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Graduated in Biochemistry in 2013 and concluded her Masters in Biochemistry in 2015 from the University of Coimbra, Portugal, specializing in molecular microbiology with a thesis titled "Molecular and biochemical characterization of a rare glucokinase with a cryptic function in environmental mycobacteria". She got a PhD scholarship from FCT in 2017 and concluded her PhD in 2023 from the University of Coimbra with a thesis titled "Biochemical and structural studies of a novel glucosamine kinase and a unique glycosyltransferase: new antimicrobial opportunities in actinobacterial glycobiology". She has participated has a team member in research projects dealing with microbial biosynthetic pathways and with microbiome's role in neurodegeneration. She is currently a member of the Molecular Mycobacteriology and Microbiome group at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology and has experience in microbiology, molecular biology, enzymology and bioinformatic-guided approaches into microbial metabolism.
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Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Daniela Cristina Nunes Costa

Citation names

  • Nunes-Costa, Daniela

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
631F-65BD-C6D8
ORCID iD
0000-0003-3398-9233

Email addresses

  • dccosta@cnc.uc.pt (Professional)

Addresses

  • Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular. Rua Larga, 3004-504, Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal (Professional)

Websites

Knowledge fields

  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Microbiology
  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Molecular Biology
  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Biochemistry

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
English Upper intermediate (B2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Advanced (C1)
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
Education
Degree Classification
2017/09/05 - 2023/03/21
Concluded
 Biologia Experimental e Biomedicina (Doutoramento)
Major in Biologia Molecular, Celular e do Desenvolvimento
Universidade de Coimbra Instituto de Investigação Interdisciplinar, Portugal
"Biochemical and structural studies of a novel glucosamine kinase and a unique glycosyltransferase: new antimicrobial opportunities in actinobacterial glycobiology" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 Approved with praise and distinction
2013/09/10 - 2015/07/17
Concluded
 Bioquímica (Mestrado)
Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal
"Molecular and biochemical characterization of a rare glucokinase with a cryptic function in environmental mycobacteria" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 19
2010/09/13 - 2013/07/02
Concluded
 Bioquímica (Licenciatura)
Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal
"Identification of Mycobacterial Species in the Hospital Environment" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 17
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2024/03/11 - Current Researcher (Research) Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia, Portugal
2015/01/01 - Current Researcher (Research) CNC.IBILI, Portugal
CNC.IBILI, Portugal
2022/05/06 - 2022/11/05 Researcher (Research) Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2017/06/01 - 2017/08/31 Researcher (Research) Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
Projects

Grant

Designation Funders
2017/09/01 - 2021/08/31 Functional and structural insights into the regulation of mycobacterial MGLP biosynthesis
SFRH/BD/117777/2016
PhD Student Fellow
Universidade de Coimbra Instituto de Investigação Interdisciplinar, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing

Contract

Designation Funders
2022 - Current Exploring bacterial interactions to find novel molecules to combat the antimicrobial resistance catastrophe
2022.06809.PTDC
CNC.IBILI, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2023 - 2026 GAinPD: Validation of bacterial-derived anti-inflammatory mediators in gut-first PD
CP code: SC01
Researcher
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 Cure Parkinson's
Ongoing
2022 - 2025 NTMENACE - Mycobacteria from drinking water: beyond the lung disease epidemic
PTDC/BIA-MIC/0122/2021
Research Fellow
CNC.IBILI, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2021/01/12 - 2024/01/11 The Gut-Immune-Brain Axis in Parkinson disease
PTDC/MED-NEU/3644/2020
Researcher
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal

CNC.IBILI, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2018/07/25 - 2021/07/24 Green method to prepare sterilized biopolymers based aerogel
PTDC/EQU-EPQ/32625/2017
Researcher
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2018/06/15 - 2021/06/14 An intriguing mycobacterial polysaccharide: recycling, replication and beyond
PTDC/BTM-TEC/29221/2017
Researcher
CNC.IBILI, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2017/06/01 - 2018/08/31 The toxinogenic gut microbiome in sporadic Parkinson’s Disease: a quest for “antiPDbiotics”
MB-40-2016
Researcher
CNC.IBILI, Portugal
 Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa
Concluded
2017/06/01 - 2017/08/31 HealthyAging 2020
CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-000012
Research Fellow
CNC.IBILI, Portugal
 Universidade de Coimbra
Concluded
2013/07 - 2015/09 Biosynthesis of rare methylmannose polysaccharides in nontuberculous mycobacteria
PTDC/BIA-MIC/2779/2012
Researcher
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.
Concluded
Outputs

Publications

Book chapter
  1. Candeias, Emanuel; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Pereira-Santos, A. Raquel; Magalhães, João Duarte; Melo-Marques, Inês; Guedes, Beatriz; Esteves, A. Raquel; Empadinhas, Nuno; Cardoso, Sandra Morais. "Neurotoxicity induced by the microbial metabolite ß-methylamino-L-alanine: pathways and mechanisms". In Natural Molecules in Neuroprotection and Neurotoxicity, edited by Marcus de Oliveira, 747-778. Elsevier, 2024.
    Published • 10.1016/b978-0-443-23763-8.00068-3
  2. Empadinhas, Nuno; Alarico, Susana; Maranha, Ana; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Roxo, Inês. "Micobactérias da água: uma ameaça silenciosa". In A Saúde no Saber - Um Projeto de Promoção da Literacia em Saúde, edited by Maria João Padez de Castro. Coimbra, Portugal: Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra, 2023.
    Published
Conference abstract
  1. Munoz Pinto, Mario; Esteves, Ana Raquel; Magalhaes, Joao; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Candeias, Emanuel; Silva, Diana; Alarico, Susana; et al. "Parkinson's disease neurodegeneration is mediated by the gut microbiome". Paper presented in European journal of Clinical Investigation, 2021.
  2. Manso, J.A.; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Macedo-Ribeiro, Sandra; Empadinhas, Nuno; Barbosa Pereira, Pedro J.. "Structural studies on a unique glucosamine kinase unveil a novel enzyme family". 2021.
Conference poster
  1. Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Manso, J.A.; Macedo-Ribeiro, Sandra; Barbosa Pereira, Pedro José; Empadinhas, Nuno. "A novel actinobacterial glucosamine kinase family: characterization and structural insights". Paper presented in 7th Iberian Carbohydrate Meeting, Sitges, 2024.
  2. Pereira-Santos, AR.; Candeias, Emanuel; Esteves, Ana Raquel; Magalhães, João Duarte; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Tiago, Igor; Madeira, Nuno; Empadinhas, Nuno; Cardoso, Sandra Morais. "Unveiling the role of Gut-Immune-Brain axis in Schizophrenia". 2023.
  3. Pereira-Santos, AR.; Candeias, Emanuel; Esteves, Ana Raquel; Magalhães, João Duarte; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Tiago, Igor; Madeira, Nuno; Empadinhas, Nuno; Cardoso, Sandra Morais. "Unveiling the role of gut dysbiosis in Schizophrenia pathology". Paper presented in FENS-Hertie Winter School in Neuro-immune interactions in health and disease, Innsbruck, Austria, 2023.
  4. Matos, Gabriella Araújo; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Pinto, Daniel Vieira; Dias, Ronaldo Pereira; Lopes, Synara Cavalcante; Silva, Janayne Luihan; Nunes, Paulo Iury Gomes; et al. "Effects of methylmercury intoxication on gut microbiota, intestinal barrier, and oxidative stress in C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat diet". Paper presented in 8th World Congress on Targeting Microbiota, 2021.
  5. Munoz Pinto, Mario; Esteves, Ana Raquel; Magalhães, João Duarte; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Candeias, Emanuel; Silva, DF; Alarico, Susana; et al. "Parkinson's disease neurodegeneration is mediated by the gut microbiome". 2021.
  6. Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Alarico, Susana; Silva, Alexandra; Costa, Mafalda; Empadinhas, Nuno. "A rare thermophilic opportunistic pathogen: mycobacterial growth and viability near pasteurization temperatures". Paper presented in II Simpósio de Investigação em Tuberculose e Micobactérias Não Tuberculosas em Portugal, 2020.
  7. Alarico, Susana; Pereira, Sónia Gonçalves; Maranha, Ana; Tiago, Igor; Reis, Diogo; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Cardoso, Olga; Empadinhas, Nuno. "Rare mycobacteria isolated from a hospital environment and from the skin of diabetic patients: profiling antimicrobial resistance". Paper presented in 1º Simpósio de Investigação em Tuberculose e Micobactérias não Tuberculosas em Portugal, 2018.
  8. Manso, José A; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Empadinhas, Nuno; Pereira, José Barbosa Pereira. "Insights into a structural homologue of the mycobacterial maltokinases with potential implications in antibiotic production". Paper presented in 1º Simpósio de Investigação em Tuberculose e Micobactérias não Tuberculosas em Portugal, 2018.
  9. Alarico, Susana; Pereira, Sónia Gonçalves; Maranha, Ana; Tiago, Igor; Reis, Diogo; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Cardoso, Olga; Empadinhas, Nuno. "Antimicrobial resistance in rare mycobacteria from hospital environment and diabetic foot ulcers". Paper presented in International Conference on Antimicrobial Research - ICAR2018, 2018.
  10. Empadinhas, Nuno; Maranha, Ana; Mendes, Vítor; Costa, Mafalda; Sousa, Marta; Costa, Daniela; Alarico, Susana. "Deciphering a novel metabolic pathway in mycobacteria toward advanced therapies and early diagnosis of tuberculosis and other emerging infections". Paper presented in Hovione and MIT Portugal Symposium, Showcasing Portuguese Pharma Science: Advances in Discovery, Development and Manufacturing, 2014.
  11. Maranha, Ana; Alarico, Susana; Costa, Mafalda; Lamaroso, Andreia; Costa, Daniela; Lourenço, Eva; Ventura, Rita; Mendes, Vítor; Empadinhas, Nuno. "The early steps in mycobacterial MGLP biosynthesis: the players". Paper presented in 17th European Carbohydrate Symposium (EuroCarb 17), 2013.
Journal article
  1. Gonçalves, Sara; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Cardoso, Sandra Morais; Empadinhas, Nuno; Marugg, John David. "Enzyme Promiscuity in Serotonin Biosynthesis, From Bacteria to Plants and Humans". Frontiers in Microbiology 13 (2022): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.873555.
    10.3389/fmicb.2022.873555
  2. Esteves, A Raquel; Munoz-Pinto, Mário F; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Candeias, Emanuel; Silva, Diana F; Magalhães, João D; Pereira-Santos, A Raquel; et al. "Footprints of a microbial toxin from the gut microbiome to mesencephalic mitochondria". Gut (2021): http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2021-326023.
    10.1136/gutjnl-2021-326023
  3. Silva, Diana F.; Candeias, Emanuel; Esteves, A. Raquel; Magalhães, João D.; Ferreira, I. Luísa; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Rego, A. Cristina; Empadinhas, Nuno; Cardoso, Sandra M.. "Microbial BMAA elicits mitochondrial dysfunction, innate immunity activation, and Alzheimer's disease features in cortical neurons". Journal of Neuroinflammation 17 1 (2020): http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12974-020-02004-y.
    Open access • Published • 10.1186/s12974-020-02004-y
  4. Alarico, Susana; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Silva, Alexandra; Costa, Mafalda; Macedo-Ribeiro, Sandra; Empadinhas, Nuno. "A genuine mycobacterial thermophile: Mycobacterium hassiacum growth, survival and GpgS stability at near-pasteurization temperatures". Microbiology 166 5 (2020): 474-483. https://doi.org/10.1099/mic.0.000898.
    Published • 10.1099/mic.0.000898
  5. Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Magalhães, João Duarte; G-Fernandes, Maria; Cardoso, Sandra Morais; Empadinhas, Nuno. "Microbial BMAA and the Pathway for Parkinson's Disease Neurodegeneration". Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 12 (2020): 26. http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2020.00026.
    Open access • Published • 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00026
  6. Manso, José A; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Macedo-Ribeiro, Sandra; Empadinhas, Nuno; Barbosa Pereira, Pedro José. "Molecular Fingerprints for a Novel Enzyme Family in Actinobacteria with Glucosamine Kinase Activity". mBio 10 3 (2019): e00239-19. https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.00239-19.
    Open access • Published • 10.1128/mBio.00239-19
  7. Pereira, Sónia Gonçalves; Alarico, Susana; Tiago, Igor; Reis, Diogo; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Cardoso, Olga; Maranha, Ana; Empadinhas, Nuno. "Studies of antimicrobial resistance in rare mycobacteria from a nosocomial environment". BMC Microbiology 19 1 (2019): 62. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-019-1428-4.
    Open access • Published • 10.1186/s12866-019-1428-4
  8. Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Maranha, Ana; Costa, Mafalda; Alarico, Susana; Empadinhas, Nuno. "Glucosylglycerate metabolism, bioversatility and mycobacterial survival.". Glycobiology 27 3 (2017): 213-227. http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/28025249.
    Open access • Published • 10.1093/glycob/cww132
  9. Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Alarico, Susana; Dalcolmo, Margareth Pretti; Correia-Neves, Margarida; Empadinhas, Nuno. "The looming tide of nontuberculous mycobacterial infections in Portugal and Brazil.". Tuberculosis 96 (2016): 107-119. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tube.2015.09.006.
    Open access • Published • 10.1016/j.tube.2015.09.006
  10. Maranha, Ana; Moynihan, Patrick J.; Miranda, Vanessa; Correia Lourenço, Eva; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Fraga, Joana S.; José Barbosa Pereira, Pedro; et al. "Octanoylation of early intermediates of mycobacterial methylglucose lipopolysaccharides". Scientific Reports 5 (2015): 13610. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep13610.
    Open access • Published • 10.1038/srep13610
Newspaper article
  1. Empadinhas, Nuno; Alarico, Susana; Ana Maranha; Nunes-Costa, Daniela; Roxo, Inês. "Micobactérias da água: uma ameaça silenciosa", Público, 2021, https://www.publico.pt/2021/10/20/ciencia/noticia/micobacterias-agua-ameaca-silenciosa-1981724.
  2. Nunes-Costa, Daniela. "Voyages in Tuberculosis, BD", Público, 2019, http://www.cnbc.pt/pdf/Voyages_In_TUBERCULOSIS_2019.pdf.
Thesis / Dissertation
  1. "Biochemical and structural studies of a novel glucosamine kinase and a unique glycosyltransferase: new antimicrobial opportunities in actinobacterial glycobiology". PhD, Universidade de Coimbra Instituto de Investigação Interdisciplinar, 2023.
  2. Empadinhas, Nuno Miguel da Silva; Morais, Paula. "Molecular and biochemical characterization of a rare glucokinase with a cryptic function in environmental mycobacteria". Master, Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10316/32158.
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2024/01/15 A novel actinobacterial glucosamine kinase family: characterization and structural insights 7th Iberian Carbohydrate Meeting
Grupo especializado de Hidratos de Carbono and Grupo de Glúcidos (Sitges, Barcelona, Spain)
2021/09/17 A novel glucosamine kinase family hints on a biosynthetic pathway for novel secondary metabolites with potential antibiotic activity 3rd CIBB Innovative Therapies Retreat
2021/06/13 Antimicrobial resistance in rare mycobacteria isolated from a tertiary hospital environment 4th International Caparica Congress in Antibiotic Resistance
(online)
2020/09/19 Mycobacteria: Complete biosynthesis of unique polysaccharides and the art of furtiveness 2nd CIBB Innovative Therapies Retreat 2020
(online)
2019/12/19 Parkinson’s disease: a symptom of latent infection? CIBB Meeting 2019
University of Coimbra (Coimbra, Portugal)
2015/01/26 Mycobacterial resistance to old antibiotics and potential biosynthetic pathways for new ones IC2AR, 1st International Caparica Conference in Antibiotic Resistance
University NOVA of Lisbon (Lisboa, Portugal)

Event organisation

Event name
Type of event (Role) 		Institution / Organization
2018/06/18 - 2018/06/18 1º Simpósio de Investigação em Tuberculose e Micobactérias Não Tuberculosas em Portugal, Coimbra, Portugal (2018/06/18 - 2018/06/18) (2018/06/18 - 2018/06/18)
Symposium (Co-organisor)
 Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event 		Event name
Institution / Organization
2019/04/05 - 2019/04/05 Oral presentation in meeting: "Targeting Glucosylglycerate Metabolism in Mycobacteria"
Meeting
 Mycobacterial Glycoimmunology Joint Meeting 2019
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2018/12/07 - 2018/12/07 Oral presentation in meeting: "Biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and neurotoxins"
Meeting
 1st Microbiome-Gut-Brain Axis Joint Meeting 2018
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2017/09/29 - 2017/09/29 Participation in science outreach activities in the scope of the European Researchers' Night 2017. Activity title: "E se fosses uma bactéria? Qual serias?" [If you were a bacterium, which one would you be?] European Researchers' Night 2017
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal

Universidade de Coimbra Museu da Ciência, Portugal
2017/06/24 - 2017/06/24 Participation in science outreach activities in the scope of "Noite dos Mistérios". Activity title: "Quiz Bactérias" ["Bacteria Quiz"].
Other
 Noite dos Mistérios
Universidade de Coimbra Museu da Ciência, Portugal

Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2016/05/18 - 2016/05/18 Attendance of workshop in Mass Spectrometry and Carbohydrates
Workshop
 5th Workshop in Mass Spectrometry and Carbohydrates
Universidade de Aveiro Centro de Espectrometria de Massa, Portugal
Distinctions

Award

2023 Prémio Pfizer 2023
Pfizer Portugal, Portugal
2016 Prémio Santa Casa Neurociências - Mantero Belard 2016
Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, Portugal

Other distinction

2020 Editor’s Choice Article selected for the May Issue of "Microbiology" (Volume 166, Issue 5)
Microbiology Society, United Kingdom