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Liliana Santos holds an MSc in Molecular Oncology from the Abel Salazar Biomedical Sciences Institute, University of Porto, and a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra. Her doctoral research, conducted at the iCBR (Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra) and ICNAS Pharma Unipessoal, Lda., focused on elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying brain metastasis formation in HER2+ breast cancer. Through her work, she identified key factors contributing to blood-brain barrier dysfunction, paving the way for novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Since October 2024, Liliana has been a researcher on the European Union-funded project CHAngeing – Connected Hubs in Ageing: Healthy Living to Protect Cerebrovascular Function at iCBR. Her work focuses on evaluating the impact of bioactive compounds from the Mediterranean Diet in preventing blood-brain barrier dysfunction in cerebrovascular diseases.
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Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Liliana Santos

Citation names

  • Santos, Liliana
  • Santos, L

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
5E1A-2C3C-DBB8
ORCID iD
0000-0003-2525-9572

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
French Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1)
English Upper intermediate (B2) Upper intermediate (B2) Upper intermediate (B2) Upper intermediate (B2) Upper intermediate (B2)
Education
Degree Classification
2020/07 - 2025/01/22
Concluded
 Pharmaceutical Sciences (Doutoramento)
Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
"Uncovering the mechanisms behind blood-brain barrier dysfunction in HER2+ breast cancer brain metastasis: a step toward new therapeutic approaches" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
2019/11/04 - 2019/11/15
Concluded
 III Modular Training in Laboratory Animal Science (Outros)
Major in Especialização em Function A
Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
 17.3
2015/09 - 2017/12
Concluded
 Molecular Oncology (Mestrado)
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal
"Role of Mitochondrial Dynamics in Hürthle Cell Tumors: Coupling, Uncoupling and Fission" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 18
2012/09 - 2015/07
Concluded
 Biochemistry (Licenciatura)
Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
 15
Affiliation

Others

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2024/10 - Current Research Fellow (Project: CHAngeing – Connected Hubs in Ageing: Healthy Living to Protect Cerebrovascular Function) Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal
2020/07 - 2025/01 PhD Student in Pharmaceutical Sciences Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
Universidade de Coimbra Instituto de Ciências Nucleares Aplicadas à Saúde, Portugal
2019/10/01 - 2020/03/31 Research Fellow (Project: BrainHealth 2020 – Early detection, neuromodulation and advance therapies for neuropathologies) Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia, Portugal
2018/05/01 - 2019/09/30 Research Fellow (Project: Tackling CANcer STEM CELls: a challenge and an opportunity to advance in anti-cancer therapy) Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia, Portugal
2016/04 - 2018/03 MSc student in Molecular Oncology Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
Projects

Contract

Designation Funders
2024/10 - Current CHAngeing – Connected Hubs in Ageing: Healthy Living to Protect Cerebrovascular Function
101087071
Research Fellow
Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal
Ongoing
2019/10/01 - 2020/03/31 BrainHealth 2020 – Early detection, neuromodulation and advance therapies for neuropathologies
CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-000008
Research Fellow
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2018/05/01 - 2019/09/30 Tackling CANcer STEM CELls: a challenge and an opportunity to advance in anti-cancer therapy
SAICTPAC/0022/2015
Research Fellow
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded
Outputs

Publications

Book chapter
  1. Alves, Raquel; Jorge, Joana; Lapa, Beatriz Santos; Ribeiro, Ilda P.; Teles, Paulo; Góis, Inês Nobre; Santos, Liliana; et al. "Altered cell cycle regulation in the development of resistance". In Resistance in Hematologic Malignancies and Cancer, 193-213. Elsevier, 2025.
    10.1016/b978-0-443-21790-6.00005-5
Conference poster
  1. Santos, Liliana; Tomatis, Francesca; Ferreira, Hugo R. S.; Almeida, Sara F.F.; Edward Ciputra; Sereno, José Vitor Oliveira; Moreira, João Nuno; et al. "Tumor-secreted ENPP1 modulates BBB dysfunction during early brain metastatic progression". Paper presented in Brain Tumor Conference, 2024.
  2. Santos, Liliana; Hrynchak, Ivanna; Sereno, José Vitor Oliveira; Ferreira, Hugo R. S.; Célia M. Gomes; Abrunhosa, Antero J. "Exploring the therapeutic efficacy of [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-trastuzumab in trastuzumab-resistant HER2+ lesions". Paper presented in European Symposium on Radiopharmacy and Radiopharmaceuticals, 2024.
  3. Santos, Liliana; Tomatis, Francesca; Ferreira, Hugo R. S.; Almeida, Sara F.F.; Ribeiro, Ana Sofia; Ferreira, Lino; Ana Paula F. da Silva; et al. "Unraveling the role of HER2+ breast cancer cells-derived secretome on blood-brain barrier dysfunction in premetastatic niche formation". Paper presented in EACR Conference ’The Tumour Ecosystem: Cellular Interactions and Therapeutic Opportunities’ , Bergamo, Italy, 2024.
  4. Santos, Liliana; Hrynchak, Ivanna; Ferreira, Hugo R. S.; Sereno, José Vitor Oliveira; Célia M. Gomes; Abrunhosa, Antero J. "Therapeutic Efficacy of [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-Trastuzumab in Trastuzumab-resistant HER2+ lesions". Paper presented in CIBIT, 2023.
  5. Santos, Liliana; Ferreira, Hugo R. S.; Tomatis, Francesca; Almeida, Sara F.F.; Ribeiro, Ana Sofia; Ferreira, Lino; Ana Paula Silva; et al. "Evaluating Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability Changes during Premetastatic Niche Formation for HER2+ Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis". Paper presented in EACR 2023 Congress, Turin, Italy, 2023.
  6. Santos, Liliana; FERREIRA, HUGO; Tomatis, Francesca; Sereno, José Vitor Oliveira; Almeida, Sara F.F.; Ferreira, Lino; Ana Paula Silva; et al. "Impact of HER2+ brain-tropic breast cancer cells in blood-brain barrier permeability during the pre-metastatic niche formation". Paper presented in Champalimaud Research Symposium 2022, 2022.
  7. Hrynchak, Ivanna; Silva, Magda; Santos, Liliana; Amílcar Falcão; Célia Gomes; Abrunhosa, Antero. "GMP Production of 89Zr-DFO-Trastuzumab: from chemistry to the clinic". Paper presented in New Modalities in Cancer Imaging and Therapy, 2022.
  8. Almeida, Sara F.F.; Ribeiro, Gabriela; Abreu, Mónica; Lima, Nuno; Santos, Liliana; Oliveira, Rui C.; Miranda, Catarina O.; et al. "Osteosarcoma-derived secretome modulate the lung microenvironment and accelerate lung metastasis formation". Paper presented in Tumour Microenvironment: from cancer initiation to metastasis, Champalimaud Research Symposium 2022 (CRSy22), 2022.
  9. Santos, Liliana; Tomatis, Francesca; Ferreira, Hugo R. S.; Sereno, José Vitor Oliveira; Almeida, Sara F.F.; Ferreira, Lino; Ana Paula Silva; et al. "Trastuzumab-resistant HER2+ Brain Tropic Breast Cancer Cells Disrupt the Blood-Brain Barrier: a Potential Route for Brain Drug Delivery". Paper presented in 5th ASPIC International Congress, 2022.
  10. Hrynchak, Ivanna; Silva, Magda; Santos, Liliana; Falcao, Amilcar; Gomes, Celia; Abrunhosa, Antero. "Zr-89-immuno-PET imaging: from liquid target production to imaging". 2022.
  11. Almeida, Sara S.F.F. ; Sampaio-Ribeiro, Gabriela; Santos, Liliana; Lima, Nuno; Oliveira, Rui C.; Miranda, Catarina O.; Almeida, Luís Pereira de; et al. "Pre-metastatic niche formation and lung metastasis in osteosarcoma: an in vivo experimental approach". Paper presented in EACR Seed and soil: in vivo models of metastasis, 2021.
  12. Almeida, Sara F.F.; Ribeiro, Gabriela; Santos, Liliana; Lima, Nuno; Oliveira, Rui C.; Miranda, Catarina O.; Almeida, Luís Pereira de; et al. "Osteosarcoma cells secretome mimics the effect of a primary tumor in lung premetastatic niche formation". Paper presented in EACR Innovative Cancer Science 2021, 2021.
  13. Almeida, Sara F.F.; Santos, Liliana; Lima, Nuno; Oliveira, Rui C.; Martins-Marques, Tânia; Ribeiro-Rodrigues, Teresa; Girão, Henrique; et al. "Osteosarcoma cells-derived secretome induce endothelial cell dysfunction and stroma lung damage favourable for metastasis formation". Paper presented in Cancer Biology: From Basic to Translational Research, 2020.
  14. Santos, Liliana; Carvalho, Rita; Leitão, Ricardo Alexandre; Ribeiro, Ana Sofia; Paredes, Joana; Silva, Ana Paula; Gomes, Célia. "The VGF-derived peptide TLQP-21 released by breast cancer cells promotes the loss of brain endothelial cell monolayer integrity". Paper presented in CANCER BIOLOGY: FROM BASIC TO TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH webinar organized by Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro, 2020.
  15. Santos, Liliana; Carvalho, Rita; Leitão, Ricardo Alexandre; Ribeiro, Ana Sofia; Paredes, Joana; Silva, Ana Paula; Gomes, Célia. "VGF-secreted peptide derived from brain metastatic breast cancer cells interferes with blood-brain barrier properties". Paper presented in Tumor Microenvironment (EACR-AACR Basic and Translational Research Conference in partnership with ASPIC), 2020.
  16. Novo, João Pedro; Santos, Liliana; Leitão, Ricardo Alexandre; Fontes Ribeiro CA; Rosa Cristina Simões Fernandes; Ana Paula Pereira da Silva Martins. "Effect of methylphenidate on microglia: an in vitro study". Paper presented in 1st Annual Meeting in Pharmaceutical Sciences,, 2019.
  17. Santos, Liliana; Carvalho, Rita; Leitão, Ricardo Alexandre; Ribeiro, Ana Sofia; Paredes, Joana; Silva, Ana Paula; Gomes, Célia. "Secretome derived from brain metastatic breast cancer cells interferes with blood-brain barrier properties". Paper presented in CIBB Meeting, 2019.
  18. Carvalho, Rita; Cônde, Inês; Santos, Liliana; Leitão, Ricardo Alexandre; Gomes, Célia; Silva, Ana Paula; Paredes, Joana; Ribeiro, Ana. "Characterization of the secretome profile in brain metastic breast cancer cells". Paper presented in 2nd joint EACR-MRS conference - Seed and Soil: mechanisms of metastasis, 2019.
Journal article
  1. Liliana Santos; Francesca Tomatis; Hugo R S Ferreira; Sara F F Almeida; Edward Ciputra; José Sereno; Rui Almeida; et al. "ENPP1 induces blood-brain barrier dysfunction and promotes brain metastasis formation in HER2-positive breast cancer". Neuro-Oncology (2024): https://doi.org/10.1093/neuonc/noae169.
    10.1093/neuonc/noae169
  2. Rita Carvalho; Liliana Santos; Inês Conde; Ricardo Leitão; Hugo RS Ferreira; Célia Gomes; Ana Paula Silva; et al. "Nerve growth factor inducible (VGF) is a secreted mediator for metastatic breast cancer tropism to the brain". The Journal of Pathology (2024): https://doi.org/10.1002/path.6319.
    10.1002/path.6319
  3. Santos, Liliana; Moreira, João Nuno; Abrunhosa, Antero; Gomes, Célia. "Brain metastasis: An insight into novel molecular targets for theranostic approaches". Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology 198 (2024): 104377. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.critrevonc.2024.104377.
    10.1016/j.critrevonc.2024.104377
  4. Almeida, Sara F.F.; Santos, Liliana; Sampaio-Ribeiro, Gabriela; Ferreira, Hugo R.S.; Lima, Nuno; Caetano, Rui; Abreu, Mónica; et al. "Unveiling the role of osteosarcoma-derived secretome in premetastatic lung remodelling". Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research 42 1 (2023): http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13046-023-02886-9.
    10.1186/s13046-023-02886-9
  5. Santos, Liliana; Tomatis, Francesca; Ferreira, Hugo R. S.; Sereno, José Vitor Oliveira; Almeida, Sara F.F.; Ferreira, Lino; Ana Paula F. da Silva; et al. "Impact of HER2+ brain-tropic breast cancer cells in blood-brain barrier permeability". Fluids and Barriers of the CNS 20 S1 (2023): http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12987-023-00417-4.
    10.1186/s12987-023-00417-4
  6. Almeida, Sara F.F.; Santos, Liliana; Ribeiro, Gabriela; Ferreira, Hugo R.S.; Lima, Nuno; Caetano, Rui; Abreu, Monica; et al. "Unveiling the role of osteosarcoma-derived secretome in premetastatic lung remodeling". BioRxiv (2023): https://publons.com/wos-op/publon/61870053/.
    10.1101/2023.05.06.539690
  7. Ivanna Hrynchak; Liliana Santos; Amílcar Falcão; Célia M. Gomes; Antero J. Abrunhosa. "Nanobody-Based Theranostic Agents for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Radiolabeling Strategies". International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22 19 (2021): 10745-10745. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms221910745.
    10.3390/ijms221910745
  8. Almeida, Sara; Santos, Liliana; Falcão, Amílcar; Gomes, Célia; Abrunhosa, Antero. "In Vivo Tracking of Extracellular Vesicles by Nuclear Imaging: Advances in Radiolabeling Strategies". International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21 24 (2020): 9443. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms21249443.
    Published • 10.3390/ijms21249443
  9. Lima, Ana Rita; Correia, Marcelo; Santos, Liliana; Tavares, Catarina; Rios, Elisabete; Canberk, Sule; Soares, Paula; et al. "S616-p-DRP1 associates with locally invasive behavior of follicular cell-derived thyroid carcinoma". Endocrine 73 1 (2020): 85-97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12020-020-02546-4.
    10.1007/s12020-020-02546-4
  10. Couto, Marina; Coelho-Santos, Vanessa; Santos, Liliana; Fontes-Ribeiro, Carlos; Silva, Ana Paula; Gomes, Célia M. F.. "The interplay between glioblastoma and microglia cells leads to endothelial cell monolayer dysfunction via the interleukin-6-induced JAK2/STAT3 pathway". Journal of Cellular Physiology 234 11 (2019): 19750-19760. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jcp.28575.
    Published • 10.1002/jcp.28575
  11. Lima, Ana Rita; Santos, Liliana; Correia, Marcelo; Soares, Paula; Sobrinho-Simões, Manuel; Melo, Miguel; Máximo, Valdemar. "Dynamin-Related Protein 1 at the Crossroads of Cancer". Genes 9 2 (2018): 115. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/genes9020115.
    10.3390/genes9020115
Preprint
  1. Liliana Santos; Ivanna Hrynchak; José Sereno; Hugo Ferreira; Magda Silva; Rui Almeida; Paulo Teixeira; Antero Abrunhosa; Celia Gomes. "177Lu-Trastuzumab Radionuclide Therapy: an Effective Approach for Resistant Brain Metastases in HER2+ Breast Cancer". 2025. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6180100/v1.
    10.21203/rs.3.rs-6180100/v1
  2. Carvalho, Rita; Santos, Liliana; Conde, Inês; Leitão, Ricardo; Ferreira, Hugo R. S.; Gomes, Célia; Silva, Ana Paula; et al. "Deciphering the impact of cancer cell’s secretome and its derived-peptide VGF on breast cancer brain metastasis". 2024. http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2024.02.22.581537.
    10.1101/2024.02.22.581537
Thesis / Dissertation
  1. Liliana Pereira Santos. "Role of mitochondrial dynamics in Hürthle cell tumours: Coupling, uncoupling and fission". Master, 2017. https://repositorio-aberto.up.pt/handle/10216/109419.
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2025/02 ENPP1 induces blood-brain barrier dysfunction and promotes brain metastasis formation in HER2+ breast cancer V Metabolism, Ageing & Disease (MAD) Meeting
(Coimbra, Portugal)
2024/12 Tumor-secreted ENPP1 modulates BBB dysfunction during early brain metastatic progression CiBB meeting 2024
(Coimbra, Portugal)
2024/06 Disfunção da barreira hematoencefálica na metastização cerebral em cancro da mama II PhDoing: Da Pipeta ao Estetoscópio
(Coimbra, Portugal)
2024/01 Impact of HER2+ brain-tropic breast cancer cells in blood-brain barrier dysfunction during the premetastatic niche formation IV Metabolism, Ageing & Disease (MAD) Meeting Disease & Therapeutics: from the Past to Future
(Coimbra, Portugal)
2023/10 Impact of HER2+ brain-tropic breast cancer cells in blood-brain barrier dysfunction during the premetastatic niche formation ASPIC-ASEICA 2023
(Porto, Portugal)
2023/10 Therapeutic Efficacy of [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-Trastuzumab in Trastuzumab-resistant HER2-Positive metastatic lesions “Optimizing Imaging and Dose-Response in RadiotherapieS“ workshop
(Erquy, France)
2023/02 Trastuzumab-resistant HER2+ brain-tropic breast cancer cells interfere with the blood-brain barrier permeability: a potential route for brain drug delivery SPF 2023
(Coimbra, Portugal)
2022/09/21 Impact of HER2+ Brain-Tropic Breast Cancer Cells in Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability Blood Brain Barriers 2022
(Bari)
2020 VGF-secreted peptide derived from brain metastatic breast cancer cells induces brain endothelial cells dysfunction SPF 2020 - 50.ª Reunião da Sociedade Portuguesa de Farmacologia, 38.ª Reunião de Farmacologia Clínica e 19.ª Reunião de Toxicologia
(Coimbra, Portugal)
2018/02 Role of Mitochondrial Dynamics in Hürthle Cell Tumors: Coupling, Uncoupling and Fission Encontro de Investigação jovem da Universidade do Porto - IJUP
(Porto, Portugal)
2017/11 Role of Mitochondrial Dynamics in Hürthle Cell Tumors: Coupling, Uncoupling and Fission; 6th i3S Annual meeting
(Porto)

Association member

Society Organization name Role
2016 - Current ASPIC and EACR member Sócio
Distinctions

Award

2024 Flash talk award: Impact of HER2+ brain-tropic breast cancer cells in blood-brain barrier dysfunction during the premetastatic niche formation
2024 Best Flash Talk: Tumor-secreted ENPP1 modulates BBB dysfunction during early brain metastatic progression
2023 Best Oral Presentation Award: Impact of HER2+ brain-tropic breast cancer cells in blood-brain barrier dysfunction during the premetastatic niche formation
Associação Portuguesa de Investigação em Cancro, Portugal

Asociación Española de Investigación sobre el Cáncer, Spain
2022 EACR Poster Prize: Trastuzumab-resistant HER2+ Brain Tropic Breast Cancer Cells Disrupt the Blood-Brain Barrier: a Potential Route for Brain Drug Delivery
European Association For Cancer Research, United Kingdom