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Sara Rito-Fernandes completed her Master's degree in Health Sciences in April 2025 at the University of Minho, School of Medicine, and her Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry in July 2022 at the University of Minho, School of Sciences. During her scientific training, she was involved in various neuroscience research projects, ranging from neuropathic pain to spinal cord injury, a field in which she remains actively engaged. Her most recent research has focused on exploring the role of sex and neuroimmune interactions in spinal cord injury-related inflammation and recovery, particularly how sex differences in the sympathetic regulation influences immune cell populations and activation profiles, ultimately impacting SCI's functional recovery. Through her work, she has gained experience in biochemical and immunological research methods, contributing to a deeper understanding of inflammatory processes in the injured spinal cord. Sara has authored 3 published papers in international peer-reviewed scientific journals, including one as first author. She has organized 11 events, including a symposium, a congress and multiple science communication activities, and has participated in 10 others, such as workshops, seminars, and meetings. She has also co-supervised 1 work of course completion of BSC. She received 1 awards or honor.
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Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Sara Rito Fernandes

Citation names

  • Rito-Fernandes, Sara
  • Rito-Fernandes, S.
  • Fernandes, S. R.

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
DA1F-9CAA-9DE6
ORCID iD
0000-0002-5781-8511

Email addresses

  • pg49128@alunos.uminho.pt (Professional)

Addresses

  • Universidade do Minho - Escola de Medicina, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Braga, Portugal (Professional)

Websites

Knowledge fields

  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Biochemistry
  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Biochemical Research Methods
  • Medical and Health Sciences - Health Sciences
  • Medical and Health Sciences - Basic Medicine - Immunology
  • Medical and Health Sciences - Basic Medicine - Neurosciences

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English Upper intermediate (B2) Advanced (C1) Upper intermediate (B2) Advanced (C1) Upper intermediate (B2)
Education
Degree Classification
2022/09 - 2025/04/02
Concluded
 MSc in Health Sciences (Mestrado)
Major in Neurosciences; Immunology; Genetics
Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal

Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
"Sex differences in the sympathetic regulation of the immune response and functional recovery after Spinal Cord Injury" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 18
2024/05/06 - 2024/05/10
Concluded
 Proteomics Approaches in Life Sciences (Pós-Graduação)
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2022/11/14 - 2022/11/25
Concluded
 Laboratory Animal Science - FELASA C Accreditation equivalent (Outros)
Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
 18
2019/09/16 - 2022/07/01
Concluded
 BSc in Biochemistry (Licenciatura)
Universidade do Minho Escola de Ciências, Portugal
"Interação entre microglia e neutrófilos no contexto de lesões medulares" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 18
2017/07 - 2017/07
Concluded
 Verão em Projeto: À descoberta da nanotecnologia (Outros)
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2025/09/23 - Current Research Trainee (Research) Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal, Portugal
Projects

Contract

Designation Funders
2025/09/23 - Current WINGS – Wireless Neural Guidance Device for Spinal Cord Injury Regeneration
HR23-00484
Research Fellow
Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal, Portugal
 Fundação 'la Caixa'
Ongoing
Outputs

Publications

Conference poster
  1. Rito-Fernandes, Sara; Monteiro, Andreia; M. Moura, Maria; Lima, Marta F.; Afonso, João L.; Castro, Inês; Carneiro-Pereira, Bárbara; et al. Corresponding author: Monteiro, Susana. "The impact of biological sex on peripheral and local immune profiles after spinal cord injury". Paper presented in AIM-SCI Azores International Meeting on Spinal Cord Injury, 2025.
  2. Campos, Jonas; Sampaio-Marques, B; Afonso, João L.; Lima, Marta F.; Miranda, Alice; Cibrão, JR; Rito-Fernandes, Sara; et al. "DHA priming reprograms the metabolism of human adipose mesenchymal stromal cells and improves the therapeutic performance of its secretome in translational studies of spinal cord injury". Paper presented in ICVS Retreat 2025, 2025.
  3. Afonso, João L.; Ana T. Palha ; Lima, Marta F.; Monteiro, Andreia; Omidvar, Ehsan; M. Moura, Maria; Ferreira-Antunes; et al. "Effect of iPSCs-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and their Secretome on Spinal Cord Injury: Focus on Neurovascular and Cellular Responses". Paper presented in ICVS Retreat 2025, 2025.
  4. Pereira, Inês; M. Moura, Maria; Rito-Fernandes, Sara; Lima, Marta F.; Monteiro, Andreia; Ana T. Palha ; Fernandes, Luís S.; et al. "Exploring TRPV4 as a molecular mechanism driving inflammatory cells’ infiltration into the spinal cord after injury". Paper presented in ICVS Retreat 2025, 2025.
  5. Rito-Fernandes, Sara; Monteiro, Andreia; M. Moura, Maria; Lima, Marta F.; Afonso, João L.; Castro, Inês; Carneiro-Pereira, Bárbara; et al. Corresponding author: Monteiro, Susana. "Immune response and functional recovery after Spinal Cord Injury: does biological sex matters?". Paper presented in ICVS Retreat 2025, 2025.
  6. Rito-Fernandes, Sara; Monteiro, Andreia; M. Moura, Maria; Lima, Marta F.; Afonso, João L.; Fernandes, Luís; Carneiro-Pereira, Bárbara; et al. Corresponding author: Monteiro, Susana. "Sex differences in the sympathetic regulation of the immune response and functional recovery after Spinal Cord Injury". Paper presented in 4th International Meeting of Spinal Cord Injury Portuguese Researchers, 2024.
  7. Fiúza-Fernandes, Juliana; Faria, Anselmo; Rito-Fernandes, Sara; Fonseca-Rodrigues, Diana; Pereira-Mendes, Joana; Guimarães, Marco Rafael; Leite-Almeida, H. "The effect of oxytocinergic modulation on social behavior under neuropathic pain conditions". Paper presented in IASP 2024 World Congress on Pain, 2024.
  8. Pinho, A.G; de Sousa, Nídia; Rito-Fernandes, Sara; Correia-Silva, A; Lima, F. M; Moreira Moura, Maria; Falcão, M. A; Monteiro, Susana; Silva, Nuno A.. "Understanding the effect of neutrophil infiltration on microglia population after spinal cord injury". Paper presented in XVI European Meeting on Glial Cells in Health and Disease (GLIA 2023), 2023.
  9. Rito-Fernandes, Sara; Salgado, António J.; Monteiro, Susana; Silva, Nuno A.. "Sex differences in the sympathetic regulation of the immune response and functional recovery after Spinal Cord Injury". Paper presented in Postgraduate Students Retreat MSc or PhD, grab your future, 2023.
  10. Pinho, A.G; de Sousa, Nídia; Rito-Fernandes, Sara; Salgado, António J.; Monteiro, Susana; Silva, Nuno A.. "Targeting Microglia and Neutrophils in Spinal cord Injury". Paper presented in 2nd INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF THE PORTUGUESE RESEARCH NETWORK ON SPINAL CORD INJURY, 2022.
Journal article
  1. Maria Moura; Alice Miranda; Jonas Campos; Andreia G. Pinho; Sara Rito-Fernandes; Carina Soares-Cunha; António J. Salgado; Nuno A. Silva; Susana Monteiro. "Macro- and Microanatomy of the Sympathetic Innervation of the Spleen in Rodents". Journal of Comparative Neurology (2025): https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.70086.
    10.1002/cne.70086
  2. Rito-Fernandes, Sara; Salgado, António J.; Silva, Nuno A.; Monteiro, Susana. Corresponding author: Monteiro, Susana. "Spinal cord injury–associated disruption of the autonomic immune control: does biological sex matter?". Neural Regeneration Research (2024): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B9q1WJRVyPcV5YDiKuN2v0ocQyHUfh2R/view?usp=sharing.
    Published
  3. Pinho, A.G; Monteiro, Andreia; Rito-Fernandes, Sara; de Sousa, Nídia; Salgado, António J.; Silva, Nuno A.; Monteiro, Susana. "The Central Nervous System Source Modulates Microglia Function and Morphology In Vitro". International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023): https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24097685.
    10.3390/ijms24097685
Thesis / Dissertation
  1. "Sex differences in the sympathetic regulation of the immune response and functional recovery after Spinal Cord Injury". Master, Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, 2025.
  2. "Interação entre microglia e neutrófilos no contexto de lesões medulares". Degree, Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, 2022.
Activities

Supervision

Thesis Title
Role 		Degree Subject (Type)
Institution / Organization
2024/03 - 2024/06 Importance of Peripheral Neuroimmune Communication in Spinal Cord Injury Recovery
Co-supervisor of Sara Raquel Marques Pinto
 Bioquímica (Degree)
Universidade do Minho, Portugal

Event organisation

Event name
Type of event (Role) 		Institution / Organization
2025/01/01 - Current AIM-SCI Azores International Meeting on Spinal Cord Injury (2025/10/15 - 2025/10/16)
Congress (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal, Portugal
2025/09/27 - 2025/09/27 Organization and coordination of the ‘SfN - Minho Chapter’ activities at the 2025 Greenfest Braga (2025/09/27 - 2025/09/27)
Exhibition (Member of the Organising Committee)
2025/09/26 - 2025/09/26 Organization and coordination of the ‘SfN - Minho Chapter’ activities at the 2025 European Researchers' Night. (2025/09/26 - 2025/09/26)
Exhibition (Member of the Organising Committee)
2025/04/03 - 2025/04/05 Science communication activities on spinal cord injury research: at UPA- Uminho portas abertas 2025 (2025/04/03 - 2025/04/05)
Exhibition (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Universidade do Minho, Portugal
2024/04/18 - 2024/04/20 Science communication activities on spinal cord injury research: at UPA- Uminho portas abertas 2024 (2024/04/18 - 2024/04/20)
Exhibition (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Universidade do Minho, Portugal
2024/04/05 - 2024/04/05 VIII Symposium of the Portuguese Glial Network (2024/04/05 - 2024/04/05)
Symposium (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
2024/03/11 - 2024/03/14 Science communication activities on spinal cord injury research: at Brain Awareness Week 2024 (2024/03/11 - 2024/03/14)
Exhibition (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2023/10/20 - 2023/10/21 Science communication activities on spinal cord injury research - "À descoberta dos mistérios do cérebro; Como desafiar o envelhecimento do cérebro" outreach (2023/10/20 - 2023/10/21)
Exhibition (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
2022/04/26 - 2022/04/29 IV Jornadas da Ciência (2022/04/26 - 2022/04/29)
Symposium (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Universidade do Minho Escola de Ciências, Portugal
2019/11/16 - 2019/11/16 Science communication activity: "Ainda mais... Ciência p'ra que te quero - De Fernão de Magalhães a... até hoje!" (2019/11/16 - 2019/11/16)
Exhibition (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Scientia.com.pt/ Experiment@Ciência, Portugal
2019/10/18 - 2019/10/18 Science communication activity - "“Pediu Ciência?!... – Alimentos, Nutrientes & Calorias”" (2019/10/18 - 2019/10/18)
Exhibition (Member of the Organising Committee)
 Universidade do Minho Escola de Ciências, Portugal

Scientia.com.pt/ Experiment@Ciência, Portugal

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event 		Event name
Institution / Organization
2023/10/11 - 2023/10/11 (Tele)transporta-te para as neurociências
Symposium
 Ciência às Quartas
2023/06/22 - 2023/06/23 3rd International Meeting of Portuguese Spinal Cord Injury Researchers
Meeting
Centro de Reabilitação do Norte Dr Ferreira Alves Unidade de Reabilitação de Lesão Medular, Portugal

Universidade de Aveiro Instituto de Biomedicina, Portugal
2023/02/07 - 2023/02/07 Preparation for selection interviews
Workshop
 Plano de capacitação profissional
Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2022/12/13 - 2022/12/13 Bioethics and Scientific Integrity
Seminar
 Plano de capacitação profissional
Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2022/11/30 - 2022/11/30 Competences and self-knowledge
Workshop
 Plano de capacitação profissional
Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2022/04 - 2022/04 Ciência de Animais de Laboratório
Workshop
 IV Jornadas da Ciência
Universidade do Minho Escola de Ciências, Portugal
2022/04 - 2022/04 Rumo à sustentabilidade no laboratório: desafios e sugestões
Workshop
 IV Jornadas da Ciência
Universidade do Minho Escola de Ciências, Portugal
2021/04 - 2021/04 Técnicas de análise e expressão genética
Workshop
 III Jornadas da Ciência
Universidade do Minho Escola de Ciências, Portugal
2021/04 - 2021/04 Descoberta e desenvolvimento de fármacos: corrida de 100m ou maratona com estafetas?
Workshop
 III Jornadas da Ciência
Universidade do Minho Escola de Ciências, Portugal
2021/04 - 2021/04 Química, alquimia, cultura científica, filosofia e religião
Workshop
 III Jornadas da Ciência
Universidade do Minho Escola de Ciências, Portugal

Association member

Society Organization name Role
2024/12 - Current Associação Recreativa e Cultural "Os Fiadeiros de Pitões" Vogal
2024 - Current Society for Neuroscience Minho Chapter (Portugal) Técnica de Outreach
Distinctions

Title

2019 ChallANJE III - Maratona da Criatividade Júnior
ANJE Associação Nacional de Jovens Empresários, Portugal

Sonae SGPS SA, Portugal