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Graça Pinto (GP) obtained a master degree in Biological Engineering from the Centre of Biological Engineering (CEB) at University of Minho in 2011. After she stayed as a researcher at CEB, more specifically in Bacteriophage Biotechnology Group (BBiG, https://www.ceb.uminho.pt/bbig/ ), a leading group in Bacteriophage Research. In 2021, GP obtained the Philosophy Doctor (PhD) degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering, at University of Minho. Her PhD was performed also in Wageningen University (Netherlands) and INIAV Polo Vairão (Portugal). Currently, GP work in ALS Life Science as bioinformatician at the R&D team. GP has been involved in the written of projects grants, including her PhD grant proposal financed by FCT and projects that were financed by private R&D companies. GP has published 14 peer-reviewed papers in Q1 international journals (SJR), of which 3 as first author and 2 as co-first author, published in high-end journals in the Microbiology field, namely npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, Critical Reviews in Biotechnology, FEMS Microbiology Ecology, FEMS Microbiology Reviews and BMC Genomics. During her PhD, GP performed a metagenomics study of the impact of phage in the human Gut microbiome, which resulted in a GitHub repository and in a Dataset at the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA). She was also involved in 5 oral communications, 1 as the invited speaker, and in 8 poster communications, of which 5 were as first author. GP has an H-index of 8, with 192 citations. GP was a team member of an approved FCT project (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029628). She successfully tutored 2 master students during their master thesis, and one trainee. GP was an instructor of several international courses, namely Hands-on PHAGE BIOTECHNOLOGY courses, IV International Practical Course in Biofilm Sciences and 2nd Bacfoodnet training school under the COST action FA1202. She was part of several outreach activities that CEB organized, as the Biotechnology Workshops within the Science Week events, and CEB Open day. She co-wrote 2 interviews that were published at Phage Directory: Capsid & Tail weekly periodic. GP is a reviewer for Q1 international journals (SJR).
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Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Maria da Graça Cerqueira Pinto

Citation names

  • Pinto, Graça

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
B613-9A23-2288
ORCID iD
0000-0002-9348-7553

Email addresses

  • gracapinto@ceb.uminho.pt (Professional)
  • Graca.Pinto@ALSGlobal.com (Professional)

Addresses

  • University of Minho. Gualtar - Braga, 4710-057 B, Braga, Braga, Portugal (Professional)

Websites

Knowledge fields

  • Agrarian Sciences - Agrarian and Food Biotechnology

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
Portuguese Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1)
English Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1)
Education
Degree Classification
2017/04/01 - 2021/12/21
Concluded
 Chemical and Biological Engineering (Doutoramento)
Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
"Bacteriophages to control STEC contamination of food: a safety assessment " (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 Approved unanimously with the highest grade of Very Good
2015/07
Concluded
 Professional Training on Initial Pedagogical Training for Trainers (Outros)
Major in Major in Communication and Teaching Skills
CEFOLGEST - FORMAÇÃO E CONSULTORIA, LDA , Portugal, Portugal

Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional, Portugal
2015/02
Concluded
 Specialization Course in Audits of Integrated Management Systems (Quality, Environmental and Safety) (Pós-Graduação)
Major in Major in Internal Audits
CEFOLGEST - FORMAÇÃO E CONSULTORIA, LDA , Portugal, Portugal
2011
Concluded
 Master degree (integrated) in Biological Engineering | Track Chemical and Food Technology (Mestrado)
Universidade do Minho Escola de Engenharia, Portugal
"Implementation of a classification method for phage using MALDI-TOF MS" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 15 (out of 20)
2011
Concluded
 Basics of Technical Management of Human Resources (Outros)
Associação Nacional de Jovens Empresários (ANJE), Portugal
2003 - 2006
Concluded
 Natural Sciences (Ensino secundário)
Escola Secundária de Ponte de Lima, Portugal
 17 (out of 20)
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2022/07/01 - 2023/03/31 Postdoc (Research) Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal

Others

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2021/10/01 - 2022/02/28 Researcher Fellow in the Project 012/TT/2021 | Evaluation of hands contamination after washing and drying TecMinho Associação Universidade-Empresa para o Desenvolvimento, Portugal
Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
2017/05/01 - 2021/09/30 Ph.D. Student with the FCT grant ref SFRH/BD/117365/2016 | Bacteriophages to control STEC contamination of food: a safety assessment Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
(...)
2016/01/01 - 2017/04/30 Research fellow in the FCT PROJECT UID/BIO/04469/2013| A metagenomics approach to study the role of bacteriophages on periodontitis Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
2015/03/01 - 2015/12/31 Research fellow in the PROJECT 045/TT/2014 | Phage therapy to control periodontal disease TecMinho Associação Universidade-Empresa para o Desenvolvimento, Portugal
Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
2012/07/01 - 2015/02/28 Research fellow in the FCT PROJECT PTDC/AGR-ALI/121057/2010 | True Lyse: improved properties of phage lysin against Listeria monocytogenes by genetic engineering Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
2012/02/01 - 2012/06/30 Research fellow in the FCT PROJECT PTDC/EBBBIO/114760/2009| Development of anti-pseudomonal product using genetically modified phages to control Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
2011/03/01 - 2011/11/25 Master student | Implementation of a classification method for phage using MALDI-TOF MS Supervisor: Joana Azeredo, PhD Co-Supervisor: Cledir Santos, PhD Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
2009/09/01 - 2010/09/01 Research fellow with a FCT Integration on Investigation Grant | Denitrifying biofilm formation in new media with controlled release of carbon Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
Projects

Grant

Designation Funders
2017/05 - 2021/04 Safety and efficacy evaluation of a phage cocktail to control VTEC E. coli’s food outbreaks towards their approval by European Regulations
SFRH/BD/117365/2016
PhD Student Fellow
Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal

Wageningen Universiteit Laboratorium voor Microbiologie, Netherlands

Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia
Concluded
2016/01 - 2017/04 A metagenomics approach to study the role of bacteriophages on periodontitis
UID/BIO/04469/2013
Research Fellow
Fundo Regional para a Ciência e Tecnologia
Concluded
2015/03 - 2015/12 Phage therapy to control periodontal disease
045/TT/2014
Research Fellow
TecMinho
Concluded
2012/05 - 2015/09 True-Lyse: lysin properties adapted to cold temperatures
Provided by PTCRIS: 121057
Research Fellow
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.
Concluded
2012/02 - 2012/06 Development of anti-pseudomonal product using genetically modified phages to control Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms
FCT PROJECT PTDC/EBBBIO/114760/2009
Research Fellow
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded

Other

Designation Funders
2018/07/26 - 2021/12/31 Development of a formulation of encapsulated bacteriophages to reduce enterotoxigenic E. coli in ruminants
POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029628
Team Member
Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal

Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Portugal

Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal

International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Portugal
Associação para a Inovação e Desenvolvimento da FCT
Ongoing
2015/01/01 - 2018/12/31 PEst UID/BIO/04469/2013 - Strategic funding 2015-2018
UID/BIO/04469/2013
POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684
Team Member
Concluded
Outputs

Publications

Book chapter
  1. Ana Margarida Sousa; Pinto, Graça; Virginia Carvalhais; Sónia Silva. "Proteomic approaches to study biofilm cells". In Clinical biofilms current concepts and advanced techniques, edited by Maria Olívia Pereira; Mariana Henriques; Nuno Cerca; Joana Azeredo. Braga, Portugal, 2014.
    Published
Conference poster
  1. Pinto, Graça; Marta Sampaio ; Oscar Dias; Carina Almeida; Joana Azeredo; Hugo Oliveira. Corresponding author: Hugo Oliveira. "Understanding the genome architecture and evolution of Shiga toxin encoding bacteriophages of Escherichia coli". Paper presented in Bioinformatics Open Days, 2021.
  2. Pinto, Graça; Scott A. Minnich; Carolyn J. Hovde; Hugo Oliveira; Hauke Smidt; Carina Almeida; Joana Azeredo. Corresponding author: Joana Azeredo. "Safety assessment of the biocontrol of Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli using bacteriophages". Paper presented in Phage Futures Congress, 2021.
  3. Pinto, Graça; Scott A. Minnich; Carolyn J. Hovde; Hugo Oliveira; Hauke Smidt; Carina Almeida; Joana Azeredo. "Bacteriophage control of Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli from an in vitro safety perspective". Paper presented in Encontro Ciência’ 20, 2020.
  4. Maria Daniela Silva; Pinto, Graça; Azeredo, Joana; Sanna Sillankorva. "Control of Porphyromonas gingivalis using a bacterial-derived peptidoglycan hydrolase". Paper presented in Microbiotec'17 - Congress of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2017.
  5. Melo, Luís; Pinto, Graça; Oliveira, Fernando; Ângela França; Diana Vilas Boas; Carina Almeida; Sanna Sillankorva; Nuno Cerca; Joana Arzeredo. Corresponding author: Joana Arzeredo. "Disclosing the complexity involved in phage-biofilm interaction: the case study of a Sep1virus phage infecting S. epidermidis". Paper presented in Book of Abstracts of CEB Annual Meeting, 2017.
  6. Sílvio B. Santos; Ana Brandão; Ana Oliveira; Luís Melo; Pinto, Graça; Hugo Oliveira; Eugénio C. Ferreira; Joana Azeredo. Corresponding author: Joana Azeredo. "New Bacterial Biorecognition Elements from Phage Origin". Paper presented in Book of Abstracts of CEB Annual Meeting, 2017.
  7. Franklin L. Nóbrega; Pinto, Graça; Joana Azeredo; Leon D. Kluskens. "Bacteriophage Tree of Life". Paper presented in Bioinformatics Open Days, 2013.
  8. Franklin L. Nóbrega; Pinto, Graça; Azeredo, Joana; Leon D. Kluskens. "A new look to bacteriophages classification". Paper presented in Viruses of Microbes - EMBO Conference, Brussels, 2012.
Journal article
  1. Maria Daniela Silva; Graça Pinto; Angela França; Joana Azeredo; Luís D. R. Melo; David W. Cleary. "Phage SEP1 hijacks Staphylococcus epidermidis stationary cells’ metabolism to replicate". mSystems (2024): https://doi.org/10.1128/msystems.00263-24.
    10.1128/msystems.00263-24
  2. Tânia Ferreira; Ana Catarina Vale; Alexandra C. Pinto; Rita V. Costa; Vânia Pais; Diana Sousa; Fernanda Gomes; et al. "Comparison of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle Integration into Non-Woven Fabrics Using Different Functionalisation Methods for Prospective Application as Active Facemasks". Polymers (2023): https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15173499.
    10.3390/polym15173499
  3. Hugo Oliveira; Sílvio Santos; Diana P. Pires; Dimitri Boeckaerts; Graça Pinto; Rita Domingues; Jennifer Otero; et al. "CkP1 bacteriophage, a S16-like myovirus that recognizes Citrobacter koseri lipopolysaccharide through its long tail fibers". Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology (2023): https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-023-12547-8.
    10.1007/s00253-023-12547-8
  4. Graça Pinto; Sudarshan A. Shetty; Erwin G. Zoetendal; Raquel F. S. Gonçalves; Ana C. Pinheiro; Carina Almeida; Joana Azeredo; Hauke Smidt. "An in vitro fermentation model to study the impact of bacteriophages targeting Shiga toxin-encoding Escherichia coli on the colonic microbiota". npj Biofilms and Microbiomes (2022): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41522-022-00334-8.
    10.1038/s41522-022-00334-8
  5. Pinto, Graça; Marta Sampaio; Oscar Dias; Carina Almeida; Joana Azeredo; Hugo Oliveira. "Insights into the genome architecture and evolution of Shiga toxin encoding bacteriophages of Escherichia coli". BMC Genomics 22 1 (2021): http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12864-021-07685-0.
    10.1186/s12864-021-07685-0
  6. Graça Pinto; Scott A Minnich; Carolyn J Hovde; Hugo Oliveira; Hauke Smidt; Carina Almeida; Joana Azeredo. "The interactions of bacteriophage Ace and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli during biocontrol". FEMS Microbiology Ecology 97 8 (2021): https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiab105.
    10.1093/femsec/fiab105
  7. Luís D. R. Melo; Graça Pinto; Fernando Oliveira; Diana Vilas-Boas; Carina Almeida; Sanna Sillankorva; Nuno Cerca; Joana Azeredo. "The Protective Effect of Staphylococcus epidermidis Biofilm Matrix against Phage Predation". Viruses 12 10 (2020): 1076-1076. https://doi.org/10.3390/v12101076.
    10.3390/v12101076
  8. Graça Pinto; Carina Almeida; Joana Azeredo. "Bacteriophages to control Shiga toxin-producing E. coli – safety and regulatory challenges". Critical Reviews in Biotechnology (2020): https://doi.org/10.1080/07388551.2020.1805719.
    10.1080/07388551.2020.1805719
  9. Diana Priscila Pires; Rita Costa; Pinto, Graça; Meneses, Luciana; Azeredo, Joana. "Current challenges and future opportunities of phage therapy". FEMS Microbiology Reviews (2020): http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/femsre/fuaa017.
    10.1093/femsre/fuaa017
  10. Hugo Oliveira; Graça Pinto; Bruna Mendes; Oscar Dias; Hanne Hendrix; Ergun Akturk; Jean-Paul Noben; et al. "A Tailspike with Exopolysaccharide Depolymerase Activity from a New Providencia stuartii Phage Makes Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Susceptible to Serum-Mediated Killing". Applied and Environmental Microbiology 86 13 (2020): https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00073-20.
    10.1128/AEM.00073-20
  11. Oliveira, Hugo; Pinto, Graça; Hendrix, Hanne; Noben, Jean-Paul; Gawor, Jan; Kropinski, Andrew M.; Lobocka, Malgorzata; Lavigne, Rob; Azeredo, Joana. "A Lytic Providencia rettgeri Virus of Potential Therapeutic Value Is a Deep-Branching Member of the T5virus Genus". Applied and Environmental Microbiology 83 23 (2017): http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/aem.01567-17.
    10.1128/aem.01567-17
  12. Oliveira, Hugo; Pinto, Graça; Oliveira, Ana; Noben, Jean-Paul; Hendrix, Hanne; Lavigne, Rob; Lobocka, Malgorzata; Kropinski, Andrew M.; Azeredo, Joana. "Characterization and genomic analyses of two newly isolated Morganella phages define distant members among Tevenvirinae and Autographivirinae subfamilies". Scientific Reports 7 1 (2017): http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep46157.
    10.1038/srep46157
  13. Pinto, Graça; Silva, Maria Daniela; Peddey, Mark; Sillankorva, Sanna; Azeredo, Joana. "The role of bacteriophages in periodontal health and disease". Future Microbiology 11 10 (2016): 1359-1369. http://dx.doi.org/10.2217/fmb-2016-0081.
    10.2217/fmb-2016-0081
  14. Oliveira, Hugo; Pinto, Graça; Oliveira, Ana; Oliveira, Carla; Faustino, Maria Alberta; Briers, Yves; Domingues, Lucília; Azeredo, Joana. "Characterization and genome sequencing of a Citrobacter freundii phage CfP1 harboring a lysin active against multidrug-resistant isolates". Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 100 24 (2016): 10543-10553. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00253-016-7858-0.
    10.1007/s00253-016-7858-0
Newsletter article
  1. Rodrigo Monteiro; Pinto, Graça; Zuzanna Drulis-Kawa. "Finding the good in phage resistance, and balancing research with conference organizing: a Q&A with Prof. Zuzanna Drulis-Kawa", Capsid & Tail, 2020, https://phage.directory/capsid/interview-zuzanna-drulis-kawa.
  2. Pinto, Graça; Rodrigo Monteiro ; Evelien Adriaenssens. "Finding, using and classifying viruses: a Q&A with Dr. Evelien Adriaenssens", Capsid & Tail, 2020, https://phage.directory/capsid/evelien-adriaenssens-interview.
Thesis / Dissertation
  1. Pinto, Graça. "Bacteriophages to control STEC contamination of food: a safety assessment". PhD, Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, 2021.

Other

Dataset
  1. Pinto, Graça. Unveiling the impact of a STEC specific phage on the colon microbiome, using an in vitro fermentation model (PRJEB49704). European Nucleotide Archive (ENA).
Other output
  1. Phage-gut. GitHub repository. 2022. Pinto, Graça; Sudarshan Shetty. https://github.com/GracaP88/Pinto_et_al_Phage-gut.
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2022/07/21 Unveiling the impact of STEC infecting phages on the colon microbiota using an in vitro fermentation model VoM 2022 - Viruses of Microbes - The Latest Conquests
(Guimarães, Portugal)
2022/07/19 Efficacy against dual-species biofilms using phage-antibiotics combinations is independent of the biofilm model VoM 2022 - Viruses of Microbes - The Latest Conquests
(Guimarães, Portugal)
2021/09/16 Bacteriophages to control STEC contamination of food: a safety assessment iCEBreak PhD edition
Centro de Engenharia Biológica (Braga, Portugal)
2021/08/02 CkP1 is a novel S16-like broad-host-range myovirus that recognizes Citrobacter koseri lipopolysaccharide through its long tail fibres 24rd Biennial Evergreen International Phage Meeting
(Seatle, United States)
2020 Long tail fibers of CkP1, a S16-like phage, exhibit broad binding spectrum against Citrobacter koseri Oxford Bacteriophage Conference – Phages
(Oxford, United Kingdom)
2016 Characterization of a new Twortlikevirus infecting Staphylococcus epidermidis that exhibits activity against biofilm and stationary bacterial populations Bacteriophages: Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Their Application in Medicine, Veterinary and Food (3rd International Scientific Conference To the 100th Anniversary of the Discovery of Bacteriophages)
(Moscow, Russia)
2013/03/13 Bacteriophage Tree of Life Bioinformatics Open Days
(Braga, Portugal)

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event 		Event name
Institution / Organization
2020/11/27 - 2020/11/27 Instructor
Other
 CEB open day (outreach activity)
Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
2020 - 2020 Participant
Workshop
 Programing for everyone
Le Wagon, Portugal
2018/11/20 - 2018/11/24 Instructor
Workshop
 Science & Technology Week @ CEB (outreach activity)
Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
2017/11/22 - 2017/11/24 Instructor
Workshop
 Science & Technology Week @ CEB (outreach activity)
Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
2017/06/19 - 2017/06/23 Instructor of the Characterization of phage endolysins module
Workshop
 3rd International hands-on PHAGE BIOTECHNOLOGY course (HOP III)
Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
2015/06/15 - 2015/06/19 Instructor in the module Bacteriophage Proteomic and Genomic Analysis
Workshop
 2nd International hands-on phage biotechnology course (HOP II)
Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
2014/09/15 - 2014/09/20 Instructor of the Proteomics module
Symposium
 II Bacfoodnet training school: Advanced techniques to study Food-Biofilms
Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
2014/06/30 - 2014/07/04 Instructor in Proteomics module
Symposium
 IV International Practical Course in Biofilm Sciences
Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal
2013/07/01 - 2013/07/04 Instructor in Isolation of Bacteriophages module
Workshop
 1st International hands-on phage biotechnology course (HOP I)
Universidade do Minho Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Portugal

Journal scientific committee

Journal title (ISSN) Publisher
2022/03 - Current Microorganisms (2076-2607) MDPI
2022 - Current BMC Genomics (1471-2164) BMC part of Springer Nature
2021 - Current Viruses (1999-4915) MDPI
2021 - Current Antibiotics (2079-6382) MDPI
2020 - Current Virus Reseach (0168-1702) Elsevier

Mentoring / Tutoring

Topic Student name
2022/01 - Current Evaluation of hands contamination after washing and drying Mariana Macieira
2015 - 2016 Novel strategies to control periodontal diseases Maria Daniela Silva
2013 - 2014 Improving derived Listeria phage endolysins properties at low temperatures Pedro Veloso
Distinctions

Other distinction

2017 Individual FCT PhD fellowship (SFRH/BD/117365/2016)
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal