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My long-term goal is to unravel targetable molecular mechanisms underlying cancer progression. To start doing so, during my PhD, I used a human cell model, which recapitulates molecular events taking place during cellular transformation, to show that pre-malignant cells undergo a transient increase in cell stiffening, absolutely required for cells to undergo malignant transformation. This study received several awards, including the Laço grant, LPCC/Pfizer fellowship, an EMBO Travel Award and the EACR Poster Prize, as well as invitations for multiple oral presentations in (inter)national conferences. As metastatic dissemination is the main cause of cancer-related mortality, I moved to the laboratory of Prof. Derksen at the UMC Utrecht (Netherlands) to decipher cellular mechanisms involved in invasion and metastasis formation of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Using TNBC models, I have demonstrated that the Feline sarcoma-related (FER) kinase controls intracellular vesicular transport and recycling, thus driving TNBC cell invasion. Excitingly, I showed that the expression of this kinase is a predictive factor for breast cancer patients that respond to taxane-based interventions. Because FER is a critical driver of TNBC progression, I supervised a team aiming at singling out FER effectors. In the past years, I have been establishing a strong international network that will enable me to continue to use state-of-the art methodologies in my research. My endeavor as independent researcher has been supported by several funding agencies. Particularly, I was awarded a highly competitive, 6-year contract by the Portuguese Research Council (8% approval rate). Also, my independent research line has been granted the L'Oréal Portugal Honor Medals for Women in Science, and the Maria de Sousa and Gilead Génese awards.
Read full resume ↓
Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Sandra Tavares

Citation names

  • Tavares, Sandra

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
861C-D915-653B
ORCID iD
0000-0003-3055-914X
Google Scholar ID
t3k2bxEAAAAJ&hl
Researcher Id
AAE-4213-2020
Scopus Author Id
56134220400

Email addresses

  • stavares@i3S.up.pt (Professional)

Addresses

  • R. Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Porto, Portugal (Professional)

Knowledge fields

  • Medical and Health Sciences - Health Sciences

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
English Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1) Intermediate (B1) Advanced (C1)
Spanish; Castilian Elementary (A2) Intermediate (B1) Beginner (A1) Intermediate (B1)
Dutch Elementary (A2) Elementary (A2) Elementary (A2) Elementary (A2)
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
Education
Degree Classification
2011/09 - 2016/11/18
Concluded
 PhD Program of Integrative Biology and Biomedicine (Doutoramento)
Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal

Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
"The role of the actin cytoskeleton downstream of the Src oncogene in the earlier events of breast tumour progression" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 Unanimously approved
2011
Concluded
 Mestrado em Biomedicina Molecular (Mestrado)
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
"Identificação de biomarcadores terapêuticos em Melanoma" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 17
2008
Concluded
 Bioquímica (Licenciatura)
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Ciências, Portugal
"Efeito da deficiência em ácido fólico no transporte de substâncias bioactivas em células Caco-2." (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 14
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2021/11/02 - Current Contracted Researcher (Research) Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2020/02 - 2021/10/31 Visiting Researcher (Research) Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2017/01/02 - 2021/09/30 Postdoc (Research) Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Netherlands
Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Netherlands
2016/01/01 - 2016/12/31 Researcher (Research) Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro, Portugal
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
2015/10 - 2015/12/31 Researcher (Research) Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
2008/11/01 - 2009/09/15 Researcher (Research) Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2008/02 - 2008/10/12 Research Trainee (Research) Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Ciências, Portugal
Projects

Grant

Designation Funders
2023/01/02 - Current PRESSING: Protein REcycling SuStaINs Triple NegativeBreast Cancer aGgressiveness
PRESSING
Principal investigator
Gilead Sciences Lda, Portugal
Ongoing
2021/11 - 2027/10 Unveiling the protein recycling machinery controlling Cancer Metastasis
7173EEC
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
2023/01/02 - 2024/12/31 EMERGENCE -mEMbranE tRafficking drivEs aGgrEssiveness in breast caNCEr
EMERGENCE
Principal investigator
Fundação Bial, Portugal
Ongoing
2022/01 - 2024/12 Cosstalk mecânico cooperativo entre junções aderentes e adesões focais que desencadeia a progressão do cancro da mama invasivo
Provided by PTCRIS: PTDC/BIA-BFS/0812/2021
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.
2012/10/01 - 2015/09/30 STUDY OF THE CROSS-TALK BETWEEN THE SRC PROTO-ONCOGENE AND F-ACTIN DURING TUMOURAL TRANSFORMATION
SFRH/BD/51884/2012
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded
2012/10 - 2015/09 STUDY OF THE CROSS-TALK BETWEEN THE SRC PROTO-ONCOGENE AND F-ACTIN DURING TUMOURAL TRANSFORMATION
Provided by PTCRIS: SFRH/BD/51884/2012
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.
2012/10 - 2015/09 STUDY OF THE CROSS-TALK BETWEEN THE SRC PROTO-ONCOGENE AND F-ACTIN DURING TUMOURAL TRANSFORMATION
34638DFA
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
2012/02 - 2015/01 Caracterização das distintas estruturas de filamentos de actina nos tecidos de larva de Drosophila.
Provided by PTCRIS: PTDC/BIA-BCM/121455/2010
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.
2012/02 - 2015/01 Characterization of distinct actin filament structures in Drosophila larval tissues.
Provided by PTCRIS: 121455
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.
2011/10/01 - 2012/09/30 PROGRAMA GULBENKIAN DE DOUTORAMENTO - PROGRAMA DOUTORAL EM BIOMEDICINA INTEGRATIVA
SFRH/BI/51671/2011
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded
2011/10 - 2012/09 PROGRAMA GULBENKIAN DE DOUTORAMENTO - PROGRAMA DOUTORAL EM BIOMEDICINA INTEGRATIVA
Provided by PTCRIS: SFRH/BI/51671/2011
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.
2011/10 - 2012/09 PROGRAMA GULBENKIAN DE DOUTORAMENTO - PROGRAMA DOUTORAL EM BIOMEDICINA INTEGRATIVA
32412DFA
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Contract

Designation Funders
2021/05/01 - Current Unveiling the role of protein recycling machinery in Cancer Metastasis
2020.02149.CEECIND
Researcher
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
 Associação para a Inovação e Desenvolvimento da FCT
Ongoing
2021/11/01 - 2027/10/31 Unveiling the protein recycling machinery controlling Cancer Metastasis
2020.02149.CEECIND/CP1608/CT0002
10.54499/2020.02149.CEECIND/CP1608/CT0002
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2022/01/01 - 2024/12/31 COoperative Mechanical couPling of adherens junctions and focaL adhesIons supporting breast CancEr progression
PTDC/BIA-BFS/0812/2021
10.54499/PTDC/BIA-BFS/0812/2021
Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço, Portugal

Universidade de Lisboa Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2017/01/02 - 2021/09/30 Mapping the regulation of breast cancer metastasis by FER kinase
KWF UU 2014 -7201
Post-doc Fellow
Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Netherlands
 KWF Kankerbestrijding
Concluded
2019/01/01 - 2019/12/31 Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência
UID/Multi/04555/2019
Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Portugal

Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded
Outputs

Publications

Book chapter
  1. Tavares, Sandra. "Desregulação de vias de sinalização no cancro.". In Transdução de Sinais.. Aveiro, Portugal: Editora da Universidade de Aveiro, 2011.
    Published
Conference paper
  1. Vinagre, João; Pópulo, Helena; Faustino, Alexandra; Tavares, Sandra; Prof. José Manuel Lopes; Prof. Paula Soares. "BRAF and GNAQ mutation cellular effects in mTOR pathway activation in human cells (BRAF mutational status is a candidate biomarker for response to mTOR inhibitors therapy)". Paper presented in 23rd European Congress of Pathology, Helsinki, 2011.
    Published
Conference poster
  1. Tavares, Sandra; Hengeveld H.; Schackmann R.; Ivanova I.; Boogaard S.; Lens S.; Levin B.; Shokat K.; Derksen P.W.B.. "FER kinase controls MAPK1-dependent proliferation in breast cancer". Paper presented in Biology of Cancer: Microenvironment & Metastasis, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NYC, USA., 2019.
  2. Tavares, Sandra; Hengeveld H.; Schackmann R.; Ivanova I.; Boogaard S.; Lens S.; Levin B.; Shokat K.; Derksen P.W.B. "FER kinase controls MAPK1-dependent proliferation in breast cancer". Paper presented in Protein Signaling, Copenhagen, Denmark., 2018.
  3. Tavares, Sandra; Hengeveld H.; Schackmann R.; Ivanova I.; Boogaard S.; Lens S.; Levin B.; Shokat K.. "FER kinase controls MAPK1-dependent proliferation in breast cancer". Paper presented in Gordon Research Conference on Mammary Gland Biology, Lucca (Barga), Italy, 2018.
  4. Tavares, Sandra; Vieira, A.; Taubenberger, A.; Martins, N.; Brás-Pereira C; Margarida A.; Polónia, António; et al. "Actin stress fiber re-organization promotes the growth of pre-invasive breast cancer cells through cell stiffening". Paper presented in EACR Conference Goodbye Flat Biology: Models, Mechanisms and Microenvironment, Berlin, Germany, 2016.
  5. Tavares, Sandra; Vieira, A.; Taubenberger, A.; Martins, N.; Polónia, A.; Pereira-Leal, J.; Guck, J.; Paredes, Joana; Janody, Florence. "The actin cytoskeleton: A key mediator of Pre-Malignant breast cancer expansion.". Paper presented in 2nd ASPIC International Congress, IPO-Porto, Porto, Portugal, 2016.
  6. Tavares, Sandra; Vieira, Andre; Taubenberger, A; Martins, N.; Polónia, António; Cardoso, J; Pereira-Leal, J.; et al. "Cross-talk between Src signaling activity and F-actin during tumoral transformation". Paper presented in Stem cell mechanobiology in development and disease – EMBO Workshop, Capri, Italy., 2015.
  7. Tavares, Sandra; Joana Cardoso; Pereira-Leal J; Janody, Florence. "Cross-talk between Src signaling activity and F-actin during tumoral transformation". Paper presented in Tumour Microenvironment and Signaling, EMBL Advanced Training Centre, Heidelberg, Germany, 2014.
  8. Tavares, Sandra; Joana Cardoso; Pereira-Leal J; Janody, Florence. "Cross-talk between Src signaling activity and F-actin during tumoral transformation". Paper presented in ASPIC 1st International Congress, Lisbon, Portugal, 2014.
  9. Pópulo, Helena; Faustino, Alexandra; Tavares, Sandra; Nunes, Joana B; Lopes, José; Soares, Paula. "Differential activation of the mTOR pathway in BRAF and GNAQ human transformed cells". Paper presented in XXI Porto Cancer Meeting: Metabolism and Cancer: from etiopathogenesis to therapy, 2012.
  10. Helena Populo; Alexandra Faustino; Tavares, Sandra; J.M. Lopes; Ana Paula Soares Dias Ferreira. "Evaluation of melanoma cell lines sensitivity to RAD001 treatment". Paper presented in XX Porto Cancer:XX Porto Cancer Meeting: Drug Resistance in Cancer: from biology to molecular targets and drugs, 2011.
  11. Joana Sousa; Tavares, Sandra; M. J. Pinho; Pedro Gonçalves; J. R. Araujo; Fátima Martel. "The effect of folate status on the uptake of physiologically relevant compounds by Caco-2 cells.". Paper presented in 3rd Meeting of Young Researchers of U Porto, 2010.
  12. Tavares, Sandra; Joana Sousa; Pedro Gonçalves; J. R. Araujo; M. J. Pinho; Fátima Martel. "The effect of folate status on the uptake of physiologically relevant compounds by Caco-2 cells.". Paper presented in 23rd Meeting of the European Intestinal Transport Group, 2010.
  13. Catia Rodrigues; Varela, Adélia; Isabel Martins; Tavares, Sandra; K. Lyamlouli; Maria Cristina Leitao; Ian McLellan; et al. "Screening of pentachlorophenol degradation ability of several fungi isolates from Tunisia soils". Paper presented in BioMicroWorld 2009 congress, 2009.
  14. Mariana Carvalho; Tavares, Sandra; Isabel Martins; M. C. Leitao; Catia Rodrigues; Ian McLellan; M. V. San Romao; A. Hursthouse; SILVA PEREIRA, CRISTINA. "Advances on Pentachlorophenol Bioremediation by the Ascomycota fungus Penicillium glandicola". Paper presented in BioMicroWorld 2009 Congress, 2009.
Journal article
  1. Antoine A. Khalil; Daan Smits; Peter D. Haughton; Thijs Koorman; Karin A. Jansen; Mathijs P. Verhagen; Mirjam van der Net; et al. "A YAP-centered mechanotransduction loop drives collective breast cancer cell invasion". Nature Communications (2024): http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49230-z.
    10.1038/s41467-024-49230-z
  2. Sluimer, Lilian M.; Bullock, Esme; Rätze, Max A. K.; Enserink, Lotte; Overbeeke, Celine; Hornsveld, Marten; Brunton, Valerie G.; Derksen, Patrick W. B.; Tavares, Sandra. "SKOR1 mediates FER kinase-dependent invasive growth of breast cancer cells". Journal of Cell Science 136 3 (2023): http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jcs.260243.
    Published • 10.1242/jcs.260243
  3. Tavares, Sandra; Liv, Nalan; Pasolli, Milena; Opdam, Mark; Rätze, Max A.K.; Saornil, Manuel; Sluimer, Lilian M.; et al. "FER regulates endosomal recycling and is a predictor for adjuvant taxane benefit in breast cancer". Cell Reports 39 1 (2022): 110584. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110584.
    10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110584
  4. Tavares S; Vieira AF; Taubenberger AV; Araújo M; Martins NP; Brás-Pereira C; Polónia A; et al. "Actin stress fiber organization promotes cell stiffening and proliferation of pre-invasive breast cancer cells.". (2017): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/28508872.
    10.1038/ncomms15237
  5. Carvalho MB; Martins I; Medeiros J; Tavares S; Planchon S; Renaut J; Núñez O; et al. "The response of Mucor plumbeus to pentachlorophenol: a toxicoproteomics study.". (2013): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/23178873.
    10.1016/j.jprot.2012.11.006
  6. Pópulo H; Tavares S; Faustino A; Nunes JB; Lopes JM; Soares P. "GNAQ and BRAF mutations show differential activation of the mTOR pathway in human transformed cells.". (2013): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/23904987.
    10.7717/peerj.104
  7. Carvalho MB; Tavares S; Medeiros J; Núñez O; Gallart-Ayala H; Leitão MC; Galceran MT; Hursthouse A; Pereira CS. "Degradation pathway of pentachlorophenol by Mucor plumbeus involves phase II conjugation and oxidation-reduction reactions.". (2011): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/22074894.
    10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.10.021
  8. Tavares S; Sousa J; Gonçalves P; Araújo JR; Martel F. "The effect of folate status on the uptake of physiologically relevant compounds by Caco-2 cells.". (2010): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/20465997.
    10.1016/j.ejphar.2010.04.056
Preprint
  1. Lilian Sluimer; Esme Bullock; Max Rätze; Lotte Enserink; Celine Overbeeke; Marten Hornsveld; Valerie G. Brunton; Patrick W.B. Derksen; Sandra Tavares. "SKOR1 mediates FER kinase-dependent invasive growth of breast cancer cells". 2022. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.02.22.481420.
    10.1101/2022.02.22.481420
Thesis / Dissertation
  1. Tavares, Sandra Raquel de Oliveira. "The role of actin cytoskeleton downstream of the Src oncogene in the earlier events of breast tumour progression". PhD, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10362/56699.
  2. Tavares, Sandra Raquel de Oliveira. "Identification of therapeutic biomarkers in melanoma". Master, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10773/4061.
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2024/07/13 Multi-Omics Analysis of TNBC Organoids Reveals an Endosomal Recycling Regulation Landscape Specific of Invasive Cells Signaling by Adhesion Receptors (GRS) Gordon Research Seminar - Cell Adhesion Signaling: Molecules and Biological Systems
Gordon Research (Manchester, United States)
2024/03/15 Cytoskeletal Regulation & Cancer: Migration and metastasis in Triple Negative Breast Cancer VI Jornadas Ibéricas de Genética e Biotecnologia
Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (Vila Real, Portugal)
2023/10/31 Worktalk: Análise de Resultados
Associação Estudantes Faculdade de Ciencias Universidade do Porto (Porto, Portugal)
2022/12/19 Going FERther: using FER kinase to improve our knowledge on recycling mechanisms in high-risk breast cancer Annual CIBB Meeting 2022
Universidade de Coimbra (Coimbra, Portugal)
2022/12/05 Being a researcher in Portugal 6th Internacional Symposium AMONET
AMONET (Évora, Portugal)
2022/10/26 AFERIÇÃO DOS PADRÕES DE MOBILIDADE PARA UM INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGAÇÃO INTEGRADO NUM CAMPUS UNIVERSITÁRIO Conferência Campus Sustentável 2022
Politécnico de Leiria (Leiria, Portugal)
2022/09/23 Going FERther: using FER kinase to improve our knowledge on recycling mechanisms in high-risk breast cancer ABC-RI Sciminar - External Seminar Series
Algarve Biomedical Center (Faro, Portugal)
2022/06/30 SKOR1 mediates FER kinase-dependent invasive growth of breast cancer cells 5th ASPIC International Congress
(Porto, Portugal)
2022/05/27 Cytoskelelon regulation and Cancer Jornadas da Ciência
Universidade Tras-os-montes e Alto Douro (Vila Real)
2022 Going FERther: using FER kinase to improve our knowledge on recycling mechanisms in high-risk breast cancer ABC-RI Sciminar - guest seminar
Algarde Biomedical Center (Faro)
2016/09/23 The Actin Cytoskeleton in pre-malignant Breast Cancer expansion: When cells are overactin SPBD 10TH ANNIVERSARY SYMPOSIUM
Sociedade Portuguesa de Biologia do Desenvolvimento (Lisboa, Portugal)
2016/05 The Actin Cytoskeleton in pre-malignant Breast Cancer expansion: When cells are overactin 10th Annual Meeting of Gulbenkian Students
(Setubal, Portugal)
2016/03/24 The actin cytoskeleton: A key mediator of Pre-Malignant breast cancer expansion. Mechanobiology - Mechanisms of force sensation and transduction that control cell behavior in health and disease,
(Amsterdam, Netherlands)
2015/07/10 Actin stress fiber re-organization promotes the growth of pre-invasive breast cancer cells through cell stiffening Development in Action Meeting
Sociedade Portuguesa de Biologia do desenvolvimento, IBMC/INEB (Porto, Portugal)
2015/05 Becoming stiffer: A pre-requirement for the acquisition of pre-malignant traits? 9th Annual Meeting of Gulbenkian Students
(Mondim de Basto, Portugal)

Supervision

Thesis Title
Role 		Degree Subject (Type)
Institution / Organization
2023/09/04 - 2025/01/24 Regulation of Membrane Trafficking in highly invasive Triple Negative Breast Cancer Organoids
Supervisor
 Mestrado em Bioquímica (Master)
Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal
2023/09/11 - 2024/07/15 Matrix stiffness as a master regulator of membrane trafficking, invasion and clinical response in TNBC
Co-supervisor
 Mestrado em Bioengenharia (Master)
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Engenharia, Portugal
2024/05/02 - 2024/06/30 The capacity of FER to control invasion of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer via endosomal recycling
Supervisor
 Magistère Européen de Génétique (Master)
Université Paris Cité, France
2022/06/03 - 2023/10/23 Regulation of Membrane Trafficking in highly invasive Triple Negative Breast Cancer Organoids
Supervisor
 Mestrado em Investigação Biomédica (Master)
Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal
2023/02/03 - 2023/07/31 Uncovering Membrane Trafficking regulators in highly invasive Triple Negative Breast Cancer Organoids
Supervisor
 Biomolecular Science and Technology (Other)
Università degli Studi di Trento Centro di Biologia Integrata, Italy
2023 - 2023 Regulation of Taxane-treatment response in highly invasive Triple Negative Breast Cancer Organoids
Supervisor
 Investigação Biomédica (Master)
Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal
2018/10/01 - 2019/09/24 The regulation of cytoskeletal rearrangements and F-actin dynamics by FER-kinase target SKOR1 indicates a possible role in triple negative breast cancer malignancy.
Supervisor
 Biology of Disease Master's Programme (Master)
Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Netherlands
2018/02/01 - 2019/02/28 Regulation of endosomal trafficking by FER kinase in triple-negative breast cancer
Supervisor
 Cancer, Stem Cells and Developmental Biology Masters Program (Master)
Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Netherlands
2017/09/15 - 2018/07/31 SKOR1 is a direct FER kinase target and controls cellular morphology and proliferation of triple negative breast cancer
Supervisor
 Cancer, Stem Cells and Developmental Biology Master's Program (Master)
Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Netherlands
2015/10/01 - 2016/12/31 Actin Dynamics regulation in early events of breast cancer development
Co-supervisor
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal

Event organisation

Event name
Type of event (Role) 		Institution / Organization
2023/11/30 - 2025/05 The Porto Cancer Meeting 2025 will be held at i3S-Institute for Research and Innovation in Health, the largest health research institute in Portugal, on May 15 and 16 of 2025. The topic of this edition will be the intricate regulation of cell adhesion and its profound implications in cancer progression. Coupling basic discovery research with translational and clinical research will be one of the meeting's key objectives. (2023/11/30 - 2025/05)
Conference (Co-organisor)
 Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2023/08/01 - 2023/09/18 This year i3S joined the Postdoc Appreciation Week (PAW) and celebrated the contribution of i3S postdoctoral researchers to its scientific excellence and academic life. We organised a workshop in which we examined how the post-docs at i3S are now portrayed and how we may improve their circumstances in the future. (2023/09/18 - 2023/09/18)
Workshop (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2022/12/02 - 2023/02/17 Workshop to learn more about how receive a certification that demonstrate your research group efforts in environmental and sustainable lab practices, and show your higher commitment to reduce your carbon foot-print, with 2 parts: - Introduction to the Leaf program, presented by Martin Farley (LEAF Founder and manager); - Round table with the i3S l abs/scientific platforms awarded with a LEAF certificate. (2023/02/17 - 2023/02/17)
Workshop (Co-organisor)
 Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2015/07/01 - 2015/07/31 Member of the Organizing Committee of the Science Communication and Fundraising activities at the IGC in Nos Alive Festival that took place in Oeiras, Portugal (2015/07/09 - 2015/07/11)
Other (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
2014/05 - 2014/10 Member of the Open Day 2014 Organizing Committee (2014/10/11)
Exhibition (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
2014/07/01 - 2014/07/15 Member of the Organizing Committee of the Science Communication and Fundraising activities at the IGC in Nos Alive Festival that took place in Oeiras, Portugal (2014/07/10 - 2014/07/12)
Other (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
2012/05 - 2013/05/31 Member of the Organizing Committee of the Annual Meeting for Gulbenkian Students held in Seia, Portugal (25-29 May). (2013/05/25 - 2013/05/29)
Conference (Co-organisor)
 Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event 		Event name
Institution / Organization
2025/02/14 - 2025/03/09 Elaborated content for the Mostra UP. An event aiming to advertise the academic offer at Universidade do Porto.
Exhibition
 Mostra UP
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2024/04/29 - 2024/04/30 Poster Presentation at 6th ASPIC International Congress
Conference
 6th ASPIC International Congress
Associação Portuguesa de Investigação em Cancro, Portugal
2017/03/19 - 2017/03/19 The official goal of the Utrecht Marathon is to raise money for KWF Cancer Foundation. All participants can choose to donate money to the KWF when registering, or create their own fundraising page. As one of the Ambassadors and Team KWF members, I ran 10K during this event to support cancer research and cancer treatment.
Other
 Utrecht Science Park Marathon
Koningin Wilhelmina Fonds, Netherlands
2012/06 - 2016/12/12 Collaboration and participation in events organized by the Science Communication and Outreach Team of the IGC to promote the dialogue between scientists and society - (Lab Escolas, Open Day and Optimus/Nos Alive and Belém Art Fest music festivals).
Other
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
2015/05/17 - 2015/05/17 Invited speaker
Conference
 Conhecimento: Uma arma contra o cancro

Jury of academic degree

Topic
Role 		Candidate name (Type of degree)
Institution / Organization
2024/12/02 Impact of centrosome amplification in the malignant transformation of Barrett’s Esophagus
(Thesis) Main arguer
 BÁRBARA NUNES AMARAL DA SILVA SILVEIRA (Master)
Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Portugal
2023/07/27 The impact of whole genome duplication in collective cell migration
(Thesis) Main arguer
 Daniel Moreira (Other)
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Ciências, Portugal

Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal
2021/03/10 Promotion of breast cancer cell invasion by enhancing endolysosomal organelle dynamics
(Thesis) Main arguer
 Elli Soltani (Master)
Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Netherlands
2020/12/22 c-KIT expression in colorectal cancer promotes tumour progression by inhibition of the TGFß pathway
(Thesis) Main arguer
 Veere Keulen (Master)
Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Netherlands
2019/10/30 Increased TRPML1 activity promotes breast cancer cell invasion by enhancing endolysosomal organelle dynamics
(Thesis) Main arguer
 Isaac Brete (Master)
Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Netherlands

Ad Hoc journal article review

Journal title (ISSN) Publisher
2025/02/14 - Current Communications Biology
2024/08/27 - Current Cancer Research Journal (2330-8214)
2023/07/31 - Current Frontiers in Oncology
2022/06/09 - Current Review Commons

Association member

Society Organization name Role
2021/11/20 - Current i3S Green Lab initiative Volunteer member, LEAF auditor,
2016/02 - Current Portuguese Association for Cancer Research Member
2016/02 - Current European Association for Cancer Research Member

Committee member

Activity description
Role 		Institution / Organization
2023/06/01 - Current i3S Post-Doc Representative
Coordinator
2021/11/15 - Current Volunteer in the Green Lab initiative at i3S
Member
 Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2014/05 - 2015/05 Member of the Gulbenkian PhD Students Committee.
Coordinator
 Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
2012/02 - 2013/05 Member of the Gulbenkian PhD Students Committee.
Coordinator
 Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal

Conference scientific committee

Conference name Conference host
2024/10/03 - 2024/10/04 7th i3S PhD Symposium 2024
2023/10/03 - 2023/10/04 Brilliant PhDs, brighter future: Shaping Science together!

Course / Discipline taught

Academic session Degree Subject (Type) Institution / Organization
2025/04/02 - Current Tecnologias de Edição de Genoma Engenharia Biomédica (Licenciatura) Instituto Politecnico do Porto Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto, Portugal
2024/04/16 - Current Advanced Course on Organoids Models | 4th Edition (Postgraduate Certificate) Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2022/03/28 - Current Invited speaker for a class focused on the EMT process and Metastasis Formation. Biologia Molecular e Celular do Cancro (Mestrado) Fundação da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
2025/01/14 - 2025/01/21 Fisioterapia em Condições Médico Cirurgicas Fisioterapia (Licenciatura) Instituto Politecnico do Porto Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto, Portugal

Evaluation committee

Activity description
Role 		Institution / Organization Funding entity
2023/10/29 - 2023/12/04 Evaluation committee for the national awards "Prémios Ciência Viva no Laboratório by ATG 2023"
Evaluator
2023/11/08 - 2023/11/08 Member of PhD First Year Probationary Review committee of Inês Conde.
Evaluator
 Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal

Interview (newspaper / magazine)

Activity description Newspaper / Forum
2023/11/27 Interview for regional news paper focused to scientific achievements, prizes and awards. Jornal N
2023/03/08 Participation in FCT campaign for Women in STEM, launched on March 8th 2023, on all their social media. FCCN - FCT social media
2023/03/07 50 women, 50 ideas to change health - Expresso selected 50 personalities who stand out in the various areas of Health to be interviewed. The main objective was to find out which idea we would like to see implemented in health. Expresso
2023/03/01 Interview to Prevenir magazine to share and explain our findings published in the article SKOR1 mediates FER kinase-dependent invasive growth of breast cancer cells
2022/11/14 Interview to Público newspaper, concerning the impact on my career of the Maria de Sousa Award but also the fundamentals of the awarded project. Publico
2022/07/11 Interview to share and explain our findings regarding the article: FER regulates endosomal recycling and is a predictor for adjuvant taxane benefit in breast cancer NEWS FARMA
2022/04/13 3-page interview on the prestigious magazine VISÃO.

Interview (tv / radio show)

Program Topic
2022/11/14 - Current RTP TV news
2022/03/24 - Current Consultório
2022/03/23 - Current Esta manhã
2024/04/19 - 2024/04/19 Sociedade Civil Breast Health
2023/03/11 - 2023/03/11 Interview for the radio show Antena 2 - Ciência
2023/02/28 - 2023/02/28 SIC Primeiro Jornal
2022/04/30 - 2022/04/30 RTP TV news
2015/10/07 - 2015/10/07 Faz sentido Breast Cancer research
2014/02 - 2014/03 Maratona da Saúde Breast Cancer research

Mentoring / Tutoring

Topic Student name
2019/10/20 - Current ECM interactions role in Head and Neck tumour development Peter Haughton
Distinctions

Award

2024 Prémio Mário Fonseca
Câmara Municipal de Lousada, Portugal
2022 Medalhas de Honra L'Oréal Portugal para as Mulheres na Ciência 2021
L'Oreal Portugal, Portugal

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal
2022 Prémio Maria de Sousa: 2ª edição – 2022
Fundação Bial, Portugal

Ordem dos Médicos, Portugal
2022 Programa Gilead Genese
2021 Best Speed talk at II ASPIC-ASEICA International Meeting - Current Trends in Precision Medicine in Cancer
2016 Poster Prize
European Association For Cancer Research, United Kingdom
2016 Laço 2015
Associação Laço, Portugal
2015 Fellowship Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro/ Pfizer 2015
Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro, Portugal
2015 EMBO Travel Award
European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Germany

Other distinction

2023 Livro de homenagem Mulheres na Ciência
2021 UMC Utrecht Talent Academy
Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Netherlands
2017 Jovem Merito Espinhense
Câmara Municipal de Espinho, Portugal