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Susana Mendonça (SM) is currently doing a PhD in Biomedicine in the Faculty of Medicine of Porto University understanding the interplay between oncogenic alterations and the tumour microenvironment in colorectal cancer stemness. SM received a master degree in Biomedical Technologies, MSc., in 2015 from Instituto Superior Técnico of Lisbon University. Previously, SM graduated in Biomedical Sciences in Histocellular Pathology, BSc., in 2012 from Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa of Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa. She is a researcher at i3S in the Epithelial Interactions in Cancer (EPIC) group since 2017 under the supervision of Dr. Sérgia Velho and co-supervision of Dr. Maria José Oliveira. There she studied the crosstalk between tumor microenvironment (particularly tumor-associated fibroblasts) and colorectal cancer cells as part of a FCT funded project entitled ¿Tackling cancer stem cells: a challenge and an opportunity to advance in anti-cancer therapy (CANCERSTEM)¿. Previously, she worked in the Cell Cycle Regulation (CCR) laboratory of Dr. Mónica Bettencourt-Dias at Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (2013 to 2017) as an Electron Microscopy Technician, where she studied the regulation of cell proliferation with an emphasis on centrioles and cilia. From her laboratory experience in the fields of molecular biology, biotechnology, medical and health sciences, SM acquired expertise in: working with in vitro models (cell lines and primary cultures); in vivo models, in particular mouse models of colorectal carcinogenesis (FELASA Category B); molecular biology techniques (such as Westernblotting, PCR, RT-qPCR and flow cytometry); histopathology techniques (fixation, processing, embedding, sectioning, staining and immunostaining) and electron microscopy techniques (negative staining, chemical fixation, freeze substitution, high pressure-freezing, cryo-ultramicrotomy, tomography and 3D modeling).
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Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Susana Mendonça Oliveira

Citation names

  • Mendonça, S

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
A215-4435-A06B
ORCID iD
0000-0001-9566-4026

Email addresses

  • smendonca@ipatimup.pt (Professional)

Telephones

Telephone
  • 220408800 Ext.: 6118 (Professional)

Addresses

  • Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135, Porto, Porto, Portugal (Professional)

Websites

Knowledge fields

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

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
English Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2)
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
Spanish; Castilian Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1)
French Elementary (A2) Elementary (A2) Elementary (A2) Elementary (A2) Elementary (A2)
Education
Degree Classification
2019/09/10 - 2023/12/31
Ongoing
 Biomedicina (Doutoramento)
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal
"The role of BRAFV600E mutation and inflammation in the development of MSI colorectal cancer" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
2015/11/12
Concluded
 Tecnologias Biomédicas (Mestrado)
Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
"Protocol optimization for the ultrastructural preservation of cilia in Drosophila melanogaster´s antenna" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 16 valores
2012/10/24
Concluded
 Anatomia Patológica, Citológica e Tanatológica (Licenciatura)
Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa, Portugal
"Comparação da fixação em formalina e em fixador molecular e sua influência em técnicas histoquímicas em tecido hepático" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 15
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2017/01/01 - Current Researcher (Research) Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2013/06/04 - 2016/12/31 Researcher (Research) Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
Projects

Grant

Designation Funders
2020/01/01 - 2023/12/31 The interplay between oncogenic alterations and the tumour microenvironment in colorectal cancer stemness
SFRH/BD/143642/2019
PhD Student Fellow
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
 Associação para a Inovação e Desenvolvimento da FCT
Ongoing
2017/01/01 - 2019/12/31 Tackling cancer stem cells: a challenge and an opportunity to advance in anti-cancer therapy (CANCERSTEM)
POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016390
Master Student Fellow
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
 Associação para a Inovação e Desenvolvimento da FCT
Ongoing
Outputs

Publications

Book chapter
  1. Mendes, N.; Carvalho, Patrícia Dias; Martins, Flávia; Mendonça, Susana; Malheiro, A. R.; Ribeiro, Andreia; Carvalho, Joana; VELHO, SERGIA. "Animal Models to Study Cancer and Its Microenvironment". In Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 389-401. Springer International Publishing, 2020.
    Published • 10.1007/978-3-030-34025-4_20
  2. Jana, Swadhin Chandra; Mendonça, Susana; Werner, Sascha; Bettencourt-Dias, Monica. "Methods to Study Centrosomes and Cilia in Drosophila". In Methods in Molecular Biology, 215-236. Springer New York, 2016.
    Published • 10.1007/978-1-4939-3789-9_14
Conference abstract
  1. Bettencourt-Dias, M.; Jana, S.C.; Machado, P.; Rocha, J.; Mendonça, S.; Werner, S.. "The architectural landscape of diverse ciliary functions". 2015.
    10.1186/2046-2530-4-S1-O13
Conference poster
  1. Mendonça, S. "Fibroblasts, cancer stem-like cells, and KRAS-inhibited tolerant cells: The three resisters united to preclude therapy response". Paper presented in III ASPIC-ASEICA International Meeting – Cancer Immunology, Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis, 2023.
  2. Mendonça, S. "Três tristes triggers: Fibroblastos, células estaminais de cancro e células tolerantes à inibição de KRAS promovem resistência à terapia". Paper presented in 5º Encontro Nacional de Jovens Investigadores em Oncologia, 2023.
  3. Mendonça, S. "Fibroblasts, cancer stem-like cells, and KRAS-inhibited tolerant cells: The three resisters united to preclude therapy response". Paper presented in Targeting RAS: New challenges and avenues, 2023.
  4. Mendonça, S. "How fibroblasts, KRAS inhibition and cancer stem cells can modulate therapy resistance". Paper presented in 9th McBiology Symposium, 2023.
  5. Mendonça, S. "O menos bom, o mau e o vilão: inibição de KRAS, células estaminais de cancro e fibroblastos modelam a resistência à terapia.". Paper presented in 4º Encontro Nacional de Jovens Investigadores em Oncologia, 2022.
  6. Mendonça, Susana. "Fibroblasts-secreted factors restore the colonosphere forming potential lost upon KRAS inhibition". Paper presented in 8th McBiology Symposium, 2022.
  7. Mendonça, S. "Fibroblasts-secreted factors restore the colonosphere forming potential lost upon KRAS inhibition". Paper presented in II ASPIC-ASEICA International Meeting - Current Trends in Precision Medicine in Cancer, 2021.
  8. Mendonça, S. "Os fatores secretados pelos fibroblastos promovem o potencial estaminal em cancro colorretal e induzem resistência à inibição do KRAS". Paper presented in 3º Encontro Nacional de Jovens Investigadores em Oncologia, 2021.
  9. Mendonça, S; Dias Carvalho, Patrícia; Roma, André; Ribeiro, Andreia; Martins, Flávia; Machado, Ana Luisa; Sousa, Bárbara; Oliveira, Maria José; VELHO, SERGIA. "Fibroblasts-secreted factors overcome KRAS inhibition inducing colorectal cancer stem cell properties". Paper presented in EACR 2021 Virtual Congress: Innovative Cancer Science, 2021.
  10. Mendonça, S; Dias Carvalho, Patrícia; Roma, André; Ribeiro, Andreia; Martins, Flávia; Machado, Ana Luisa; Sousa, Bárbara; Oliveira, Maria José; VELHO, SERGIA. "Lifting the veil on resistance mechanisms to KRAS inhibition: Fibroblasts restore the cancer stemness potential lost upon KRAS silencing". Paper presented in 27th Porto Cancer Meeting - Stemness & Metastasis: Advances in Research and Clinical Translation, 2021.
  11. Mendonça, S; Dias Carvalho, Patrícia; Cardoso, P; Martins, F; Ribeiro, A.; Oliveira, Maria José; VELHO, SERGIA. "The role of fibroblasts on colorectal cancer stem-like properties". Paper presented in 3rd PhDay - Back to the Future, 2020.
  12. Mendonça, S; Dias Carvalho, P.; Cardoso, P; Martins, F; Ribeiro, A; Oliveira, Maria José; VELHO, SERGIA. "O papel dos fibroblastos na aquisição de propriedades estaminais nas células de cancro colorretal". Paper presented in 2º Encontro Nacional de Jovens Investigadores em Oncologia, 2020.
  13. Mendonça, Susana; Carvalho, Patrícia Dias; Cardoso, Patrícia; Martins, Flávia; Ribeiro, Andreia; Oliveira, Maria José; VELHO, SERGIA. "The role of fibroblasts on colorectal cancer stem-like properties". Paper presented in EACR-AACR ASPIC Conference: Tumor Microenvironment, 2020.
  14. Mendonça, Susana; Carvalho, Patrícia Dias; VELHO, SERGIA. "The role of fibroblasts on colorectal cancer stem-like properties". Paper presented in 7th i3S annual meeting, 2018.
Journal article
  1. Susana Mendonça Oliveira; Patrícia Dias Carvalho; Patrícia Oliveira; Andreia Ribeiro; Carvalho J; Flávia Martins; Ana Luísa Machado; Maria José Oliveira; Sérgia Velho. "Fibroblasts Promote Resistance to KRAS Silencing in Colorectal Cancer Cells". Cancers (2024): https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/14/2595.
    10.3390/cancers16142595
  2. Werner, Sascha; Okenve-Ramos, Pilar; Hehlert, Philip ; Zitouni, Sihem; Priya, Pranjali ; Mendonça, S; Sporbert, Anje; et al. "IFT88 maintains sensory function by localising signalling proteins along Drosophila cilia". Life Science Alliance. (2024):
    Accepted
  3. Dias Carvalho, Patrícia; Martins, Flávia; Mendonça, S; Ribeiro, Andreia; Machado, Ana Luísa; Carvalho, Joana; Oliveira, Maria José; Velho, Sérgia. "Mutant KRAS modulates colorectal cancer cells invasive response to fibroblast-secreted factors through the HGF/C-MET axis". International Journal of Cancer 151 10 (2022): 1810-1823. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ijc.34225.
    Published • 10.1002/ijc.34225
  4. Patrícia Dias Carvalho; Susana Mendonça; Flávia Martins; MJ Oliveira, Maria J Oliveira, M J Oliveira; Sérgia Velho. "Modulation of Fibroblast Phenotype by Colorectal Cancer Cell-Secreted Factors Is Mostly Independent of Oncogenic KRAS". Cells (2022): https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/11/16/2490.
    10.3390/cells11162490
  5. Werner, Sascha; Zitouni, Sihem; Okenve-Ramos, Pilar; Mendonça, Susana; Sporbert, Anje; Spalthoff, Christian; Göpfert, Martin; Jana, Swadhin Chandra; Bettencourt-Dias, Mónica. "IFT88 transports Gucy2d, a guanylyl cyclase, to maintain sensory cilia function in Drosophila". BioRxiv (2020): https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.15.417840v1.
    Published
  6. Jana, Swadhin Chandra; Mendonça, Susana; Machado, Pedro; Werner, Sascha; Rocha, Jaqueline; Pereira, António; Maiato, Helder; Bettencourt-Dias, Mónica. "Differential regulation of transition zone and centriole proteins contributes to ciliary base diversity". Nature Cell Biology 20 8 (2018): 928-941. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41556-018-0132-1.
    Published • 10.1038/s41556-018-0132-1
  7. Marteil, Gaëlle; Guerrero, Adan; Vieira, André F.; de Almeida, Bernardo P.; Machado, Pedro; Mendonça, Susana; Mesquita, Marta; et al. "Over-elongation of centrioles in cancer promotes centriole amplification and chromosome missegregation". Nature Communications 9 1 (2018): http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-03641-x.
    Published • 10.1038/s41467-018-03641-x
  8. Carvalho, P.D.; Guimarães, C.F.; Cardoso, A.P.; Mendonça, S.; Costa, Â.M.; Oliveira, M.J.; Velho, S.. "KRAS oncogenic signaling extends beyond cancer cells to orchestrate the microenvironment". Cancer Research 78 1 (2018): 7-14. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85040196244&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-17-2084
  9. Chen JV; Kao LR; Jana SC; Sivan-Loukianova E; Mendonça S; Cabrera OA; Singh P; et al. "Rootletin organizes the ciliary rootlet to achieve neuron sensory function in Drosophila.". The Journal of Cell Biology 211 2 (2015): 435-453. http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/26483560.
    Published • 10.1083/jcb.201502032
  10. Correia, Ana Catarina; Mendonça, Susana Patrícia; Ladeira, Carina. "Comparação da fixação em formalina e em fixador molecular e sua influência em técnicas histoquímicas em tecido hepático". Mícron 17 (2013): 16-22. http://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/3786.
    Published
Preprint
  1. Martins, Flávia; Machado, Ana Luísa; Ribeiro, Andreia; Mendonça, S; Carvalho, Joana; Matthiesen, Rune; Backman, Vadim; Velho, Sérgia. "KRAS silencing impacts chromatin organization and transcriptional activity in colorectal cancer cells". 2024. http://dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3752760/v2.
    10.21203/rs.3.rs-3752760/v2

Other

Other output
  1. Lab in a Box. Designed some protocols in the biology field for primary and secondary school students in Cape Verde. Our goal was to bring science to these students by providing simple experiments that use inexpensive, easily available or provided materials. Project by IGC, Ministry of Education of Cape Verde, the UNESCO National Commission of Cape Verde and Instituto Camões. 2016. Mendonça, Susana.
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2022 The (not so) good, the bad and the ugly: Fibroblasts, cancer stem cells and resistance to KRAS inhibition 5th PhDay: “Building Paths: The Science Behind Us”
Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S) (Porto, Portugal)

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event 		Event name
Institution / Organization
2021/07/06 - 2021/07/07 Conference on the key aspects of career development in cancer research and how to develop a successful and rigorous translational cancer research programme.
Conference
 EACR Early Career Researchers' Conference
2020/04 - 2020/06 RNA extraction team at COVID-19 diagnosis I3S Task-Force
Other
 COVID-19 I3S taskforce
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2020/03/02 - 2020/03/04 Conference on the current state of the TME field and application of that knowledge on the development of effective and broadly applicable anti-cancer therapies for long-term management of disease
Conference
 EACR-AACR ASPIC Conference: Tumor Microenvironment
European Association For Cancer Research, United Kingdom

American Association for Cancer Research, United States
2019/10/07 - 2019/10/10 This 28 hours workshop provides a firm understanding of the principles and applications of Flow Cytometry, combining theoretical and practical sessions.
Workshop
 Flow Cytometry Workshop: From basic knowledge to advanced applications.
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2018/10/26 - 2018/10/26 Conferência sobre Cancro Colorretal em Portugal
Conference
 Cancro Colorretal em Portugal: Da investigação à prevenção e ao tratamento
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2017/05/29 - 2017/06/01 Workshop with theoretical and practical sessions on cancer research.
Workshop
 VII Workshop on Cancer Research: Biological and Molecular Basis
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2017/04/20 - 2017/04/20 Volunteer in outreach activity "15ª Mostra UPorto"
Exhibition
 15ª Mostra UPorto
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2016/10/28 - 2016/10/28 Instructor
Meeting
 First Portuguese Electron Microscopy Technical Meeting
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
2016/10/01 - 2016/10/01 Volunteer in outreach activity "Dia Aberto do Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência"
Exhibition
 Dia Aberto do Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
2016/09/26 - 2016/09/29 IGC's 20 hours Practical Course on Animal Handling and Experimentation in Mice and Zebrafish
Workshop
 FELASA Category B Course on Laboratory Animal Sciences
Sociedade Portuguesa de Ciências em Animais de Laboratório, Portugal

Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
2016/06/14 - 2016/06/24 Hands on Course for Advanced methods of electron microscopy in cell biology
Workshop
 EMBO practical course on Advanced methods of electron microscopy in cell biology
Akademická Knihovna Jihoceské Univerzity v Ceských Budejovicích, Czech Republic
2015/06/10 - 2015/06/10 Volunteer in outreach activity "Bolsas NOS Alive"
Festival
 NOS Alive
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal

Association member

Society Organization name Role
2019/09/01 - 2020/10/01 Ipatimup/ I3S PhD students' representative

Committee member

Activity description
Role 		Institution / Organization
2019/09/30 - Current i3S Canteen User's Committee
Member
 Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal

Course / Discipline taught

Academic session Degree Subject (Type) Institution / Organization
2023/04 - Current Teacher of Pathology II Physiology and Pathology I (Licenciatura) Instituto Politecnico do Porto Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto, Portugal
2023/09 - 2024/01 Teacher of Pathology I Physiology and Pathology I (Licenciatura) Instituto Politecnico do Porto Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto, Portugal

Mentoring / Tutoring

Topic Student name
2022/09/15 - Current Teach and supervise practical laboratory work, in particullar cell culture and western blotting Catarina Costa
2021/09/30 - 2022/10/01 Teach and supervise practical laboratory work, in particullar cell culture, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry Tânia Vieira
2020/09 - 2021/12 Teach and supervise practical laboratory work, in particullar cell culture, western blotting and flow cytometry. Diogo Coelho
2018/11 - 2019/07 Teach and supervise practical laboratory work, in particullar cell culture and western blotting technique Allal Badr-Eddine
Distinctions

Award

2022 Best oral communication
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2022 EMBO Travel grant
2016 EMBO Travel grant