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Telma Fernandes is a postdoctoral researcher in the BELIS project (Breeding European Legumes for Increased Sustainability) at ITQB NOVA. She graduated with honors in Biochemistry (2011, 91% percentile, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro) and completed an MSc in Bioinformatics (2013, University of Minho), earning an Erasmus Mundus scholarship to conduct her thesis at the University of Stuttgart, Germany. She integrated the international PhD program “Plants for Life” and joinded the PRPlants lab at ITQB NOVA. Her research spans plant molecular biology and bioinformatics, with experience in omics data analysis. She has contributed to diverse projects, including developing molecular tools to protect olive trees from pests (ProtectOlive and EndoBio), exploring antibiotic resistance in wastewater (StARE), protect rice against abiotic stresses (FilliGRAIN-PROTECT) and uncovering powdery mildew resistance in Lathyrus sativus (Lat-E(asy) pisi). During her career, she trained students, collaborated across disciplines, and advanced research on rice DELLA regulation. Telma has co-authored 13 publications (5 as first author, including 1 book chapter) in Q1 journals and actively participated in 7 research projects at national and European levels. She has presented her work at 16 conferences, earning awards for “Best Oral” (2022) and “Best Poster” (2023). Her outreach activities, including "ITQB Open Days" and "Fascination of Plants Day," demonstrate her commitment to public science communication and inspiring future researchers. With her multidisciplinary expertise in plant molecular biology, bioinformatics and plant physiology Telma is dedicated to advancing sustainable agriculture through innovative research.
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Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Telma Cristina Oliveira Fernandes

Citation names

  • Fernandes, Telma

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
A41C-5189-7E46
ORCID iD
0000-0002-5954-5609

Email addresses

  • tfernandes@itqb.unl.pt (Professional)

Addresses

  • Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB-NOVA), 2480-157, Oeiras, Oeiras, Portugal (Professional)

Websites

Knowledge fields

  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Molecular Biology
  • Agrarian Sciences - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries - Plant Breeding and Plant Protection

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1)
Education
Degree Classification
2018/03/01 - 2024/03/26
Concluded
 International PhD program in Plant Sciences - Plants for Life (Doutoramento)
Major in Plants Sciences
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
"Regulation of DELLA rice protein interactors and their influence on plant development" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
2011/10/01 - 2013/10/31
Concluded
 Bioinformatics (Mestrado)
Universidade do Minho, Portugal
"Analysis of Subpopulation Proteomics and principal stress investigation of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 as a step towards deciphering population heterogeneities under varying environmental conditions" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 16
2008/09/01 - 2011/07/31
Concluded
 Biochemistry (Licenciatura)
Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
"Evaluation of the effect of anesthesia with Propofol in rats on oxidative stress hepatic enzymes" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 16
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2024/08/26 - Current Postdoc (Research) Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2017/01/02 - 2018/02/28 Research Trainee (Research) Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Portugal
Portuguesa Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina, Portugal
2014/02/01 - 2016/01/31 Research Trainee (Research) Universidade do Minho, Portugal
Universidade do Minho, Portugal

Others

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2023/10/15 - 2023/11/15 Exchange period at IAS-CSIC Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Spain
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2017/08 - 2017/09/22 Exchange period at the Pruden Laboratory Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, United States
Portuguesa Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina, Portugal
Projects

Grant

Designation Funders
2024/08/26 - 2025/08/27 BELIS - Breeding European Legumes for Increased Sustainability
101081878-2
Post-doc
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
 Agence Europe SA
Ongoing
2023/10/01 - 2024/08/16 Lat-E(asy) pisi Durable resistance against the causal agent of powdery mildew (Erysiphe pisi) in grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.): Exploring transcriptomic variation to develop molecular breeding tools for legumes
064/BI/2023
Research Fellow
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded
2022/08/01 - 2023/08/30 FilliGRAIN-PROTECT Using the power of plant signal-integration to protect grain filling from stress
PTDC/ASP-PLA/1920/2021
10.54499/PTDC/ASP-PLA/1920/2021
Integration into Research Grant Fellow
BioResources 4 Sustainability, Portugal

Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Portugal

Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2017/01/01 - 2018/02/28 STARE Stopping Antibiotic Resistance Evolution
PTCRIS: 138542
WaterJPI/0001/2013
Research Fellow
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Joint Programming Initiative Water Challenges for a Changing World
Concluded
2014/02/01 - 2016/01/31 PROTECTOLIVE Olive crop protection in sustainable production under global climatic changes: Linking ecological infrastructures to ecosystem functions¿
EXCL/AGR-PRO/0591/2012
Research Fellow
Universidade do Minho Centro de Biologia Funcional de Plantas, Portugal
 Associação para a Inovação e Desenvolvimento da FCT
Concluded
2014/01/01 - 2015/01/01 EndoBio - Isolation and selection of endophytic fungi from olive tree for the biological control of Colletotrichum acutatum and Verticillium dahlia
PTDC/AGR-PRO/4354/2012
Colaborator
Concluded
Outputs

Publications

Book chapter
  1. Fernandes, Telma; Melo, Fredilson; Vieira, Maria Beatriz; Lourenço, Tiago F.; Pucciariello, Chiara; Saibo, Nelson J. M.; Abreu, Isabel A.; Oliveira, M. Margarida. "Screening for Abiotic Stress Response in Rice". In Environmental Responses in Plants, 161-194. Springer US, 2022.
    10.1007/978-1-0716-2297-1_12
Conference poster
  1. Fernandes, Telma; Belo, Joana; 031A-1146-2A2A; Pereira, Vanessa; Valente, Carina; Escórcio, Rita. "Assessing Single-Use Plastic Consumption in a Multidisciplinary Research Institute for a More Sustainable Science". Paper presented in Green Labs Portugal Symposium: Promoting sustainability in Research, Coimbra, Portugal, 2023.
  2. Fernandes, Telma; Flores-Tornero, María; Sapeta, Helena; Becker, Jorg D.; Isabel A. Abreu. Corresponding author: Isabel A. Abreu. "OsSLR1 interactors OsbHLH089 and OsbHLH094 are crucial for rice pollen development". Paper presented in Iberian Plant Biology meeting, Braga, Portugal, 2023.
  3. Fernandes, Telma; Nuno Gonçalves; Isabel A. Abreu. Corresponding author: Isabel A. Abreu. "Novel putative interactors for OsSLR1 and the effect of OsSLR1 SUMOylation". Paper presented in Plant Biology Worldwide Summit. Virtual Meeting., 2021.
  4. Simões, Alexandra S; Almeida, Sónia T; Valente, Carina; Tiago Touret; Lança, João; Ana R. Cruz; Queirós, Miguel; Sá-Leão, Raquel; Rafic Nordin. "Preventing COVID-19 outbreaks through active screening of civil servants - A partnership between local government, a primary-care center and a research institute". Paper presented in Microbiotec Symposium, 2021.
    Assistant staff
  5. Simões, Alexandra S; Almeida, Sónia T; Valente, Carina; Tiago Touret; Lança, João; Ana R. Cruz; et al. "A partnership between local government, a primary-care center and a research institute to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks through active screening of civil servants in a Portuguese municipality". Paper presented in ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease (ECCVID) - ESCMID COVID-19 Webinar, 2020.
    Assistant staff
  6. Fernandes, Telma; Nuno Gonçalves; Isabel A. Abreu. "Rice only DELLA protein interacts with OsbHLH089 and OsbHLH094 to modulate JA signaling". Paper presented in 10th ITQB NOVA Ph.D. Students' Meeting., 2020.
  7. Fernandes, Telma; Vaz-Moreira, Ivone; Célia M. Manaia. "Microbial community and antibiotic resistance genes distribution in different urban wastewater treatment plants effluents". Paper presented in Microbiotec Symposium, Porto, Portugal, 2017.
  8. Fernandes, Telma; Daniela Costa; Diogo Mina; Teresa Gomes; Fátima Martins; Rui Tavares; José Alberto Pereira; Paula Baptista; Lino-Neto, Teresa. Corresponding author: Lino-Neto, Teresa. "The endophytic microbiome of distinct cultivars presents different susceptibilities to the most common Olea europaea diseases". Paper presented in miCROPe (Microbe-assisted crop production – Opportunities, challenges & needs) International Symposium, Vienna Austria, 2015.
  9. Fernandes, Telma; Ana M Dinis; Mokhtar Rejil; José A Pereira; Baptista, Paula; Sonia AP Santos; Lino-Neto, Teresa. Corresponding author: Lino-Neto, Teresa. "Digestion profiles of olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae) by predators using qPCR". Paper presented in International Plant Protection Congress, Berlin, Germany, 2015.
  10. Costa, Daniela; Fernandes, Telma; Martins, Fátima; Baptista, Paula; Lino-Neto, Teresa. "Identification of endophytic microorganisms from Olea europaea L. for the biological control of Colletotrichum acutatum and Verticillium dahliae". Paper presented in International Plant Protection Congress (IPPC) 2015, Berlin (Germany), 2015.
  11. Costa, Daniela; Fernandes, Telma; Lino-Neto, Teresa. "Detection of endophytic fungus in different cultivars of Olea europaea L.". Paper presented in XXXIX Portuguese Genetics Conference, 2015.
  12. Fernandes, Telma; Ana M Dinis; Daniela Costa; José A Pereira; Paula Baptista; Sónia AP Santos; Lino-Neto, Teresa. Corresponding author: Lino-Neto, Teresa. "Detection of olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae) DNA for designing a biocontrol strategy.". Paper presented in XXXIX Portuguese Genetics Conference, Braga, Portugal, 2015.
  13. Mokhtar Rejil; Ana M Dinis; Fernandes, Telma; José A. Pereira; Paula Batista; Sonia AP Santos; Lino-Neto, Teresa. Corresponding author: Lino-Neto, Teresa. "Diagnostic PCR for detecting DNA of the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi)". Paper presented in XVIII Congress of the Portuguese Biochemical Society, Coimbra, Portugal, 2014.
Journal article
  1. Fernandes, Telma; Gonçalves, Nuno M.; Matiolli, Cleverson C.; Rodrigues, Mafalda A. A.; Barros, Pedro M.; Oliveira, M. Margarida; Abreu, Isabel A.. "SUMOylation of rice DELLA SLR1 modulates transcriptional responses and improves yield under salt stress". Planta 260 6 (2024): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00425-024-04565-1.
    Published • 10.1007/s00425-024-04565-1
  2. Costa, Daniela; Fernandes, Telma; Martins, Fátima; Pereira, José A.; Tavares, Rui M.; Santos, Pedro M.; Baptista, Paula; Lino-Neto, Teresa. "Illuminating Olea europaea L. endophyte fungal community". Microbiological Research 245 (2021): 126693. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2020.126693.
    10.1016/j.micres.2020.126693
  3. Marano, Roberto B.M.; Fernandes, Telma; Manaia, Célia M.; Nunes, Olga; Morrison, Donald; Berendonk, Thomas U.; Kreuzinger, Norbert; et al. "A global multinational survey of cefotaxime-resistant coliforms in urban wastewater treatment plants". Environment International 144 (2020): 106035. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106035.
    Accepted • 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106035
  4. Grehs, Bárbara W.N.; Lopes, Ana Rita; Moreira, Nuno F.F.; Fernandes, Telma; Linton, Maria A.O.; Silva, Adrián M.T.; Manaia, Célia M.; Carissimi, Elvis; Nunes, Olga C.. "Removal of microorganisms and antibiotic resistance genes from treated urban wastewater: A comparison between aluminium sulphate and tannin coagulants". Water Research 166 (2019): 115056. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2019.115056.
    10.1016/j.watres.2019.115056
  5. Rocha, Jaqueline; Fernandes, Telma; Riquelme, Maria V.; Zhu, Ni; Pruden, Amy; Manaia, Célia M.. "Comparison of Culture- and Quantitative PCR-Based Indicators of Antibiotic Resistance in Wastewater, Recycled Water, and Tap Water". International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16 21 (2019): 4217. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16214217.
    10.3390/ijerph16214217
  6. Iakovides, I.C.; Michael-Kordatou, I.; Moreira, N.F.F.; Ribeiro, A.R.; Fernandes, T.; Pereira, M.F.R.; Nunes, O.C.; et al. "Continuous ozonation of urban wastewater: Removal of antibiotics, antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli and antibiotic resistance genes and phytotoxicity". Water Research 159 (2019): 333-347. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2019.05.025.
    10.1016/j.watres.2019.05.025
  7. Fernandes, Telma; Vaz-Moreira, Ivone; Manaia, Célia M.. "Neighbor urban wastewater treatment plants display distinct profiles of bacterial community and antibiotic resistance genes". Environmental Science and Pollution Research 26 11 (2019): 11269-11278. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-04546-y.
    10.1007/s11356-019-04546-y
  8. Krzeminski, Pawel; Tomei, Maria Concetta; Karaolia, Popi; Langenhoff, Alette; Almeida, C. Marisa R.; Felis, Ewa; Gritten, Fanny; et al. "Performance of secondary wastewater treatment methods for the removal of contaminants of emerging concern implicated in crop uptake and antibiotic resistance spread: A review". Science of The Total Environment 648 (2019): 1052-1081. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.130.
    10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.130
  9. Rodríguez-Chueca, Jorge; Giustina, Saulo Varella della; Rocha, Jaqueline; Fernandes, Telma; Pablos, Cristina; Encinas, Ángel; Barceló, Damià; et al. "Assessment of full-scale tertiary wastewater treatment by UV-C based-AOPs: removal or persistence of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes?". (2019): http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/26043.
    10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.223
  10. Félix, Luís M.; Correia, Fernando; Pinto, Pedro A.; Campos, Sónia P.; Fernandes, Telma; Videira, Romeu; Oliveira, M.M.; Peixoto, Francisco P.; Antunes, Luís M.. "Propofol affinity to mitochondrial membranes does not alter mitochondrial function". European Journal of Pharmacology 803 (2017): 48-56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejphar.2017.03.044.
    10.1016/j.ejphar.2017.03.044
  11. Rejili, M.; Fernandes, T.; Dinis, A.M.; Pereira, J.A.; Baptista, P.; Santos, S.A.P.; Lino-Neto, T.. "A PCR-based diagnostic assay for detecting DNA of the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae, in the gut of soil-living arthropods". Bulletin of Entomological Research 106 5 (2016): 695-699. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s000748531600050x.
    Published • 10.1017/s000748531600050x
Preprint
  1. Marques, Rita Maravilha; Fernandes, Telma; Barros, Pedro M; Leitäo, Susana T.; Rubiales, Diego; Vaz Patto, Maria Carlota; Santos, Carmen. "Comparative transcriptomics of Lathyrus sativus reveals accession-specific resistance responses against Erysiphe pisi". 2024. http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.23.624375.
    10.1101/2024.11.23.624375
  2. Fernandes, Telma; Barros, Pedro M; Flores-Tornero, Maria; Carvalho, Pedro; Sapeta, Helena; Becker, Jörg D; Abreu, Isabel A. "OsbHLH089 and OsbHLH094 Modulate OsSLR1 Levels to Maintain Male Reproductive Fitness in Rice". 2024. http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.24.624999.
    10.1101/2024.11.24.624999
Thesis / Dissertation
  1. "Regulation of DELLA rice protein interactors and their influence on plant development". PhD, Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, 2024.
  2. Fernandes, Telma. "Analysis of Subpopulation Proteomics and principal stress investigation of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 as a step towards deciphering population heterogeneities under varying environmental conditions". Master, Universidade do Minho, 2013.
  3. Fernandes, Telma. "Evaluation of the effect of anesthesia with Propofol in rats on oxidative stress hepatic enzymes". Degree, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 2011.
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2022/04/21 Novel putative OsSLR1 interactors: OsbHLH089 and OsbHLH094 and their possible implication on reproduction and embryo development 12th ITQB NOVA PhD Students' Meeting
ITQB NOVA (Oeiras, Portugal)
2014 Detection of predation of the olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) by field-caught arthropods using PCR analysis XVIII Congress of the Portuguese Biochemical Society
Portuguese Biochemical Society (Coimbra, Portugal)
2014 Analysis of Subpopulation Proteomics and principal stress investigation of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 as a step towards deciphering population heterogeneities under varying environmental conditions VII Biochemistry Conference
Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (Vila Real, Portugal)

Event organisation

Event name
Type of event (Role) 		Institution / Organization
2018/04/01 - 2018/11/09 Organizing committee member of the 9th ITQB NOVA Ph.D. Students' Meeting. This meeting allow all PhD students from ITQB NOVA to share their PhD work. We also invited speakers to share their experience with all ITQB NOVA community. (2018/11/07 - 2018/11/09)
Meeting (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event 		Event name
Institution / Organization
2019/10/26 - Current Volunteer ITQB NOVA Open Day 2019 - ITQB NOVA opens its doors for a day full of activities for people of all ages to share our science and bring together the scientific community and the general public
Exhibition
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2019/05/18 - Current Volunteer at the Fascination of Plants Day 2019 - Share with the general public about the importance of plant science for agriculture, in sustainability producing food, as well as for horticulture and forestry.
Exhibition
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2024/06/19 - 2024/06/21 Participation on the genome-wide association study course
Workshop
2024/05/18 - 2024/05/18 Volunteer at the Fascination of Plants Day 2024 - Share with the general public about the importance of plant science for agriculture, in sustainability producing food, as well as for horticulture and forestry.
Exhibition
 Fascination of Plants Day 2024
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2023/05/23 - 2023/05/23 Volunteer ITQB NOVA Open Day 2023 - ITQB NOVA opens its doors for a day full of activities for people of all ages to share our science and bring together the scientific community and the general public
Exhibition
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2022/07/18 - 2022/07/18 Invited speaker in a round table about “Life in the Lab” . This event aimed to approach undergraduate students from Portugal and abroad about the research activities that are developed at the institute.
Workshop
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2020/06/22 - 2022/06/30 ITQB NOVA COVID-19 Volunteer Working Group
Other
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2022/01 - 2022/02 Volunteer ITQB NOVA COVID-19 saliva tests for Oeiras schools
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2021/09/24 - 2021/09/24 Volunteer at the European Researchers' Night 2021, Oeiras.
Exhibition
 European Researchers' Night 2021
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2021/04/20 - 2021/04/30 Volunteer in Conversation with Scientists: Decades of Science for vaccine days – Online Sessions promoted by Ciência Viva
Workshop
 Conversation with Scientists: Decades of Science for vaccine days – Online Session
Ciência Viva, Portugal
2021 - 2021 Participation on the MaxQuant Summer School 2021 online course
Workshop

Association member

Society Organization name Role
2023/08 - Current NOVA Green Lab - aims to connect NOVA laboratories to share the vision of sustainable research and implement eco-friendly practices in the laboratory
2022/06 - Current Green Labs - Portugal - Bringing together laboratories across Portugal to share sustainable laboratory practices to drive changes in the Portuguese research community, towards more environmentally aware research practices.
2019/01/01 - 2022/12/31 InteraQB member. InteraQB is a group within ITQB NOVA with the mission to promote interaction between researchers from different fields in the scientific community.
2020/01 - 2022/09 Ph.D. representative in the Pedagogical Council at ITQB NOVA

Mentoring / Tutoring

Topic Student name
2023/11/01 - 2024/01/31 BSc student Marta Rodrigues
2021/05 - 2022/06 MSc student Rita Henriques
2019 - 2019 MSc student Alice Martins
2017 - 2017 PhD student Ian Zammit
2017 - 2017 PhD student Iakovos C. Iakovides
2017 - 2017 PhD student Bárbara Grehs
2016 - 2016 MSc student Daniela Costa
Distinctions

Award

2023 Best poster presentation - Iberian Plant Biology 2023. Braga, Portugal
2022 Best oral presentation - 12th ITQB NOVA PhD Students' Meeting, Oeiras, Portugal