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Sandra O. Braz graduated in Biology in 2012, at the University of Porto and completed a MSc in Molecular and Cellular Biology, in 2014 at the University of Aveiro. The master's thesis was developed at the IBMC, University of Porto working on alternative polyadenylation as a gene- and cell-type specific regulatory mechanism in brain cells, with a focus on Rac1 gene expression and function in neurons, which originated two first-author publications. In 2015, she enrolled the International PhD program of the Imagine Institute, in Paris, having obtained her doctoral degree in Genetics, with specialty in Neurobiology, in 2019 by the Sorbonne University. During the PhD, building on her past experience, Sandra investigated the oligodendrocyte and myelin phenotypic and functional dysfunction, in Myotonic Dystrophy Type I, a neuromuscular disease. This work led to two first-author publications, and participation in three other research articles. The novelty of her findings was further demonstrated by the selection of her work to platform presentations in international conferences. As a junior post-doctoral researcher at the Center for Neurosciences and Cell Biology of University of Coimbra, Sandra developed stem cell-based therapies for Machado-Joseph Disease. Despite the delays caused by pandemics, part of her post-doctoral work has been published, and the manuscript reporting her main project is being prepared. Currently, Sandra is a junior researcher at the Nerve Regeneration group, at i3S-U.Porto and has recently secured a highly competitive CEEC Individual grant to cover her salary. The focus of her work shifted towards another paradigm of the CNS regeneration, the spinal cord injuries, using non-model organisms to study spinal cord regeneration. Sandra has a total of 8 published papers (4 as first author), and one first-author book section. In the last 5 years, she published in top journals of her scientific area, including Cell Reports and Nature communications. The impact and quality of her published work are recognized by her peers through more than 150 citations (Web of Science data). Sandra has been acquiring mentorship skills, having supervised 4 master students, and trained and co-supervised undergraduate students from different MSc programs. In the past year, Sandra has improved her teaching skills by participating as a lecturer in the PDBEB and PDN doctoral programs. Furthermore, she has gained management and organization skills by taking in responsibilities in BSL-2 and videomicroscopy facilities and participating in the organization of institutional events.
Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Sandra Catarina Oliveira Braz

Citation names

  • Braz, Sandra O.

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
ED1A-E33E-9596
ORCID iD
0000-0002-4734-9651
Google Scholar ID
shorturl.at/ghuEF
Researcher Id
ABA-7191-2020
Scopus Author Id
56497772700

Email addresses

  • sandra.braz@i3s.up.pt (Professional)

Addresses

  • Rua Alfredo Allen, 208 | 4200-135 Porto, Portugal, 4200-135, Porto, Porto, Portugal (Professional)

Websites

  • linkedin.com/in/sandra-o-braz (Social media)

Knowledge fields

  • Medical and Health Sciences - Basic Medicine - Neurosciences
  • Medical and Health Sciences - Medical Biotechnology - Technologies Involving the Manipulation of Cells, Tissues, Organs or the Whole Organism
  • Medical and Health Sciences - Medical Biotechnology - Health-Related Biotechnology
  • Medical and Health Sciences - Basic Medicine - Neurosciences
  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Molecular Biology

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2)
French Upper intermediate (B2) Upper intermediate (B2) Intermediate (B1) Upper intermediate (B2) Upper intermediate (B2)
Education
Degree Classification
2015/10/01 - 2019/10/22
Concluded
Genetics (Docteur)
Major in Neurobiology
Sorbonne Université Faculté de Médecine, France
"Oligodendrocyte dysfunction and myelin abnormalities in a transgenic mouse model of myotonic dystrophy type I" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
Approved unanimously, with Honors
2012/09/12 - 2014/12/04
Concluded
Molecular and Cellular Biology (Mestrado)
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
"Alternative Polyadenylation of Rho GTPases: a gene and cell specific process. " (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
17
2006/09/15 - 2012/01/12
Concluded
Biology (Licenciatura)
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Ciências, Portugal
"Effects of water acidification on the morphology of the green crab Carcinus maenas (Crustacea: Portunidae)." (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution
Employer
2022/04/01 - Current Contracted Researcher (Research) Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
2020/03/02 - 2022/03/31 Contracted Researcher (Research) Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2014/12/04 - 2015/09/30 Research Trainee (Research) Universidade do Porto Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Portugal
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Portugal

Others

Category
Host institution
Employer
2015/10/01 - 2019/09/30 PhD Student Institut hospitalo-universitaire Imagine Institut des Maladies Génétiques, France
Institut hospitalo-universitaire Imagine Institut des Maladies Génétiques, France
Projects

Grant

Designation Funders
2023/01 - 2025/12 TARGET: Translating Acomys regenerative capacity
SCML 2022 - TARGET
Researcher
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa
Ongoing
2023/09/01 - 2024/12/30 GlycoMus: Exploring the proteoglycan signature as a roadmap for mammalian axon regeneration
AOS-Startup-23-033
Principal investigator
AOSpine International, Switzerland

Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
Ongoing

Contract

Designation Funders
2023/02/01 - Current SPINY: Characterizing Functional Recovery and Axon Regeneration of the Injured Acomys Spinal Cord.
WFL-PT-21/20-Proj 234
Researcher
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
Wings for Life Privatstiftung für Rückenmarksforschung
2024 - 2030 ARMus - Mapping the road leading to spinal cord regeneration: from Acomys to Mus.
2023.06415.CEECIND
Principal investigator
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2022/04/01 - 2023/01/31 Exploring neuron-glia interactions in leukodystrophies using human iPSC-based models: implication for therapy
EJPRD/0002/2019
Post-doc Fellow
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Portugal

Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal
Association Européenne contre les Leucodystrophies
Ongoing
2020/03/03 - 2022/03/31 NeuroStemForMJD .: O impacto do transplante de células estaminais neuroepiteliais derivadas de células estaminais pluripotentes induzidas na doença de Machado-Joseph
POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030737
Researcher
Associação para a Inovação e Desenvolvimento da FCT
Concluded

Other

Designation Funders
2015/10/01 - 2019/09/30 DM1 disease mechanisms in the central nervous system: from brain cell- specific pathogenesis to glutamate dysfunction.
19920
PhD Student Fellow
Institut hospitalo-universitaire Imagine Institut des Maladies Génétiques, France
AFM-Téléthon
Concluded
2017/10/01 - 2019/09/01 RNA toxicity and neuroglial miscommunication in myotonic dystrophy brains
ANR-16-CE16-0005
PhD Student Fellow
Institut hospitalo-universitaire Imagine Institut des Maladies Génétiques, France
Agence nationale de la recherche
Concluded
2013/09/01 - 2015/08/31 Cell homeostasis tissue organisation and organism biology
NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000003
Master Student Fellow
Universidade do Porto Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Portugal
Associação para a Inovação e Desenvolvimento da FCT
Concluded
Outputs

Publications

Book chapter
  1. Braz, Sandra; Diana M. Dinca; Geneviève Gourdon; Mário Gomes-Pereira. "Real Time Videomicroscopy and Semiautomated Analysis of Brain Cell Culture Models of Trinucleotide Repeat Expansion Diseases". 2020.
    10.1007/978-1-4939-9784-8_14
Conference paper
  1. Teixeira, Diogo; Cruz, Andrea; Bráz, Sandra; Moreira, Alexandra; Relvas, João; Camacho, Rui. "PBS Finder". Paper presented in 30th Annual ACM Symposium on Applied Computing, Salamanca, 2015.
    Published
Conference poster
  1. Braz, Sandra O.; Monica M Sousa. Corresponding author: Monica M Sousa. "Mapping the road leading to spinal cord regeneration: from Acomys to Mus.". Paper presented in Central Nervous System Injury and Repair, 2023.
  2. Braz, Sandra O.; Catarina Vinhas; Henriques, Daniel; Moreira, Ricardo; Rosário Faro; Sónia P. Duarte; Pereira de Almeida, Luis ; Liliana S. Mendonça. Corresponding author: Liliana S. Mendonça. "Cerebellar transplantation of iPSC-derived neuroepithelial stem cells silenced for mutant ATXN3 for Machado-Joseph disease". Paper presented in Portuguese Society for Neuroscience - SPN 2021, 2021.
  3. Braz, Sandra O.; Raphael Blain; C Chhuon; Cyril F Bourgeois; Aline Huguet-Lachon; Alain Schmitt; Dominique Langui; et al. "Investigating oligodendrocyte dysfunction in DM1 brain disease". Paper presented in XIV European Meeting on Glia Cells in Health and Disease, 2019.
  4. Diana M. Dinca; Anchel Gonzalez-Barriga; Braz, Sandra O.; Cyril F. Bourgeois; Géraldine Sicot; Cerina Chhuon; Aline Huguet-Lachon; et al. "Toxic RNA affects astrocyte adhesion, spreading and migration in myotonic dystrophy, and impacts neuritogenesis through abnormal glial-neuronal interactions.". Paper presented in 14th European Meeting on Glial Cells in Health and Disease (GLIA), 2019.
  5. Braz, Sandra O.; Raphael Blain; Aline Huguet-Lachon; Cerina Chhuon; Cyril F. Bourgeois; Alain Schmitt; Ida Chiara Guerrera; et al. "Investigating oligodendrocyte dysfunction in DM1 brain disease". Paper presented in Myology 2019, 2019.
  6. Braz, Sandra O.; Diana M. Dinca; Aline Huguet; Geneviève Gourdon; Mário Gomes-Pereira. "Investigating Oligodendrocyte dysfunction in DM1 brain disease". Paper presented in LMB-Imagine GSA Symposium, 2016.
  7. Braz, Sandra O.; Diana M. Dinca; Aline Huguet; Geneviève Gourdon; Mário Gomes-Pereira. "Investigating Oligodendrocyte dysfunction in DM1 brain disease". Paper presented in 2nd annual Young Researchers of Imagine Institute congress, 2016.
  8. Helena Sofia Domingues; Andrea P Cruz; Filipa Bouçanova; Maria M. Azevedo; Ana I. Seixas; Braz, Sandra O.; João B. Relvas. "The oligodendrocyte "processosome": identification of new regulators of differentiation and myelination". Paper presented in 12th European Meeting on Glial Cell Function in Health and Disease, 2015.
  9. Andrea P Cruz; Helena Sofia Domingues; Braz, Sandra O.; Filipa Bouçanova; Alexandra Moreira; João B. Relvas. "The role of PABPC1 and YBX1 in Oligodendrocyte differentiation". Paper presented in XIV Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2015.
  10. Braz, Sandra O.; João B. Relvas; Alexandra Moreira; Andrea P Cruz. "Alternative polyadenylation of Rho GTPases in central nervous system cells". Paper presented in I3S 4th Annual Meeting, 2014.
  11. Andrea P Cruz; Helena Sofia Domingues; Braz, Sandra O.; Alexandra Moreira; João B. Relvas. "Role of RNA-binding proteins in oligodendrocyte differentiation". Paper presented in I3S 4th Annual Meeting, 2014.
  12. Braz, Sandra O.; João B. Relvas; Alexandra Moreira; Andrea P Cruz. "Alternative Polyadenylation of Rho GTPases: a gene/cell specific process". Paper presented in The complex life of mRNA, EMBL, 2014.
  13. Braz, Sandra O.; Andrea P Cruz; João B. Relvas; Alexandra Moreira. "Expression regulation of Rho GTPases family members during oligodendrocytes differentiation and myelination". Paper presented in 7º Encontro Investigação Jovem da Universidade do Porto, 2014.
Journal article
  1. Braz, Sandra O.; Morgado, Marlene M.; Pereira, Marta I.; Monteiro, Ana C.; Golonzhka, Olga; Jarpe, Matthew; Brites, Pedro; Sousa, Monica M.; Nogueira-Rodrigues, Joana. "HDAC-6 inhibition ameliorates the early neuropathology in a mouse model of Krabbe disease". Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience 16 (2023): https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnmol.2023.1231659/abstract.
    10.3389/fnmol.2023.1231659
  2. Diana M. Dincã; Louison Lallemant; Anchel González-Barriga; Noémie Cresto; Braz, Sandra O.; Géraldine Sicot; Laure-Elise Pillet; et al. "Myotonic dystrophy RNA toxicity alters morphology, adhesion and migration of mouse and human astrocytes". Nature Communications 13 1 (2022): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31594-9.
    10.1038/s41467-022-31594-9
  3. João Brás; Daniel Henriques; Ricardo Moreira; Magda M. Santana; Rita Silva-Pedrosa; Diana Adão; Braz, Sandra O.; et al. "Establishment and characterization of human pluripotent stem cells-derived brain organoids to model cerebellar diseases". Scientific Reports (2022): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-16369-y.
    Published • https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-16369-y
  4. Diana M. Dincã; Louison Lallemant; Anchel González-Barriga; Noémie Cresto; Sandra O. Braz; Géraldine Sicot; Laure-Elise Pillet; et al. "Author Correction: Myotonic dystrophy RNA toxicity alters morphology, adhesion and migration of mouse and human astrocytes". Nature Communications (2022): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31774-7.
    10.1038/s41467-022-31774-7
  5. González-Barriga, Anchel; Lallemant, Louison; Dincã, Diana M.; Braz, Sandra O.; Polvèche, Hélène; Magneron, Paul; Pionneau, Cédric; et al. "Integrative Cell Type-Specific Multi-Omics Approaches Reveal Impaired Programs of Glial Cell Differentiation in Mouse Culture Models of DM1". Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience 15 (2021): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2021.662035.
    Published • 10.3389/fncel.2021.662035
  6. Braz, Sandra; Julien Acquaire; Geneviève Gourdon; Mário Gomes-Pereira. "Of Mice and Men: Advances in the Understanding of Neuromuscular Aspects of Myotonic Dystrophy". Frontiers in Neurology (2018): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2018.00519.
    10.3389/fneur.2018.00519
  7. Braz, Sandra; Andrea P Cruz; Andrea Lobo; Joana Bravo; Joana Moreira-Ribeiro; Isabel Pereira-Castro; Jaime Freitas; et al. "Expression of Rac1 alternative 3' UTRs is a cell specific mechanism with a function in dendrite outgrowth in cortical neurons". Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Gene Regulatory Mechanisms (2017): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbagrm.2017.03.002.
    10.1016/j.bbagrm.2017.03.002
  8. Géraldine Sicot; Laurent Servais; Diana M. Dinca; Axelle Leroy; Cynthia Prigogine; Fadia Medja; Braz, Sandra; et al. "Downregulation of the Glial GLT1 Glutamate Transporter and Purkinje Cell Dysfunction in a Mouse Model of Myotonic Dystrophy". Cell Reports (2017): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2017.06.006.
    10.1016/j.celrep.2017.06.006
  9. Braz, Sandra; Ana Curinha; Isabel Pereira-Castro; Andrea P Cruz; Alexandra Moreira. "Implications of polyadenylation in health and disease". Nucleus (2014): http://dx.doi.org/10.4161/nucl.36360.
    10.4161/nucl.36360
Thesis / Dissertation
  1. Braz, Sandra Catarina Oliveira. "Alternative polyadenylation of Rho GTPases : a gene/cell specific process". Master, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10773/14865.
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2023/06/22 Mapping the road leading to spinal cord regeneration: from Acomys to Mus. 3rd International Meeting of Portuguese Spinal Cord Injury Researchers
Centro de reabilitação do norte (Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal)
2021/02/17 iPSC-derived neuroepithelial stem cells depleted for mutant ataxin-3 for Machado-Joseph disease treatment Portuguese Society for Pharmacology - SPF Meeting 2021
Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa (Portugal)
2018/04/21 Investigating oligodendrocyte dysfunction in DM1 brain disease The 9th International Conference on “Unstable Microsatellites & Human Disease
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche/The Research Institute at The Hospital for Sick Children (Capri)
2017/02/09 Investigating oligodendrocyte dysfunction in DM1 brain disease Imagine Young Researcher Seminars
Institut Imagine (Paris, France)
2016/12/02 Investigating oligodendrocyte dysfunction in DM1 brain disease More than neurons: toward a less neurocentric view of brain disorders
University of Piemonte Orientale Novara (Turin, Italy)

Supervision

Thesis Title
Role
Degree Subject (Type)
Institution / Organization
2023/05/02 - 2024/06/30 In vitro evaluation of regenerative potential of genes differentially expressed after spinal cord injury in Acomys vs. Mus.
Supervisor
Master in Molecular and Celular Biology (Master)
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Ciências, Portugal
2022/11/23 - 2023/06/30 Exploring the role of B3gnt7 during axon regeneration
Supervisor
"Gulbenkian Novos Talentos" Fellowship (Scientific initiation)
Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Portugal
2021/09/01 - 2022/08/31 Characterization of MJD patient ´s iPSC-derived NESC silenced for mutant ataxin-3
Co-supervisor
Master Degree in Biomedical Research (Master)
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2018/04/03 - 2018/06/22 Study of oligodendrocyte molecular and cellular abnormalities in a mouse model of myotonic dystrophy type I.
Supervisor
Master Sciences, Technologies, Santé Mention Biologie Cellulaire, Physiologie, Pathologies (Master)
Université Paris Descartes, France
2017/10/10 - 2018/05/28 Analysis of the neuronal vesicles movement in a mouse model of myotonic dystrophy type I.
Co-supervisor
Master Sciences du vivant (SDV) (Master)
École Pratique des Hautes Études, France

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event
Event name
Institution / Organization
2023/05/11 - 2033/05/12 Participation in the Axon Repair Meeting
Conference
Axon Repair Meeting
Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, Canada
2022/09/26 - 2022/09/30 Workshop on the molecular and cellular basis of regeneration and tissue repair
Workshop
The molecular and cellular basis of regeneration and tissue repair
European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Germany
2022/06/13 - 2022/06/14 International meeting of Portuguese spinal cord injury researchers
Conference
2nd International meeting of Portuguese spinal cord injury researchers
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal
2020/11/09 - 2021/01/21 Training in Laboratory Animal Science: Function A and Special Skills
Other
IV Modular Training in Laboratory Animal Science: Function A and Special Skills
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2020/04/01 - 2020/06/01 Volunteer for COVID-19 diagnostic testing at Laboratório de Análises Clínicas da Universidade de Coimbra (LAC-UC)
Other
Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2018/03/12 - 2018/03/15 Course in the basis of tissue growth.
Symposium
The basis of tissue growth: ¿control of size, number, pattern, migration, metabolism.
Institut Necker-Enfants Malades, France
2017/03/13 - 2017/03/17 Course in biologic imaging analysis.
Workshop
Numeric imaging in Biology I
Sorbonne Université Campus Pierre et Marie Curie, France

Consulting

Activity description Institution / Organization
2017/10/31 - 2019/09/30 Manager of the equipment, trainer and consultant of projects of the video-microscopy facility. Institut hospitalo-universitaire Imagine Institut des Maladies Génétiques, France

Course / Discipline taught

Academic session Degree Subject (Type) Institution / Organization
2022/11/21 - 2022/11/24 Neuroregeneration module of the Doctoral program and Master in Neurosciences Neurobiologia Funcional (Curso de doutoramento (conclusão de unidades curriculares)) Universidade do Porto Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Portugal

Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal
2022/04/11 - 2022/04/14 PDBEB Course Advanced Therapies Advanced Therapies (Doutoramento) Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2021/04/19 - 2021/04/23 PDBEB Course Advanced Therapies Advanced Therapies (Doutoramento) Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal

Evaluation committee

Activity description
Role
Institution / Organization Funding entity
2017/05/04 - 2019/05/23 Annual Young Researchers of Imagine Institute congress: Scientific evaluation committee.
Evaluator
Institut hospitalo-universitaire Imagine Institut des Maladies Génétiques, France Institut hospitalo-universitaire Imagine Institut des Maladies Génétiques

Mentoring / Tutoring

Topic Student name
2021/01/25 - 2021/02/19 Laboratory rotation Mariana Machado
2021/01/11 - 2021/02/05 Laboratory rotation Ana Patrícia Portelinha da Silva
2021/01/04 - 2021/01/29 Laboratory roation Solene Rousseau
Distinctions

Award

2018 4th year PhD Fellowship
AFM-Téléthon, France
2015 Imagine International PhD grant
Fondation Bettencourt Schueller, France

Institut hospitalo-universitaire Imagine Institut des Maladies Génétiques, France

Other distinction

2022 Christian Boulin Fellowship
European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Germany