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Rita C Acúrcio concluded her PhD in 2019 and is currently a Junior Researcher at the Research Institute for Medicines (iMedULisboa), integrated in the Faculty of Pharmacy - University of Lisboa. In 2022, Rita had an FCT-funded project as principal investigator (SM-UnLOCK, 50K¿). She is also responsible for a LaCaixa-funded project (CoVax, CF01-00014, 300K¿) on the COVID nanomedicine field, at BioNanoSciences - Drug Delivery & Immunoengineering Group. Rita developed her PhD studies in the discovery and development of new small-molecule immune system modulators for cancer treatment. Previously, she developed other projects during her Master's Thesis in Organic Chemistry at the University of Aveiro, which resulted in a total of 5 publications in international peer-reviewed journals (two as 1st author). Rita started her PhD in 2016 at Dr. Guedes and Dr. Florindo labs at iMedULisboa (Lisboa, Portugal), where her expertise allowed the development of unique immunomodulatory small molecules to reprogram tumor microenvironment. This technology inspired the FCT-funded project (SM-UnLOCK, 50K¿), 3 oral and 10 poster presentations, 3 publications, all as 1st author, 1 Provisional Patent Application (No. 63/150,643), and 1MSc project co-supervised by Rita. In 2020, she started a Post-Doctoral position in a LaCaixa-funded international consortium (NanoPanther, LCF/PR/HR19/52160021, 1M¿) on the pancreatic cancer nanomedicine field, involving iMedULisboa (Lisboa, Portugal), Prince Felipe Research Center (CIPF) (Valencia, Spain) and Tel Aviv University (Tel Aviv, Israel). As part of NanoPanther, she joined the Lab of Prof. Ronit Satchi-Fainaro, one of the most renowned groups in Cancer Research and Nanomedicine, at Tel Aviv University (Israel). Overall, Rita interacted with more than 50 authors (+6 nationalities), publishing in total of 16 articles and 3 conference proceedings. The publication list includes top specialty journals, such as Nat. Nanotech., J Med Chem or Adv Drug Deliv Rev. She was also awarded the cover image of the Nat. Nanotech. in August 2020. Rita presented her work at several national/international meetings. She was supported with 4 travel grants from renowned scientific societies to participate in highly recognized international meetings, including European Association for Cancer Research (EACR) and European Federation for Medicinal Chemistry (EFMC). Also, she was awarded a travel grant by European Commission-sponsored COST Mission (CA15135) to enroll in a training school at Fraunhofer-IME, in Hamburg. She is also actively mentoring and/or supervising PhD, MSc, and Undergraduate students.
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Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Ana Rita de Carvalho Acúrcio

Citation names

  • Acúrcio, Rita C

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
8F1C-FAF0-2051
ORCID iD
0000-0003-3412-1903
Scopus Author Id
56154070500

Email addresses

  • ritaacurcio@ff.ulisboa.pt (Professional)

Knowledge fields

  • Medical and Health Sciences - Medical Biotechnology
  • Medical and Health Sciences - Clinical Medicine - Oncology
  • Engineering and Technology - Nano-technology
  • Medical and Health Sciences - Basic Medicine - Medicinal Chemistry
  • Exact Sciences - Chemical Sciences - Organic Chemistry
Education
Degree Classification
2016/01/01 - 2019/12/16
Concluded
 Pharmacy (Doctor of Philosophy)
Major in Pharmaceutical and Therapeutic Chemistry
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
"Discovery and Development of Novel Small-Molecule Immune System Modulators" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 Summa cum laude
2018/10/01 - 2018/10/04
Concluded
 IGC Course on Laboratory Animal Sciences in Mouse and Zebrafish (Outros)
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
2012/10 - 2014/07
Concluded
 Chemistry (Master)
Major in Organic Chemistry and Natural Products
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
"Synthesis of new C-glycosyl derivatives " (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 17
2009/09 - 2011/10
Concluded
 Chemistry (Licenciatura)
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Ciências, Portugal
"New processes to activate the C-H bond and the synthesis of new natural products." (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2023/04/03 - Current Researcher (Research) Universidade de Lisboa Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento, Portugal
Universidade de Lisboa Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento, Portugal
2020/01/08 - 2022/04/30 Postdoc (Research) Universidade de Lisboa Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento, Portugal
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
(...)
2020/01/09 - 2020/07/08 Researcher (Research) Universidade de Lisboa Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento, Portugal
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
2015/01/02 - 2015/12/31 Researcher (Research) Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal

Others

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2022 - 2022/12 Analytical Scientist - Project Support Hovione, Portugal
Hovione, Portugal
2021/09/07 - 2021/11/22 Visiting researcher at Professor Ronit Satchi-Fainaro Lab (Tel Aviv, Israel) supported with a LaCaixa Post-Doc fellowship from "NanoPanTher", LCF/PR/HR19/52160021 Tel Aviv University Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Israel
Tel Aviv University Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Israel
2016/01/01 - 2019/12/31 PhD student at Dr Rita Guedes and Dr Helena Florindo Labs (iMedULisboa, Lisboa), supported with a FCT scholarship PD/BD/128238/2016 Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
2012/02/01 - 2012/07/31 Visiting Undergradute student at Professor Dr. Jordi García Gómez Lab (Barcelona, Spain) Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
Universitat de Barcelona Facultat de Química, Spain
Projects

Grant

Designation Funders
2020/01/08 - 2020/06/30 Modulation of melanoma-stroma interactions using a rationally-designed nanomedicine combining BRAFi-, MEKi- and immune-therapies
ENMed/0051/2016
Research Fellow
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal

Tel Aviv University, Israel

Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2016/01/01 - 2019/12/31 Discovery and Development of New Small-Molecule Immune System Modulators
PD/BI/114135/2015
PD/BD/128238/2016
PhD Student Fellow
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal

Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded
2015/01/02 - 2015/12/31 Reactivation of latent HIV-1 by extracellular factors secreted by opportunistic infectious bacteria
PEst-OE/SAU/UI0775/2013
Research Fellow
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded

Contract

Designation Funders
2023/04/03 - Current Multifunctional nano-immunotherapy for melanoma brain metastases treatment
PTDC/BTM-SAL/4350/2021
Researcher
Universidade de Lisboa Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento, Portugal

Tel Aviv University Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Israel
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2023/01 - Current Multifunctional nano-immunotherapy against breast brain metastases
LCF/PR/HR22/52420016
Researcher
Universidade de Lisboa Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento, Portugal

Tel Aviv University Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Israel
CaixaForum Barcelona
Ongoing
2022/01/01 - Current New opportunities for small molecules in immuno-oncology
EXPL/MED-QUI/1316/2021
Principal investigator
Universidade de Lisboa Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2020/12 - Current Development of a translational COVID-19 Vaccine
CF01-00014
Researcher
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal

Tel Aviv University, Israel
CaixaForum Barcelona
Ongoing
2020/08/10 - 2022/04/30 Sensitizing pancreatic cancer to immunotherapy with multimodal precision nanomedicines
HR18-00589
Post-doc Fellow
Universidade de Lisboa Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento, Portugal

Tel Aviv University Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Israel

Centro de Investigacion Principe Felipe, Spain
CaixaForum Barcelona
Ongoing

Other

Designation Funders
2023/03 - Current ISIDORe
ISID_c7f4
Researcher
Universidade de Lisboa Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento, Portugal

Tel Aviv University Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Israel
European Union
Ongoing
Outputs

Publications

Conference abstract
  1. Acúrcio, Rita C; Sabina Pozzi; Carreira, Bárbara; Pojo, Marta; Sandra Casemiro; Paula Leandro; Adelaide Fernandes; et al. "Immune Checkpoint Blockade by Novel Small-Molecule Inhibitors Restores T Cell Function". Paper presented in 1st Spring Virtual Meeting on Medicinal Chemistry, 2021.
    Published • https://doi.org/10.3390/chemproc2021004001
  2. J. Gonçalves; M. Santos; Acúrcio, Rita C; I. Iria; P. Brito; A. C. Cunha Santos; A. Barbas; et al. Corresponding author: J. Gonçalves. "P545 Antigenic response to CT-P13 and remicade in inflammatory bowel disease patients shows similar epitope recognition". Paper presented in 13th Congress of ECCO – European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation, Vienna, 2018.
    Published • 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjx180.672
Conference paper
  1. Carreira, Bárbara; Acúrcio, Rita C; Pozzi, Sabina; Ron Kleiner; Moura, Liane I F; Ana I. Matos; Daniella Vaskovich-Koubi; et al. Corresponding author: Ronit Satchi. "Abstract 835: Translational nanotechnology-based cancer vaccine to re-educate host immune response against metastatic cancers". Paper presented in AACR Annual Meeting 2023, Orlando, 2023.
    Published • 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2023-835
Conference poster
  1. Cordeiro, Jéssica; CONEJOS-SANCHEZ, INMACULADA; Acúrcio, Rita C; Moura, Liane I F; María J. Vicente; Helena F Florindo. Corresponding author: Helena F Florindo. "Nano-immunotherapy to modulate immune cells in pancreatic cancer". Paper presented in "O Futuro Hoje: Novas Terapêuticas Moleculares e Biológicas¿, 2023.
  2. Carreira, Barbara; Acúrcio, Rita C; Pozzi, Sabina; Moura, Liane I F; Matos, Ana I; Peres, Carina; Kleiner, Ron; et al. Corresponding author: Helena F Florindo. "Translational nanotechnology-based cancer vaccine to re-educate host immune response against melanoma brain metastases.". Paper presented in 4th SPLC-CRS Young Scientists Meeting: Delivering Science, Bridging Opportunities, 2023.
  3. Carreira, Barbara; Acúrcio, Rita C; Pozzi, Sabina; Moura, Liane I F; Ana I. Matos; Kleiner, Ron; Vaskovich-Koubi, Daniella; et al. Corresponding author: Helena F Florindo. "Translational nanotechnology-based cancer nanovaccine to re-educate host immune response against melanoma brain metastases". Paper presented in Gordon Research Conference on Cancer Nanotechnology and Gordon Research Seminar on Cancer Nanotechnology, 2023.
  4. Carreira, Bárbara; Rita Acúrcio; Sabina Pozzi; Moura, Liane I F; Peres, Carina; Fernandes, Adelaide; Xapelli Sara; Satchi-Fainaro, Ronit; Helena F Florindo. "Precision Nanomedicine-based Immunotherapy to Overcome Immunosuppression Against Metastatic Melanoma.". Paper presented in Champalimaud Research Symposium: Tumor Microenvironment (from cancer initiation to metastasis), 2022.
  5. Sousa, Carlota; Rita Acúrcio; Guedes, Rita; Helena F Florindo. Corresponding author: Sousa, Carlota. "In silico approaches to the identification of small molecules for immuno-oncology therapy.". Paper presented in 5th MCQUL (5º encontro do Colégio de Química UL), 2022.
  6. Sousa, Carlota; Rita Acúrcio; Helena F Florindo; Guedes, Rita. "Computational approaches to discovery small molecules for immuno-oncology therapies.". Paper presented in 13th iMed.ULisboa Postgraduate Students meeting, 2022.
  7. Rita Acúrcio; Nicole Mendes; Carreira, Bárbara; Ana I. Matos; Peres, Carina; María Jesus Vicent; Satchi-Fainaro, Ronit; Helena F Florindo. "Unlocking Pancreatic Cancer to Nano-Immunotherapy". Paper presented in EACR 2022 Congress - Innovative Cancer Science: Translating Biology to Medicine, 2022.
  8. Sousa, Carlota; Rita Acúrcio; Helena F Florindo; Guedes, Rita. "Discovery of the next generation of (multi-targeting) small molecules against cancer-related immunosuppressive players". Paper presented in Encontro Ciência 2022, 2022.
  9. Carreira, Bárbara; Acúrcio, Rita C; Liane I. Moura; Ana I. Matos; Sabina Pozzi; Adelaide Fernandes; Sara Xapelli; Ronit Satchi-Fainaro; Helena F Florindo. Corresponding author: Carreira, Bárbara. "Precision Nanomedicine-based to Regulate Immunsuppression Against Metastatic Melanoma.". Paper presented in 12th iMed.ULisboa Postgraduate Students Meeting, 2021.
  10. Carreira, Barbara; Acúrcio, Rita C; Pozzi, Sabina; Moura, Liane I F; Ana I. Matos; Satchi-Fainaro, Ronit; Helena F Florindo. Corresponding author: Helena F Florindo. "Precision Multifunctional Nanomedicines to Regulate Immunosuppression Against Melanoma Brain Metastasis". Paper presented in Cutaneous Melanoma: From Where to Where?,, 2021.
  11. Carreira, Bárbara; Acúrcio, Rita C; Adva Krivitsky; Elges Pisarevsky; Ana I. Matos; João M. Conniot; Anna Scomparin; Ronit Satchi-Fainaro; Helena F Florindo. Corresponding author: Carreira, Bárbara. "Precision Nanomedicine-based Therapeutics to Regulate Immunosuppression Against Melanoma.". Paper presented in Basic and Translational Research Conference Tumor Microenvironment, 2020.
  12. Conniot, João; Scomparin, Anna; Carreira, Bárbara; Peres, Carina; Ana I. Matos; Acúrcio, Rita C; Moura, Liane I F; et al. "Functionalized nanobiomaterials as novel combination immunotherapies in cancer". Paper presented in EACR-AACR-ASPIC Conference: Tumor Microenvironment, 2020.
  13. Carreira, Barbara; Acúrcio, Rita C; Adva Krivitsky; Elges Pisarevsky; Ana I. Matos; Conniot, João; Scomparin, Anna; Satchi-Fainaro, Ronit; Helena F Florindo. Corresponding author: Helena F Florindo. "Precision nanomedicine-based therapeutics to regulate immunosuppresion against melanoma". Paper presented in XIIIth Spanish-Portuguese Conference on Controlled Drug Delivery, 2020.
  14. Acúrcio, Rita C; Ana Paula Leandro; Helena F Florindo; Rita C Guedes. "Modulation of PD-1/PD-L1 interaction by small molecules". Paper presented in 11th iMed.ULisboa Postgraduate Students Meeting & 4th i3DU Meeting,, 2019.
  15. Carreira, Bárbara; Anna Scomparin; Adva Krivitsky; Ana I. Matos; Acúrcio, Rita C; João M. Conniot; Ronit Satchi-Fainaro; Helena F Florindo. Corresponding author: Carreira, Bárbara. "Precision nanotechnology-based therapeutics to regulate tumor-immune cells crosstalk against melanoma.". Paper presented in 11th iMed.ULisboa Postgraduate Students Meeting & 4rd i3DU Meeting, 2019.
  16. Acúrcio, Rita C; Rita C Guedes; Helena F Florindo. "Computational strategy to modulate PD-1/PD-L1 interaction and activate T cells function through small molecules". Paper presented in 17th Annual Meeting of the Association for Cancer Immunotherapy, 2019.
  17. Carreira, Bárbara; Anna Scomparin; Adva Krivitsky; Ana I. Matos; Acúrcio, Rita C; João M. Conniot; Ronit Satchi-Fainaro; Helena F Florindo. Corresponding author: Carreira, Bárbara. "Precision nanotechnology-based therapeutics to regulate tumor-immune cells crosstalk against melanoma.". Paper presented in 17th CIMT 2019 Annual Meeting, 2019.
  18. Acúrcio, Rita C; Helena F Florindo; Rita C Guedes. "New small-molecule immune checkpoint inhibitors: A new strategy in cancer immunotherapy,". Paper presented in 2nd Defense is the Best Attack – Immuno-Oncology Breakthroughs, 2019.
  19. Acúrcio, Rita C; Helena F Florindo; Rita C Guedes. "Small-molecule immune checkpoint inhibitors: New approach in cancer immunotherapy". Paper presented in 5th EFMC Young Medicinal Chemist Symposium (EFMC- YMCS), 2018.
  20. Acúrcio, Rita C; Helena F Florindo; Rita C Guedes. "Small-molecule immune system modulators: A step forward in cancer immunotherapy". Paper presented in 10th iMed.ULisboa Postgraduate Students Meeting & 3rd i3DU Meeting, 2018.
  21. Acúrcio, Rita C; Helena F Florindo; Rita C Guedes. "Discovery and development of small-molecule immune system modulators". Paper presented in European School of Medicinal Chemistry (XXXVIII Advanced Course of Medicinal Chemistry and “E.Duranti” National Seminar for PhD Students), 2018.
  22. Acúrcio, Rita C; Jorge AR Salvador; Helena F Florindo; Rita C Guedes. "Small-molecule immune checkpoint blockade: New approach in cancer immunotherapy". Paper presented in 3rd meeting of CQUL - Chemistry at ULisboa & 2018 Summer School,, 2018.
  23. Acúrcio, Rita C; Jorge AR Salvador; Helena F Florindo; Rita C Guedes. "Small-molecule immune system modulators: An in silico strategy for cancer immunotherapy". Paper presented in UL Chemistry PhD Meeting, 2nd Meeting of the CQUL (2ECQUL), 2017.
  24. Acúrcio, Rita C; Jorge AR Salvador; Rita C Guedes; Helena F Florindo. "Small-molecule immune system modulators: A step forward in cancer immunotherapy". Paper presented in Defense is the Best Attack – Immuno-Oncology Breakthroughs,, 2017.
  25. Acúrcio, Rita C; Jorge AR Salvador; Helena F Florindo; Rita C Guedes. "Structural insights on imune checkpoint blockade: An in silico strategy towards cancer immunotherapy". Paper presented in XXV Encontro Nacional da Sociedade Portuguesa de Química, 2017.
  26. Acúrcio, Rita C; Pedro Perdigão; Aida Duarte; Carlos São-José; Mariana Santa-Marta; José Moniz-Pereira; João Gonçalves. Corresponding author: Acúrcio, Rita C. "HIV-1 latency reactivation by bacterial molecular agents derived from opportunistic infections". Paper presented in 7th iMed.ULisboa Postgraduate Students Meeting, 2015.
Journal article
  1. Matos, A.I.; Peres, C.; Carreira, B.; Moura, L.I.F.; Acúrcio, R.C.; Vogel, T.; Wegener, E.; et al. "Polyoxazoline-Based Nanovaccine Synergizes with Tumor-Associated Macrophage Targeting and Anti-PD-1 Immunotherapy against Solid Tumors". Advanced Science 10 25 (2023): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85164453502&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1002/advs.202300299
  2. Pais, Teresa F.; Ali, Hajrabibi; Moreira da Silva, Joana; Duarte, Nádia; Neres, Rita; Chhatbar, Chintan; Acúrcio, Rita C.; et al. "Brain endothelial STING1 activation by Plasmodium -sequestered heme promotes cerebral malaria via type I IFN response". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119 36 (2022): http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2206327119.
    Published • 10.1073/pnas.2206327119
  3. Acúrcio, Rita C.; Pozzi, Sabina; Carreira, Barbara; Pojo, Marta; Gómez-Cebrián, Nuria; Casimiro, Sandra; Fernandes, Adelaide; et al. "Therapeutic targeting of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade by novel small-molecule inhibitors recruits cytotoxic T cells into solid tumor microenvironment". Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer 10 7 (2022): e004695. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jitc-2022-004695.
    Published • 10.1136/jitc-2022-004695
  4. Snežana Ðordevic; María Medel Gonzalez; CONEJOS-SANCHEZ, INMACULADA; Carreira, Bárbara; Sabina Pozzi; Rita Acúrcio; Satchi-Fainaro, Ronit; Helena F Florindo; María Jesus Vicent. "Current hurdles to the translation of nanomedicines from bench to the clinic". Drug Delivery and Translational Research (2021): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13346-021-01024-2.
    10.1007/s13346-021-01024-2
  5. Carina Peres; Ana I. Matos; Liane I.F. Moura; Rita C. Acúrcio; Barbara Carreira; Sabina Pozzi; Daniella Vaskovich-Koubi; et al. "Preclinical models and technologies to advance nanovaccine development". Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews 172 (2021): 148-182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2021.03.001.
    10.1016/j.addr.2021.03.001
  6. Barbara Carreira; Rita C. Acúrcio; Ana I. Matos; Carina Peres; Sabina Pozzi; Daniella Vaskovich-Koubi; Ron Kleiner; et al. "Nanomedicines as Multifunctional Modulators of Melanoma Immune Microenvironment". Advanced Therapeutics 4 1 (2021): 2000147-2000147. https://doi.org/10.1002/adtp.202000147.
    10.1002/adtp.202000147
  7. Florindo, H.F.; Kleiner, R.; Vaskovich-Koubi, D.; Acúrcio, R.C.; Carreira, B.; Yeini, E.; Tiram, G.; Liubomirski, Y.; Satchi-Fainaro, R.. "Immune-mediated approaches against COVID-19". Nature Nanotechnology 15 8 (2020): 630-645. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85087808917&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1038/s41565-020-0732-3
  8. Acúrcio, R.C.; Scomparin, A.; Satchi-Fainaro, R.; Florindo, H.F.; Guedes, R.C.. "Computer-aided drug design in new druggable targets for the next generation of immune-oncology therapies". Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Computational Molecular Science 9 3 (2019): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85055700780&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    In press • 10.1002/wcms.1397
  9. Acúrcio, R.C.; Leonardo-Sousa, C.; García-Sosa, A.T.; Salvador, J.A.; Florindo, H.F.; Guedes, R.C.. "Structural insights and binding analysis for determining the molecular bases for programmed cell death protein ligand-1 inhibition". MedChemComm 10 10 (2019): 1810-1818. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85073807956&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1039/c9md00326f
  10. Goncalves, J.; Santos, M.; Acurcio, R.; Iria, I.; Gouveia, L.; Matos Brito, P.; Catarina Cunha-Santos, A.; et al. "Antigenic response to CT-P13 and infliximab originator in inflammatory bowel disease patients shows similar epitope recognition". Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics 48 5 (2018): 507-522. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/apt.14808.
    In press • 10.1111/apt.14808
  11. Acúrcio, R.C.; Scomparin, A.; Conniot, J.; Salvador, J.A.R.; Satchi-Fainaro, R.; Florindo, H.F.; Cardoso Guedes, R.. "Structure-function analysis of immune checkpoint receptors to guide emerging anticancer immunotherapy". Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (2018): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85050352057&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00541
  12. Soengas, R.G.; Rodríguez-Solla, H.; Díaz-Pardo, A.; Acúrcio, R.; Concellõn, C.; Del Amo, V.; Silva, A.M.S.. "General preparation of 1-substituted (E)-1,3-dienes under mild conditions". European Journal of Organic Chemistry 2015 11 (2015): 2524-2530. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85027934404&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1002/ejoc.201403623
  13. Acúrcio, Rita; Soengas, Raquel; Silva, Artur. "Indium-Mediated Debromination of gem-Bromonitroalkanes under Mild Conditions in Aqueous Medium". Synlett 25 11 (2014): 1561-1564. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0033-1339030.
    10.1055/s-0033-1339030
  14. Soengas, R.G.; Acúrcio, R.; Silva, A.M.S.. "Preparation of indium nitronates and their Henry reactions". Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry 12 43 (2014): 8593-8597. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84907966288&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1039/c4ob01468e
  15. Soengas, R.G.; Acúrcio, R.C.; Silva, A.M.S.. "Recent developments in the chemistry of gem-halonitro compounds". European Journal of Organic Chemistry 2014 29 (2014): 6339-6359. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84957882401&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1002/ejoc.201402043
  16. Acúrcio, R.C.; Soengas, R.G.; Almeida Paz, F.A.; Silva, A.M.S.. "Stereoselective synthesis of orthogonally protected 1,2-diaminoinositols from d -mannose". Synlett 25 15 (2014): 2217-2220. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84905326785&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1055/s-0034-1378545
Thesis / Dissertation
  1. "Discovery and development of new small-molecule immune system modulators". PhD, Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, 2019.
  2. "Synthesis of new C-glycosyl derivatives". Master, Universidade de Aveiro Unidade de Investigação de Química Orgânica Produtos Naturais e Agroalimentares, 2014.

Intellectual property

Patent
  1. Ronit Satchi; Helena F Florindo; Guedes, Rita; Acúrcio, Rita C. 2022. "Modulators of pd-l1/pd-1 interaction and uses thereof". Israel.
    Allowed
Provisional application for patent
  1. 2021. "Small molecules as modulators of PD-L1/PD-1 interaction".
    Protected

Other

Other output
  1. Brain endothelial STING1 activation by Plasmodium-sequestered heme promotes cerebral malaria via type I IFN response. 2022. Pais, T.F.; Ali, H.; da Silva, J.M.; Duarte, N.; Neres, R.; Chhatbar, C.; Acúrcio, R.C.; et al. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85130863683&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1101/2022.02.14.480268
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2023/02/06 Intranasal nanovaccine elicits robust humoral- and mucosalimmunity against SARS-CoV-2 4th SPLC-CRS Young Scientists Meeting
SPLC-CRS Local Chapter (Porto, Portugal)
2022/11/16 Immune checkpoint blockade by novel small-molecule inhibitors restores T cell function 6ª Conferência da RedeSAÚDE
RedeSAÚDE (Lisboa, Portugal)
2022/07/13 Intranasal multifunctional nanovaccine elicits robust immunity against SARS-CoV-2 CRS 2022 Annual Meeting & Expo
Controlled Release Society (CRS) (Montreal, Canada)
2022/07 Intranasal multifunctional nanovaccine elicits robust immunity against SARS-CoV-2 CRS 2022 Annual Meeting & Expo
(Montreal, Canada)
2022/05/02 Deciphering pancreatic tumor microenvironment crosstalk with flow cytometry Full Spectrum Flow Cytometry Course
Palex (Porto, Portugal)
2022/01/27 Peptide nano-vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 infection XVth Spanish Portuguese Conference on Controlled Drug Delivery
Spanish Portuguese Conference on Controlled Drug Delivery (Tenerife, Spain)
2021/11/30 Precision Nanomedicine-based Immunotherapy to Overcome Immunosupression Against Melanoma Brain Metastasis. 5ª conferência da redeSAÚDE
(Lisbon, Portugal)
2021/10/15 Precision Multifunctional Nanomedicines to Regulate Immunsuppression Against Melanoma Brain Metastasis. Cutaneous Melanoma: From where to where?
Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro (LPCC) (Lisbon, Portugal)
2020/01/24 Precision Nanomedicine-based Therapeutics to Regulate Immunosuppression Against Melanoma Spanish-Portuguese XIIIth Spanish-Portuguese Conference on Controlled Drug Delivery
(Santiago de Compostela, Spain)
2018/09/03 New small-molecule immune checkpoint inhibitors: A step forward in cancer immunotherapy XXV EFMC International Symposium on Medicinal Chemistry (EFMC-ISMC)
(Liubliana, Slovenia)
2018/05/16 New small-molecule immune system modulators towards cancer immunotherapy 6th Portuguese Young Chemistry Meeting (PYCheM)
(Setúbal , Portugal)
2017/12/04 Small-molecule immune system modulators: An in silico strategy towards cancer immunotherapy CQUL - UL Chemistry PhD Meeting (2ECQUL)
(Lisboa, Portugal)

Supervision

Thesis Title
Role 		Degree Subject (Type)
Institution / Organization
2022/01 - Current FAK impact on lymphatic vasculature in metastatic breast cancer
Co-supervisor of Raquel Gouveia
M.Sc. in BioPharmaceutical Sciences (Master)
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
2021/09 - 2022/12/13 Regulating Immune Response Against Pancreatic Cancer
Co-supervisor of Nicole Mendes
 M.Sc. in BioPharmaceutical Sciences (Master)
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
2021/09 - 2022/07/19 Deciphering melanoma stroma to improve immunotherapy efficacy
Co-supervisor of Jéssica Luís
 Pharmaceutical Sciences (Master)
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
2022/02 - 2022/06/30 Assessment of P32 and Cathepsin S role in Pancreatic Cancer
Co-supervisor of Ana Marta Nunes
 Pharmaceutical Sciences (Specialization course)
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
2019/09 - 2020/07 Small molecules for cancer immunotherapy: A melanoma approach
Co-supervisor
 M.Sc. in BioPharmaceutical Sciences (Master)
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event 		Event name
Institution / Organization
2018/11/11 - 2018/11/16 FLx Flow - Flow Cytometry Course covered basic and advanced cytometry topics and comprised lectures and practical modules taught by national and international experts in the field. Cytometry applications offered at all levels, targeted at both beginners.
Other
 FLx Flow - Flow Cytometry Course
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
2018/07/01 - 2018/07/05 XXXVIII Advanced Course of Medicinal Chemistry and E.Duranti National Seminar for PhD Students
Other
 XXXVIII Advanced Course of Medicinal Chemistry and E.Duranti National Seminar for PhD Students
European Federation for Medicinal Chemistry, Switzerland
2018/06/18 - 2018/06/22 MedChemTrain Summer School
Other
 Frontiers in Medicinal Chemistry - MedChemTrain Summer School
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal

Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal
2017/06/12 - 2017/06/16 MedChemTrain Summer School
Other
 Frontiers in Medicinal Chemistry - MedChemTrain Summer School
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal

Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal
2016/06/20 - 2016/06/24 MedChemTrain Summer School
Other
 Frontiers in Medicinal Chemistry - MedChemTrain Summer School
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal

Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal

Jury of academic degree

Topic
Role 		Candidate name (Type of degree)
Institution / Organization
2021/02/26 Small-molecules for Cancer Immunotherapy: A melanoma approach
(Thesis) Arguer
 Lara Inês Silva Serronha (Master)
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal

Association member

Society Organization name Role
2022/01 - Current Spanish-Portuguese Local Chapter Controlled Release Society Member
2017 - Current European Association for Cancer Research (EACR) Member
2016 - Current Sociedade Portuguesa de Química Member
2016 - Current European Federation for Medicinal Chemistry (EFMC) Member

Course / Discipline taught

Academic session Degree Subject (Type) Institution / Organization
2023/04/09 - Current Integrated Master in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Curricular Unit Pharmaceutical Technology III Integrated Master in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Mestrado integrado) Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
2022/02 - Current Integrated Master in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Curricular Unit Pharmaceutical Technology III Pharmaceutical Sciences (Mestrado integrado) Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
2023/03/22 - 2023/03/22 PhD and Postgraduate Advanced Course "ADVANCED DRUG DELIVERY" at Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon. Regulation of cancer immunity using advanced nanodelivery systems PhD and Postgraduate Advanced Course "ADVANCED DRUG DELIVERY"¿ (Curso de doutoramento (conclusão de unidades curriculares)) Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal

Journal scientific committee

Journal title (ISSN) Publisher
2021/01/31 - Current Drug Delivery and Translational Research Springer Nature (New York, US)

Mentoring / Tutoring

Topic Student name
2022/12/13 - 2023/01/30 Regulação da Resposta Imunológica em Melanoma através da Modulação de Fibroblastos Associados ao Cancro e da Tirosina Quinase de Adesão Focal Camila Silva

Other jury / evaluation

Activity description Institution / Organization
2021 - Current PhD Thesis Committee - PhD Candidate: Silvestre Isidoro Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
2022/12/15 - 2022/12/15 Jury member of the curricular unit Project III of Integrated Master's in Pharmaceutical Sciences (MICF) at Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Farmácia. Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
2021/04/26 - 2021/04/26 Jury member of first-year report. Project: Discovery of multi-targeting small-molecules against cancer-related immunosuppressive players Candidate: Carlota Miguel Leonardo de Sousa PhD in Pharmacy Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
2020/12/17 - 2020/12/17 Jury member of the curricular unit Project III of Integrated Master's in Pharmaceutical Sciences (MICF) at Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Farmácia. Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Farmácia, Portugal
Distinctions

Award

2023 Best Oral Communication
SPLC-CRS Local Chapter, Spain
2019 Travel Grant for Congress "17th Annual Meeting of the Association for Cancer Immunotherapy", 21-23 May, 2019, Mainz, Germany.
Association for Cancer Immunotherapy , Germany
2019 Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITC) Conference Grants
European Cooperation in Science and Technology, Belgium
2018 Travel Grant for "3rd MuTaLig COST Action Training School"
European Cooperation in Science and Technology, Belgium
2018 Travel Grant to "European School of Medicinal Chemistry ESMEC XXXVIII Advanced Course of Medicinal Chemistry and Seminar for PhD students Urbino, Palazzo Battiferri, July 1-5, 2018"
European Federation for Medicinal Chemistry, Switzerland
2017 Travel Grant for Congress "Defence is the best attack: Immuno-Oncology Breakthroughs", 9-11 October, 2017, Barcelona.
European Association For Cancer Research, United Kingdom

Other distinction

2020 Nature Nanotechnology Cover (August 2020)
2018 Top 3 Project BioSolveIT Challenge 2018
BioSolveIT GmbH, Germany