "DNA methylation panel in liquid biopsies for detection of the two major cancers in males". Paper presented in 14th YES (Young European Scientist) Meeting, 2019.
    10.1097/j.pbj.0000000000000054
  4. Sandra P. Nunes; Vera Constâncio; Beatriz Cruz; João Lobo; Helena Estevão-Pereira; Mariana Cantante; Paula Lopes; et al. "FOXA1 epigenetic regulation in breast cancer bone metastases". Paper presented in 26th Porto Cancer Meeting 2019, 2019.
  5. Vera Constâncio; Sandra P. Nunes; Francisco Lobo; Isac Braga; Jorge Oliveira; Julio Oliveira; Inês Pousa; et al. "Cell-free DNA methylation panel for early detection of the two major cancers in males". Paper presented in 26th Porto Cancer Meeting 2019, 2019.
  6. H Gan; Milly McAllister; Vera Constâncio; Samantha Payne; Mark Underwood. "The prognostic significance of androgen receptor phosphorylation and the immune infiltrate in prostate cancer". Paper presented in ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress, 2018.
    https://doi.org/10.1093/annonc/mdy493.015
Journal article
  1. Vera Constâncio; Nuno Tiago Tavares; Rui Henrique; Carmen Jerónimo; João Lobo. "MiRNA biomarkers in cancers of the male reproductive system: Are we approaching clinical application?". Andrology (2023): https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.13258.
    10.1111/andr.13258
  2. Tiago Brito-Rocha; Vera Constâncio; Rui Henrique; Carmen Jerónimo. "Shifting the Cancer Screening Paradigm: The Rising Potential of Blood-Based Multi-Cancer Early Detection Tests". Cells (2023): https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12060935.
    10.3390/cells12060935
  3. José Pedro Sequeira; Vera Constâncio; Sofia Salta; João Lobo; Daniela Barros-Silva; Carina Carvalho-Maia; Jéssica Rodrigues; et al. "LiKidMiRs: A ddPCR-Based Panel of 4 Circulating miRNAs for Detection of Renal Cell Carcinoma". Cancers (2022): https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14040858.
    10.3390/cancers14040858
  4. Cláudia Martins-Lima; Vera Miranda-Gonçalves; João Lobo; Vera Constâncio; Pedro Leite-Silva; Catarina Guimarães-Teixeira; Sara Monteiro-Reis; et al. "Cadherin switches during epithelial-mesenchymal transition: CDH4/RCAD downregulation reduces bladder cancer progression". Cellular Oncology (2022): https://doi.org/10.1007/s13402-021-00657-2.
    10.1007/s13402-021-00657-2
  5. João Lobo; Vera Constâncio; Pedro Leite-Silva; Rita Guimarães; Mariana Cantante; Isaac Braga; Joaquina Maurício; et al. "Differential methylation EPIC analysis discloses cisplatin-resistance related hypermethylation and tumor-specific heterogeneity within matched primary and metastatic testicular germ cell tumor patient tissue samples". Clinical Epigenetics (2021): https://doi.org/10.1186/s13148-021-01048-y.
    10.1186/s13148-021-01048-y
  6. José Pedro Sequeira; Vera Constâncio; João Lobo; Rui Henrique; Carmen Jerónimo. "Unveiling the World of Circulating and Exosomal microRNAs in Renal Cell Carcinoma". Cancers 13 21 (2021): 5252-5252. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13215252.
    10.3390/cancers13215252
  7. Anna Adam-Artigues; Iris Garrido-Cano; Juan Antonio Carbonell-Asins; Ana Lameirinhas; Soraya Simón; Belén Ortega-Morillo; María Teresa Martínez; et al. "Identification of a Two-MicroRNA Signature in Plasma as a Novel Biomarker for Very Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer". Cancers 13 11 (2021): 2848-2848. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13112848.
    10.3390/cancers13112848
  8. João Lobo; Vera Constâncio; Catarina Guimarães-Teixeira; Pedro Leite-Silva; Vera Miranda-Gonçalves; José Pedro Sequeira; Laura Pistoni; et al. "Promoter methylation of DNA homologous recombination genes is predictive of the responsiveness to PARP inhibitor treatment in testicular germ cell tumors". Molecular Oncology (2021): https://doi.org/10.1002/1878-0261.12909.
    10.1002/1878-0261.12909
  9. Catarina Lourenço; Vera Constâncio; Rui Henrique; Ângela Carvalho; Carmen Jerónimo. "Urinary Extracellular Vesicles as Potential Biomarkers for Urologic Cancers: An Overview of Current Methods and Advances". Cancers 13 7 (2021): 1529-1529. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13071529.
    10.3390/cancers13071529
  10. Albino, D.; Falcione, M.; Uboldi, V.; Temilola, D.O.; Sandrini, G.; Merulla, J.; Civenni, G.; et al. "Circulating extracellular vesicles release oncogenic miR-424 in experimental models and patients with aggressive prostate cancer". Communications Biology 4 1 (2021): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85099862529&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1038/s42003-020-01642-5
  11. Guimarães-Teixeira, C.; Barros-Silva, D.; Lobo, J.; Soares-Fernandes, D.; Constâncio, V.; Leite-Silva, P.; Silva-Santos, R.; et al. "Article deregulation of n6-methyladenosine rna modification and its erasers fto/alkbh5 among the main renal cell tumor subtypes". Journal of Personalized Medicine 11 10 (2021): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85116581996&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.3390/jpm11100996
  12. Adam-Artigues, A.; Garrido-Cano, I.; Simón, S.; Ortega, B.; Moragón, S.; Lameirinhas, A.; Constâncio, V.; et al. "Circulating miR-30b-5p levels in plasma as a novel potential biomarker for early detection of breast cancer". ESMO Open 6 1 (2021): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85100614175&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1016/j.esmoop.2020.100039
  13. Iris Garrido-Cano; Vera Constâncio; Anna Adam-Artigues; Ana Lameirinhas; Soraya Simón; Belen Ortega; María Teresa Martínez; et al. "Circulating miR-99a-5p Expression in Plasma: A Potential Biomarker for Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer". International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2020): https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21197427.
    10.3390/ijms21197427
  14. Vera Constâncio; Sandra P. Nunes; Rui Henrique; Carmen Jerónimo. "DNA Methylation-Based Testing in Liquid Biopsies as Detection and Prognostic Biomarkers for the Four Major Cancer Types". Cells (2020): https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9030624.
    10.3390/cells9030624
  15. McAllister, M.; Constâncio, V.; Patek, S.; Gan, H.; Bailey, P.; Wheadon, H.; Underwood, M.; Leung, H.; Edwards, J.. "Inflammatory infiltration is associated with AR expression and poor prognosis in hormone naïve prostate cancer". Prostate 80 15 (2020): 1353-1364. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85089859730&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1002/pros.24064
  16. Silva-Oliveira, R.; Pereira, F.F.; Petronilho, S.; Martins, A.T.; Lameirinhas, A.; Constâncio, V.; Caldas-Ribeiro, I.; et al. "Clinical significance of arid1a and anxa1 in her-2 positive breast cancer". Journal of Clinical Medicine 9 12 (2020): 1-13. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85114274702&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.3390/jcm9123911
  17. Vera Constâncio; Sandra P. Nunes; Catarina Moreira-Barbosa; Rui Freitas; Jorge Oliveira; Inês Pousa; Julio Oliveira; et al. "Early detection of the major male cancer types in blood-based liquid biopsies using a DNA methylation panel". Clinical Epigenetics (2019): http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13148-019-0779-x.
    10.1186/s13148-019-0779-x
  18. Sandra P. Nunes; Francisca Diniz; Catarina Moreira-Barbosa; Vera Constâncio; Ana Vitor Silva; Julio Oliveira; Marta Soares; et al. "Subtyping Lung Cancer Using DNA Methylation in Liquid Biopsies". Journal of Clinical Medicine (2019): http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcm8091500.
    10.3390/jcm8091500
  19. David Bidarra; Vera Constâncio; Daniela Barros-Silva; João Ramalho-Carvalho; Catarina Moreira-Barbosa; Luís Antunes; Joaquina Mauricio; et al. "Circulating MicroRNAs as Biomarkers for Prostate Cancer Detection and Metastasis Development Prediction". Frontiers in Oncology (2019): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2019.00900.
    10.3389/fonc.2019.00900
  20. Vera Constâncio; Daniela Barros-Silva; Carmen Jerónimo; Rui Henrique. "Known epigenetic biomarkers for prostate cancer detection and management: exploring the potential of blood-based liquid biopsies". Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics (2019): 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/14737159.2019.1604224.
    10.1080/14737159.2019.1604224
  21. Catarina Moreira-Barbosa; Daniela Barros-Silva; Pedro Costa-Pinheiro; Jorge Torres-Ferreira; Vera Constâncio; Rui Freitas; Jorge Oliveira; et al. "Comparing diagnostic and prognostic performance of two-gene promoter methylation panels in tissue biopsies and urines of prostate cancer patients". Clinical Epigenetics (2018): http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13148-018-0564-2.
    10.1186/s13148-018-0564-2
  22. António Madrigal-Martínez; Vera Constâncio; Francisco Lucio-Cazaña; Ana Fernández-Martínez. "PROSTAGLANDIN E2 stimulates cancer-related phenotypes in prostate cancer PC3 cells through cyclooxygenase-2". Journal of Cellular Physiology (2018): http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jcp.27515.
    10.1002/jcp.27515
Thesis / Dissertation
  1. Constâncio, Vera. "Cell-free DNA methylation as a biomarker for early detection of the three major cancers in male". Master, Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, 2019.
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2023/11/29 Avaliação e validação de um painel de biomarcadores de metilação em DNA circulante na deteção de tumores primários 1º Encontro de Investigadores da bolsa Rubina Barros – LPCC- NRM & Diário de Notícias
Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro - Núcleo da Madeira (Funchal, Portugal)
2023/11/09 An innovative imunocompetente model for advancing prostate cancer bone metastasis research 1st Young Researchers’ day
Instituto Portugues de Oncologia do Porto (Porto, Portugal)
2023/10/20 A novel translational immunocompetent model for investigating prostate cancer bone metastasis 29th Meeting of the EAU Section of Urological Research
EAU Section of Urological Research (Basel, Switzerland)
2023/06/19 Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis: In vivo model development and insights from Extracellular Vesicles European Prostate Cancer Alliance: Seminar
CRUK Beatson Institute (Glasgow, United Kingdom)
2019/04 Cell-free DNA methylation as a biomarker for early detection of the three major cancers in males 3rd Symposium of the Master in Oncology
Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (Porto, Portugal)
2019/02 Performance of circulating miR-182-5p and miR-375-3p in prostate cancer screening and prediction of metastatic disease 12th Meeting of Young Researchers of the University of Porto
University of Porto (Porto, Portugal)
2017/09 Evaluation of combined cytoplasmic AR in tumour cells expression and tumour CD3 T-cells infiltrate as a prognostic score for patients with Prostate Cancer 12th YES (Young European Scientist) Meeting
Universidade do Porto - Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto (Porto, Portugal)

Supervision

Thesis Title
Role 		Degree Subject (Type)
Institution / Organization
2019/10 - 2020/06 “PanCancer”: Early detection of the four major cancers by a DNA methylation-based test in liquid biopsies
Co-supervisor of Tiago Rocha
 Bioquímica (Degree)
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Ciências, Portugal

Interview (newspaper / magazine)

Activity description Newspaper / Forum
2021/11/13 Interview to Público newspaper Público
2021/08/06 Interview to the SIC website – section “Janela de Esperança” SIC
2021/01/18 Interview to Observador Observador

Interview (tv / radio show)

Program Topic
2021/04/12 - 2021/04/12 Observador Podcast - Mentes Brilhantes Identificar metastases com antecedência
Distinctions

Award

2023 Best Oral Abstract Presentation of Prostate Cancer Research Award at the 29th meeting of the EAU Section of Urological Research (ESUR23)
European Association of Urology, Switzerland
2023 Honorable Mention for Oral Presentation at 1st Young Researchers Day at the Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto
Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil Centro de Investigação, Portugal

Other distinction

2020 Doctoral InPhINIT Retaining Fellowship
"laCaixa" Foundation, Spain
2019 Research fellowship awarded by The Portuguese Cancer League & PT Foundation to the project " “PanCancer”: Early detection of the four major cancers by DNA methylation-based test in liquid biopsies"
Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro, Portugal