Maria Ester Freitas Barbosa Pereira Coutinho (8A15-1EA8-C0AA)

Curriculum Vitae

Maria Ester Coutinho

Maria Ester Coutinho completed a Medical Degree at the University of Porto and a medical specialisation in Neurology at Hospital Santo Antonio, Porto, Portugal. She received a studentship from the Gulbenkian Programme for Advanced Medical Education and completed a DPhil degree (PhD equivalent in Oxford) in Clinical Neurosciences at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford in 2017. Following her PhD studies, she worked as a clinical postdoctoral research fellow at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neurosciences and as an MRC Centre for Developmental Neurobiology clinical fellow at King's College London. Alongside her research at KCL, she worked as a Neurology consultant at King's College Hospital until June 2023, where she established and led a multidisciplinary specialist clinic for patients with neurological autoimmune diseases, and pioneered the neurology and neuropsychiatry pathway in one of the first national NHSE-funded specialist clinics for Post-COVID-19 syndrome (long COVID). In 2021 she was awarded a contract by the Fundacao Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT) under the Individual Scientific Employment Stimulus call, which led her to take a junior researcher position at The Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC) at the University of Coimbra and in 2025 she was awarded a contract as Assistant Researcher (FCT Institutional CEEC) in the same Institution. She published 44 works (33 research articles and 11 reviews/book chapters), 9 as first author. Her publications, 90% in top 25% journals, have garnered >2700 citations, resulting in an h-index of 27 (Source: Google Scholar). Since becoming a Researcher at the CNC she received 4 awards (as the PI) from the FCT, Brain Behaviour and Research Foundation and Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurologia (Total funding: 183K Euro). She established the Portuguese Clinical Network for the Study of AE (GENIE, 2023) and created an online platform for the disease (encefalites.pt). Alongside her clinical and research work, she was a module leader for the MSc in Clinical Neuropsychiatry at King's College Hospital (module: Scientific Foundations of Neuropsychiatry) and is an Assistant Professor of the Medical course at the Católica Medical School, Lisbon (coordinator - module: Thinking and doing I; co-coordinator - module: Thinking and doing II). She was a coordinating editor for a medical textbook on Clinical Neuropsychiatry (Guia conciso de Neuropsiquiatria, 2026). She currently supervises 1 PhD student and 2 MSc students. Her work is well-recognized, with invitations to speak at 17 national and international conferences in the last 6 years. She organised and co-chaired a symposium of the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies Regional Meeting in 2023, 2 national GENIE meetings (2025, 2026) and the Neurosciences and Disease Retreat of the University of Coimbra (2026). She received 8 awards, including the Academy of Medical Sciences' joint first prize for predoctoral fellows (2017) and the Brain Behavior and Research Foundation Young Investigator Award (2023). She works in the areas of Medical & Health Sciences, with an emphasis on Neurology and Neuroimmunology.

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Identification

Personal identification

Full name: Maria Ester Freitas Barbosa Pereira Coutinho

Citation names

Coutinho, Ester

Author identifiers

Ciência ID: 8A15-1EA8-C0AA
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5688-8198

Email addresses

mcoutinho@uc.pt (Professional)
mecoutinho@ucp.pt (Professional)

Addresses

Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CiBB) and Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra (CNC-UC), 3004-504 , Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal (Professional)

Websites

https://cnc.uc.pt/en/people/e-coutinho (Professional)

Knowledge fields

Medical and Health Sciences - Clinical Medicine - Clinical Neurology

Languages

Language	Speaking	Reading	Writing	Listening	Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English	Proficiency (C2)	Proficiency (C2)	Proficiency (C2)	Proficiency (C2)	Proficiency (C2)

Education

	Degree	Classification
2012/10 - 2017/04 Concluded	DPhil in Clinical Neurosciences (Doctor of Philosophy) University of Oxford, United Kingdom "Central Nervous System autoimmunity in neuropsychiatric disorders" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
2011/10 - 2012/05 Concluded	Programme for Advanced Medical Education (Curso de doutoramento (conclusão de unidades curriculares)) Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal
2006/03 - 2011/03 Concluded	Specialist in Neurology (Especialização pós-licenciatura) Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto EPE - Hospital Geral de Santo António, Portugal
1998/10 - 2004/07 Concluded	Medicine (Licenciatura) Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal

Affiliation

Science

	Category Host institution	Employer
2021/08/01 - Current	Contracted Researcher (Research)	Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal

Teaching in Higher Education

	Category Host institution	Employer
2021/05/01 - Current	Assistant Professor (University Teacher)	Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Portugal
	Catolica Medical School, Portugal

Others

	Category Host institution	Employer
2018/10 - 2023/06	Honorary Neurology Consultant	King's College Hospital, United Kingdom

2019/01 - 2021/04/30	Clinical Research Fellow	King's College London - Denmark Hill Campus, United Kingdom

2017/11 - 2018/08	Specialty Registrar in Neurology / Stroke	King's College Hospital, United Kingdom

2016/08 - 2017/08	Honorary Research Associate	University of Oxford Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, United Kingdom

2006/03 - 2011/03	Médico Interno da Especialidade de Neurologia (Specialist Registrar in Neurology)	Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto EPE - Hospital Geral de Santo António, Portugal

2005/01 - 2006/03	Médico Interno do Ano Comum (General Medical trainee)	Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia EPE Espinho Unidade III, Portugal

Projects

Grant

	Designation	Funders
2026/01/01 - Current	TargetMDD: Validating microRNA-186-5p as a molecular target for early intervention in Major Depressive Disorder 329509/Z/25/Z Researcher	Wellcome Foundation Ltd Ongoing
2023/05/01 - Current	Human centred-design as a vehicle to science communication: a participatory and citizen science research approach N/a Researcher	Banco Santander Portugal
2023/03/01 - Current	Understanding the role of maternal IgG antibodies in fetal brain development N/a Principal investigator	Brain and Behavior Research Foundation
2023/03/01 - Current	UNITED - Unravelling Novel Immune Targets in Encephalitic Diseases N/ a Principal investigator	Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurologia
2023/03/01 - Current	MIRACLES - MicroRNAs And Cognition in Longcovid: Exploratory Study 2022.04018.PTDC Principal investigator	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
2019/04 - Current	SINNAPS2 study: A randomised placebo-controlled trial of immunotherapy in patients with psychosis associated with anti-neuronal membrane antibodies. MR/N019067/1 Other	Medical Research Council Ongoing
2025/11/01 - 2029/10/31	Anti-IgLON5 disease: From Neuroinflammation to Neurodegeneration 101227384 Principal investigator	European Commission Ongoing
2021/08 - 2027/07	Maternal IgG antibodies: a novel role in the neurodevelopment of the offspring? 7180EEC	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
2023/04/01 - 2026/03/31	Homeostatic plasticity defects in autism: insight from human mutations in the CNTNAP2 gene 202202-30-31 Researcher	Fundació la Marató de TV3 Ongoing
2023/03 - 2025/02	MicroRNAs e Cognição no Longcovid: Estudo exploratório 175747PRJ	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
2018/06 - 2021/12	Mecanismo patogénico da encefalite autoimune sináptica associada a anticorpos anti-CASPR2 150639PRJ	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
2018/06 - 2021/05	Understanding the pathogenesis in CASPR2-antibody autoimmune synaptic encephalitis PTDC/MED-NEU/29452/2017 Researcher	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
2011/10 - 2015/09	CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AUTOIMMUNITY IN PRIMARY PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS 32379DFA	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Contract

	Designation	Funders
2021/08/01 - Current	Maternal IgG antibodies: a novel role in the neurodevelopment of the offspring? 2020.03359.CEECIND Principal investigator Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Ongoing
2025/08/01 - 2028/07/30	The aged synapse: nanostructure and plasticity shift in cognitive performance 2023.17940.ICDT 10.54499/2023.17940.ICDT Researcher Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Ongoing
2025/01/01 - 2027/12/31	Resetting Metabolic-memory in Endocrine Delta-cells In Episodic Severe Hypoglycaemia 2023.16678.ICDT 10.54499/2023.16678.ICDT Researcher Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Ongoing
2026/01/05 - 2027/07/04	Extracellular soluble Proteins: novel autoimmune Encephalitis Research Targets 2024.17136.PEX 10.54499/2024.17136.PEX Principal investigator Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Ongoing
2021/01/01 - 2025/12/31	Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia - Laboratório Associado LA/P/0058/2020 10.54499/LA/P/0058/2020 Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal Universidade de Coimbra Instituto de Investigação Clínica e Biomédica de Coimbra, Portugal Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Concluded
2020/01/01 - 2024/12/31	Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia UIDP/04539/2020 10.54499/UIDP/04539/2020 Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal Universidade de Coimbra Instituto de Investigação Clínica e Biomédica de Coimbra, Portugal Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Concluded
2009/04/20 - 2012/10/20	Trends in incidence and outcome of Neurological Attacks: the second population-based study in Northern Portugal PIC/IC/82858/2007 Researcher Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal Administração Regional de Saúde do Norte IP, Portugal Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Concluded

Other

	Designation	Funders
2024 - Current	Creation of GENIE - Grupo de Estudos em Neuroimunologia e Encefalites N/a Other
2024 - Current	Creation of website: encefalites.pt N/a Other
2019/06/01 - 2021/04/30	Maternal IgG antibodies and their role in the neurodevelopment of the offspring UNK Research Fellow MRC Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, United Kingdom	Ongoing
2019/01 - 2019/12	Inhibition of placental transfer as a therapeutic target in antibody-mediated neurodevelopmental disorders 132871 Researcher	UCB Biopharma SPRL Concluded
2012/09 - 2017/04	Central nervous system autoimmunity in neuropsychiatric disorders n/a PhD Student Fellow University of Oxford Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, United Kingdom	Gulbenkian Programme for Advanced Medical Education Concluded
2010/01 - 2010/06	Clinical and serological training of the myasthenic syndromes not available Research Fellow Oxford Myasthenia Center and Clinical Neuroimmunology Service, United Kingdom	European Federation of Neurological Societies Concluded

Outputs

Publications

Book	Coutinho, Ester. Guia Conciso de Neuropsiquiatria. Portugal: LIDEL. 2026. Published • Editor
Book chapter	Pollak, Thomas A.; Coutinho, Ester; Palmer-Cooper, Emma; Vincent, Angela. "Inflammatory and autoimmune disorders in neuropsychiatry". In Oxford Textbook of Neuropsychiatry, 245-258. Oxford University Press, 2020. 10.1093/med/9780198757139.003.0022 Coutinho, Ester; Vincent, Angela. "Autoimmunity in neuropsychiatric disorders". In Handbook of Clinical Neurology, 269-282. Elsevier, 2016. 10.1016/b978-0-444-63432-0.00015-3 Coutinho, E.; Vincent, A.; Ester Coutinho; Angela Vincent. "Central Nervous System Neuronal Surface Antibodies". In Handbook of Clinical Neurology. 2013. 10.1016/B978-0-444-56378-1.00070-8
Conference poster	Bueno, Vitor; Serrenho, D; Rinaldi, Simon; Coutinho, Ester; Carvalho, Ana Luisa. "Exploring The Molecular Pathogenic Mechanisms of Anti-CASPR1 Autoantibodies in the Central Nervous System". Paper presented in BEBday, 2025. Serrenho, Débora; Fernandes, Dominique; Vasconcelos, Ana; Santos, Sandra; Cortes, Luisa; Coutinho, Ester; Carvalho, Ana Luisa. "Human anti-CASPR2 autoantibodies impact synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability (to be presented)". Paper presented in 8th European Synapse Meeting, 2022. Oliveira, Ana Rafaela; Cammarata, G; Cardoso, AM; Seabra, C; Guedes, J; Cardoso, AL; Fernandes, Dominique; et al. "Autism associated CASPR2 auto-immune antibodies modify the developmental trajectory and network activity in human brain organoids". Paper presented in 13th FENS Forum of Neuroscience, 2022. Vasconcelos, Ana; Fernandes, Dominique; Santos, Sandra Manuela Domingues dos; Coutinho, Ester; Carvalho, Ana Luisa. "Concentration-dependent effects elicited by CASPR2 autoantibodies in the regulation of AMPA receptor trafficking and synaptic plasticity". Paper presented in Encephalitis Society 2021, 2021. Vasconcelos, Ana; Fernandes, Dominique; Santos, Sandra Manuela Domingues dos; Coutinho, Ester; Whitt, Jessica L; Lee, Hey-Kyoung; Carvalho, Ana Luisa. "CASPR2 autoantibodies elicit concentration-dependent perturbations in the regulation of AMPA receptor trafficking and synaptic plasticity.". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2021. Oliveira, Ana Rafaela; Seabra, Catarina; Guedes, Joana; Cammarata, Giuseppe; Cardoso, Ana Maria; Fernandes, Dominique; Coutinho, Ester; et al. "Uncovering the neurodevelopmental consequences of anti-CASPR2 antibody exposure in 3D brain organoids". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2021. Oliveira, Ana Rafaela; Seabra, Catarina M.; Guedes, Joana Ribeiro; Cammarata, G.; Fernandes, Dominique; Coutinho, Ester; Carvalho, Ana Luisa; Ferreira, Lino; Peça, João. "Uncovering the role of immune response in ASD: Neurodevelopmental consequences of anti-CASPR2 antibodies exposure in 3D brain organoids". Paper presented in EMBL Symposia "Organoids: Modelling Organ Development and Disease in 3D Culture - Virtual", 2020. Fernandes, Dominique; Vasconcelos, Ana M.; Santos, Sandra; Coutinho, Ester; Whitt, Jessica L; Beltrão, Nuno; Rondão, Tiago; et al. "Disrupted AMPA receptor function and synaptic plasticity upon genetic- or antibody-mediated loss of autism-related CASPR2". Paper presented in CIBB Annual Meeting, 2019. Fernandes, Dominique; Vasconcelos, Ana; Santos, Sandra; Coutinho, Ester; Whitt, Jessica L; Beltrão, Nuno; Rondão, Tiago; et al. "CASPR2 autoantibodies disrupt AMPA receptor function". Paper presented in Encephalitis Conference 2019, 2019. Fernandes, Dominique; Santos, Sandra; Whitt, Jessica L; Coutinho, Ester; Leite, M. Isabel; Buckley, Camilla; Lee, Hey-Kyoung; Carvalho, Ana Luisa. "Autism-associated Caspr2 regulates synaptic AMPA receptors in the context of homeostatic synaptic plasticity". Paper presented in 2017 Excitatory Synapses & Brain Function Gordon Research Conference., 2017. Fernandes, Dominique; Santos, Sandra; Whitt, Jessica L; Coutinho, Ester; Leite, M. Isabel; Buckley, Camilla; Lee, Hey-Kyoung; Carvalho, Ana Luísa. "Contactin-associated proteins 1 and 2 (Caspr1 & Caspr2) - unexpected key players in the regulation of homeostatic synaptic scaling". Paper presented in 2016 Regional meeting of the International Society for Neurochemistry ¿ Synaptic Function and Dysfunction in Brain Diseases, 2016. Fernandes, Dominique; Santos, Sandra; Whitt, Jessica L; Coutinho, Ester; Leite, M. Isabel; Buckley, Camilla; Lee, Hey-Kyoung; Carvalho, Ana Luísa. "Homeostatic scaling of synaptic AMPA receptors: the unexpected role of Contactin-associated proteins 1 and 2 (Caspr1 & Caspr2)". Paper presented in Integrating Hebbian and Homeostatic Plasticity, 2016.
Journal article	Cardoso, Ana; Oliveira, Ana Rafaela; Santos, João Miguel; Diana B. Sequeira; Peça, João; Seabra, Catarina M.; Santos, Henrique; et al. "CASPR2 autoimmune antibodies induce neuronal hyperactivity in human brain organoids". Journal of Neurochemistry 170 (2026): e70388. Published "Neuromyotonia and CASPR2 Antibodies: Electrophysiological Clues to Disease Pathophysiology". BIOMOLECULES (2025): 10.3390/BIOM15091262 "CA2/3-dependent stability of frontoparietal mnemonic representations predicts episodic deficits in human amnesia". bioRxiv (2025): 10.1101/2025.02.19.638996 Butler, Matt; Abdat, Yasmin; Zandi, Michael; Michael, Benedict D.; Coutinho, Ester; Nicholson, Timothy R.; Easton, Ava; Pollak, Thomas A.. "Mental health outcomes of encephalitis: An international web-based study". European Journal of Neurology 31 1 (2023): http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ene.16083. 10.1111/ene.16083 Moura, João; Pinto, Eduarda; Coutinho, Ester; Carneiro, Paula; Neves, Esmeralda; Correia, Carlos; Santos, Ernestina. "Recurrent diencephalic involvement as the sole manifestation of anti-aquaporin 4 antibody-positive disorder in an adult patient". Neuroimmunology Reports 2 (2022): 100114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nerep.2022.100114. 10.1016/j.nerep.2022.100114 Ward, Catherine; Farag, Mena; Pollak, Thomas A.; Coutinho, Ester; Posporelis, Sotiris. "Suicidal and self-injurious behavior following adalimumab reference-to-generic biosimilar switch". Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences 76 2 (2021): 59-62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/pcn.13315. 10.1111/pcn.13315 Ariño, Helena; Coutinho, Ester; Pollak, Thomas A.; Stewart, Robert. "Real-world experience of assessing antibodies against the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR-IgG) in psychiatric patients. A retrospective single-centre study". Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 98 (2021): 330-336. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2021.08.233. 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.08.233 Coutinho, Ester. "Demystifying the spontaneous phenomena of motor hyperexcitability". Clinical Neurophysiology 132 8 (2021): 1830-1844. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2021.03.053. 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.03.053 Coutinho, Ester. "Inhibition of Maternal-to-Fetal Transfer of IgG Antibodies by FcRn Blockade in a Mouse Model of Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita". Neurology - Neuroimmunology Neuroinflammation 8 4 (2021): e1011-e1011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/nxi.0000000000001011. 10.1212/nxi.0000000000001011 Coutinho, Ester. "Psychosis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): 40-year experience of a specialist centre". Rheumatology (2021): http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/keab160. 10.1093/rheumatology/keab160 Cechin, Laura; Gasmelseed, Jihad; Bashford, James; Rowczenio, Dorota; Reilly, Mary M.; Gillmore, Julian D.; Coutinho, Ester. "Early-Onset Leptomeningeal Manifestation of G47R Hereditary Transthyretin Amyloidosis". Neurology: Clinical Practice 11 5 (2021): e757-e759. http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/cpj.0000000000001054. 10.1212/cpj.0000000000001054 Thomas A. Pollak; Angela Vincent; Conrad Iyegbe; Ester Coutinho; Leslie Jacobson; Dan Rujescu; James Stone; et al. "Relationship Between Serum NMDA Receptor Antibodies and Response to Antipsychotic Treatment in First-Episode Psychosis". Biological Psychiatry (2020): https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.biopsych.2020.11.014. 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.11.014 Coutinho, Ester. "Clinical, cognitive and neuroanatomical associations of serum NMDAR autoantibodies in people at clinical high risk for psychosis.". Molecular psychiatry (2020): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-020-00899-w. 10.1038/s41380-020-00899-w L. L. Gibson; A. McKeever; E. Coutinho; C. Finke; T. A. Pollak. "Cognitive impact of neuronal antibodies: encephalitis and beyond". Translational Psychiatry 10 1 (2020): https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fs41398-020-00989-x. 10.1038/s41398-020-00989-x Katya Marks; Ester Coutinho; Angela Vincent. "Maternal-Autoantibody-Related (MAR) Autism: Identifying Neuronal Antigens and Approaching Prospects for Intervention". Journal of Clinical Medicine 9 8 (2020): 2564-2564. https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fjcm9082564. 10.3390/jcm9082564 Liam Carroll; Sven Braeutigam; John M. Dawes; Zeljka Krsnik; Ivica Kostovic; Ester Coutinho; Jennifer M. Dewing; et al. "Autism Spectrum Disorders: Multiple Routes to, and Multiple Consequences of, Abnormal Synaptic Function and Connectivity". The Neuroscientist 27 1 (2020): 10-29. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1073858420921378. 10.1177/1073858420921378 Baglioni, V.; Coutinho, E.; Menassa, D.A.; Giannoccaro, M.P.; Jacobson, L.; Buttiglione, M.; Petruzzelli, O.; Cardona, F.; Vincent, A.. "Antibodies to neuronal surface proteins in Tourette Syndrome: Lack of evidence in a European paediatric cohort". Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 81 (2019): 665-669. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2019.08.008. 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.08.008 Giannoccaro, Maria Pia; Menassa, David A; Jacobson, Leslie; Coutinho, Ester; Prota, Gennaro; Lang, Bethan; Leite, M Isabel; et al. "Behaviour and neuropathology in mice injected with human contactin-associated protein 2 antibodies". Brain 142 7 (2019): 2000-2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/brain/awz119. 10.1093/brain/awz119 Fernandes, Dominique; Santos, Sandra D; Coutinho, Ester; Whitt, Jessica L; Beltrão, Nuno; Rondão, Tiago; Leite, M Isabel; et al. "Disrupted AMPA Receptor Function upon Genetic- or Antibody-Mediated Loss of Autism-Associated CASPR2". Cerebral Cortex 29 12 (2019): 4919-4931. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhz032. 10.1093/cercor/bhz032 Dawes, John M.; Weir, Greg A.; Middleton, Steven J.; Patel, Ryan; Chisholm, Kim I.; Pettingill, Philippa; Peck, Liam J.; et al. "Immune or Genetic-Mediated Disruption of CASPR2 Causes Pain Hypersensitivity Due to Enhanced Primary Afferent Excitability". Neuron 97 4 (2018): 806-822.e10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2018.01.033. 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.01.033 Ester Coutinho; Leslie Jacobson; Marianne Giørtz Pedersen; Michael Eriksen Benros; Bent Nørgaard-Pedersen; Preben Bo Mortensen; Paul J Harrison; Angela Vincent. "CASPR2 autoantibodies are raised during pregnancy in mothers of children with mental retardation and disorders of psychological development but not autism". Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry 88 9 (2017): 718-721. https://doi.org/10.1136%2Fjnnp-2016-315251. 10.1136/jnnp-2016-315251 Ernestina Santos; Ester Coutinho; Ana Martins da Silva; António Marinho; Carlos Vasconcelos; Ricardo Taipa; Manuel Melo Pires; et al. "Inflammatory myopathy associated with myasthenia gravis with and without thymic pathology: Report of four cases and literature review". Autoimmunity Reviews 16 6 (2017): 644-649. https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.autrev.2017.04.009. 10.1016/j.autrev.2017.04.009 Ester Coutinho; David Menassa; Leslie Jacobson; Steven West; Joana Domingos; Teresa Moloney; Marianne G Pedersen; et al. "Maternal CASPR2 antibodies and neurodevelopmental disorders in the offspring: epidemiological findings and an animal model". The Lancet 389 (2017): S18-S18. https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fs0140-6736%2817%2930414-2. 10.1016/s0140-6736(17)30414-2 Coutinho, E.; Menassa, D.A.; Jacobson, L.; West, S.J.; Domingos, J.; Moloney, T.C.; Lang, B.; et al. "Persistent microglial activation and synaptic loss with behavioral abnormalities in mouse offspring exposed to CASPR2-antibodies in utero". Acta Neuropathologica 134 4 (2017): 567-583. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85026451577&partnerID=MN8TOARS. 10.1007/s00401-017-1751-5 Gaughran, F.; Lally, J.; Beck, K.; McCormack, R.; Gardner-Sood, P.; Coutinho, E.; Jacobson, L.; et al. "Brain-relevant antibodies in first-episode psychosis: a matched case–control study". Psychological Medicine (2017): 1-9. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85030860781&partnerID=MN8TOARS. 10.1017/S0033291717002689 Santos, E.; Coutinho, E.; Moreira, I.; Silva, A.M.; Lopes, D.; Costa, H.; Silveira, F.; et al. "Epidemiology of myasthenia gravis in Northern Portugal: Frequency estimates and clinical epidemiological distribution of cases". Muscle and Nerve 54 3 (2016): 413-421. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84982179134&partnerID=MN8TOARS. 10.1002/mus.25068 Nour, M.M.; Nakashima, I.; Coutinho, E.; Woodhall, M.; Sousa, F.; Revis, J.; Takai, Y.; et al. "Pregnancy outcomes in aquaporin-4-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder". Neurology 86 1 (2016): 79-87. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84952360960&partnerID=MN8TOARS. 10.1212/WNL.0000000000002208 Monica Marta; Ernestina Santos; Ester Coutinho; Ana Martins Silva; João Correia; Carlos Vasconcelos; Gavin Giovannoni. "The role of infections in Behçet disease and neuro-Behçet syndrome". Autoimmunity Reviews 14 7 (2015): 609-615. https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.autrev.2015.02.009. 10.1016/j.autrev.2015.02.009 Ana Martins Da Silva; Sara Cavaco; Inês Moreira; Andreia Bettencourt; Ernestina Santos; Cláudia Pinto; Alexandra Gonçalves; et al. "Cognitive reserve in multiple sclerosis: Protective effects of education". Multiple Sclerosis Journal 21 10 (2015): 1312-1321. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1352458515581874. 10.1177/1352458515581874 Ernestina Santos; Isabel Moreira; Ester Coutinho; Guilherme Gonçalves; Carlos Lopes; José Lopes Lima; M. Isabel Leite. "Congenital myasthenic syndrome due to mutation in CHRNE gene with clinical worsening and thymic hyperplasia attributed to association with autoimmune-myasthenia gravis". Neuromuscular Disorders 25 12 (2015): 928-931. https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.nmd.2015.08.001. 10.1016/j.nmd.2015.08.001 Alexander Carvajal-González; M. Isabel Leite; Patrick Waters; Mark Woodhall; Ester Coutinho; Bettina Balint; Bethan Lang; et al. "Glycine receptor antibodies in PERM and related syndromes: characteristics, clinical features and outcomes". Brain 137 8 (2014): 2178-2192. https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fbrain%2Fawu142. 10.1093/brain/awu142 Belinda Lennox; Michael S. Zandi; Julia B. Deakin; Alasdair Coles; Linda Scoriels; Peter Jones; Ester Coutinho; Angela Vincent. "NMDA RECEPTOR ANTIBODIES IN FIRST EPISODE PSYCHOSIS: PREVALENCE AND CLINICAL PHENOTYPE". Schizophrenia Research 153 (2014): S35-S35. https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fs0920-9964%2814%2970116-1. 10.1016/s0920-9964(14)70116-1 Ester Coutinho; Paul Harrison; Angela Vincent. "Do Neuronal Autoantibodies Cause Psychosis? A Neuroimmunological Perspective". Biological Psychiatry 75 4 (2014): 269-275. https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.biopsych.2013.07.040. 10.1016/j.biopsych.2013.07.040 Carvajal-González, A.; Isabel Leite, M.; Waters, P.; Woodhall, M.; Coutinho, E.; Balint, B.; Lang, B.; et al. "Erratum: Glycine receptor antibodies in PERM and related syndromes: Characteristics, clinical features and outcomes (Brain (2014) 137 (2178-2192) DOI:10.1093/brain/awu142)". Brain 137 12 (2014): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84922367480&partnerID=MN8TOARS. 10.1093/brain/awu274 Joana Damásio; M. Isabel Leite; Ester Coutinho; Patrick Waters; Mark Woodhall; Manuela A. Santos; Inês Carrilho; Angela Vincent. "Progressive Encephalomyelitis With Rigidity and Myoclonus: The First Pediatric Case With Glycine Receptor Antibodies". JAMA Neurology 70 4 (2013): 498-498. https://doi.org/10.1001%2Fjamaneurol.2013.1872. 10.1001/jamaneurol.2013.1872 Kim, W.; Kim, S.-H.; Nakashima, I.; Takai, Y.; Fujihara, K.; Leite, M.I.; Kitley, J.; et al. "Influence of pregnancy on neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder". Neurology 78 16 (2012): 1264-1267. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84860708188&partnerID=MN8TOARS. 10.1212/WNL.0b013e318250d812 Cavaco, S.; Martins Da Silva, A.; Santos, E.; Coutinho, E.; Marinho, A.; Moreira, I.; Gonçalves, A.; et al. "Are cognitive and olfactory dysfunctions in neuropsychiatric lupus erythematosus dependent on anxiety or depression?". Journal of Rheumatology 39 4 (2012): 770-776. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84859463832&partnerID=MN8TOARS. 10.3899/jrheum.110574 Leite, M.I.; Coutinho, E.; Lana-Peixoto, M.; Apostolos, S.; Waters, P.; Sato, D.; Melamud, L.; et al. "Myasthenia gravis and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: A multicenter study of 16 patients". Neurology 78 20 (2012): 1601-1607. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84863580450&partnerID=MN8TOARS. 10.1212/WNL.0b013e31825644ff Ana Martins Silva; Ernestina Santos; Inês Moreira; Andreia Bettencourt; Ester Coutinho; Alexandra Gonçalves; Claudia Pinto; Xavier Montalban; Sara Cavaco. "Olfactory dysfunction in multiple sclerosis: association with secondary progression". Multiple Sclerosis Journal 18 5 (2011): 616-621. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1352458511427156. 10.1177/1352458511427156 Ester Coutinho; Ana M Silva; Cláudia Freitas; Ernestina Santos. "Graves' disease presenting as pseudotumor cerebri: a case report". Journal of Medical Case Reports 5 1 (2011): https://doi.org/10.1186%2F1752-1947-5-68. 10.1186/1752-1947-5-68 Carlos Almeida; Ester Coutinho; Daniela Moreira; Ernestina Santos; José Aguiar; Almeida, C.; Coutinho, E.; et al. "Myasthenia gravis and pregnancy: anaesthetic management – a series of cases". European Journal of Anaesthesiology 27 11 (2010): 985-990. https://doi.org/10.1097%2Feja.0b013e32833e263f. 10.1097/eja.0b013e32833e263f Ester Coutinho; José Pedro Pereira; Daniel Dias; Sara Cavaco; Cláudia Pinto; Rui Carvalho; Marina Magalhães. "Tremor and white matter lesions in Klinefelter syndrome". Movement Disorders 25 12 (2010): 1993-1994. https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fmds.23149. 10.1002/mds.23149 Cavaco, Sara; Da Silva, Ana Martins; Pinto, Pedro; Coutinho, Estér; Santos, Ernestina; Bettencourt, Andreia; Pinto, Cláudia; et al. "Cognitive Functioning in Behçet's Disease". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1173 1 (2009): 217-226. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04670.x. 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04670.x Coutinho, E.; Pereira-Monteiro, J.. "'Bad trips': Airplane headache not just in airplanes?". Cephalalgia 28 9 (2008): 986-987. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-49649112646&partnerID=MN8TOARS. 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2008.01632.x

Intellectual property

Patent

Coutinho, Ester; Carvalho, Ana Luisa; Serrenho, D; Amado, Luísa. 2025. "IDF Multielectrode array electrophysiology". Portugal.
Pending

Activities

Oral presentation

	Presentation title	Event name Host (Event location)
2026/10/09	Maternal Antibodies and Offspring Neurodevelopment	International congress of physiology Portuguese Physiological Society (Lisbon, Portugal)
2025/10/06	Physiological maternal IgG antibodies in foetal brain development	17th International Congress of Neuroimmunology International Society of Neuroimmunology (Chiba, Japan)
2025	Encefalites Auto-imunes	From Synapses to Senescence: Dementia and Ageing Grupo de Estudos de Envelhecimento Cerebral e Demencias and Sociedade Porguguesa de Neurociencias (Coimbra, Portugal)
2024/10	Encefalites e psicose autoimune	XVIII Congresso Nacional de Psiquiatria (Albufeira,, Portugal)
2024/09	NEUROPSIQUIATRIA OU IMUNOPSIQUIATRIA: DIFERENTES SISTEMAS PARA AS MESMAS DOENÇAS?	X Encontro Nacional de Internos de Psiquiatria APIP (Viseu, Portugal)
2023	Controversy session: Neuronal autoantibody testing in psychosis: To test or not to test?	9th European Academy of Neurology Congress (Budapest, Hungary)
2023	Debate: Should we be testing for autoimmune encephalitis in psychotic disorders?	36th European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Congress (Barcelona, Spain)
2023	Maternal immunity and fetal neurodevelopment (via autoantibody-mediated diseases)	ESN-ISN Neurochemistry School (Faro, Portugal)
2023	A neuropsiquiatria das encefalites autoimunes	XVII Congresso Nacional de Psiquiatria (Albufeira, Portugal)
2023	Maternal antibodies and the neurodevelopment of the offspring	DCV.Talks, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra (Coimbra, Portugal)
2023	Autoimmune neurology – Inviting the clinicians to the (research) table	5th CIBB Retreat Neuroscience & Disease (Miranda do Corvo, Portugal)
2022	What does effective joint identification and management of neuropsychiatric disorders by Psychiatrists and Neurologists look like? Focus on Autoimmune encephalitis.	Big Questions in Neuroscience Annual Meeting (London, United Kingdom)
2022	Update on Autoimmune encephalitis. Multiple Sclerosis Portuguese Study Group.	Multiple Sclerosis Portuguese Study Group. (Régua, Portugal)
2021/07/07	The patients who changed the field of autoimmune neurology	SINNAPS Seminar (United Kingdom)
2021/03/19	Maternal antibodies and neurodevelopment disorders	Dutch Autisme Conference (Netherlands)
2020/10/17	Maternal antibodies and neurodevelopment disorders	IV Congresso labirinto do autismo (Brazil)
2020/02/15	Maternal antibodies in neurodevelopmental diseases	X Congresso Nacional de Patologia Clinica Sociedade Portuguesa de Patologia Clinica (Porto, Portugal)
2019/09/10	Autoimmune encephalitis and Graus criteria	Mental Health and Neuroimmunology conference Encephalitis Society (Kent, United Kingdom)
2019/06/28	The influence of maternal antibodies on ASD and neurodevelopment	1st International Congress on Autism Spectrum Disorders Associação Caminho Azul (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
2018/11/30	Cell surface neuronal antibodies and their roles in neurological diseases	The A-Z of MS King's College Hospital (London, United Kingdom)
2018/05/17	Cell surface neuronal antibodies and their roles in neurological diseases	11th Internation Conference on Autoimmunity (Lisbon, Portugal)
2017/09/15	CNS Antibody-Mediated Diseases.	5th Keele course on CNS inflammation Keele University (Staffordshire, United Kingdom)
2017/03/16	Maternal antibodies and neurodevelopmental disorders in the offspring	Inaugural Oxford Neurodevelopment Consortium Oxford Neurodevelopment Consortium (Oxford, United Kingdom)
2017/01/04	Maternal antibodies in neurodevelopmental disorders	Center for Neuroscience and cell biology & Institute for biomedical imaging and life sciences (Coimbra, Portugal)
2016/10/18	Maternal antibodies in neurodevelopmental disorders	Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (London, United Kingdom)
2016/04/04	Antibodies to Neuronal Cell Surface Antigens in Psychiatric Disease.	5th Biennial Schizophrenia International Research Society conference (Florence, Italy)

Supervision

	Thesis Title Role	Degree Subject (Type) Institution / Organization
2023/06 - Current	In-depth clinical, paraclinical and immunological analysis of seronegative autoimmune encephalitis Supervisor	Doctoral Programme in Medical Sciences; Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (PhD) Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal
2021/12/10 - Current	Prevalence and determinants of fatigue in longcovid and multiple sclerosis Supervisor	MSc in Clinical Neuropsychiatry (Master)
2021/10/10 - Current	Characterisation of pain syndromes in patients with longcovid Supervisor	MSc in Clinical Neuropsychiatry (Master)
2023/07 - 2024/09	Understanding the role of maternal IgG antibodies in brain development Supervisor	Mestrado em Biologia Celular e Molecular (Master) Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2019 - 2019	Antibody-mediated microglial activation in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders Co-supervisor	Clinical Neuropsychiatry MSc (Master) Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, United Kingdom
2017 - 2017	Tourette syndrome and autoantibodies Supervisor	University of Oxford Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, United Kingdom

Event organisation

	Event name Type of event (Role)	Institution / Organization
2026/01/22 - Current	The 2nd Meeting of the Study Group on Neuroimmunology and Encephalitis (2026/01/22 - 2026/01/23) Conference (President of the Organising Committee)	O Grupo de Estudos em Neuroimunologia e Encefalites, Portugal
2025/10 - Current	Member of the organising committee for the CiBB MEETING Neurosciences &Diseases RESEARCH 2026 (2026/06) Meeting (Co-organisor)	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia, Portugal
2025/01/24 - 2025/01/25	The first Meeting of the Study Group on Neuroimmunology and Encephalitis (2025/01/24 - 2025/01/25) Conference (President of the Organising Committee)	O Grupo de Estudos em Neuroimunologia e Encefalites, Portugal

Jury of academic degree

	Topic Role	Candidate name (Type of degree) Institution / Organization
2024/11	Exploring the impact of patient-derived NMDAR NR1-specific IgG antibodies on the developing mouse striatum (Thesis) Main arguer	Anežka Macey-Dare (PhD) University of Oxford, United Kingdom
2023	the role of IgLON5 in neuronal function Thesis Member	Beatriz Ribeiro (PhD) Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2022/07	MODULATION OF GABAERGIC SYNAPSES BY AUTOANTIBODIES FROM EPILEPTIC PATIENTS (Thesis) Main arguer	Catarina Daniela Gonçalves Rodrigues (Master) Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2022	Information design as a vector in science communication: A co-design approach involving Autoimmune Encephalitis patients, their families, and scientists Thesis Member	Ana Maria da Graça Fernandes Vasconcelos (PhD) Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal

Association member

	Society Organization name	Role
2026/01/01 - Current	The Neuroimmunology and Encephalitis Study Group (O Grupo de Estudos em Neuroimunologia e Encefalites (GENIE))	Founder and President

Committee member

	Activity description Role	Institution / Organization
2026/01/01 - Current	Science Council member of the Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurologia Member
2021/01/01 - Current	The Scientific Board member of the Católica Medical School at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa Member	Catolica Medical School, Portugal

Conference scientific committee

	Conference name	Conference host
2023/02 - 2023/02	The Federation of European Neuroscience Societies Regional Meeting	The Federation of European Neuroscience Societies

Course / Discipline taught

	Academic session	Degree Subject (Type)	Institution / Organization
2022/06/01 - Current	Module sub-coordinator: Thinking and doing II; Medical course; Universidade Catolica, Lisbon	Medicine (Mestrado integrado)	Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Portugal
2022/03/02 - Current	Module coordinator: Thinking and doing I	Medicine (Licenciatura)	Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Portugal
2021/06/01 - 2023	Module leader - Scientific Foundations of Neuropsychiatry, MSc in Clinical Neuropsychiatry, KCL	MSc in Clinical Neuropsychiatry (Master)	King's College London - Denmark Hill Campus, United Kingdom

Mentoring / Tutoring

	Topic	Student name
2014 - 2014	Antibody-mediated neurological diseases: clinical and laboratorial training in peripheral and central nervous system disorders	Dr Joana Domingos

Other jury / evaluation

	Activity description	Institution / Organization
2025/09 - Current	Reviewer for grant applications to National Science Centre Poland	Narodowe Centrum Nauki, Poland

Distinctions

Award

2022	Young Investigator Award, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation's (BBRF) Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, United States
2022	Prof Pereira Monteiro Award Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurologia, Portugal
2017	Pre-Doctoral Plenary Competition joint first prize Academy of Medical Sciences, United Kingdom
2014	Oxion day poster prize Oxion Programme, United Kingdom
2010	Young Researchers Grant - 26th ECTRIMS conference European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, Switzerland