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Beatriz Serra has a degree in Biochemistry, from NOVA School of Science and Technology (2017) and a Master's degree in Biopharmaceutical Sciences from the Faculty of Farmacy of the University of Lisbon (2019). During her master's degree she carried out research work at the Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon) under the supervision of Professor Joaquim Ferreira, a renowned neurologist. Throughout this time, Beatriz successfully developed the thesis entitled "Quality and reporting of clinical practice guidelines on the management of Parkinson's Disease". From May-July 2020, Beatriz worked at the Covid-19 Diagnosis Lab (ViraVector, University of Coimbra), where she was responsible for human sample reception and performance of molecular biology methodologies for SARS-CoV-2 RNA research. Her experience in the field of gene therapy and neurosciences started in August 2020, when Beatriz was given the opportunity to work with Doctor Rita Perfeito at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), in the Gene and Cell Therapies for the Brain group, headed by Professor Luís Pereira de Almeida. At this time, Beatriz was selected for a 3-month FCT scholarship under the course "Scientific Research Methodologies - I&D: Gene therapy and stem cells" (reference 685385), organized by the Instituto de Investigação Interdisciplinar from UC. Based on previous demonstrations that CYP46A1 overexpression (a pivotal enzyme in brain cholesterol homeostasis) may constitute a promising therapy for different neurodegenerative disorders, her research work relied on the intravenous delivery of viral vectors encoding CYP46A1 to a SCA3 mouse model, in order to test whether restoring its levels could ensure neuroprotection. In December 2020, Beatriz was awarded a new Research Scholarship to work in the project mentioned above (1st Dec 2020¿31th July 2021; NAF; reference 686213), and in October 2021, Beatriz was selected in a public tender to join the Project ¿HEALTHYAGING 2020¿ in the scope of gene-based therapy approaches for aging diseases (1st Oct 2021- 31th Dec 2021; FEDER; reference: CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-000012). Until now, the ongoing data suggest that the use of a non-invasive strategy of gene delivery targeting the brain cholesterol metabolism using CYP46A1 foresees a promising therapeutic for SCA3. From January-June 2022, Beatriz also had the opportunity to get involved in the project "Proof of concept evaluation of the ATXN3 LNA in the Homozygous YAC hATXN3 Q84.2 mouse model" (F. Hoffmann La Roche Ltd; reference: PSE-2020-113). During all this time, Beatriz had the opportunity to greatly improve not only her research skills, but also team work capacities, as the group provides excellence in knowledge and technical skills from all the members. Furthermore, Beatriz has been quite pro-active in disseminating results from the projects where she is involved and had already the opportunity to share her efforts through poster discussion and an oral presentation at national meetings. In November 2022, Beatriz was granted with a PhD Research Scholarship by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) with the project "Validation of the brain-targeting AAV-PHP.eB encoding the cholesterol hydroxylase CYP46A1 as a therapeutic strategy for spinocerebellar ataxia type-3 - towards the understanding of the neuroprotective mechanism". Her determination in unveiling CYP46A1 mechanism(s) of action will certainly open new opportunities not only for the treatment of SCA3, but also for other neurodegenerative diseases.
Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Beatriz Serra

Citation names

  • Serra, Beatriz

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
E01D-8C52-B396

Email addresses

  • bserra@cnc.uc.pt (Professional)
  • serra.m.beatriz@gmail.com (Personal)

Knowledge fields

  • Medical and Health Sciences - Medical Biotechnology - Gene-based Diagnostics and Therapeutic Interventions

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English Intermediate (B1) Upper intermediate (B2) Upper intermediate (B2) Upper intermediate (B2)
Education
Degree Classification
2022/10/10 - 2026
Ongoing
Experimental Biology and Biomedicine (Doutoramento)
Instituto de Investigação Interdisciplinar, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2023/11/14 - 2023/11/25
Concluded
VI modular training in laboratory animal science mouse and rat (equivalent to FELASA level B certification) (Outros)
Universidade de Coimbra Instituto de Investigação Clínica e Biomédica de Coimbra, Portugal

Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2021/09 - 2022/06
Concluded
English for Academic Purposes Level I and II (Non Degree Course) (Outros)
Centro de Línguas da Faculdade de Letras, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
17
2020/08/01 - 2020/10/31
Concluded
Scientific Research Methodologies – I&D: Gene therapy and stem cells (Training Course) (Outros)
Instituto de Investigação Interdisciplinar, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
Aprovado com Muito Bom
2017/09 - 2019/12
Concluded
Ciências Biofarmacêuticas (Mestrado)
Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
"Quality and reporting of clinical practice guidelines on the management of Parkinson's Disease" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
17
2014/08 - 2017/06
Concluded
Bioquímica (Licenciatura)
Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
"Efeitos oxidativos de misturas de Hidrocarbonetos Aromáticos Policíclicos em células hepáticas" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
14
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution
Employer
2022/11/01 - Current Researcher (Research) Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal
Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2021/10/01 - 2022/06/30 Researcher (Research) Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2020/12/01 - 2021/07/31 Researcher (Research) National Ataxia Foundation, United States
Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2020/08/01 - 2020/10/31 Research Trainee (Research) Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal
Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2018/10 - 2019/10 Research Trainee (Research) Laboratório de Farmacologia Clínica e Terapêutica, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
2017/01 - 2017/06 Research Trainee (Research) Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal

Others

Category
Host institution
Employer
2020/05/18 - 2020/07/31 Laboratory Technician Covid-19 Lab - CNC / ViraVector, Portugal
Universidade de Coimbra ViraVector, Portugal
(...)
2016/08/01 - 2016/08/19 Laboratory Technician (Trainee) MICRODIAG, Laboratório de Anatomia Patológica, Portugal
Projects

Grant

Designation Funders
2022/11/01 - Current Validation of the brain-targeting AAV-PHP.eB encoding the cholesterol hydroxylase CYP46A1 as a therapeutic strategy for spinocerebellar ataxia type-3 – towards the understanding of the neuroprotective mechanism
2022.11448.BD
Research Fellow
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
National Ataxia Foundation
Ongoing
2022/01/01 - 2022/06/30 Proof of concept evaluation of the ATXN3 LNA in the homozygous YAC hATXN3 Q84.2 mouse model
PSE-2020-113
Research Fellow
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2021/10/01 - 2021/12/31 HEALTHYAGING 2020
CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-000012
Research Fellow
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
Concluded
2020/12/01 - 2021/07/31 Intravenous delivery of the brain-targeting AAV-PHPeB encoding the cholesterol hydroxylase CYP46A1 into a mouse model of spinocerebellar ataxia type 3: a promise non-invasive therapeutic strategy
686213
Research Fellow
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
National Ataxia Foundation
2020/08/01 - 2020/10/31 Verão com Ciência: "Sobrexpressão mediada da CYP46A1 como estratégia terapêutica para doenças neurológicas"
685385
Scientific Initiation Fellow
Universidade de Coimbra Instituto de Investigação Interdisciplinar, Portugal

Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded

Other

Designation Funders
2020/08 - 2021/12 Gene Therapy for Cerebellar Ataxias: restoring cholesterol metabolism by targeting brain cholesterol 24 hydroxylase (CYP46A1) - SCA-CYP; (E-RARE International Consortium)
E-Rare-3 JTC 2017
Research Fellow
Outputs

Publications

Conference poster
  1. Serra, Beatriz; Sónia P. Duarte; Françoise, PIGUET; Nathalie Cartier; Alves, Sandro; Pereira de Almeida, Luis ; Perfeito, Rita. Corresponding author: Perfeito, Rita. "Validation of the brain-targeting AAV- PHP.eB encoding cholesterol hydroxylase CYP46A1: a promising non-invasive therapeutic strategy for Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3". Paper presented in FENS Regional Meeting (FRM 2023), 2023.
  2. Serra, Beatriz; Sónia P. Duarte; Françoise, PIGUET; Nathalie Cartier; Alves, Sandro; Pereira de Almeida, Luis ; Rita Perfeito. Corresponding author: Rita Perfeito. "Restoring brain cholesterol turnover as a therapeutic strategy for spinocerebellar ataxia type-3: non-invasive delivery of the brain-targeting AAV-PHP.eB encoding the cholesterol hydroxylase CYP46A1.". Paper presented in Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the doctoral program in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine (PDBEB), Coimbra, Portugal, 2023.
  3. Serra, Beatriz; Sónia P. Duarte; Nathalie Cartier; Alves, Sandro; Pereira de Almeida, Luis ; Perfeito, Rita. Corresponding author: Perfeito, Rita. "Intravenous delivery of the brain-targeting AAV-PHPeB encoding the cholesterol hydroxylase CYP46A1 into a mouse model of spinocerebellar ataxia type 3: a promising non-invasive therapeutic strategy". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, Coimbra, Portugal, 2021.
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2022/04/02 Non-invasive delivery of the brain-targeting AAV-PHP.eB encoding the cholesterol hydroxylase CYP46A1 into a mouse model of spinocerebellar ataxia type 3: a promising therapeutic strategy
Sociedade Portuguesa de Doenças do Movimento (Luso, Portugal)
2022/02/09 Validation of the brain-targeting AAV- PHPeB enconding cholesterol hydroxylase CYP46A1 as a therapeutic candidate for Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type-3 LII Reunião da Sociedade Portuguesa de Farmacologia, XL Reunião de Farmacologia Clínica e XXI Reunião de Toxicologia
(Porto, Portugal)

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event
Event name
Institution / Organization
2024/09/07 - Current Noite Europeia dos Investigadores (NEI) em Coimbra (Atividade 73. GeneT: Desvendar o poder da terapia génica) Noite Europeia dos Investigadores (NEI) 2024, Coimbra
2024/04/16 - 2024/04/19 European Society of Cell and Gene Therapy (ESGCT) Spring School 2024
Congress