PhD Student, Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa (FCUL), Lisboa, Portugal. (2017 to present)
Work financed by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT – ref. SFRH/BD/128827/2017)
2016-2017 – Research Fellow (MSc), Forest Biotech Lab, Instituto de BIologia Experimental e Tecnológica (iBET) – ITQB NOVA, Oeiras, Portugal
2014-2016 – Researcher and team leader, Laboratório de Investigação e Micropropagação de Plantas, InProPlant – Investigação e Propagação de Plantas, Lda., Coimbra, Portugal
2013-2014 – Research trainee, Associação UC InProPlant – Investigação, Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Internacionalização, Coimbra
Msc 2012 in Plant Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Universidade de Coimbra
Phone (+351) | Extension 22458
Email | Lab website
Thesis:
Ensaios de embriogénese somática e transformação genética em tamarilho (Cyphomandra betacea (Cav.) Sendt.) (2012) Alves, A. Tese de Mestrado. Universidade de Coimbra
Research Interests
I am a PhD student working on the characterization of functional roles of candidate miRNAs in conifer embryogenesis.
Developmental differences observed during embryogenesis of gymnosperm and angiosperm species may be achieved by differential control of gene expression. As major regulators of gene expression it is expected that sRNAs play a role in the appearance of such differences. Considering that miRNA functions and auxin responses are crucial for embryo patterning, we propose to characterize the functional roles of candidate miRNAs putatively involved in such processes during the developmental transition of conifer embryos to the cotyledonary stage. A conifer in vitro embryogenesis model system is being used for functional characterization studies. Abnormal embryo phenotypes resulting from inducible down and/or up regulation of candidate miRNAs and their target genes will be analyzed ultimately leading to the proposal of models for candidate mode of action.
Latest Publications
Papers in International scientific periodicals and books:
Alves A, Caeiro A, Isabel Correia S, Veríssimo P & Canhoto J. Establishment and biochemical characterization of tamarillo (Solanum betaceum Cav.) embryogenic cell suspension cultures. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology – Plant (2017).
Correia SI, Alves AC, Veríssimo P, Canhoto JM (2016) Somatic Embryogenesis in Broad-Leaf Woody Plants: What We Can Learn from Proteomics, in: MA Germana and M Lambardi (eds), Methods in Molecular Biology – In Vitro Embryogenesis in Higher Plants, Springer, Berlin
Oral comunications:
Alves A, Rodrigues A, Lopes S, Perdiguero P, Costa B, Chaves I, Confraria A, Miguel C (2018) Transcriptional identification and characterization of differentially expressed miRNAs involved in conifer embryogenesis. IUFRO Working Party 2.09.02: “Clonal trees in the bio-economy age: opportunities and challenges”. September 9-14, Coimbra, Portugal
Poster:
Alves A, Rodrigues A, Lopes S, Perdiguero P, Costa B, Chaves I, Confraria A, Miguel C (2019) Validation of in vivo interaction between miRNAs and their putative target transcripts playing a crucial role in conifer embryogenesis. IUFRO Tree Biotechnology 2019 Meeting. June 23-28, Raleigh, NC, USA
Alves A, Rodrigues A, Lopes S, Perdiguero P, Costa B, Chaves I, Miguel C (2018) Characterizing functional roles of candidate miRNAs in conifer embryogenesis. EMBO Workshop: New shores in land plant evolution. June 20-23, Lisbon, Portugal