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Isabel is a Master Student of Bioengineering at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto. She holds a Bachelor in Bioengineering with a minor in Molecular Bioengineering from the same institution. Her research focuses on the development of life support systems for a sustainable space exploration, particularly for future Martian and Lunar bases. Isabel was awarded the Gulbenkian New Talents Scholarship and the Blue Young Talent Scholarship.
Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Ana Isabel Santos de Sousa

Citation names

  • Isabel S. Sousa
  • S. Sousa, Isabel
  • Isabel Santos de Sousa

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
E61D-F9AC-5840
ORCID iD
0000-0002-1350-8888

Email addresses

  • isabellsousa011@gmail.com (Professional)

Addresses

  • Centro de Astrofísica da Unviersidade do Porto, Rua das Estrelas, 4150-762, Porto, Porto, Portugal (Professional)

Websites

Knowledge fields

  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Microbiology
  • Engineering and Technology

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Advanced (C1)
Italian Elementary (A2) Intermediate (B1) Beginner (A1) Intermediate (B1) Beginner (A1)
Education
Degree Classification
2023/09 - 2025/07
Ongoing
Bioengineering (Mestrado)
Major in Molecular Bioengineering
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Engenharia, Portugal

Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal
2020/09 - 2023/07
Concluded
Bioengineering (Licenciatura)
Major in Molecular Bioengineering
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Engenharia, Portugal

Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal
18
2017
Concluded
Curso Básico de Música (Outros)
Major in Violino
Academia de Música de Paços de Brandão, Portugal
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution
Employer
2025/02 - Current Visiting Researcher (Research) Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço, Portugal
Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço, Portugal
2024/09 - 2025/02 Visiting Researcher (Research) Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata Dipartimento di Biologia, Italy
Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata Dipartimento di Biologia, Italy
2023/09 - 2024/08 Visiting Researcher (Research) Universidade do Porto Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Portugal
Universidade do Porto Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Portugal
2022/09 - 2023/08 Research Trainee (Research) Universidade do Porto Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Portugal
Universidade do Porto Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Portugal
2021/07 - 2021/08 Research Trainee (Research) Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
Outputs

Publications

Conference abstract
  1. S. Sousa, Isabel; Verseux, Cyprien; Tamagnini, Paula; Magalhães, Catarina; Cortesao, Marta. "Sustainable Space Habitats: Cyanobacterial Biomass as Feedstock for Fungal Biotechnology". Paper presented in Investigação Jovem da Universidade do Porto (IJUP), Porto, 2025.
    Accepted
  2. S. Sousa, Isabel; Manuel F. C. Pereira; Magalhães, Catarina; Martins, Zita. "Antarctica’s Dry Valleys as a planetary analog for Mars – implications for potential life forms". Paper presented in Investigação Jovem da Universidade do Porto (IJUP), Porto, 2024.
    Published
  3. S. Sousa, Isabel; Martins da Costa, Paulo; Carvalho, Maria de Fátima; Couto Rodrigues, Inês. "Bioprospecting marine actinobacteria for the discovery of new antibiotics". Paper presented in Investigação Jovem da Universidade do Porto (IJUP), Porto, 2023.
    Published
Conference poster
  1. S. Sousa, Isabel; Manuel F. C. Pereira; Catarina Magalhães; Zita Martins. "Antarctica’s Dry Valleys as a planetary analog for Mars – implications for potential life forms". Paper presented in 2024 International Astrobiology School, 2024.
  2. S. Sousa, Isabel; Oliveira, Mariana; Urbatzka, Ralph; Girão, Mariana; Martins da Costa, Paulo; Carvalho, Maria de Fátima; Couto Rodrigues, Inês. "Bioprospecting marine actinobacteria for the discovery of new antibiotics and anticancer drugs". Paper presented in Blue Think Conference, 2023.
Journal article
  1. Santos de Sousa, Isabel; D'Agostino, Andrea; di Stefano, Giorgia; Martella, Costanza M. ; Billi, Daniela. "Far-red Light Photoacclimation in Chroococcidiopsis: A Key to Sustainable Martian Habitats?". (2025):
    Submitted
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2025/02 Antarctica’s Dry Valleys as a planetary analogue for Mars: implications for potential life forms 1º Grande Encontro de Bolseiros
Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (Lisboa, Portugal)
2023/07 A.N.T. - Acetylenotrophy oN Titan? Comparison between mass spectra of acetylenotrophic bacteria on Earth and the Dragonfly Mission results 2023 Josep Comas i Sola International Summer School in Astrobiology: Searching for Life on Ocean Worlds
Centro de Astrobiologia (CAB) and the NASA Astrobiology Program (Santander, Spain)
2023/05 Bioprospecting marine actinobacteria for the discovery of new antibiotics Investigação Jovem da Universidade do Porto (IJUP), Porto, 2023
Universidade do Porto (Porto, Portugal)
2022/12 Lunar Gateway Drugs and First Aid Kit Proposal Human Space Physiology Training Course 2022
European Space Agency (ESA) (Libin, Belgium)

Event organisation

Event name
Type of event (Role)
Institution / Organization
2025/02 - Current Astrobiologia: Entre Estrelas e Microorganismos (2025/05)
Symposium (Member of the Organising Committee)
Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço, Portugal
2025/02 - Current Kairos Conference 2025 (2025/09)
Conference (Member of the Organising Committee)
2024/04 - 2024/09 Biomédicas Youth School 2024 (2023/07 - 2023/07)
Workshop (Member of the Organising Committee)
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event
Event name
Institution / Organization
2024/05 - 2024/05 International School of Astrobiology 2024
Workshop
AbGradE - Astrobiology Graduates in Europe, Italy
2024/03 - 2024/03 XV Symposium on Bioengineering
Symposium
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Engenharia, Portugal
2023/11 - 2023/11 XV National Conference of Polar Sciences
Conference
Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
2023/09 - 2023/09 Blue Think Conference 2023
Conference
Universidade do Porto Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Portugal
2023/07 - 2023/07 XIX International School of Astrobiology "Josep Comas i Solà": Searching for Life on Ocean Worlds
Workshop
Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo, Spain
2022/11 - 2022/12 ESA Academy’s Human Space Physiology Training Course
Workshop
European Space Security and Education Centre (ESEC), Belgium
2022/09 - 2022/09 Coimbra Space Summer School
Workshop
Instituto Pedro Nunes, Portugal
2022/03 - 2022/03 XIII Symposium on Bioengineering
Symposium
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Engenharia, Portugal

Association member

Society Organization name Role
2025/01 - Current Portuguese Youth for Aeronautics and Space Medicine Association Member of the Scientific Department
2024/09 - Current Núcleo de Jornalismo Académico do Porto 1st Secretary of the General Assembly Board
2023/09 - 2024/08 Associação BYSchool Member of the Logistics Department
Distinctions

Award

2024 2nd Best Poster Presentation at the 1st International Astrobiology School
AbGradE - Astrobiology Graduates in Europe, Italy
2017 Rotary Best Student
Rotary Club de Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal
2015 First Honorable Mention in the sector "Innovation Service"
Associação Portuguesa de Nutrição, Portugal
2014 INOVA! Criativity Award
Direção Geral da Educação, Portugal

Other distinction

2023 Gulbenkian New Talents Scholarship
Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Portugal
2022 Blue Young Talent Scholarship
Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental da Madeira, Portugal
2020 Academic Merit Diploma
Colégio Internato dos Carvalhos, Portugal
2018 Academic Merit Diploma
Colégio Internato dos Carvalhos, Portugal