Rafaela Gonçalves Cabral (F712-8D6A-CDC7)

Curriculum Vitae

Rafaela Gonçalves Cabral

Rafaela G. Cabral is a PhD student and research member at Centro de Química Estrutural (CQE), Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), ULisboa. She completed her MSc (2021) and BSc (2018) studies at Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa (ISEL-IPL) and held two research fellowships (2021-2022) at ISEL-IPL and CQE/IST, collaborating with Profs. Ana Catarina Sousa (biobased polymeric films), Paula Robalo (organic chemistry), Rita Pacheco (biological activities studies), Alexander Kirillov (bio-inorganic chemistry), and Tiago Fernandes (coordination chemistry). RGC has co-authored 3 scientific publications, including a journal back cover, and is the primary author of one scientific publication. RGC is co-author in several conference posters, being 3 elected for best poster awards. Her research interests focus on the organic and coordination synthesis of bioactive compounds, and the production of biobased biopolymer films for antimicrobial applications. Her current work involves the synthesis and characterization of bioactive coordination polymers and metal-organic frameworks (bioMOFs), the production and characterization of biobased polymeric films for drug delivery systems, and the development of hybrid eco-friendly materials for antimicrobial applications. As part of her research project, she spent 3 months developing new polymeric materials, namely hydrogels, at the Cracow University of Technology, Poland. RGC research pathway has allowed her to develop skills in analytical techniques such as IR spectroscopy, multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, ESI-MS, and TGA, as well as an interest and skills in antibacterial and cytotoxicity assays.

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Identification

Personal identification

Full name: Rafaela Gonçalves Cabral

Citation names

Cabral, Rafaela G.

Author identifiers

Ciência ID: F712-8D6A-CDC7

Email addresses

rafaela.cabral@tecnico.ulisboa.pt (Professional)

Knowledge fields

Engineering and Technology - Chemical Engineering
Exact Sciences - Chemical Sciences

Languages

Language	Speaking	Reading	Writing	Listening	Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English	Intermediate (B1)	Upper intermediate (B2)	Intermediate (B1)	Intermediate (B1)	Intermediate (B1)

Education

	Degree	Classification
2022/11 - 2026/11 Ongoing	Chemistry (Doutoramento) Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal "BioCoat: Hybrid Biopolymer Coatings for Antimicrobial Applications" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
2021/10 - 2022/09 Concluded	Scientific Research Methodologies and Techniques (Diploma de especialização) Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
2018/09 - 2021/07 Concluded	Chemical and Biological Engineering (Mestrado) Major in Chemical Processes Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Portugal "Síntese Assistida por Micro-Ondas de Derivados da 1,4-Naftoquinona, Caracterização, Estudo Eletroquímico e Análise In Silico" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)	17
2015/09 - 2018/06 Concluded	Chemical and Biological Engineering (Licenciatura) Major in Chemical Engineering Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Portugal	14

Affiliation

Others

	Category Host institution	Employer
2021/10 - 2022/10	Research Fellow	Universidade de Lisboa Centro de Química Estrutural, Portugal
	Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal (...)
2020/11 - 2021/05	Research Fellow	Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Portugal
	Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Portugal
2017 - 2018	Research Collaborator	Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Portugal

Projects

Grant

	Designation	Funders
2022/04 - 2022/09	UIDB/00100/2020 (1801P.00974.1.01.01 / CC 930204) UIDB/00100/2020 (1801P.00974.1.01.01 / CC 930204) Research Fellow
2021/10 - 2022/03	MOFbioFILM: Estruturas Metal-Orgânicas Bioativas Multifuncionais como Novos Agentes Anti-Biofilme PTDC/QUIQIN/29697 Research Fellow Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
2020/11 - 2021/05	HyBioPol: Novos filmes de biopolímeros híbridos para aplicações microbianas IPL/IDI&CA2020/HyBioPol Scientific Initiation Fellow Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Portugal	Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa Concluded

Contract

	Designation	Funders
2024 - Current	Incorporando Coordenação e (Bio)Polímeros em Materiais Antimicrobianos Impressos em 3D 2023.14308.PEX Membro	Ongoing
2024 - Current	Gel2Heal - Hidrogéis multifuncionais com propriedades antimicrobianas para cicatrização de feridas Gel2Heal Membro
2022 - 2023	3DBioProd - Desenvolvimento de misturas ambientalmente sustentáveis para impressão 3D de produtos biocompatíveis PL/2022/3DBioProd_ISEL Other Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Portugal	Concluded

Outputs

Publications

Conference poster	Tiago A. Fernandes; Jorge, Paula; Ana Catarina Cardoso de Sousa; Chris H.J. Franco; André, Vânia; Cabral, Rafaela G.; Inês F.M. Costa; et al. "Bio-Inspired Shielding: Exploring Degradable Biopolymer Films for Antibacterial Applications". Paper presented in CQE Days 2024, 2024. Cabral, Rafaela G.; Fernandes, Tiago A.; Macedo, Filipa; Jorge, Paula; Franco, Chris H. J.; Guiu, Telma; André, Vânia; et al. "Synthesis, Characterization and Antimicrobial Activity of Hybrid Biopolymer Films Doped with Bioactive Coordination Compounds". Paper presented in XXVIII Encontro Nacional da SPQ, 2023. Tiago A. Fernandes; Costa, Inês F.M.; Jorge, Paula; Ana Catarina Cardoso de Sousa; André, Vânia; Cabral, Rafaela G.; Kirillova, Marina V.; Cerca, Nuno; Kirillov, Alexander M.. "Degradable Starch-Based Biopolymer Films Doped with Coordination Compounds for Antibacterial Applications". Paper presented in CQE Days 2023, 2023. Cabral, Rafaela G.; Macedo, Filipa; Guiu, Telma; Tiago A. Fernandes; Jorge, Paula; Franco, Chris H. J.; André, Vânia; et al. "Hybrid biopolymer films doped with bioactive coordination compounds: synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activity". Paper presented in CQE Days 2023, 2023. Franco, Chris H. J.; Macedo, Filipa; G. Cabral, Rafaela; Fernandes, Tiago A.; Sousa, Ana C.; Cerca, Nuno; Kirillov, Alexander M.. "Copper(II) coordination polymers driven by aliphatic dicarboxylate linkers: Self-assembly, structural features and antimicrobial activity". Paper presented in CQE days: 27-29 maio, FCUL/ULisboa, Lisboa, Portugal, 2022. Viegas, Gonçalo; G. Cabral, Rafaela; Pacheco, Rita; Robalo, Maria P.; Sousa, Ana Catarina. "Electrochemestry and evaluation of cytotoxic and AChE inhibition activities od 1,4- and 1,2-naphthoquinone derivatives". Paper presented in CQE days: 27-29 maio, FCUL/ULisboa, Lisboa, Portugal, 2022. Fernandes, T.A.; Costa, I.F.M.; Sousa, A.C.; Jorge, P.; Cabral, R.G.; André, V.; Cerca, N.; Kirillov, A.M.. "Hybrid biopolymer films doped by bioactive coordination polymers for antibacterial and antibiofilm applications". Paper presented in CQE days: 27-29 maio, FCUL/ULisboa, Lisboa, Portugal, 2022. Fernandes, Tiago A.; Costa, Inês F.M.; Sousa, Ana Catarina; Jorge, Paula; Cabral, Rafaela G.; André, Vânia; Cerca, Nuno; Kirillov, Alexander M.. "Hybrid Silver(I)-Doped Biopolymer Films to Tackle Bacterial Biofilms". Paper presented in 13th IBCC Inorganic & Bioinorganic Chemistry Conference: 29-30 março, Anfiteatro Carlos Borrego/Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal, 2022. Franco, Chris H. J.; Macedo, Filipa; Cabral, Rafaela G.; Fernandes, Tiago A.; Sousa, Ana C.; Cerca, Nuno; Kirillov, Alexander M.. "Copper(II) Dicarboxylate Coordination Polymer with Antibacterial Activity". Paper presented in 13th IBCC Inorganic & Bioinorganic Chemistry Conference: 29-30 março, Anfiteatro Carlos Borrego/Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal, 2022. Cabral, Rafaela; Bragança, Ivo Manuel; Sousa, Ana Catarina. "Hybrid Zein and Shellac based films aspotential materials for drug delivery systems". Paper presented in 15th International conference on materials chemistry (MC15): 12-15 julho, evento online, 2021. Sousa, Ana Catarina; Cabral, Rafaela; Patronilo, Mariana; Bragança, Ivo M.. "Biobased polymeric films for drug delivery systems". Paper presented in CQE Days: 27-28 maio, evento online, 2021. Sousa, Ana; Cabral, Rafaela; Costa, João; Robalo, Maria. "Synthesis of 1,4-naphthoquinones derivatives under non-conventional conditions and in silico studies". Paper presented in 6th International Electronic Conference on Medicinal Chemistry: 1-30 novembro, evento online, 2020. Sousa, Ana Catarina; Cabral, Rafaela; Costa, João; Robalo, Maria Paula. "Microwave assisted synthesisof substituted 4-arylamino-1,4-naphthoquinones with potential biological properties". Paper presented in International Symposium on Synthesis and Catalysis 2019 (ISySyCat2019): 3-6 setembro, Colégio de Espirito Santo/Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal, 2019. Sousa, Ana Catarina; Henriques, Catarina; Cabral, Rafaela; Piedade, M. Fátima M.M.; Robalo, Maria Paula. "Improving the synthesis of bioactive molecules using microwave irradiation". Paper presented in 4ECQUL - 4th Meeting of the College of Chemistry: 16-19 julho, Salão Nobre/ULisboa, Lisboa, Portugal, 2019.
Journal article	Fernandes, Tiago A.; Macedo, Filipa; Cabral, Rafaela G.; Guiu, Telma; Franco, Chris H. J.; Jorge, Paula; Sousa, Ana Catarina; et al. "Sulfonyldibenzoate coordination polymers as bioactive dopants for polysaccharide films with antibacterial and antibiofilm properties". RSC Applied Interfaces 1 1 (2024): 98-109. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/d3lf00123g. Published • 10.1039/d3lf00123g Cabral, Rafaela G.; Viegas, Gonçalo; Pacheco, Rita; Sousa, Ana Catarina; Robalo, Maria Paula. "Sustainable Synthesis, Antiproliferative and Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition of 1,4- and 1,2-Naphthoquinone Derivatives". Molecules 28 3 (2023): 1232. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules28031232. Published • 10.3390/molecules28031232 Fernandes, Tiago A.; Costa, Inês F.M.; Jorge, Paula; Sousa, Ana Catarina; André, Vânia; Cabral, Rafaela G.; Cerca, Nuno; Kirillov, Alexander M.. "Hybrid Silver(I)-Doped Soybean Oil and Potato Starch Biopolymer Films to Combat Bacterial Biofilms". ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 14 (2022): 25104-25114. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsami.2c03010. Published • 10.1021/acsami.2c03010
Thesis / Dissertation	Cabral, Rafaela. "Síntese Assistida por Micro-Ondas de Derivados da 1,4-Naftoquinona, Caracterização, Estudo Eletroquímico e Análise In Silico". Master, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, 2021.

Artistic / Performance

Visual artwork

Tiago A. Fernandes; Macedo, Filipa; Cabral, Rafaela G.; Guiu, Telma; Franco, Chris H. J.; Jorge, Paula; Ana Catarina Cardoso de Sousa; et al. Sulfonyldibenzoate coordination polymers as bioactive dopants for polysaccharide films with antibacterial and antibiofilm properties.
https://doi.org/10.1039/D4LF90009J

Activities

Event organisation

	Event name Type of event (Role)	Institution / Organization
2024/01/23 - 2024/01/24	"European Meeting on C-H Activation", organized by the IST/University of Lisbon as a part of the ITN CHAIR project; January 23-24, 2024, Pavilion of Knowledge (Pavilhão do Conhecimento, Centro Ciência Viva), Lisbon, Portugal. https://chair-itn.eu/events/final-meeting/ (2024/01/23 - 2024/01/24) Meeting (Member of the Organising Committee)
2018/09 - 2019/05	Member of the organizing committee of the event Forum de Engenharia Química e Biológica (2014) Meeting (Member of the Organising Committee)	Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Portugal

Event participation

	Activity description Type of event	Event name Institution / Organization
2022/01/27 - 2022/01/28	2D Materials for Biomedical Applications Workshop	UT Austin Portugal, Portugal
2021/06/14 - 2021/06/17	FUR4Sustain 1st training school Workshop	European Cooperation in Science and Technology, Belgium
2019/10/21 - 2019/10/25	Modern Methods of Structure Elucidation Workshop	Universidade de Lisboa Centro de Química Estrutural, Portugal

Committee member

	Activity description Role	Institution / Organization
2018/09 - 2021/07	Member of the coordinating committee of Master's students in Chemical and Biological Engineering Member	Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Portugal

Distinctions

Award

2019	Best Poster in the Life & Health division at the "Chemistry: Shaping the Future & 2019 Summer School" event

Other distinction

2022	PhD fellowship Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal
2019	Merit Scholarship Direção-Geral do Ensino Superior, Portugal