Ana Rita Gonçalves Gaspar (DE17-CC9B-3F5F)

Curriculum Vitae

Ana Rita Gonçalves Gaspar

Rita Gaspar is a research assistant at MIA Portugal, University of Coimbra, having earned her Ph.D. in Ageing and chronic Diseases at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra (2021), M.Sc. in Biology at the University of Coimbra (2010) and B.Sc. in Biology (2009) from the University Coimbra. During her doctoral studies she investigated the impact of microglia on susceptibility to depression and sex differences. Rita´s research has led to: i) discovery of the interaction between glucocorticoid receptors and adenosine A2A receptors and the potential therapeutic value of modulating adenosine A2A receptors activation to prevent glucocorticoid-induced alterations in developing neurons (Front Pharmacol. 2018; doi: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00219); ii) reinforcement of the link between microglia function and the control of mood and memory, emphasizing the importance of gender and brain region in the screening or design of novel therapeutic strategies targeting glial cells homeostasis to manage brain disorders (Glia, 2019; doi: 10.1002/glia.23476); iii) unveiled that sex-specific differences in microglia plasticity induced by long-term stress exposure may anticipate differences in drug efficacy in the context of stress-induced anxiety- or depression-related behaviours (Neurobiol Stress, 2021; doi: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100302). She is the first author of 5 (in journals such as Glia and Neurobiology of Stress) and coauthor of 7 "peer-reviewed" publications (including in the journal Molecular Psychiatry). Rita has strong expertise in cellular and molecular biology techniques (PCR; DNA and RNA isolation; Western Blotting, immunocytochemistry, immunohistochemistry, ELISA assays; genotyping); primary cell cultures (hippocampal) and retinal organotypic cultures; fluorescence and confocal microscopy. Rita Gaspar frequently engage in outreaching activities, namely Brain Awareness Week, European Researchers Night and educational activities for high school students and the general public to disseminate scientific knowledge and curiosity about science.

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Identification

Personal identification

Full name: Ana Rita Gonçalves Gaspar

Citation names

Gaspar, Rita
Gaspar, R
Rita Gaspar

Author identifiers

Ciência ID: DE17-CC9B-3F5F
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-0163-0920

Knowledge fields

Medical and Health Sciences - Basic Medicine - Neurosciences

Languages

Language	Speaking	Reading	Writing	Listening	Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English	Upper intermediate (B2)	Upper intermediate (B2)	Upper intermediate (B2)	Upper intermediate (B2)

Education

	Degree	Classification
2015/10 - 2021/07 Concluded	Inter-University Doctoral Program in Aging and Chronic Diseases (Doutoramento) Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal "Microglia morphology and susceptibility to depression - impact of sex differences " (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
2009/09 - 2010/09 Concluded	Biologia (Mestrado) Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal	17
2005/09 - 2009 Concluded	Biologia (Licenciatura) Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal	13

Affiliation

Science

	Category Host institution	Employer
2023/07/03 - Current	Science and Technology Management	Universidade de Coimbra Multidisciplinary Institute of Ageing, Portugal

2022/02 - 2023/06	Science and Technology Management	Universidade do Minho, Portugal
	Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal

Others

	Category Host institution	Employer
2015/10/01 - 2021/07	Phd student - Inter-University Doctoral Programme in Ageing and Chronic Disease (PhDOC)	Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal

2015/04/01 - 2015/08/31	Research fellow in the project "Translational Bigenomics Investigation in Leber´s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy: Genotype-Phenotype Correlation" from FCT (PTDC/DTP-EPI/0929/2012).	Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal

2013/01/02 - 2014/12/31	Research fellow in the project "Neuropsychological Assessment and Dual Genome Investigation in Frontotemporal Dementia" from FCT (PTDC/SAU-EPI/121811/2010).	Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal

2011/10/03 - 2012/08/03	Research technician. Support of in the project “Detection of human neurotropic polyomavirus JC in clinical samples of colorectal mucosa with and without	Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal

2010/08/15 - 2011/08/15	Traineeship in the project “Detection of human neurotropic polyomavirus JC in clinical samples of colorectal mucosa with and without oncologic pathology”	Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal

2009/09/01 - 2010/09/09	Trainee. Realization of the master thesis project “Association of JC virus with human colorectal polyps " under the supervision of Doctor Luis Almeida.	Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal

Projects

Grant

	Designation	Funders
2015/04 - 2015/08	Translational Bigenomics Investigation in Leber´s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy: Genotype-Phenotype Correlation. PTDC/DTP-EPI/0929/2012 Research Fellow	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. Concluded
2012/01 - 2014/12	Neuropsychological Assessment and Dual Genome Investigation in Frontotemporal Dementia Provided by PTCRIS: 121811 121811 Research Fellow	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. Concluded

Contract

	Designation	Funders
2021/01/01 - Current	Mitochondria as potential drivers of sex-specific microglia dysfunctional remodelling and anxiety caused by prenatal stress EXPL/MED-NEU/1002/2021 Researcher Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., Portugal	Ongoing
2023/01/02 - 2025/01/01	Sorting out the interplay between stress and the proteostasis regulator SNX27 on the reward circuit 2022.04850.PTDC Researcher
2023/02/01 - 2024/07/31	Genetic and functional maps of neuronal ensembles encoding natural rewards versus drugs of abuse 2022.01467.PTDC 10.54499/2022.01467.PTDC Universidade do Minho, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Ongoing
2022/01/01 - 2023/06/30	Mitocôndria como potencial mediador do dimorfismo sexual nas alterações pato-morfológicas da microglia e ansiedade causadas pelo stress pré-natal<br> EXPL/MED-NEU/1002/2021 Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal Universidade de Coimbra Instituto de Investigação Clínica e Biomédica de Coimbra, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Ongoing
2021 - 2023	Cerebrovascular hypothesis of stress-induced behavioralalterations. Financed by Bial Foundation GrantsProgramme 2020/21. A-29178, Bial Foundation Researcher
2019 - 2021/08	Novel siRNA therapies against glaucoma. POCI-01-0247-FEDER-039743 Research Technician Fellow Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal	European Regional Development Fund Concluded
2019/09/01 - 2020/06/30	Predictors of resistance to corticotherapy in children with nephrotic syndrome FMUC-BST-2019 Researcher Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal	Ongoing
2019/01/01 - 2019/12/31	CNC. IBILI UID/NEU/04539/2019 Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal Universidade de Coimbra Instituto de Ciências Nucleares Aplicadas à Saúde, Portugal Universidade de Coimbra Instituto de Investigação Clínica e Biomédica de Coimbra, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Concluded

Outputs

Publications

Conference abstract	Wezik, Marcelina Olga; Coimbra, Bárbara; Correia, Raquel; Rita Gaspar; Gonzalez Felipe, Ricardo; Terrier, Claire; Vieitas-Gaspar, Natacha; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Rodrigues, Ana João. "Whole Brain Mapping of neuronal ensembles responsive to positive and negative stimuli". Paper presented in NEURONUS 2022 IBRO Neuroscience Forum, Krakow, 2022. Published • 10.21307 Gaspar, Rita; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Coimbra, Bárbara; Domingues, Ana Verónica; Baptista, Filipa I.; Fontes-Ribeiro Carlos Alberto; Sousa, Nuno; et al. "Dynamic changes in microglia morphology and higher resilience to stress-induced anxious-behavior in a model of prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids". Paper presented in XVI Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, Lisboa, 2019. Gaspar, Rita; Carina Soares-Cunha; Bárbara Coimbra; Ana Verónica Domingues; Filipa I. Baptista; Carlos A. Fontes-Ribeiro; Nuno Sousa; et al. "Prenatal glucocorticoid exposure alters microglia in a sex-specific manner and blunts stress-induced behavioral changes in adulthood". Paper presented in XIV European Meeting on Glial Cells in Health and Disease, Porto, 2019. Gaspar, Rita. "Brain region-specific control of microglia by adenosine A2A receptors: uncoupling anxiety and cognition in female rodents". Paper presented in European Neuropsychopharmacology, 2018. Accepted Gaspar, Rita; Joana Mendes Duarte; Patrícia Patrício; Carina Soares-Cunha; António Mateus-Pinheiro; Nuno Dinis Alves; Ana Rita Santos; et al. "Brain region duality in the regulation of microglia morphology by adenosine A2A receptors: implications for anxiety and cognition.". Paper presented in XIII European Meeting on Glial Cells in Health and Disease, Edinburgh, 2017. Tavares, R; Santana, Isabel; Gaspar, Rita; Santos, Maria Jo¿o; Mendes, C¿ndida; Duro, Diana; Sim¿es, Marta; Lu¿s, Daniela; Grazina, Manuela. "MT-RNRs genes sequencing: genotype correlation with biochemical and clinical phenotypes". Paper presented in 29ª Reunião do Grupo de Estudos de Envelhecimento Cerebral e Demência, Aveiro, 2015. Published Gaspar, Rita; Santana, I.; Abrantes J; Mendes, C.; Monteiro R.; Santos MJ; Duro, D.; et al. "Complex V investigation in frontotemporal lobar degeneration: molecular and biochemical analysis". Paper presented in Annual Symposium of the Society for the Study of Inborn Errors of Metabolism, Innsbruck, 2014. Gaspar, Rita; Oliveira I.; Santana, I.; Santos MJ; Duro, D.; Luís, D.; Grazina, M.. "Mitochondrial genome encoding tRNAs sequence in frontotemporal lobar degeneration". Paper presented in European Society of Human Genetics, Milão, 2014. Gaspar, Rita; Santana, Isabel; Oliveira, I; Mendes, Cândida; Duro, Diana; Simões, Marta; Luís, Daniela; Santos, Maria João; Grazina, Manuela. "Mitochondrial genome variants influencing protein translation in frontotemporal lobar degeneration". Paper presented in 28ª Reunião do Grupo de Estudos de Envelhecimento Cerebral e Demência, Aveiro, 2014. Published Tavares, R; Santana, Isabel; Gaspar, Rita; Santos, Maria João; Duro, Diana; Luís, Daniela; Grazina, Manuela. "Analysis of MTRNR genes in Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration". Paper presented in 28ª Reunião do Grupo de Estudos de Envelhecimento Cerebral e Demência, Aveiro, 2014. Published Gaspar, Rita; Santana, Isabel; Abrantes, JPF; Mendes, Cândida; Santos, Maria João; Duro, Diana; Simões, Marta; Luís, Daniela; Grazina, Manuela. "Mitochondrial DNA variants coding for Complex V contributing to frontotemporal lobar degeneration". Paper presented in Fórum de Neurologia, Coimbra, 2014. Published Gaspar, Rita; Santana, I.; Fernandes AS; Santos MJ; Duro, D.; Luís, D.; Grazina, M.. "Complete sequencing of the 7 mtDNA genes encoding for complex I subunits in frontotemporal lobar degeneration". Paper presented in XXI World Congress of Neurology, Viena, 2013. Gaspar, Rita; Santana, Isabel; Mendes, Cândida; Santos, Maria João; Fernandes, Ana Sofia; Duro, Diana; Simões, Marta; Luís, Daniela; Grazina, Manuela. "Genetic variation of MT-ND genes in frontotemporal lobar degeneration: biochemical phenotype-genotype correlations". Paper presented in Congresso de Neurologia, Lisboa, 2013. Published Gaspar, Rita; Santana, Isabel; Mendes, Cândida; Santos, Maria João; Fernandes, Ana Sofia; Duro, Diana; Simões, Marta; Luís, Daniela; Grazina, Manuela. "Biochemical genetics investigation of Complex I in frontotemporal lobar degeneration". Paper presented in 27ª Reunião do Grupo de Estudos de Envelhecimento Cerebral e Demência, Coimbra, 2013. Published Gaspar, R; Santana, I; Mendes, C.; Santos, MJ; Fernandes, AS; Duro D; Simões, M.; Luís, D.; Grazina, Manuela. "Genetic variation of mtDNA complex I coding genes in frontotemporal lobar degeneration: biochemical genotype-phenotype correlation.". Paper presented in Sinapse, 2013. Published
Conference poster	Aveleira, Célia; Gaspar, Rita; Thibaud Martial; Raimundo, Nuno; Milosevic, Ira. "Defective endocytosis triggers nuclear envelope remodeling, DNA damage and cell senescence". Paper presented in XXII National Congress of Biochemistry, 2024. Aveleira, Célia; Thibaud Martial; Loic Carrique; Gaspar, Rita; Pauline Lascaux; Misha La Claire; James Bancroft; et al. "Nuclear envelope dysmorphisms and accumulation of DNA damage drive cellular senescence in the dynamin mutants". Paper presented in Membrane Trafficking in health and disease – focus on neurological diseases” Advanced course, Lake Como School of Advanced Studies, 2024. Aveleira, Célia; Thibaud Martial; Loic Carrique; Gaspar, Rita; Pauline Lascaux; Misha La Claire; James Bancroft; et al. "Nuclear envelope dysmorphisms and accumulation of DNA damage drive cellular senescence in the dynamin mutants.". Paper presented in 73rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the BSRA, 2024. Célia A. Aveleira; Rita Gaspar; Thibaud Martial; Nuno Raimundo; Milosevic, Ira. "Loss of dynamin triggers cell senescence, nuclear envelope abnormalities and accumulation of DNA damage.". Paper presented in 3rd RESETageing Conference, 2023. Correia, Raquel; Coimbra, Bárbara; Domingues, Ana Verónica; Wezik, Marcelina Olga; Vieitas-Gaspar, Natacha; Gaspar, Rita; Sousa, Nuno; et al. "D2-MSN projections from the Nucleus Accumbens to the Ventral Pallidum are implicated in anxious-like behavior". Paper presented in ISN-ESN, 2023. Domingues, Ana Verónica; Carvalho, Tawan T. A.; Martins, Gabriela J.; Correia, Raquel; Coimbra, Bárbara; Bastos-Gonçalves, Ricardo; Wezik, Marcelina Olga; et al. "Dynamic activity of nucleus accumbens medium spiny neuron ensembles in positive and negative associative learning". Paper presented in ISN-ESN, 2023. Cruz, Alexandra; Boia, Raquel; Gaspar, Rita; Sara Nunes; Baptista, FI; António Francisco Ambrósio; Hugo Fernandes. "Assessment of the impact of an early acute immune challenge on the diabetic retina". Paper presented in The Biochemistry Global Summit, 2022. Ambrosio, A.F. ; Cruz, Alexandra ; Boia, Raquel; Fernandes, Hugo; Gaspar, Rita; Nunes, Sara; Baptista, Filipa. "Impact of an early primary immune challenge on the retinal dysfunction upon a secondary chronic diabetic insult.". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neurosciencce, 2021. Rodrigues-Neves AC; Gaspar, R; Patrício, P; Lima, S; Rosa, T; Macedo, J; Araújo, B; et al. "Hipo- and hyperfunctional dopaminergic pathways in schizophrenia diverge in microglia phenotypes". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of Portuguese Society for Neuroscience (SPN), 2021. Gaspar, Rita; Carina Soares-Cunha; Ana Verónica Domingues; Bárbara Coimbra; Filipa I. Baptista; Luísa Pinto; António F. Ambrósio; Ana João Rodrigues; Catarina A. Gomes. "Short- and long-term chronic stress induces sex specificities in morphologic plasticity of microglia and neurons and susceptibility to depression". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience (SPN2021), 2021. António Francisco Ambrósio; Alexandra F. Cruz; Boia, Raquel; Gaspar, Rita; Nunes, Sara; Baptista, FI. "Impact of an Early Immune Challenge on the Retinal Dysfunction upon a Secondary Chronic Diabetic Insult". Paper presented in XVII Reunião da Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências, 2021. Rodrigues-Neves AC; Gaspar, R; Patrício, P; Lima, S; Rosa, T; Macedo, J; Araújo, B; et al. "Distinct microglia phenotypes in hipo- and hyperfunctional dopaminergic pathways from an animal model of schizophrenia". Paper presented in V Symposium of the Portuguese Glial Network, 2021. Rodrigues-Neves AC; Gaspar, R; Patrício, P; Lima, S; Rosa, T; Macedo, J; Araújo, B; et al. "Contrasting morphometric signatures of microglia from hyper- and hypofunctional dopaminergic pathways in an animal model of Schizophrenia". Paper presented in XIV European Meeting on Glial Cells in Health and Disease, 2021. Rodrigues-Neves AC; Gaspar, R; Patrício, P; Lima, S; Rosa, T; Macedo, J; Araújo, B; et al. "Microglia plasticity: sex specificities in a model of schizophrenia". Paper presented in PsychoNeuroImmunology Research Society meeting 2021, 2021. Rodrigues-Neves AC; Gaspar, R; Patrício, P; Lima, S; Rosa, T; Macedo, J; Araújo, B; et al. "Divergent microglia morphological alterations in brain regions associated with hyper- and hipofunctional neuronal pathways in a rodent model of schizophrenia". Paper presented in 14th Göttingen Meeting 2021, 2021. Rodrigues-Neves, A; Gaspar, Rita; Patrício, P; Lima, Susana; Silveira-Rosa, T; Martins-Macedo, J; Araújo, B.; et al. "Microglia, a key element in schizophrenia pathophysiology: insights from an animal model". Paper presented in EMBO Workshop Microglia 2020 - EMBL Heidelberg, Germany, 2020. Gaspar, Rita; Rodrigues-Neves Ana C; Patrício, Patricia; Lima Susana; Silveira-Rosa, Tiago; Macedo Joana; Araújo Bruna; et al. "Microglia morphologic characterization in brain regions associated with hyper- and hipofunctional neuronal pathways in a rodent model of schizophrenia". Paper presented in 3rd Symposium on Physiology and pathology of neuroglia, 2020. Gaspar, Rita; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Coimbra, Bárbara; Domingues, Ana Verónica; Baptista, FI; Fontes-Ribeiro, C.A.; Sousa, Nuno; et al. "Prenatal glucocorticoid exposure alters microglia in a sex-specific manner and blunts stress-induced behavioral changes in adulthood". Paper presented in XIV European Meeting on Glial Cells in Health and Disease, 2019. Gaspar, Rita; Galvão, Sofia; Ferreira, Ana Sofia; Rodrigues-Neves AC; Fontes-Ribeiro, C.A.; Ambrósio, A.F.; Baptista, FI; Gomes, Catarina A.. "Prenatal exposure to stress mediators disturbs early neurodevelopment in a sex-specific manner". Paper presented in Sex differences, dimorphisms, divergences: impact on brain and behavior in health and disease workshop, 2019. Gaspar, Rita; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Coimbra, Bárbara; Domingues, Ana Verónica; Baptista, FI; Fontes-Ribeiro, C.A.; Sousa, Nuno; Ambrósio, A.F.; Rodrigues, Ana João. "Dynamic changes in microglia morphology and higher resilience to stress-induced anxious-behavior in a model of prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids". Paper presented in XVI Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2019. Gaspar, Rita; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Coimbra, Bárbara; Domingues, Ana Verónica; Fontes-Ribeiro, C.A.; Sousa, Nuno; Ambrósio, A.F.; Rodrigues, Ana João; Gomes, C.A.. "Prenatal and adulthood stress: gender-dependent effects in behavior". Paper presented in 11th FENS Forum of Neuroscience, Berlin, Germany, 2018. Gaspar, Rita; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Coimbra, Bárbara; Fontes-Ribeiro, C.A.; Sousa, Nuno; Ambrósio, A.F.; Rodrigues, Ana João; Gomes, Catarina A.. "Stress inoculation to rat females improves stress coping in a model of chronic anxiety". Paper presented in III Symposium Portuguese Glial Network, 2018. Gaspar, Rita; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Coimbra, Bárbara; Borges, Sónia; Fontes-Ribeiro, C.A.; Sousa, Nuno; Ambrósio, A.F.; Rodrigues, Ana João; Gomes, Catarina A.. "Microglia morphologic plasticity and stress coping: gender differences in a model of chronic anxiety". Paper presented in EMBO Workshop: Microglia, EMBL, 2018. Gaspar, Rita; Mendes-Duarte, Joana; Patrício, Patrícia; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Mateus-Pinheiro, A.; Alves, Nuno Dinis; Santos, Ana Rita; et al. "Brain region duality in the regulation of microglia morphology by adenosine A2A receptors: implications for anxiety and cognition". Paper presented in XIII European Meeting on Glial Cells in Health and Disease, 2017. Gaspar, Rita; Mendes-Duarte, Joana; Patrício, Patricia; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Mateus-Pinheiro, A.; Alves, Nuno Dinis; Santos, Ana Rita; et al. "Modulation of microglia morphology by adenosine A2A receptors: impact for anxiety and cognition". Paper presented in XV Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2017. Gaspar, Rita; Henriques, Carla Simões; Mendes-Duarte, Joana; Pinheiro, Helena; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Mateus-Pinheiro, A.; Alves, Nuno Dinis; et al. "Chronic blockade of adenosine A2AReceptors: Gender-specific reprogramming of microglia morphology in the PFC". Paper presented in XV Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2017. Gaspar, Rita; Pinheiro, Miguel; Pinheiro, Helena; Henriques, Carla Simões; Mendes-Duarte, Joana; Cunha, Rodrigo A.; Ambrósio, A.F.; Gomes, Catarina A.. "Portraying gender differences in microglia morphology across brain regions". Paper presented in XV Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2017. Gaspar, Rita; Ambrósio, A.F.; Rodrigues, Ana João; Gomes, Catarina A.. "Microglia morphology and susceptibility to depression – impact of gender differences". Paper presented in VI Annual PhDOC Meeting, 2016. Gaspar, Rita; Santana, Isabel; Abrantes, João PF; Mendes, Cândida; Monteiro, Rita; Santos, Maria João; Duro, Diana; et al. "Complex V investigation in frontotemporal lobar degeneration: molecular and biochemical analysis". Paper presented in Annual Symposium of the Society for the Study of Inborn Errors of Metabolism, 2014. Gaspar, Rita; Oliveira, Isabel; Santos, Maria João; Santana, Isabel; Duro, Diana; Luís, Daniela; Grazina, Manuela. "Mitochondrial genome encoding tRNAs sequence in frontotemporal lobar degeneration". Paper presented in European Society of Human Genetics, 2014. Gaspar, Rita; Santana, Isabel; Fernandes, Ana Sofia; Santos, Maria João; Duro, Diana; Luís, Daniela; Grazina, Manuela. "Complete sequencing of the 7 mtDNA genes encoding for complex I subunits in frontotemporal lobar degeneration". Paper presented in XXI World Congress of Neurology, 2013.
Journal article	Ana Verónica Domingues; Tawan Tayron Andrade de Carvalho; Gabriela Martins; Raquel Correia; Barbara Coimbra; Ricardo Bastos-Gonçalves; Marcelina Wezik; et al. "Dynamic representation of appetitive and aversive stimuli in nucleus accumbens shell D1- and D2-medium spiny neurons". Nature Communications (2025): http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55269-9. 10.1038/s41467-024-55269-9 Aveleira, Célia; Thibaud Martial; Loic Carrique; Gaspar, Rita; Franz Wendler; Pauline Lascaux; Misha Le Claire; et al. "Dynamins maintain nuclear envelope homeostasis and genome stability (under submission)". (2025): Submitted Realinho, Ana M.; Boia, Raquel; Paiva, Beatriz; Correia, Raquel G.; Gaspar, Rita; Ambrósio, António F.; Baptista, Filipa I.. "Maternal diabetes affects rat offspring retinal structure and function: Sex-specific vulnerabilities at infancy". Life Sciences 327 (2023): 121852. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121852. 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121852 Correia, Raquel; Coimbra, Bárbara; Domingues, Ana Verónica; Wezik, Marcelina; Vieitas-Gaspar, Natacha; Gaspar, Rita; Sousa, Nuno; et al. "Involvement of nucleus accumbens D2–medium spiny neurons projecting to the ventral pallidum in anxiety-like behaviour". Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience 48 4 (2023): E267-E284. http://dx.doi.org/10.1503/jpn.220111. 10.1503/jpn.220111 Simões-Henriques, Carla Filipa; Rodrigues-Neves, A. Catarina; Sousa, Fábio J.; Gaspar, Rita; Almeida, Inês; Baptista, Filipa I.; Ambrósio, António F.; Gomes, Catarina A.. "Neonatal testosterone voids sexually differentiated microglia morphology and behavior". Frontiers in Endocrinology 14 (2023): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2023.1102068. 10.3389/fendo.2023.1102068 Gaspar, Rita; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Domingues, Ana Verónica; Coimbra, Bárbara; Baptista, Filipa I.; Pinto, Luísa; Ambrósio, António F.; Rodrigues, Ana João; Gomes, Catarina A.. "The Duration of Stress Determines Sex Specificities in the Vulnerability to Depression and in the Morphologic Remodeling of Neurons and Microglia". Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 16 (2022): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2022.834821. 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.834821 Ferreira, Ana Sofia; Galvão, Sofia; Gaspar, Rita; Rodrigues-Neves, Ana C.; Ambrósio, António F.; Matafome, Paulo; Gomes, Catarina A.; Baptista, Filipa I.. "Sex-specific changes in peripheral metabolism in a model of chronic anxiety induced by prenatal stress". European Journal of Clinical Investigation 51 12 (2021): http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/eci.13639. 10.1111/eci.13639 Rita Gaspar; Carina Soares-Cunha; Ana Verónica Domingues; Bárbara Coimbra; Filipa I. Baptista; Luísa Pinto; António F. Ambrósio; Ana João Rodrigues; Catarina A. Gomes. "Resilience to stress and sex-specific remodeling of microglia and neuronal morphology in a rat model of anxiety and anhedonia". Neurobiology of Stress 14 (2021): 100302-100302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100302. 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100302 Simões-Henriques C; Mateus-Pinheiro M; Gaspar R; Pinheiro H; Mendes Duarte J; Baptista FI; Canas PM; et al. "Microglia cytoarchitecture in the brain of adenosine A2A receptor knockout mice: Brain region and sex specificities.". The European journal of neuroscience (2019): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/31454441. 10.1111/ejn.14561 Soares-Cunha C; de Vasconcelos NAP; Coimbra B; Domingues AV; Silva JM; Loureiro-Campos E; Gaspar R; et al. "Nucleus accumbens medium spiny neurons subtypes signal both reward and aversion.". Molecular psychiatry (2019): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/31462765. 10.1038/s41380-019-0484-3 Duarte, J.M.; Gaspar, R.; Caetano, L.; Patrício, P.; Soares-Cunha, C.; Mateus-Pinheiro, A.; Alves, N.D.; et al. "Region-specific control of microglia by adenosine A 2A receptors: uncoupling anxiety and associated cognitive deficits in female rats". GLIA 67 1 (2019): 182-192. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85056875204&partnerID=MN8TOARS. 10.1002/glia.23476 Pinheiro, H.; Gaspar, R.; Baptista, F.I.; Fontes-Ribeiro, C.A.; Ambrósio, A.F.; Gomes, C.A.. "Adenosine A2A receptor blockade modulates glucocorticoid-induced morphological alterations in axons, but not in dendrites, of hippocampal neurons". Frontiers in Pharmacology 9 MAR (2018): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85044137588&partnerID=MN8TOARS. 10.3389/fphar.2018.00219 Gaspar, R.; Santana, I.; Mendes, C.; Fernandes, A.S.; Duro, D.; Simões, M.; Luís, D.; Santos, M.J.; Grazina, M.. "Genetic Variation of MT-ND Genes in Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration: Biochemical Phenotype-Genotype Correlation". Neurodegenerative Diseases (2015): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84927914961&partnerID=MN8TOARS. 10.1159/000380766 Coelho, T.R.; Gaspar, R.; Figueiredo, P.; Mendonça, C.; Lazo, P.A.; Almeida, L.. "Human JC polyomavirus in normal colorectal mucosa, hyperplastic polyps, sporadic adenomas, and adenocarcinomas in Portugal". Journal of Medical Virology 85 12 (2013): 2119-2127. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84884989533&partnerID=MN8TOARS. 10.1002/jmv.23705
Website	Santiago, Ana Raquel; Campos, Elisa J.; Gaspar, Rita; Oliveira, Sara. Francisco Ambrósio's Lab Instagram. 2021. https://www.instagram.com/fa_lab.uc/.

Activities

Oral presentation

	Presentation title	Event name Host (Event location)
2021/11/30	Contrasting patterns of morphologic remodeling of microglia and neurons and vulnerability to depression after short and long chronic mild stress exposure.	V Symposium Portuguese Glial Network (Coimbra, Portugal)
2021	Microglia morphology in hypo- andhyperfunctional pathways: insightsfrom a rodent model of schizophrenia	LI Reunião da Sociedade Portuguesa de Farmacologia, XXXIX Reunião de Farmacologia Clínica e XX Reunião de Toxicologia Sociedade Portuguesa de Farmacologia (Lisbon, Portugal)
2021	Physiological Sex Differences in Microglia and Behavior: Organizational Effects of Testosterone	LI Reunião da Sociedade Portuguesa de Farmacologia, XXXIX Reunião de Farmacologia Clínica e XX Reunião de Toxicologia Sociedade Portuguesa de Farmacologia (Lisbon, Portugal)
2021	Stress at adulthood upon prenatal stress: impact on behavior and cell morphology	LI Reunião da Sociedade Portuguesa de Farmacologia, XXXIX Reunião de Farmacologia Clínica e XX Reunião de Toxicologia Sociedade Portuguesa de Farmacologia (Lisbon, Portugal)
2020/02/07	Higher resilience to stress in an anxiety model and sex-specific changes in microglia morphology in nucleus accumbens	L Annual Meeting of The Portuguese Pharmacological Society (Coimbra, Portugal)
2020/02/07	Early developmental and social deficits in an animal model of schizophrenia: new clues anticipating diagnosis?	L Annual Meeting of The Portuguese Pharmacological Society (Coimbra, Portugal)
2020/02/07	Prenatal exposure to dexamethasone improves offspring development in a sex-independent manner	L Annual Meeting of The Portuguese Pharmacological Society (Coimbra, Portugal)
2019/10/30	Resilience to stress in a model of chronic anxiety and dynamic changes in microglia morphology in nucleus accumbens	VIII Annual PhDOC Meeting (Coimbra, Portugal)
2019/05/31	Dynamic changes in microglia morphology and higher resilience to stress-induced anxious-behavior in a model of prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids	XVI Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience (SPN2019) (Lisbon, Portugal)
2019/05/22	Prenatal stress exerts a sex-specific effect in programming stress coping strategies in adulthood and in modulating microglia morphology in the nucleus accumbens	45th Course on: “Sex Differences, Dimorphisms, Divergences: Impact on Brain and Behavior in Health and Disease INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF ETHOLOGY “Danilo Mainardi” (Erice, Sicily, Italy)
2019/05/22	Testosterone-driven sexual dimorphism in microglia morphology and mood	45th Course on: “Sex Differences, Dimorphisms, Divergences: Impact on Brain and Behavior in Health and Disease INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF ETHOLOGY “Danilo Mainardi” (Erice, Sicily, Italy)
2019/02/07	Neurodevelopmental assessment in rats prenatally exposed to glucocorticoids may anticipate chronic anxiety states later in life	XLIX Annual Meeting of The Portuguese Pharmacological Society (Porto, Portugal)
2019/02/07	Gender-specificities of antenatal glucocorticoid exposure: focus on the peripheral metabolism and glucose homeostasis	XLIX Annual Meeting of The Portuguese Pharmacological Society (Porto, Portugal)
2019/02/07	Glucocorticoid Fetal Programming: A comparative study between dexamethasone and betamethasone	XLIX Annual Meeting of The Portuguese Pharmacological Society (Porto, Portugal)
2019/02/06	Stress coping in adulthood in a model of prenatal stress: gender differences	XLIX Annual Meeting of The Portuguese Pharmacological Society (Porto, Portugal)
2018/10/18	Stress inoculation to anxious males and females improves stress coping in adulthood	VII Annual PhDOC Meeting (Braga, Portugal)
2018/03/20	Microglia morphologic plasticity and stress coping: gender differences in a model of chronic anxiety	EMBO Workshop: Microglia (Heildelberg, Germany)
2018/02/07	Masculinizing female anxious-like behaviour: organizational instructions in transgender experiments	XLVIII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Pharmacology (Lisboa, Portugal)
2018/02/07	Effects of Dexamethasone and Betamethasone on brain microglia: structure-activity correlation study	XLVIII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Pharmacology (Lisboa, Portugal)
2017/10/09	Gender-dependent effects of prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids and stress coping in adulthood	VI Annual PhDOC Meeting (Lisboa, Portugal)
2017/05/26	Chronic blockade of adenosine A2A receptors: gender-specific reprogramming of microglia morphology in the PFC	XV Portuguese Society for Neuroscience meeting (Braga, Portugal)
2017/05/24	Modulation of microglia morphology by adenosine A2A receptors: impact for anxiety and cognition	II Symposium Glial cells: much more than glue (Braga, Portugal)
2017/02/04	Gender determination of microglia morphology in the prefrontal cortex: born similar, age differently	XLVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Pharmacology (Coimbra, Portugal)
2017/02/03	Divergent pattern of microglia morphology across the brain: uncoupling anxiety and cognition by blocking adenosine A2A receptors	XLVII Annual Meeting of The Portuguese Pharmacological Society (Coimbra, Portugal)
2016/10/14	Microglia morphology and susceptibility to depression – impact of gender differences	V Annual PhDOC Meeting (Coimbra, Portugal)
2015/05/29	MT-RNRs genes sequencing: genotype correlation with biochemical and clinical phenotypes	29th Meeting of the Study Group for Brain Aging and Dementia (Coimbra, Portugal)
2014/06/27	Mitochondrial genome variants influencing protein translation in frontotemporal lobar degeneration	28th Meeting of the Study Group for Brain Aging and Dementia (Aveiro, Portugal)
2014/06/27	Analysis of MTRNR genes in Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration	28th Meeting of the Study Group for Brain Aging and Dementia (Aveiro, Portugal)
2014/05/16	Mitochondrial DNA variants coding for Complex V contributing to frontotemporal lobar degeneration	Neurology Forum (Coimbra, Portugal)
2013/11/07	Genetic variation of mtDNA complex I coding genes in frontotemporal lobar degeneration: biochemical genotype-phenotype correlation	Congress of Neurology (Lisboa)
2013/06/29	Biochemical genetics investigation of Complex I in frontotemporal lobar degeneration	27ª Meeting of the Study Group for Brain Aging and Dementia (Coimbra, Portugal)

Event organisation

	Event name Type of event (Role)	Institution / Organization
2024/05/27 - 2024/05/29	2nd MIA-Portugal Ageing Spring School (2024/05/27 - 2024/05/29) Meeting (Other)	Universidade de Coimbra Multidisciplinary Institute of Ageing, Portugal
2019/04/03 - 2019/10/31	Organizing Committee member of VIII PhDOC Annual Meeting (2019/10/30 - 2019/10/31) Meeting (Member of the Organising Committee)	Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal
2016/06/08 - 2016/10/15	Organizing Committee member of V PhDOC Annual Meeting (2016/10/14 - 2016/10/15) Meeting (Member of the Organising Committee)	Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal

Event participation

	Activity description Type of event	Event name Institution / Organization
2024/09/27 - 2024/09/27	European Researchers' Night Exhibition
2024/03/01 - 2024/03/31	Brain Awareness Week Workshop	Universidade de Coimbra Multidisciplinary Institute of Ageing, Portugal
2023/09/29 - 2023/09/29	European Researchers' Night
2021/09/24 - 2021/09/24	European Researchers' Night	CNC.IBILI, Portugal
2019/09/27 - 2019/09/27	European Researchers' Night	CNC.IBILI, Portugal
2019/03 - 2019/03	Brain Awareness Week Workshop	CNC.IBILI, Portugal
2018/03 - 2018/03	Brain Awareness Week Workshop	CNC.IBILI, Portugal
2017/09/29 - 2017/09/29	European Researchers' Night Workshop	CNC.IBILI, Portugal
2017/03 - 2017/03	Brain Awareness Week Workshop	CNC.IBILI, Portugal
2016/11/28 - 2016/12/02	Participation in Advanced Course: "II Quantitative Fluorescence Microscopy Course"	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2016/10/24 - 2016/11/03	Participation in Adavanced Course: "Functional Neuroanatomy"	Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal
2016/09/30 - 2016/09/30	European Researchers' Night Workshop	CNC.IBILI, Portugal
2016/02/01 - 2016/02/16	Participation in Adavanced Course: "Laboratory Animal Science"	Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal

Association member

	Society Organization name	Role
2019/02/06 - Current	Portuguese Society for Pharmacology
2018 - Current	FENS Member
2016/11/09 - Current	Portuguese Society for Neuroscience

Mentoring / Tutoring

	Topic	Student name
2017/12/05 - 2017/12/22	International Mobility program (LORE) from NEM/AAC	Paulina Cid

Distinctions

Award

2024	Best Graphical Abstract (2nd Prize) at CIBB Meeting 2024. Defective endocytosis triggers nuclear envelope abnormalities, DNA damage and cell senescence Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia, Portugal
2018	Best Oral Communication Award at IV Reunião Nacional de Bioquímicos: Carla Henriques, Miguel Mateus-Pinheiro, Rita Gaspar, Joana Mendes Duarte, Helena Pinheiro, Carlos A. Fontes Ribeiro, Rodrigo A. Cunha, António F. Ambrósio, Catarina A. Gomes
2018	Best Oral Communication Award at ECNP Workshop for Junior Scientists in Europe: Duarte JM, Gaspar R, Caetano L, Patrício P, Cunha C, Mateus-Pinheiro A, Alves ND, Santos AR, Ferreira SG, Sardinha V, Oliveira JF, Sousa N, Cunha RA, Ambrósio AF, Rodrigues AJ

Other distinction

2021	Grant for participation on the XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neurosciences Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências, Portugal
2019	Grant for participation on the XVI Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neurosciences
2018	Travel grant for participation on the 11th FENS Forum of Neuroscience, Berlin, Germany Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, Portugal
2018	Travel grant for participation on the "EMBO Workshop: Microglia 2018" European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Germany