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I finished my degree in Biology, Biologia Microbiana e Genetica in 2000 at Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências. In 2004 I concluded a master degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Miami. In 2016 I concluded a PhD degree in Biology at Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica. I am interested in Biological Sciences, specifically in the area of Microbiology and host-pathogen interactions. Since 2019 I have been a contracted researcher in the infection biology lab at Universidade NOVA de Lisboa where my work was focused on C. trachomatis effector proteins.
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Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Maria Paiva Raposo da Cunha

Citation names

  • Da Cunha, Maria
  • Raposo, M.P.

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
9C1A-97C2-C8CC
ORCID iD
0000-0002-6453-7785

Email addresses

  • mariacunha@fct.unl.pt (Professional)
  • mariapaivaraposo@hotmail.com (Personal)

Addresses

  • Departamento Ciências da Vida, Ed. Departamental, Lab 349, Quinta da Torre, Monte da Caparica, 2829-516, Monte da Caparica, Almada, Portugal (Professional)

Knowledge fields

  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Microbiology

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
English Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1)
French Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1) Elementary (A2) Intermediate (B1)
Spanish; Castilian Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1) Beginner (A1) Intermediate (B1)
Education
Degree Classification
2016/07/13
Concluded
 Biologia (Doutoramento)
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
"Identification and Characterization of Chlamydia trachomatis Type III secretion substrates" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 n/a
2004
Concluded
 PhD program in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Mestrado)
University of Miami, United States
"Role of the sp transcription factors in the regulation of transcription of the connexin43 gene" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 GPA 3.63 (out of 4)
2000
Concluded
 Biologia Microbiana e Genetica (Licenciatura)
Universidade de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências, Portugal
"Estudo da regulação transcricional dos genes xsa e abnA de Bacillus subtilis" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 16 (out of 20)
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2019/03/01 - 2021/08/31 Contracted Researcher (Research) Universidade Nova de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
REQUIMTE Unidade de Ciências Biomoleculares Aplicadas, Portugal

Teaching in Higher Education

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2023/03 - Current Tutor (University Teacher) Universidade Católica Portuguesa Campus Sintra, Portugal

Others

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2010 - 2016/07/13 PhD fellowship award by FCT in the Infection Biology Lab, ITQB, project title: Identification and Characterization of Type III secretion effectors in Chlamydia trachomatis Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2001 - 2004 PhD student. Due to personal reasons (my husband´s job was transferred from Miami to Geneva) i had to interrupt the PhD program but the result of my research was converted into a Master degree. University of Miami, United States
2000 - 2001 BIC fellowship contract nº ITQB 036/BIC/2000 with the project:"Molecular Analysis of Arabinan Degradation in Bacillus subtilis" Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia POCTI/AGR/36212/00 (2000-2004) un Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
1999 - 2000 Training Internship. Final dissertation: «Transcriptional Regulation studies of the abnA and xsa genes of Bacillus subtilis». This work was done under the supervision of Prof. Isabel Sá Nogueira Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
Projects

Grant

Designation Funders
2010/01/01 - 2015 Identification and characterisation of type III secretion effectors in chlamydia trachomatis
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/SFRH/SFRH2%FBD2%F627282%F2009/PT
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
2000/11/01 - 2001 Molecular Analysis of Arabinan Degradation in Bacillus Subtilis
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/POCI/36212/PT
Scientific Initiation Fellow
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded

Contract

Designation Funders
2019/03 - Current Identification and characterization of Chlamydia trachomatis virulence proteins
grant PTDC/BIA-MIC/28503/2017
Researcher
REQUIMTE Unidade de Ciências Biomoleculares Aplicadas, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2019/01/01 - 2019/12/31 Unidade de Ciências Biomoleculares Aplicadas
UID/Multi/04378/2019
154717UID
Rede de Química e Tecnologia Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded
Outputs

Publications

Conference poster
  1. Da Cunha, Maria; Pereira, S.I.; Mota, L.J. Corresponding author: Mota, L.J. "Phylogenetic and functional analysis of orthologs of CteG, a Chlamydia trachomatis effector protein (poster 88).". Paper presented in Congresso de Microbiologia e Biotecnologia MicroBiotech21, 2021.
  2. Da Cunha, Maria; Pereira, S.I.; Mota, L.J. "Identification and characterization of novel Chlamydia trachomatis virulence proteins (poster 442)". Paper presented in Congresso de Microbiologia e Biotecnologia MicroBiotec19, 2019.
  3. Da Cunha, Maria; Pais, S.V.; Mota,L.J. "The Chlamydia trachomatis type III secretion substrates CT142, CT143 and CT143 could be part of a protein complex in the lumen of the bacterial vacuole. Poster A15.". Paper presented in Chlamydia Basic Research Society (CBRS), Seventh Biennial Meeting. New Orleans, Louisiana, USA., 2015.
  4. Da Cunha, Maria; Mota, L.J. "The Chlamydia trachomatis type III secretion substrates CT142 and CT143 may be part of a protein complex in the lumen of the bacterial vacuole". Paper presented in Congresso de Microbiologia e Biotecnologia Microbiotech13, 2013.
  5. Da Cunha, Maria; Werner, R; Oltra, E. "Different Zinc Finger-Containing Transcription Factors May Be involved In The Activation Of The Connexin43 Gene By Estrogen. Abstract p. 118.". Paper presented in International Gap Junction Conference. Cambridge, United Kingdom., 2003.
  6. Inacio, J.M.; Da Cunha, Maria; Mota, J.L; Prof. Isabel Sá-Nogueira. "Regulatory Mechanisms of the Arabinan-Degrading Complex in Bacillus subtilis. Abstract p. 82.". Paper presented in Functional Genomics of Gram-positive Microorganisms, Baveno,Italy,, 2003.
Journal article
  1. Inês Serrano Pereira; Maria da Cunha; Inês Pacheco Leal; Maria Luís; Paula Gonçalves; Carla Gonçalves; Luís Jaime Mota. "Identification of homologs of the Chlamydia trachomatis effector CteG reveals a family of Chlamydiaceae type III secreted proteins that can be delivered into host cells". Medical Microbiology and Immunology (2024): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00430-024-00798-9.
    10.1007/s00430-024-00798-9
  2. Bugalhão, Joana N.; Luís, Maria P.; Pereira, Inês S.; da Cunha, Maria; Pais, Sara V.; Mota, Luís Jaime. "The Chlamydia trachomatis inclusion membrane protein CT006 associates with lipid droplets in eukaryotic cells". PLOS ONE 17 2 (2022): e0264292. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0264292.
    10.1371/journal.pone.0264292
  3. Da Cunha, Maria. "The Chlamydia trachomatis type III secretion substrates CT142, CT143, and CT144 are secreted into the lumen of the inclusion". PLOS ONE (2017): http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0178856.
    10.1371/journal.pone.0178856
  4. Da Cunha, Maria. "Identification of type III secretion substrates of Chlamydia trachomatis using Yersinia enterocolitica as a heterologous system". BMC Microbiology (2014): http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2180-14-40.
    10.1186/1471-2180-14-40
  5. Da Cunha, Maria. "Transcriptional Regulation of Genes Encoding Arabinan-Degrading Enzymes in Bacillus subtilis". Journal of Bacteriology (2004): http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jb.186.5.1287-1296.2004.
    10.1128/jb.186.5.1287-1296.2004
Thesis / Dissertation
  1. Da Cunha, Maria. "Identification and Characterization of Chlamydia trachomatis type III secretion substrates. ITQB. Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Lisboa. Portugal". PhD, Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, 2016.
  2. Da Cunha, Maria. "Role of the Sp Transciption factors on the regulation of transcription of the connexin43 gene. University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA". Master, University of Miami, 2004.
  3. Da Cunha, Maria. "Estudo da Regulação Transcricional dos genes xsa e abnA de Bacillus subtilis. Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, Lisboa.". Degree, 2000.
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2014/11 The Chlamydia trachomatis typeIII secretion substrates CT142, CT143 and CT144 could be part of a protein complex in the lumen of the bacterial vacuole ITQB PhD meeting
Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (Lisboa, Portugal)
2014/06 Identification and characterization of type III secretion substrates of Chlamydia trachomatis DCV seminar Series
Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Departamento Ciências da Vida (Lisboa, Portugal)
2013/12 Identification of type III secretion substrates of Chlamydia trachomatis using Yersinia enterocolitica as a heterologous system. Congresso Nacional de Microbiologia e Biotecnologia MicroBiotec13
Universidade de Aveiro (Aveiro, Portugal)
2003 Molecular mechanisms of polysaccharides degradation in Bacillus subtilis. Congresso Nacional de Microbiologia MICRO´2003
(Tomar, Portugal)

Supervision

Thesis Title
Role 		Degree Subject (Type)
Institution / Organization
2021/07 - Current “Subversion of host cells by Chlamydia trachomatis”.
Co-supervisor of Ines Leal
 Biologia Celular e Molecular (Master)
Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
2021/02/01 - 2021/06/01 Rastreio de interações proteína-proteína entre CteG de Chlamydia trachomatis e proteínas eucarióticas
Supervisor of Catarina Faustino
 Biologia Celular e Molecular (Degree)
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Portugal
2020/01 - 2020/05 Interaction between Chlamydia trachomatis and eukaryotic cells: search for novel chlamydial proteins delivered into host cells
Co-supervisor of Mariana de Almeida Caetano Perdigão Luz
 Biologia Celular e Molecular (Degree)
Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal

Event organisation

Event name
Type of event (Role) 		Institution / Organization
2015 - 2015 Expo-FCT (2015 - 2015)
Exhibition (Co-organisor)
 Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
2014 - 2014 Expo-FCT (2014 - 2014)
Exhibition (Co-organisor)
 Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
2013 - 2013 Expo-FCT (2013 - 2013)
Exhibition (Co-organisor)
 Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event 		Event name
Institution / Organization
2013 - 2013 " Scientist in primary/secundary schools" Participated in event organized by ITQB with the objective of dessiminating science to the wider public
Other
Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal

Association member

Society Organization name Role
2019 - Current Member of Portuguese Society of Microbiology Member

Mentoring / Tutoring

Topic Student name
2015/06 - 2015/06 Ines Pereira

Other jury / evaluation

Activity description Institution / Organization
2021/05/27 - 2021/05/27 Examiner of Catarina de Almendra Morais Ferreira Correia (BSc Cell and Molecular Biology, FCT-NOVA), Project in Cell and Molecular Biology. Construction of an integrative plasmid for the expression of MsmX-MalK1 hybrid protein. Supervisor: Ines Gonçalves, FCT-NOVA. Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
2019/05 - 2019/05 Examiner of Afonso de Sousa Vieira (BSc Cell and Molecular Biology, FCT-NOVA), Project in Cell and Molecular Biology. “Estudo de expressão e localização da proteína Irgb2-b1 em diferentes linhas celulares infectadas com estirpes de Toxoplasma gondii sul americanas e laboratoriais”. Supervisor: Jonathan Howard, IGC. Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
2019/05 - 2019/05 Examiner of Inês Epifânio Crespo (BSc Cell and Molecular Biology, FCT-NOVA), Project in Cell and Molecular Biology. “Effects of temperature on Wolbachia proliferation in different body parts of its host Drosophila melanogaster”. Supervisor: Patrícia Beldade, IGC. Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
Distinctions

Other distinction

2010 PhD Fellowship
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal