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Sara Castro Sousa earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology (2012–2015) and Master’s degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology (2015–2017) at the Faculty of Sciences, Universidade do Porto. Her Master’s research focused on the role of profilin in axon formation, growth, and regeneration, driving her interest in neurobiology. In 2018, she began her PhD, investigating neuronal growth mechanisms driven by physical tension. Her work combined neurobiology and engineering, utilizing microfluidic devices and advanced live-cell imaging, complemented by training in advanced microscopy at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). Currently, Sara applies her expertise in neurobiology and technology to develop neuromodulation systems with real-time adaptive control of neuronal activity.
Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Sara Patrícia Castro Sousa

Citation names

  • Sousa, Sara Castro

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
E316-30F5-9E6D
ORCID iD
0000-0002-7969-8696
Google Scholar ID
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=5L-P19EAAAAJ&hl=pt-PT&oi=ao

Email addresses

  • sc.sousa@i3s.up.pt (Professional)

Knowledge fields

  • Medical and Health Sciences - Basic Medicine - Neurosciences
  • Medical and Health Sciences - Medical Biotechnology - Technologies Involving the Manipulation of Cells, Tissues, Organs or the Whole Organism
  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Cell Biology

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
2025/02 - 2025/02/07
Concluded
Introduction to Python and Machine Learning for the Biosciences | 9th Edition (Outros)
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2018/11/01 - 2024/11/28
Concluded
Cellular and Molecular Biology (Doutoramento)
Major in Neuroscience
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
"STRETCH: Dissecting the molecular mechanisms underlying tension-driven axon growth " (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
Unanimity
2024
Concluded
Google Project Management: Professional Certificate (Outros)
Coursera Inc, United States
2017
Concluded
Cellular and Molecular Biology (Mestrado)
Major in Neuroscience
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Ciências, Portugal
"The role of profilin-1 in axon formation and regeneration " (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
19
2016
Concluded
Felasa Cat B Course (Outros)
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2015
Concluded
Biology (Licenciatura)
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Ciências, Portugal
"Prevelence of syphilis in the pregnant population of Centro Hospitalar do Porto /Prevalência da sífilis na população de mulheres grávidas do Centro Hospitalar do Porto" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
16
2013
Concluded
Certificate in Advanced English (Outros)
Cambridge ESOL- Lancaster College, Portugal
B
2012
Concluded
Scientific-humanistic (Ensino secundário)
Major in Scientific
Escola Secundária Gaia Nascente, Portugal
19
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution
Employer
2025/01/16 - Current Postdoc (Research) Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2018/11/01 - 2024/11/28 Researcher (Research) Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
(...)
2019/09 - 2019/10 Visiting Researcher (Research) European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Germany
2017/12/15 - 2018/10/30 Researcher (Research) Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2016/09/05 - 2017/11/28 Research Trainee (Research) Universidade do Porto, Portugal
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2014/09/01 - 2015/06/01 Research Trainee (Research) Universidade do Porto, Portugal
Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto EPE, Portugal

Positions / Appointments

Category
Host institution
Employer
2014 - 2016 Coordinator of Project Management Núcleo de Estudantes de Biologia da Universidade do Porto, Portugal
Universidade do Porto, Portugal
Projects

Grant

Designation Funders
2025/02/20 - 2026/08/19 ACTIN PEARLS: DECIPHERING THEIR PREVALENCE, RELEVANCE AND FUNCTION IN NEURONS
2023.12987.PEX
Researcher
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2022/08/14 - 2024/11/30 Cytoskeletal and membrane adaptations of stretched neurons: from tension-induced growth to traumatic brain injury
PhD Student Fellow
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2022/01/01 - 2023/06/30 Dissecting the mechanisms underlying tension-driven axon growth.
EXPL/BIA-CEL/0717/2021
PhD Student Fellow
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal

Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded
2018 - 2018/10 ProREGEN- Gene delivery of active Profilin-1 to enhance axon growth capacity and enable REGENeration after spinal cord injury
N/A
Research Fellow
Concluded
2017 - 2018 ProREGEN- Constitutively Active Profilin1: The key to Axon Growth and Regeneration
N/A
Research Fellow
Concluded
Outputs

Publications

Journal article
  1. Sousa, Sara Castro; Aroso, Miguel; Bessa, Rita; Veríssimo, Eduardo; Ferreira da Silva, Tiago; Lopes, Cátia D.F.; Brites, Pedro; et al. "Stretch triggers microtubule stabilization and MARCKS-dependent membrane incorporation in the shaft of embryonic axons". Current Biology 34 19 (2024): 4577-4588.e8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.08.018.
    Published • 10.1016/j.cub.2024.08.018
  2. Nogueira-Rodrigues, Joana; Leite, Sérgio C.; Pinto-Costa, Rita; Sousa, Sara Castro; Luz, Liliana L.; Sintra, Maria A.; Oliveira, Raquel; et al. "Rewired glycosylation activity promotes scarless regeneration and functional recovery in spiny mice after complete spinal cord transection". Developmental Cell 57 4 (2022): 440-450.e7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2021.12.008.
    10.1016/j.devcel.2021.12.008
  3. Sousa, Sara C.; Sousa, Mónica M.. "The cytoskeleton as a modulator of tension driven axon elongation". Developmental Neurobiology (2020): http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/dneu.22747.
    10.1002/dneu.22747
  4. Costa, Ana Rita; Sousa, Sara C; Pinto-Costa, Rita; Mateus, José C; Lopes, Cátia DF; Costa, Ana Catarina; Rosa, David; et al. "The membrane periodic skeleton is an actomyosin network that regulates axonal diameter and conduction". eLife 9 (2020): http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.55471.
    10.7554/elife.55471
  5. Pinto-Costa, Rita; Castro Sousa, Sara; Leite, Sérgio C.; Nogueira-Rodrigues, Joana; Ferreira da Silva, Tiago; Machado, Diana; Marques, Joana Beatriz Moreira; et al. "Profilin1 delivery tunes cytoskeleton dynamics towards CNS axon regeneration". Journal of Clinical Investigation (2020): http://dx.doi.org/10.1172/jci125771.
    10.1172/jci125771
  6. Costa, Ana Rita; Pinto-Costa, Rita; Sousa, Sara Castro; Sousa, Mónica Mendes. "The Regulation of Axon Diameter: From Axonal Circumferential Contractility to Activity-Dependent Axon Swelling". Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience 11 (2018): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2018.00319.
    10.3389/fnmol.2018.00319

Intellectual property

Patent
  1. Monica M Sousa (2B16-E5A4-771C); Rita Pinto-Costa (871B-9B63-EF63); Sousa, Sara Castro. 2020. "European Patent : "Constitutively active profilin-1 for use in the therapy and/or treatment of a neurological disorder and/or for promoting neuronal regeneration, kit and products thereof"".
  2. Monica M Sousa (2B16-E5A4-771C); Rita Pinto-Costa (871B-9B63-EF63); Sousa, Sara Castro. 2020. "China Patente "Constitutively active profilin-1 for use in the therapy and/or treatment of a neurological disorder and/or for promoting neuronal regeneration, kit and products thereof"".
  3. Monica M Sousa (2B16-E5A4-771C); Rita Pinto-Costa (871B-9B63-EF63); Sousa, Sara Castro. 2018. "International Patent application: "Constitutively active profilin-1 for use in the therapy and/or treatment of a neurological disorder and/or for promoting neuronal regeneration, kit and products thereof"". Portugal.
    Granted/Issued
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2024/10/24 Stretch triggers microtubule stabilization and MARCKS-dependent membrane incorporation in the shaft of embryonic axons Webinar - "THE CYTOSKELETON OF NEURONS AND GLIA"
https://ncytoskeleton.wixsite.com/webinars/event-details-registration/stretch-triggers-microtubule-stabilization-and-marcks-dependent-membrane-incorporation-in-the-shaft-of-embryonic-axons
2024/04/18 Oral Presentation at Molecular and Cell Biology Symposium : "A Decade Building Science." from 18-19 April 2024 in Porto, Portugal entitled "Tension-driven growth triggers developmental stage-specific adaptations of the axonal cytoskeleton and membrane" - Sara C. Sousa; Miguel Aroso; Eduardo Veríssimo; Tiago Silva; Rita Bessa; Cátia D. F. Lopes; Pedro Brites; Jorge Vieira; Cristina P. Vieira; Paulo C. Aguiar and Monica M. Sousa Molecular and Cell Biology Symposium : "A Decade Building Science."
(Portugal)
2023/10/03 Oral Presentation at PhDay Brilliant PhDs, brighter future: Shaping Science together! from 3-4 October 2023 in Porto, Portugal entitled "Tension-driven growth triggers developmental stage-specific adaptations of the axonal cytoskeleton and membrane" - Sara C. Sousa; Miguel Aroso; Eduardo Veríssimo; Tiago Silva; Rita Bessa; Cátia D. F. Lopes; Pedro Brites; Jorge Vieira; Cristina P. Vieira; Paulo C. Aguiar and Monica M. Sousa Brilliant PhDs, brighter future: Shaping Science together!
(Portugal)
2022/11 Oral Presentation at NeuroDay22, November 2022, Porto entitled "Tension driven axon elongation trigger cytoskeleton and membrane remodelling" NeuroDay
i3s (Portugal)
2018/11 Pharmaceutical Profission: Challenges of the Next Decade - ProRegen / Profissão Farmacêutica: Desafios da Próxima Década- ProRegen XIII Congresso Científico AEFFUP
(Porto, Portugal)
2017/09 Profilin-1 is a key player of cytoskeleton dynamics required for optimal axon growth and regeneration 12th YES - Youth European Scientists - Meeting
(Porto, Portugal)
2017/02/09 The role of profilin 1 in axon formation, degeneration, and regeneration IJUP
(Porto, Portugal)

Supervision

Thesis Title
Role
Degree Subject (Type)
Institution / Organization
2023/02 - 2023/10 Understanding the Mechanisms of Axonal Adaptation to Physiological Tension
Co-supervisor of Rita Gonçalves Bessa
Bioengenharia
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Engenharia, Portugal

Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal
2018 - 2018 Dissecting The Role Of Profilin1 In Axon Biology And Growth
Co-supervisor of Rafaela Silva
Bioquímica (Degree)
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal

Event organisation

Event name
Type of event (Role)
Institution / Organization
2019 - 2020 3rd PhDay - Back to the Future - I3S As a member of the organizing committee, I was actively involved in ensuring the event's success through various key responsibilities. I coordinated with suppliers, negotiating and securing necessary materials and services to meet quality and budgetary requirements. I also managed the preparation, editing, and publication of the abstract book, ensuring it was accurate and completed within the established timelines. Additionally, I contributed to the financial aspects of the event by assisting in the preparatio (2020/10/01 - 2020/10/01)
Conference (Member of the Organising Committee)
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2019/07/10 - 2019/07/13 Staff Volunteer during the Event "European Glia Meeting, Porto on Glial Cells in heath and Disease" (2019/07/10 - 2019/07/13)
Congress (Other)
2018 - 2019 Symposium - From InCell to ExCell - PhD Program MCBiology As a member of the organizing team, I played a pivotal role in the successful planning and execution of the event. My responsibilities included contacting and coordinating with speakers, ensuring their participation and addressing logistical needs. I contributed to finance planning by preparing budgets and managing resource allocation to meet the event's goals effectively. Additionally, I was actively involved in designing the event structure and overseeing its coordination, ensuring a seam (2019/11/06 - 2019/11/06)
Symposium (Member of the Organising Committee)
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event
Event name
Institution / Organization
2024/03/06 - 2024/03/08 Poster Presentation at “Forces across scales”- from 6-8 March 2024 in i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Porto, Portugal entitled "Tension-driven axon elongation triggers cytoskeleton and membrane remodelling" Sara C. Sousa; Miguel Aroso; Eduardo Veríssimo; Tiago Silva; Rita Bessa; Cátia D. F. Lopes; Pedro Brites; Jorge Vieira; Cristina P. Vieira; Paulo C. Aguiar and Monica M. Sousa.
Conference
Forces across scales
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2023/08/08 - 2023/08/11 Poster Presentation at ISN-ESN 2023 - International Society for Neurochemistry from 8-11 August 2023 in Porto, Portugal entitled "Tension-driven axon elongation triggers cytoskeleton and membrane remodelling" Sara C. Sousa; Miguel Aroso; Eduardo Veríssimo; Tiago Silva; Rita Bessa; Cátia D. F. Lopes; Pedro Brites; Jorge Vieira; Cristina P. Vieira; Paulo C. Aguiar and Monica M. Sousa.
Conference
ISN-ESN 2023 - International Society for Neurochemistry
2023/03/26 - 2023/03/30 Poster Presentation at the EMBO Workshop - Emerging Concepts of the Neuronal Cytoskeleton from 26-30 March 2023 in Santa Cruz, Chile entitled "Tension-driven axon elongation triggers cytoskeleton and membrane remodelling" - Sara C. Sousa; Miguel Aroso; Eduardo Veríssimo; Tiago Silva; Rita Bessa; Cátia D. F. Lopes; Pedro Brites; Jorge Vieira; Cristina P. Vieira; Paulo C. Aguiar and Monica M. Sousa
Workshop
Emerging Concepts of the Neuronal Cytoskeleton
2023/02/23 - 2023/02/24 Poster Presentation at the 9th McBiology Symposium from 23-24 February 2023 in Porto, Portugal entitled "Tension-driven axon elongation triggers cytoskeleton and membrane remodeling" - Sara C. Sousa; Miguel Aroso; Eduardo Veríssimo; Tiago Silva; Cátia D. F. Lopes; Pedro Brites; Jorge Vieira; Cristina P. Vieira; Paulo C. Aguiar and Monica M. Sousa
Symposium
Science: everything, everywhere all at once
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2022/08/22 - 2022/08/26 Poster Presentation at Cell and Developmental System from 22 - 26 August 2022 in Arolla, Switzerland entitled "Tension-driven axon elongation triggers remodeling of cytoskeleton dynamics and trafficking" - Sara C. Sousa; Miguel Aroso; Tiago Silva; Cátia D. F. Lopes; Pedro Brites; Jorge Vieira; Cristina P. Vieira; Paulo C. Aguiar and Monica M. Sousa -
Conference
Cell and Developmental System 22
2021/10/04 - 2021/10/07 Poster Presentation at Axons 2021: Structure and Function from 04-07 October 2021 |Virtual entitled "A microfluidic platform for live-cell imaging upon tension-driven axon elongation" - Sara C. Sousa; Miguel Aroso; Tiago Silva; Cátia D. F. Lopes; Pedro Brites; Paulo C. Aguiar and Monica M. Sousa
Conference
Axons 2021: Structure and Function 04-07 October 2021 |Virtual
2021/01/11 - 2021/01/13 Poster presentation at SFN - Global Connectomme - A Virtual Event from 11-13 Jan 2021. Poster entitled "A microfluidic platform for tension-driven axon elongation " Sara Castro Sousa, Miguel Aroso, Tiago Silva, Cátia Lopes, Pedro Brites Paulo Aguiar, Mónica M Sousa
Conference
SFN - Global Connectomme - A Virtual Event
2019/11/28 - 2019/11/29 Poster presentation at Neurofluidics 2019, 28-29th November 2019, Montpellier, France. Poster entitled "STRETCH: Uncovering the molecular players in tension-driven axon growth" Sara Castro Sousa, Miguel Aroso, Cátia Lopes, Paulo Aguiar, Mónica M Sousa
Conference
Neurofluidics 2019, Montpellier, France.
2019/11/06 - 2019/11/11 Poster presentation at MCBiology Symposium - From InCell to ExCell, 6th November 2019, Porto, Portugal. Poster entitled "STRETCH: Uncovering the molecular players in tension-driven axon growth" Sara Castro Sousa, Miguel Aroso, Cátia Lopes, Paulo Aguiar, Mónica M Sousa
Symposium
From InCell to ExCell, Porto, Portugal
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal

Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal
2017/11/09 - 2017/11/10 Poster presentation at the 6th i3s Annual Meeting, 9-10 November 2017, Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal . Poster entitled " "Profilin-1 is a key regulator of actin and microtubule dynamics required for optimal axon growth and regeneration". R. P. Costa, S. Sousa, S. Leite, J. Rodrigues, V. Sousa, M. Sousa
Meeting
i3s Annual Meeting, Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal
2017/05/24 - 2017/05/25 Poster Presentation at the XV Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, entitled "Profilin-1 is a key regulator of actin and microtubule dynamics required for optimal axon growth and regeneration" R. Pinto-Costa , S. Leite , S. Sousa, J.Marques, M.M.Sousa. . Presented a 24-25 May 2017, Braga, Portugal
Meeting
XV Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, Braga, Portugal
2017/05/07 - 2017/05/10 Poster presentation at the EMBO Conference - Cell biology of the neuron: Polarity, plasticity and regeneration, "Profilin-1 is a key regulator of actin and microtubule dynamics required for optimal axon growth and regeneration" - R. Pinto-Costa , S. Leite , S. Sousa , J. Nogueira-Rodrigues , V. Sousa and M.M.Sousa. 7-10 May 2017, Heraklion, Greece
Conference
Cell biology of the neuron: Polarity, plasticity and regeneration, Heraklion, Greece

Committee member

Activity description
Role
Institution / Organization
2019/12/01 - 2020/10/01 Member of the Organizing Committee of 3rd PhDay - Back to the Future - I3S
Member
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2019 - 2019 Member of the Organizing Committee of Symposium - From InCell to ExCell - PhD Program MCBiology Symposium
Member
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal

Course / Discipline taught

Academic session Degree Subject (Type) Institution / Organization
2024 - 2024 Tension- driven axon elongation class as part of "Neurobiology of Aging and Disease " course Neurobiologia (Mestrado integrado) Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal
2023 - 2023 Tension- driven axon elongation class as part of "Neurobiology of Aging and Disease " course Neurobiologia (Mestrado integrado) Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal
2022 - 2022 Tension- driven axon elongation class as part of "Neurobiology of Aging and Disease " course Neurobiologia (Mestrado integrado) Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal
2020/11/27 - 2020/11/27 Tension- driven axon elongation class as part of "Neurobiology of Aging and Disease " course (Mestrado) Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal
2018/05/28 - 2018/06/01 In vitro cultures of neurons and glia and animal models of nerve and spinal cord injury and neurolipids in axon growth, myelination, degeneration and regeneration Doctoral Program in Areas of Basic and Applied Biology (Doutoramento) Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal
Distinctions

Award

2019 Christian Boulin Fellowship
European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Germany
2018 Bluepharma Innovation Award
2017 Foundation Prof. Ernesto Morais - Best Oral Presentation in Neuroscience
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal
2012 Award of Merit from Agrupamento das Escolas de Oliveira do Douro / Prémio de Mérito Agrupamento das Escolas de Oliveira do Douro

Other distinction

2022 Travel Grant - EMBO Arolla
2018 FCT Studentships
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal