Short Biography
I am leading the Cell Line Development and Molecular Virology team as Head of Lab since 2009.
In this role I have led and managed national and international projects in the areas of applied virology with the aim to provide therapeutic solutions for human healthcare. My research areas are gene therapy and vaccines R&D; the research comprises the development of expression systems, development of cell substrates and cell lines, designing and engineering recombinant virus and viral particles, and development of enabling tools for virus research. Our research has been contributing for development of novel viral vectors and VLPs and the advancement of manufacturing of gammaretroviral, lentiviral, adenoviral and adeno-associated vectors. Additionally, we have developed novel tools for viral vector expression, cell line screening and virus detection. I am also involved in teaching activities, in several master programs in the biological sciences field and I am responsible for a PhD-level course in ATMPs (Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products).
I hold an MSc in Biochemistry from the Faculty of Sciences, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal (1999) and a PhD in Gene Therapy performed at Généthon (France), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (Germany) and iBET (Portugal), granted by ITQB NOVA (Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier) Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (2005). My past professional experience includes roles as Auxiliary and Principal Researcher at ITQB, MIT Portugal and The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine at NOVA University Lisbon.