???global.info.a_carregar???
Clara Díaz García works in the area of Biological Sciences with emphasis on Biophysics. In terms of my educational background, I held a degree in Biotechnology from Miguel Hernández University (Elche, Spain) (2011-2015), and during 2016 I obtained a Master´s degree in Biotechnology and Bioengineering at the same University. On September, 2017, I have started my PhD thesis at Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences / Instituto Superior Técnico (Lisbon, Portugal) under the joint supervision of Prof. Ana Coutinho, Dr. Lourdes Renart and Prof. Manuel Prieto. The main goal of my thesis, entitled “Structural insights into the molecular basis of lipid-dependent gating of KcsA, a model potassium channel”, is to study the mechanisms underlying the modulation of the conformational plasticity of the outer vestibule of KcsA under different experimental conditions (ionic environment, pH and lipid composition). Specifically, by performing time-resolved polarized homo-FRET (Förster Resonance Energy Transfer) measurements, we have already monitored changes in lateral distances in this symmetric system. The conformational changes detected in KcsA at the level of its selectivity filter were found to be dependent on the pH, type and concentration of the ion present in solution. This novel and powerful homo-FRET approach, provides complementary information to X-ray crystallographic studies in which the protein conformational dynamics is usually severely compromised. I consider myself to be a highly motivated individual who is continuously active in terms of education and being updated. Furthermore, I am already a co-author in five publications, which can be found in this CV.
Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Clara Díaz García

Citation names

  • Díaz-García, Clara

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
3A17-9343-F43D
ORCID iD
0000-0001-8927-3600

Telephones

Mobile phone
  • (+34) 606905128 (Personal)

Addresses

  • Av. Rovisco Pais, nº1, 1049-001, Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal (Professional)

Websites

Knowledge fields

  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Biophysics
  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Molecular Biology

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
Spanish; Castilian (Mother tongue)
English Upper intermediate (B2) Upper intermediate (B2) Upper intermediate (B2) Upper intermediate (B2) Upper intermediate (B2)
Portuguese Beginner (A1) Elementary (A2) Beginner (A1) Elementary (A2) Elementary (A2)
Education
Degree Classification
2017/09/01 - 2021/08/31
Ongoing
Doutoramento em Química. M2B-PhD program. (Doutoramento)
Associação do Instituto Superior Técnico para a Investigação e Desenvolvimento, Portugal
""Structural insights into the molecular basis of lipid-dependent gating of KcsA, a model potassium channel."" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
2015/09/20 - 2016/07/31
Concluded
Master degree in Biotechnology and Bioengineering (Master Universitario)
Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Spain
"Optimization of magnetic nanoparticles designed for biomolecules transport and their controlled release" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
9.32/10.00
2011/09 - 2015/09
Concluded
Degree in Biotechnology (Graduado)
Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Spain
"CHARACTERIZATION OF PROTEIN ADSORPTION ON SILICA NANOPARTICLES WITH A MAGNETIC NUCLEUS" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
6.77/10.00
Affiliation

Others

Category
Host institution
Employer
2017/09/01 - 2021/09 PhD student Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
Universidade de Lisboa Instituto de Bioengenharia e Biociências, Portugal
Outputs

Publications

Conference abstract
  1. Díaz-García, Clara; Renart, María Lourdes; Giudici, Ana Marcela; Poveda, José Antonio; González-Ros, José M.; Berberan-Santos, Mário; Coutinho, Ana; Prieto, Manuel. "Conformational Plasticity of the KcsA Channel from Advanced Time-Resolved Homo-FRET Methodologies". Paper presented in 64th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society, San Diego, USA, 2020, San Diego, 2020.
    Published
Conference poster
  1. Díaz-García, Clara; Lourdes Renart, M; Ana Marcela Giudici; José Antonio Poveda; aleksander fedorov; jose manuel gonzález-ros; Berberan-Santos, Mário; Prieto, Manuel; Coutinho, Ana. "Mapping the Conformational States of the Outer Vestibule of Kcsa, a Prokaryote Potassium Channel, using the Long Chain Quaternary Ammonium Blocker, Tetraoctylammonium". Paper presented in 65th Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, 2021.
  2. García, Clara; Renart, María Lourdes; Giudici, Ana Marcela; Poveda, José Antonio; González-Ros, José M.; Berberan-Santos, Mário N.; Prieto, Manuel; Coutinho, Ana. "Molecular basis of ion channel modulation: Mapping the conformational states of the outer vestibule of KcsA, a prokaryote potassium channel, using homo-FRET.". Paper presented in Joint 12th EBSA-10th ICBP-IUPAP Biophysics Congress. Madrid, Spain., 2019.
  3. Díaz-García, Clara; Renart, María Lourdes; Poveda, José Antonio; Prieto, Manuel; Coutinho, Ana. "Structural insights into the molecular basis of lipid-dependent gating of KcsA, a model potassium channel.". Paper presented in XLII Congress of the Brazilian Biophysical Society (SBBf), São Paulo, Brazil., 2017.
    10.1109/bmei.2011.6098715
  4. Díaz-García, Clara; Renart, María Lourdes; Poveda, José Antonio; Prieto, Manuel; Coutinho, Ana. "Structural insights into the molecular basis of lipid-dependent gating of KcsA, a model potassium channel.". Paper presented in São Paulo School of Advanced Science on Biophysical Methods to Study Biomolecular Interactions., 2017.
Journal article
  1. Ana Marcela Giudici; Clara Díaz-García; Maria Lourdes Renart; Ana Coutinho; Manuel Prieto; José M. González-Ros; José Antonio Poveda. "Tetraoctylammonium, a Long Chain Quaternary Ammonium Blocker, Promotes a Noncollapsed, Resting-Like Inactivated State in KcsA". International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2021): https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22020490.
    10.3390/ijms22020490
  2. Renart, María Lourdes; Giudici, Ana Marcela; Díaz-García, Clara; Molina, María Luisa; Morales, Andrés; González-Ros, José M.; Poveda, José Antonio. "Modulation of Function, Structure and Clustering of K+ Channels by Lipids: Lessons Learnt from KcsA". International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21 7 (2020): 2554. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms21072554.
    Accepted • 10.3390/ijms21072554
  3. Díaz-García, Clara; Hornos, Felipe; Giudici, A. Marcela; Cámara-Artigas, Ana; Luque-Ortega, Juan Román; Arbe, Arantxa; Rizzuti, Bruno; et al. "Human importin a3 and its N-terminal truncated form, without the importin-ß-binding domain, are oligomeric species with a low conformational stability in solution". Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - General Subjects (2020): 129609. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbagen.2020.129609.
    Accepted • 10.1016/j.bbagen.2020.129609
  4. Renart, M. Lourdes; Giudici, A. Marcela; Poveda, José A.; Fedorov, Aleksander; Berberan-Santos, Mário N.; Prieto, Manuel; Díaz-García, Clara; González-Ros, José M.; Coutinho, Ana. "Conformational plasticity in the KcsA potassium channel pore helix revealed by homo-FRET studies". Scientific Reports 9 1 (2019): 6215. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-42405-5.
    Accepted • 10.1038/s41598-019-42405-5
  5. Neira, José L.; Díaz-García, Clara; Prieto, Manuel; Coutinho, Ana. "The C-terminal SAM domain of p73 binds to the N terminus of MDM2". Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - General Subjects 1863 4 (2019): 760-770. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbagen.2019.01.019.
    Accepted • 10.1016/j.bbagen.2019.01.019
  6. Giudici, Ana; Renart, Maria; Díaz-García, Clara; Morales, Andrés; Poveda, José; González-Ros, José. "Accessibility of Cations to the Selectivity Filter of KcsA in the Inactivated State: An Equilibrium Binding Study". International Journal of Molecular Sciences 20 3 (2019): 689. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms20030689.
    Accepted • 10.3390/ijms20030689
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2020/02/15 Conformational Plasticity of the KcsA Channel from Advanced Time-Resolved Homo-FRET Methodologies 64th Annual Meeting of the Biophsysical Society, San Diego, USA, 2020
Biophysical Society (San Diego, United States)
2019/06/28 Using homo-FRET to map the conformational changes of KcsA. Prieto LXX XXL Lx Fest. A one-day symposiumon the occasion of the academic jubilee of Manuel J. E. Prieto
Salão Nobre do Instituto Superior Técnico (Lisbon, Portugal)

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event
Event name
Institution / Organization
2019/07/02 - 2019/07/05 Participation at the VI Edition of Structure and Function of Protein Course. This course provided detailed knowledge on protein structure by describing techniques currently used to structurally characterize proteins and their function. It was also discussed the implications in Medicine of diseases related to protein folding (Alzheimer's, prion diseases, sclerosis ...) and the implications of the assembly of viral capsids to control their infectivity.
Other
VI Edition of Structure and Function of Protein Course
Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain
2019/04/25 - 2019/04/26 Participation at the “SMALP Workshop and User Meeting” The meeting was focus on SMA lipid polymer for membrane protein analysis.
Workshop
SMALP Workshop and User Meeting
Universiteit Utrecht, Netherlands
2017/10/16 - 2017/10/26 São Paulo School of Advanced Science on Biophysical Methods to Study Biomolecular Interactions. The main goal was to provide young researchers (PhD and postdocs) with the state of the art of theoretical and experimental tools to study Biomolecular Interactions.
Other
São Paulo School of Advanced Science on Biophysical Methods to Study Biomolecular Interactions.
Universidade de São Paulo Instituto de Física, Brazil

Association member

Society Organization name Role
2020/01/20 - Current Member of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies PhD student
2018/02/15 - Current Member of the Portuguese Biophysical Society PhD student