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She graduated in 2018 in Biomedical Sciences and completed her masters´ in Biomedical Sciences - Disease Mechanism, at the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Algarve, in 2020. The master's thesis was conducted in collaboration with the University of Coimbra. She worked as a contract investigator for the molecular neuroscience and gene therapy group and participated in several projects. Awarded by FCT a PhD scholarship at the ABC-RI in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, University of Heidelberg.
Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Inês Torquato Afonso

Citation names

  • Afonso, Inês T.

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
401A-08BE-B154
ORCID iD
0000-0003-1346-6777

Addresses

  • Campus Gambelas, Ualg, FMCB – Edifício 2, 3º andar, Lab. 3.66, 8005-139, Faro, Faro, Portugal (Professional)

Knowledge fields

  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Molecular Biology
  • Medical and Health Sciences - Basic Medicine - Neurosciences
  • Medical and Health Sciences - Medical Biotechnology - Technologies Involving the Manipulation of Cells, Tissues, Organs or the Whole Organism
  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Molecular Biology
  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Cell Biology

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1) Upper intermediate (B2)
Spanish; Castilian Elementary (A2) Intermediate (B1) Beginner (A1) Elementary (A2)
Education
Degree Classification
2018/09 - 2020/12
Concluded
 Mestrado em Ciências Biomédicas - Mecanismo de Doenças (Mestrado)
Universidade do Algarve - Campus de Gambelas, Portugal
"Biodistribution Analysis of Striatal and Cerebellar Administration of Modified Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors in Normal Mice" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 18
2015/09 - 2018/07
Concluded
 Ciências Biomédicas (Licenciatura)
Universidade do Algarve - Campus de Gambelas, Portugal
"Variabilidade Farmacogenética Do Recetor PXR Humano" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 14
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2019/01 - 2019/02 Research Trainee (Research) Universidade do Algarve - Campus de Gambelas, Portugal
Centro de Ciências do Mar, Portugal
(...)

Other Careers

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2020/07/01 - 2021/02/28 Técnico Análises Clínicas Saúde Pública Director (Técnico de Diagnóstico e Terapêutica - Técnico de Análises Clínicas e de Saúde Pública) Algarve Biomedical Center, Portugal
Projects

Contract

Designation Funders
2022/02/01 - 2022/04/30 Research and experimental development on biotechnology
10PS00095
Researcher
Universidade do Algarve - Campus de Gambelas, Portugal

Algarve Biomedical Center, Portugal
DRISHTI DISCOVERIES LTD.
Ongoing
2021/03/01 - 2021/08/31 Research and experimental development on biotechnology
10PS00095
Researcher
Algarve Biomedical Center, Portugal

Universidade do Algarve - Campus de Gambelas, Portugal
DRISHTI DISCOVERIES LTD.
Concluded
Outputs

Publications

Conference abstract
  1. Conceição, André; Koppenol, Rebekah; Silva, Joana; Marcelo, Adriana; Afonso, Inês T.; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Codêsso, José Miguel; et al. "An RNA-binding protein alleviates pathology in two different mouse models of polyglutamine diseases". Paper presented in 24th Annual Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Human Genetics (SPGH), Lisbon, 2021.
Conference poster
  1. Afonso, Inês T.; Brito, David V.C.; Hilmar Bading; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "Activity-induced genes expression is impaired in polyglutamine spinocerebellar ataxias". Paper presented in 27th SPGH Annual Meeting, 2023.
  2. Afonso, Inês T.; Koppenol, Rebekah; Conceição, André; Renato Viera; Paulino, Rodrigo; Lorenzo Mirapalheta; Carlos A. Matos; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "From the molecular hallmarks to motor behavior: characterization of a novel transgenic mouse model for Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2". Paper presented in ISN-ESN 2023 Meeting, 2023.
  3. Marcelo, Adriana; Afonso, Inês T.; Ana Teresa Rajado; Rafael G. Costa; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Luís Pereira Almeida; 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.
  4. Marcelo, Adriana; Afonso, Inês T.; Ana T. Rajado; Rafael G. Costa; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Pereira de Almeira, 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 European Neuroscience Conference by Doctoral Students 2023, 2023.
  5. Koppenol, Rebekah; Conceição, André; Afonso, Inês T.; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Costa, Rafael G; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "Motor phenotype characterization of a new transgenic mouse model for Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2". Paper presented in V Annual Meeting of the Algarve Biomedical Center, 2022.
  6. Adriana Marcelo; Afonso, Inês T.; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Brito, David; Costa, Rafael G; Ana Rosa; Alves-Cruzeiro, João; et al. "Autophagy induction mitigates Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 disease hallmarks". Paper presented in Congresso da SPDMov 2022, 2022.
  7. Conceição, André; Koppenol, Rebekah; Marcelo, Adriana; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Afonso, Inês T.; Tomé, Sandra; Codêsso, José Miguel; et al. "A expressão da proteína G3BP1 reduz as anomalias neuropatológicas e motoras em modelos da Ataxia espinocerebelosa, tipo 3". Paper presented in Congresso da SPDMov 2022, 2022.
  8. Afonso, Inês T.; Patrica Lima; Carlos A Matos; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "Impact of aging in neuropathological hallmarks associated with the expression of mutant ATAXIN-2". Paper presented in Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências 2021, 2021.
  9. Koppenol, Rebekah; Conceição, André; Marcelo, Adriana; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Afonso, Inês T.; Codêsso, José Miguel; Matos, Carlos A; Pereira de Almeida, Luis ; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "G3BP1 expression mitigates pathological phenotype in mouse models different polyglutamine diseases". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience (SPN), 2021.
  10. Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Brito, David V.C; Costa, Rafael G; Rosa, Ana; Alves-Cruzeiro, João; Nobre, Rui J.; Carlos A. Matos; Pereira de Almeira, Luis; Nóbrega, Clévio. "From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapy: A New Lwntiviral Mouse Model for Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 2". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience (SPN), 2021.
  11. Afonso, Inês T.; Patrícia Lima; Matos, Carlos A; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "Is mutant ataxin-2 aggregation modulated by aging?". Paper presented in IV JORNADAS ALGARVE BIOMEDICAL CENTER, 2021.
  12. Afonso, Inês T.; Carolina Silva, Ana; Henriques, Carina; Lopes, Miguel; Baganha, Rafael; Lima, Patrícia; Kopenol, Rebekah; et al. "Brain distribution, spreading and tropism of a recently developed gene delivery system - mixCapAAV1/2 vector". Paper presented in AIMS meeting 2021 Research Competition, 2021.
  13. Rafael G. Costa; Afonso, Inês T.; Célia Aveleira; Carlos A. Matos; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "Development of a gene-bases strategy as a potential therapy for Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome". Paper presented in AIMS meeting 2021 Research Competition, 2021.
Journal article
  1. Flórez-Fernández, Noelia; Pontes, Jorge F.; Guerreiro, Filipa; Afonso, Inês T.; Lollo, Giovanna; Torres, Maria Dolores; Domínguez, Herminia; Costa, Ana M. Rosa da; Grenha, Ana. "Fucoidan from Fucus vesiculosus: Evaluation of the Impact of the Sulphate Content on Nanoparticle Production and Cell Toxicity". Marine Drugs 21 2 (2023): 115. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/md21020115.
    10.3390/md21020115
  2. Koppenol, Rebekah; Conceição, André; Afonso, Inês T.; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Costa, Rafael G; Tomé, Sandra; Teixeira, Diogo; et al. "The stress granule protein G3BP1 alleviates spinocerebellar ataxia-associated deficits". Brain (2022): http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/brain/awac473.
    10.1093/brain/awac473
  3. Afonso, Inês T.; Lima, Patrícia; Conceição, André; Matos, Carlos A.; Nóbrega, Clévio. Corresponding author: Nóbrega, Clévio. "Mutant Ataxin-2 Expression in Aged Animals Aggravates Neuropathological Features Associated with Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 2". International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23 19 (2022): 11896. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms231911896.
    10.3390/ijms231911896
  4. Marcelo, Adriana; Afonso, Inês T.; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Brito, David V. C.; Costa, Rafael G.; Rosa, Ana; Alves-Cruzeiro, João; et al. "Autophagy in Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2, a dysregulated pathway, and a target for therapy". Cell Death & Disease 12 12 (2021): http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41419-021-04404-1.
    Published • 10.1038/s41419-021-04404-1
  5. Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Afonso, Inês T.; Nóbrega, Clévio. "Current Status of Gene Therapy Research in Polyglutamine Spinocerebellar Ataxias". International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22 8 (2021): 4249. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms22084249.
    Published • 10.3390/ijms22084249
Thesis / Dissertation
  1. Afonso, Inês T.. "Biodistribution Analysis of Striatal and Cerebellar Administration of Modified Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors in Normal Mice". Master, Universidade do Algarve - Campus de Gambelas, 2020.
  2. Afonso, Inês T.. "Variabilidade Farmacogenética Do Recetor PXR Humano". Degree, Universidade do Algarve - Campus de Gambelas, 2018.
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2024/02/09 Unveiling activity-induced gene expression perturbations in Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 2 54th Meeting of the Portuguese Society of Pharmacology
Portuguese Society of Pharmacology (Lisbon, Portugal)
2024/01/26 Uncovering Altered Activity-induced gene expression in Machado-Joseph Disease IX Clinical Biochemistry Workshop
Sociedade Portuguesa de Bioquímicos (Faro, Portugal)
2022/12/12 Are the neuropathological features associated with mutant Ataxin-2 expression exacerbated by aging? Aging Without Borders
Portuguese Society for Stem Cells and Cell Therapies (SPCE-TC) (Faro, Portugal)
2022/12/06 Are the neuropathological features associated with mutant Ataxin-2 expression exacerbated by aging? Ageing Without Borders
Portuguese Society for Stem Cells and Cell Therapies (SPCE-TC) (Faro, Portugal)
2022/04/02 Ataxia espinocerebelosa tipo 2: caracterização de um novo modelo transgénico de murganho com fenótipo neuropatológico e motor Congresso da SPDMov 2022
(Luso, Portugal)
2022/02/11 Upregulation of autophagy as a therapeutic strategy for SCA2 disease 52º Meeting
Sociedade Portuguesa de Farmacologia (Porto, Portugal)
2021/11/18 MUTANT ATAXIN-2 PATHOLOGICAL FEATURES IS ALTERED BY THE AGING PROCESS 25 Annual Meeting Sociedade Portuguesa de Genética Humana
Sociedade Portuguesa de Genética Humana (Porto, Portugal)
2021/05/11 A novel viral-based system for gene delivery: mixCapAAV1/2 7º Fórum de Engenharia Química e Biológica 2021
Comité Organizador do FÓRUM de Engenharia Química e Biológica'21 (Lisboa, Portugal)
2021/04/30 When RNA-binding proteins meet the Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria syndrome: a gene delivery approach to mitigate premature aging 5th International Health Sciences Conference 2021
Students' Scientific Society of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (Kaunas, Lithuania)
2021/02/18 mixCapAAV1/2 Vector: A Novel Gene Delivery System Distribution, Spreading and Tropism Analysis in Normal Mice 51º Meeting
Sociedade Portuguesa de Farmacologia (Lisboa, Portugal)
2019/11/20 Development of polysaccharide-based nanosystems using marine-based polymers XXV Encontro Galego-Portugués de Química
Colegio Oficial de Químicos de Galicia, Asociación de Químicos de Galicia And Sociedade Portuguesa de Química (Santiago de Compostela, Spain)

Supervision

Thesis Title
Role 		Degree Subject (Type)
Institution / Organization
2021/03/01 - 2021/07/30 Impacto da modulação do NMDAR/TRPM4 na neurodegeneração de modelos animais de ataxias espinocerebelosas
Supervisor of Lourenzo Mirapalheta
 Licenciatura em Ciências Biomédicas - Universidade do Algarve (Degree)
Universidade do Algarve - Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Portugal
2021/03/01 - 2021/07/28 Análise dos níveis de fatores de sobrevivência neuronais no modelo transgénico de Ataxia Espinocerebelosa tipo 3
Supervisor of Camila Maria Piscarreta Lopes
 Licenciatura em Ciências Biomédicas - Universidade do Algarve (Degree)
Universidade do Algarve - Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas, Portugal

Event organisation

Event name
Type of event (Role) 		Institution / Organization
2022/11 - 2023/05 Member of the organizing committee of the ENCODS 2023 (European Neuroscience Conference by Doctoral Students), a satellite event of the FENS Regional Meeting 2023. (2023/05/01 - 2023/05/02) (2023/05/01 - 2023/05/02)
Conference (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Algarve Biomedical Center - Research Institute, Portugal

Federation of European Neuroscience Societies, Belgium

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event 		Event name
Institution / Organization
2019 - 2019 Workshop: "A importância da colaboração com empresas - Empresas e Área BIO & MED: novas perspectivas de desenvolvimento de carreira para jovens licenciados"
Workshop
 "A importância da colaboração com empresas - Empresas e Área BIO & MED: novas perspectivas de desenvolvimento de carreira para jovens licenciados"

Association member

Society Organization name Role
2021/11/01 - Current Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurosciencia (SPN) Adherent member

Committee member

Activity description
Role 		Institution / Organization
2018 - 2020 Membro da Comissão Pedagógica do Departamento em Ciências Biomédicas e Medicina
Member
 Universidade do Algarve - Campus de Gambelas, Portugal

Mentoring / Tutoring

Topic Student name
2022/03/15 - 2022/04/17 Módulo de Escolha do Estudante (MEE) Ana Rita Galrinho
2022/03/15 - 2022/04/17 Módulo de Escolha do Estudante (MEE) Ana Filipa Antunes
Distinctions

Award

2024 Travel Award to attend FENS Forum 2024
Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências, Portugal
2023 Travel Award to ISN-ESN 2023 Meeting
International Society for Neurochemistry, Switzerland
2022 Top Downloaded Papers of IJMS in 2021
2022 FCT fellowship for PhD project
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal
2021 Travel Award
Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências, Portugal