Catarina Morais Seabra (AB15-E7E3-74D6)

Curriculum Vitae

Catarina Morais Seabra

Dr. Catarina M. Seabra obtained a PhD in 2017 from the GABBA program at the University of Porto, and built a strong background in human neurogenetics. She acquired international experience during her PhD as she trained at renowned institutions in the USA, such as the Center for Genomic Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Dr. Seabra's work has advanced knowledge in the autism research field as she used cutting-edge technology to identify disease-associated pathways which may be suitable targets for treatment. Her publication record includes the contribution to 12 journal articles with 733 citations (Google Scholar h-index=9), including in journals such as Nature Genetics and Nature Neuroscience and Molecular Autism. As an educator, Dr. Seabra was invited as Assistant Professor at the University of Coimbra in 2020 to teach experimental classes to Biology degree students. Additionally, Dr. Seabra is the main supervisor of MSc and PhD students and has also teached advanced PhD-level courses. Dr. Seabra has a vast experience in project management, leadership and public engagement, as evidenced by an active role in scientific and academic committees. She has organized scientific events and has created opportunities by co-founding internship and outreach programs, such as Brain Gain - Discovering Neurosciences, PAPSummer and Maria de Sousa Research Program, through successful fundraising (35,000 Euros). In 2018, she attracted European funds through an H2020 MSCA Individual Fellowship of 148,000 Euros and has proven her independence through project management and establishment of international collaborations. Dr. Seabra was acknowledged for her scientific excellence with two Merit Awards. In 2021, Dr. Seabra was awarded a CEEC FCT contract to pursue research towards the development of 3D brain organoids to explore the impact of genetic alterations on brain development and wiring, by adopting a multidisciplinary approach, at a leading institute for neuroscience research in Portugal, CNC (CIBB). In the future, she aims to work in a research-intensive tenure-track university position and lead high quality research in an independent research group, while contributing to science outreach.

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Identification

Personal identification

Full name: Catarina Morais Seabra

Author identifiers

Ciência ID: AB15-E7E3-74D6
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2862-1979

Email addresses

cseabra@cnc.uc.pt (Professional)

Websites

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmseabra/ (Professional)

Education

	Degree	Classification
2020/01/17 - 2020/10/31 Concluded	micro-MBA (Outros) Major in Project Management and Leadership UNAVE - Association for Professional Training and Research at the University of Aveiro, Portugal	9 out of 10 (Excellent)
2013/01/01 - 2017/10/03 Concluded	Graduate Program in Areas of Basic and Applied Biology (GABBA) (Doutoramento) Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal Center for Genomic Medicine, Harvard Medical School, United States "Discovering Pathways Underlying Autism Spectrum Disorder Upon Loss-of-Function of Chromatin-Related Genes" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)	Unanimously Approved
2010 - 2012 Concluded	Molecular Biomedicine (Mestrado) Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal "Rare Structural Variants in Spermatogenic Impairment" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)	18 out of 20
2007 - 2010 Concluded	Biomedical Sciences (Licenciatura) Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal	15 out of 20

Affiliation

Science

	Category Host institution	Employer
2023/01/01 - Current	Visiting Researcher (Research)	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia, Portugal

2021/08/01 - 2022/12/31	Contracted Researcher (Research)	Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2018/05/07 - 2020/05	Auxiliary Researcher (Research)	CNC.IBILI, Portugal

2017/11/06 - 2018/05/04	Postdoc (Research)	CNC.IBILI, Portugal

2013/01/01 - 2017/10/01	Visiting Researcher (Research)	Center for Genomic Medicine, Harvard Medical School, United States

2011/09/01 - 2012/12/29	Research Trainee (Research)	Universidade do Porto Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular, Portugal

Teaching in Higher Education

	Category Host institution	Employer
2020/09/01 - 2021/02/06	Invited Assistant Professor (University Teacher)	Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
	Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal

Others

	Category Host institution	Employer
2023/01/16 - Current	Program Manager	CAJAL Advanced Neuroscience Training Programme, Belgium

2019/01 - Current	Scientific Career Consultant and Business Developer	Chaperone, Portugal
	Chaperone, Portugal
2020/06/01 - 2021/05/31	Project and Community Manager	Open Science Hub - Portugal, Portugal
	Open Science Hub - Portugal, Portugal

Projects

Grant

	Designation	Funders
2022 - Current	Brain Gain - The Podcast & Portal NAa Principal investigator	Biochemical Society
2021/09/01 - Current	NeuroCompute: Exploring the missing link between neuronal primary cilia dysfunction and neurophysiological properties using brain organoids and computational modelling NeuroCompute Principal investigator	Universidade de Coimbra
2021 - Current	Exploring the Immunogenetics of FTD using advanced human brain organoids EN119 Researcher Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal	Takeda Pharmaceuticals International AG Ongoing
2021 - Current	Disease modelling of frontotemporal dementia in human brain organoids PTDC/MEC-NEU/4814/2020 Researcher Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Ongoing
2021 - Current	Brain Gain - Discovering Neuroscience in Portugal NA Principal investigator	International Brain Research Organization
2019 - Current	Syn2Psy - Synaptic Dysfunction in Neuropsychiatric Disorders 813986 Supervisor CNC.IBILI, Portugal	EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Ongoing
2022/01/01 - 2023/09/30	BrainCils: Neuronal primary cilia and chromatin dysregulation - Exploring the missing link in neurodevelopmental disorders using brain organoids EXPL/MED-OUT/1470/2021 Principal investigator	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
2020 - 2021	Brain Gain - Discovering Neurosciences 2021 NA Principal investigator	Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências
2018/05/07 - 2020/05/06	ProTeAN - Production and Testing of Human Neurons and Brain Organoids 799164 Researcher CNC.IBILI, Portugal	EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Ongoing
2017/11 - 2018/04	Social Hierarchy and Early Life Stress Adversity: Optogenetic Modulation of Prefrontal Cortical Circuits and Neuroepigenetic Regulation PTDC/NEU-SCC/3247/2014 Integration into Research Grant Fellow CNC.IBILI, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Ongoing

Outputs

Publications

Conference abstract	Seabra, Catarina M.; Oliveira, Ana Rafaela; Guedes, Joana Ribeiro; Cardoso, Ana Luísa; Sequeira, Diana; Palma, Paulo J.; Santos, João Miguel; et al. "The neurogenetics of neurodevelopmental disorders - Hints from brain organoids". Paper presented in Annual Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Human Genetics, 2020. Published • doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000019291
Conference poster	Seabra, Catarina M.; Varela Amaral, Sara; Daniel Ribeiro; Santos, Sílvio; Peça, João; Laranjo, Mariana B.. "A neuroscience dissemination initiative for higher education students". Paper presented in SPN Annual Meeting 2021, 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. Silva, Ana Manuela; Seabra, Catarina M.; Oliveira, Ana Rafaela; Laranjo, Mariana; Duque, Frederico; Café, Cátia; Peça, João; Oliveira, Guiomar. "Autism Spectrum Disorder seen through brain organoids - a Portuguese cohort characterization.". Paper presented in In4Med IX, 2020. Oliveira, Ana R.; Seabra, Catarina M.; Guedes, Joana R.; Ferreira, L.; Peça, João. "Mini-brains on a dish: Characterization of autism susceptibility genes using iPSCs and CRISPR/Cas9 gene engineering.". Paper presented in 11th International Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Stem Cells and Cell Therapies (SPCE-TC), 2019. Seabra, Catarina M.; Oliveira, Ana Rafaela; Guedes, Joana R.; Sequeira, Diana B.; Palma, Paulo J.; Santos, João M.; Duque, Frederico; et al. "Production and testing of human-derived neurons and brain organoids: advanced model probing in neurodevelopmental disorders.". Paper presented in XVI Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neurosciences (SPN), 2019. Seabra, Catarina M.; Sequeira, Diana; Palma, Paulo; Oliveira, Guiomar; Duque, Frederico; Santos, João; Feng, Guoping; Cardoso, Ana; Peça, João. "Production and testing of human-derived neurons and brain organoids: advanced model probing in neurodevelopmental disorders". Paper presented in FENS-SfN Summer School 2018, 2018. Seabra, Catarina M.; Manavalan P; Tai DJ; Talkowski ME; Gusella JF. "Comparison of CRISPR-based methods for modeling loss-of-function in iPS cells". Paper presented in European Society for Human Genetics Meeting, 2016. Seabra, Catarina M.; Manavalan P; Tai DJ; De Esch C; Ragavendran A; Erdin S; Maciel, P.; Talkowski ME; Gusella JF. "Modeling the functional genomic impact of mutations in chromatin regulators on neurodevelopment". Paper presented in MGH Scientific Advisory Committee Meeting, 2016.
Journal article	Mariana Martins; Ana Rafaela Oliveira; Solange Martins; José Vieira; Pedro Perdigão; Ana Rita Fernandes; Pereira de Almeida L; et al. "A Novel Genetic Variant in MBD5 Associated with Severe Epilepsy and Intellectual Disability: Potential Implications on Neural Primary Cilia". International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023): https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/16/12603. 10.3390/ijms241612603 Sequeira, Diana B.; Oliveira, Ana Rafaela; Seabra, Catarina M.; Palma, Paulo J.; Ramos, Carlos; Figueiredo, Maria H.; Santos, Ana C.; et al. "Regeneration of pulp-dentin complex using human stem cells of the apical papilla: in vivo interaction with two bioactive materials". Clinical Oral Investigations (2021): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00784-021-03840-9. Published • 10.1007/s00784-021-03840-9 Seabra, Catarina M.; Aneichyk, Tatsiana; Erdin, Serkan; Tai, Derek J. C.; De Esch, Celine E. F.; Razaz, Parisa; An, Yu; et al. "Transcriptional consequences of MBD5 disruption in mouse brain and CRISPR-derived neurons". Molecular Autism 11 1 (2020): http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13229-020-00354-1. Open access • Published • 10.1186/s13229-020-00354-1 Franco, Lara O.; Carvalho, Mário J.; Costa, Jéssica; Ferreira, Pedro A.; Guedes, Joana R.; Sousa, Renato; Edfawy, Mohamed; et al. "Social subordination induced by early life adversity rewires inhibitory control of the prefrontal cortex via enhanced Npy1r signaling". (2020): Under revision Sequeira, Diana; Seabra, Catarina; Palma, Paulo; Cardoso, Ana; Peça, João; Santos, João. "Effects of a New Bioceramic Material on Human Apical Papilla Cells". Journal of Functional Biomaterials 9 4 (2018): 74. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jfb9040074. Published • 10.3390/jfb9040074 Collins RL; Brand H; Redin CE; Hanscom C; Antolik C; Stone MR; Glessner JT; et al. "Defining the diverse spectrum of inversions, complex structural variation, and chromothripsis in the morbid human genome.". Genome Biology (2017): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/28260531. Published • 10.1186/s13059-017-1158-6 Shaw ND; Brand H; Kupchinsky ZA; Bengani H; Plummer L; Jones TI; Erdin S; et al. "SMCHD1 mutations associated with a rare muscular dystrophy can also cause isolated arhinia and Bosma arhinia microphthalmia syndrome.". Nature Genetics (2017): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/28067909. Published • 10.1038/ng.3743 Redin C; Brand H; Collins RL; Kammin T; Mitchell E; Hodge JC; Hanscom C; et al. "The genomic landscape of balanced cytogenetic abnormalities associated with human congenital anomalies.". Nature Genetics (2017): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/27841880. Published • 10.1038/ng.3720 Seabra, C.M.; Szoko, N.; Erdin, S.; Ragavendran, A.; Stortchevoi, A.; Maciel, P.; Lundberg, K.; et al. "A novel microduplication of ARID1B: Clinical, genetic, and proteomic findings". American Journal of Medical Genetics, Part A 173 9 (2017): 2478-2484. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85023177636&partnerID=MN8TOARS. Published • 10.1002/ajmg.a.38327 Tai DJ; Ragavendran A; Manavalan P; Stortchevoi A; Seabra CM; Erdin S; Collins RL; et al. "Engineering microdeletions and microduplications by targeting segmental duplications with CRISPR.". Nature Neuroscience (2016): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/26829649. Published • 10.1038/nn.4235 Seabra CM; Quental S; Lima AC; Carvalho F; Gonçalves J; Fernandes S; Pereira I; et al. "The mutational spectrum of WT1 in male infertility.". The Journal of Urology (2015): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/25451826. Published • 10.1016/j.juro.2014.11.004 Seabra CM; Quental S; Neto AP; Carvalho F; Gonçalves J; Oliveira JP; Fernandes S; et al. "A novel Alu-mediated microdeletion at 11p13 removes WT1 in a patient with cryptorchidism and azoospermia.". Reproductive BioMedicine Online (2014): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/24912414. Published • 10.1016/j.rbmo.2014.04.017 Lopes AM; Aston KI; Thompson E; Carvalho F; Gonçalves J; Huang N; Matthiesen R; et al. "Human spermatogenic failure purges deleterious mutation load from the autosomes and both sex chromosomes, including the gene DMRT1.". PLoS Genetics (2013): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/23555275. Published • 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003349
Thesis / Dissertation	Catarina Morais Seabra. "Discovering pathways underlying autism spectrum disorder upon loss-of-function of chromatin-related genes". PhD, Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10216/107262. Seabra, Catarina M.; Seabra, Catarina Morais. "Rare structural variants in severe spermatogenic impairment". Master, Universidade do Porto Instituto de Patologia e Imunologia Molecular, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10773/9537.

Activities

Oral presentation

	Presentation title	Event name Host (Event location)
2020/11/23	Brain Organoids to model Autism Spectrum Disorder - Challenges and Advances	Organoids without Borders i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde da Universidade do Porto (Porto, Portugal)
2020/06/08	Brain Organoids: Advanced Models to Study Autism Spectrum Disorder	StemCell Tech Virtual Seminar StemCell Technologies
2020/04/11	Science and Research in Autism	Online Conferences Association PARA (Portugal)
2019/04	Using Mini-Brains to Study Autism	XII National Meeting for Biochemistry Students (Aveiro, Portugal)
2019/03	From Biomedical Sciences to the Study of Autism	X National Conference on Biomedical Sciences (Aveiro, Portugal)

Supervision

	Thesis Title Role	Degree Subject (Type) Institution / Organization
2021/09/01 - Current	The role of primary cilia in Autism Spectrum Disorder Supervisor	Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
2019/01 - Current	Using brain organoids to model autism spectrum disorder - environmental and genetic perspectives Co-supervisor of Giuseppe Cammarata	Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2019/01 - 2020/06	Application of Brain Organoids to study Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Portuguese Cohort Co-supervisor of Ana Manuela Silva	Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2019/02 - 2019/07	Use of Dental Stem Cells to Study Autism Supervisor of Sara Cruz	Biology (Degree) Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal

Event organisation

	Event name Type of event (Role)	Institution / Organization
2021/03/10 - 2021/03/31	Brain Awareness Week Symposia: Brain Gain - Discovering Neurosciences (2021/03/10 - 2021/03/31) Symposium	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências, Portugal
2020/03/31 - 2020/03/31	Mini-Symposium: Brain Organoids and Biobanking (2020/03/31 - 2020/03/31) Symposium (Member of the Organising Committee)	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2017/01/01 - 2019/12	Maria de Sousa Summer Research Program (2017/01/01) Other (Co-organisor)	All Time GABBA (ATG), Portugal
2019/09/01 - 2019/09/01	Functional Neurosciences Workshop (2019/11/01 - 2019/11/01) Workshop (Co-organisor)	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal

Event participation

	Activity description Type of event	Event name Institution / Organization
2018 - Current	European Researchers Night Festival	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2020/01/26 - 2020/01/31	Stanford Human Brain Organoids Workshop Workshop	Stanford University Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, United States
2019/11 - 2019/11	Bioethics Debate: Designer Babies: How far can we go to create a perfect human being? Conference	Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
2018/06 - 2018/06	FENS SfN Summer School - Neural Stem Cells, Brain Organoids and Brain Repair Workshop	Federation of European Neuroscience Societies, Belgium Society for Neuroscience, United States
2018 - 2018	PubhD Coimbra Other	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal

Jury of academic degree

	Topic Role	Candidate name (Type of degree) Institution / Organization
2019/10/08	Establishment and Characterization of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Derived Brain Organoids (Thesis) Main arguer	João Brás (Master) Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal

Association member

	Society Organization name	Role
2019 - Current	Marie Curie Alumni Association	Member

Committee member

	Activity description Role	Institution / Organization
2019/04/01 - Current	All Time GABBA (ATG) - Treasurer Member	All Time GABBA (ATG), Portugal

Course / Discipline taught

	Academic session	Degree Subject (Type)	Institution / Organization
2020/09/01 - 2021/02/06	Cellular Physiology	Cellular Physiology (Licenciatura)	Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal
2019/11/01 - 2019/11/01	Stem cells and 3D cellular models	(Licenciatura)	Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2019/09/01 - 2019/09/01	Culture of cells, tissues and organs	(Doutoramento)	Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2019/03/01 - 2019/03/01	Advanced models in neuropsychiatry research	(Doutoramento)	Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2019 - 2019	Ciência Viva School - Scientific Activities for 4th grade students	(Ensino básico 1º ciclo)	CNC.IBILI, Portugal Ciência Viva, Portugal

Interview (tv / radio show)

	Program	Topic
2020/01/02 - Current	Admirable New World (National TV Channel SIC)	Brain Organoids as Promising Models for Neurological Disorders
2018/05/28 - 2018/05/28	Saúde em Dia (Saúde + Channel)	Neurodevelopmental disorders
2018/05/14 - 2018/05/14	Há Ciência (Antena 2 Radio Station)	The jobs and the days of scientists
2018/05/01 - 2018/05/01	Mentes que Brilham (Porto Canal Channel)	Program on science and research that gives voice to the most varied topics of the present time.

Mentoring / Tutoring

	Topic	Student name
2019/08/01 - 2019/12/20	Erasmus Internship - University of Cordoba	Pilar Rodríguez
2019/07 - 2019/07	Mentorship of an Undergraduate Student - Maria de Sousa Summer Research Program	Iria Freitas
2019/07 - 2019/07	Mentorship of BSc Student - Biomedical Sciences, University of Aveiro	Mariana Martins
2019/07 - 2019/07	Mentorship of BSc Student - Biology, University of Coimbra	João Videira

Distinctions

Award

2020	Best Poster in Translational Research - In4Med IX Medical Congress In4Med, Portugal
2019	Honorable Mention in Basic Research - SPGH 23rd Annual Meeting Portuguese Society for Human Genetics (SPGH), Portugal
2018	Municipal Merit Award for Scientific Excellence Município de Gouveia, Portugal
2018	Merit Award for Scientific Excellence Junta de Freguesia de Vila Nova de Tazem, Portugal
2016	Conference Fellowship - ESHG 12th Meeting European Society for Human Genetics, Austria

Title

2021	Junior Researcher (CEEC 3rd Edition) Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal
2018	Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellow (Reintegration Panel) EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions, Belgium
2012	Doctoral Fellow - GABBA PhD Program Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal