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I am a Junior Researcher at the ICVS, School of Medicine, University of Minho, funded by an FCT Scientific Employment Stimulus. I hold a BSc in Biology and an MSc in Health Sciences, and in 2018 I completed my PhD under the supervision of Dr. Ana João Rodrigues and Prof. Nuno Sousa, where I investigated the role of the laterodorsal tegmentum (LDT) in motivation and reward. My doctoral research revealed novel mechanisms through which mesopontine cholinergic circuits shape the encoding of positive stimuli, with findings published in leading journals including Nature Communications and eLife. As a postdoctoral researcher at the ICVS and through international collaborations, spending part at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (USA), I integrated advanced approaches such as electrophysiology, fiber photometry, in vivo calcium imaging, and optogenetics to dissect the neuronal ensembles underlying reward and aversion. My research program currently focuses on the functional dynamics of LDT projections to the nucleus accumbens and their role in natural reward processing, drug addiction, and stress-related disorders. To date, I have authored 34 publications in peer-reviewed journals, including high-impact contributions in Nature Communications, Molecular Psychiatry, and Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. I am principal investigator of two ongoing projects (FCT, BIAL Foundation) and team member in several others supported by national and European funding agencies (ERC, FCT, “La Caixa” Foundation, FEBS). I have supervised students across multiple levels, from undergraduate to MSc, and actively contribute to training and mentoring the next generation of neuroscientists. My work has been recognized with competitive awards, including the SPN Best Manuscript Award, FENS/IBRO Travel Scholarships, and multiple international travel fellowships. By combining molecular, imaging, and behavioral neuroscience, my research aims to uncover circuit-level mechanisms of motivation and reward, with direct translational relevance for addiction, depression, and other psychiatric conditions.
Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Bárbara Guimarães Salazar Coimbra

Citation names

  • Coimbra, Bárbara

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
F310-2242-55B5
ORCID iD
0000-0003-1737-2268
Researcher Id
AAE-7996-2020
Scopus Author Id
55700724900

Email addresses

  • barbaracoimbra@med.uminho.pt (Professional)

Addresses

  • Escola de Medicina/Instituto de Ciências da Vida e da Saúde. Universidade of Minho, Campus Gualtar, 4710-057, Gualtar, Braga, Portugal (Professional)

Websites

  • https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1737-2268 (Professional)

Knowledge fields

  • Medical and Health Sciences - Health Sciences - Substance Abuse
  • Medical and Health Sciences - Basic Medicine - Neurosciences
  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Behavioural Sciences Biology
Education
Degree Classification
2019/06/17 - 2021/06/06
Concluded
Impact of prenatal stress in the reward system: from depression to addiction and back (Pós-doutoramento)
Universidade do Minho, Portugal

Laboratório Associado ICVS 3B's, Portugal
2019/01/15 - 2019/06/15
Concluded
MEDPERSYST - Redes sinápticas e abordagens compreensivas de medicina personalizada em doenças neurocomportamentais ao longo da vida (Pós-doutoramento)
Universidade do Minho, Portugal

Laboratório Associado ICVS 3B's, Portugal
2014/03/01 - 2018/12/20
Concluded
Ciências da Saúde (Doutoramento)
Major in Especialidade: Ciências da Saúde
Universidade do Minho, Portugal

Laboratório Associado ICVS 3B's, Portugal
"Role of laterodorsal tegmentum in motivation and reward" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
2010/09/03 - 2012/06/30
Concluded
Mestrado em Ciências da Saúde (Mestrado)
Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
"Effects of prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids in impulsivity and novelty-seeking behavior" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
16
2007/09/05 - 2010/07/15
Concluded
Biologia Aplicada (Licenciatura)
Universidade do Minho Escola de Ciências, Portugal
"Nociception descending modulation in an animal model of chronic stress " (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
15
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution
Employer
2021 - Current Contracted Researcher (Research) Universidade do Minho, Portugal
Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
2019/01/15 - 2021/06/30 Postdoc (Research) Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
2021 - 2021 Postdoc (Research) Albert Einstein College of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, United States
Albert Einstein College of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, United States
2013/03/15 - 2014/03/15 Researcher (Research) Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal

Teaching in Higher Education

Category
Host institution
Employer
2017 - Current Invited Assistant (University Teacher) Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal

Others

Category
Host institution
Employer
2016/03/22 - Current Accreditation from Direcção Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária (DGAV) as competent person (investigator) for animal experimentation (Category C) Direcção Geral de Veterinária, Portugal
2014/04/01 - 2018/12/20 PhD student Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal
2011/09/01 - 2012/12/17 Master in Health Sciences: Thesis project - "Effects of prenatal exposure of glucocorticoids in impulsive behavior" Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
2010/04/22 - 2010/07/06 Final Research Stage of Licenciatura em Biologia Aplicada - Modulação descendente da nocicepção em animais com stress crónico: modelo de stress crónico imprevisível Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
Projects

Grant

Designation Funders
2019/01/15 - 2019/06/15 MEDPERSYST - Redes sinápticas e abordagens compreensivas de medicina personalizada em doenças neurocomportamentais ao longo da vida
SAICTPAC/0010/2015
Post-doc Fellow
Laboratório Associado ICVS 3B's, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded
2012/03/01 - 2013/03/01 DoIT- Desenvolvimento e Operacionalização da Investigação de Translação
UMINHO/BI/134/2013
Research Fellow
Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
Concluded

Contract

Designation Funders
2026/01 - Current Mind under influence: Decoding cholinergic dynamics from the laterodorsal tegmentum in the nucleus accumbens
16554
Principal investigator
Laboratório Associado ICVS 3B's, Portugal
2025/03 - 2028/02 Cholinergic dynamics of projections from Laterodorsal Tegmentum to the Nucleus Accumbens in associative learning
A-41279
Principal investigator
Laboratório Associado ICVS 3B's, Portugal
Fundação Bial
2025 - 2028 Dynamic shift in Behavioral Adaptation: contribution of genetically distinctive nucleus accumbens’ neuronal sub-types for depression
COMPETE2030-FEDER-00708300
Researcher
Laboratório Associado ICVS 3B's, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
2021 - 2026 Challenging current models of Valence encoding in the mammalian brain
ERC Consolidator 101003187
Post-doc
Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
European Research Council
Ongoing
2023/04 - 2025/09 Mapping neuronal ensembles of associative learning in thenucleus accumbens
MS_CC
Researcher
Laboratório Associado ICVS 3B's, Portugal
Fundação Bial
2023 - 2025 Novel tools for selective targeting of neuronal ensembles encoding valence
FEBS_CC
Post-doc
Federation of European Neuroscience Societies
Ongoing
2021 - 2025 Defining how cocaine alters laterodorsal tegmentum to nucleus accumbens inputs and relevance for the development of natural reward deficits
PTDC/SAU-TOX/6802/2020
Principal investigator
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
2023 - 2024 Genetic and functional maps of neuronal ensembles encoding natural rewards versus drugs of abuse
2022.01467.PTDC
Post-doc
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
2021 - 2024 Neuronal circuits of reward and aversion: where do endogenous opioids stand?
PTDC/MED-NEU/4804/2020
Post-doc
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2021 - 2024 The role of nucleus accumbens in the perception of natural rewards
175/20
Researcher
Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
Fundação Bial
2018/07/01 - 2021/06/30 Impact of prenatal stress in the reward system: from depression to addiction and back
PTDC/MED-NEU/29071/2017
Post-doc Fellow
Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing

Other

Designation Funders
2017 - Current Synaptic networks and Personalized Medicine Approaches to Understand Neurobehavioural Diseases Across the Lifespan
POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016428
Researcher
Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
2020 - 2023 Encoding reward and aversion in the mammalian brain: the overlooked role of endogenous opioids
HR20-01000
Post-doc
Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
Caixa d'Estalvis i Pensions de Barcelona
2017 - 2019 Neuronal basis of motivation
30/2016
Researcher
Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
Concluded
2012/01/01 - 2012/08/01 Reprogramming effects of early life stress
Institute¿ for¿ Social¿ and¿ Affective¿ Neuroscience¿ (ISAN)
Other
Laboratório Associado ICVS 3B's, Portugal
Concluded
Outputs

Publications

Conference abstract
  1. Coimbra, Bárbara; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Borges, Sónia; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, Ana João. "Reward deficits triggered by glucocorticoid exposure depend on laterodorsal tegmentum inputs to ventral tegmental area in rats". Paper presented in European-College-of-Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Workshop for Junior Scientists in Europe, 2017.
    Published
  2. Soares-Cunha, Carina; Coimbra, Bárbara; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, Ana João. "Nucleus accumbens D2-dependent increase in motivation: impact of selective manipulation of local microcircuits". Paper presented in ISN-ESN Meeting, 2017.
    Published
  3. Coimbra, Bárbara; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Borges, Sónia; Vasconcelos, Nivaldo António Portela; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, Ana João. "Impairments in laterodorsal tegmentum to VTA projections underlie glucocorticoid triggered reward deficits". Paper presented in ISN-ESN Meeting, 2017.
    Published
  4. Soares-Cunha, Carina; Coimbra, Bárbara; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, Ana João. "Impact of selective manipulation of nucleus accumbens local microcircuits on D2-medium spiny neurons (MSN)-dependent increase in motivation". Paper presented in 30th Congress of the European-College-of-Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP), 2017.
    Published
  5. Coimbra, Bárbara; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Borges, Sónia; Vasconcelos, Nivaldo António Portela; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, Ana João. "Reward deficits triggered by glucocorticoids are driven by laterodorsal tegmentum ventral tegmental area dysfunction". Paper presented in 30th Congress of the European-College-of-Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP), 2017.
    Published
  6. Coimbra, B.; Soares-Cunha, C.; Borges, S.; Sousa, N.; Rodrigues, A.. "Modulation of the laterodorsal tegmental area inputs to the ventral tegmental area by prenatal stress". 2016.
    10.1016/s0924-977x(16)31032-x
  7. Soares-Cunha C; Coimbra B; David-Pereira A; Borges S; Pinto L; Costa P; Sousa N; Rodrigues AJ. "Activation of D2 dopamine receptor-expressing neurons in the nucleus accumbens increases motivation.". 2016.
    10.1038/ncomms11829
  8. Soares-Cunha, C.; Coimbra, B.; Borges, S.; Rodrigues, A.J.; Sousa, N.. "P.1.c.011 The modulation of reward-responses is dependent on dopamine D2 receptor activation in the nucleus accumbens". 2015.
    10.1016/s0924-977x(15)30201-7
  9. Soares-Cunha C; Coimbra B; Borges S; Carvalho MM; Rodrigues AJ; Sousa N. "The motivational drive to natural rewards is modulated by prenatal glucocorticoid exposure.". 2014.
  10. Borges S; Coimbra B; Soares-Cunha C; Ventura-Silva AP; Pinto L; Carvalho MM; Pêgo JM; Rodrigues AJ; Sousa N. "Glucocorticoid programing of the mesopontine cholinergic system.". 2013.
    10.3389/fendo.2013.00190
Conference poster
  1. Correia, Raquel; Domingues, Ana Verónica; Coimbra, Bárbara; Wezik, Marcelina Olga; Vieitas-Gaspar, Natacha; Sousa, Nuno; Pinto, Luisa; Rodrigues, Ana João; Soares-Cunha, Carina. "Nucleus accumbens D2 medium spiny neuron projections to the ventral pallidum promote anxiety-like behaviour". Paper presented in ECNP Workshop for Early Career Scientists in Europe, 2023.
  2. Domingues, Ana Verónica; Coimbra, Bárbara; Correia, Raquel; Deseyve, Catarina; Vieitas-Gaspar, Natacha; Floresco, Stan B; Nuno Sousa; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Ana João Rodrigues. "Alteration on effort decision making in a model of prenatal stress: NAc and ACC functional changes". Paper presented in Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2022, 2022.
  3. Soares-Cunha, Carina; Domingues, Ana Verónica; Correia, Raquel; Coimbra, Bárbara; Vieitas-Gaspar, Natacha; Nivaldo AP de Vasconcelos; Luísa Pinto; Nuno Sousa; Ana João Rodrigues. "Divergent role of nucleus accumbens D2-MSN-ventral pallidum projections in different phases of motivated behavior". Paper presented in Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2022, 2022.
  4. Correia, Raquel G.; Domingues, Ana Verónica; Coimbra, Bárbara; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Rodrigues, Ana J. "Role of Nucleus Accumbens Direct and Indirect Pathways in Anxiety- and Depressive-like Behaviors". Paper presented in iMed Conference 12.0, 2020.
  5. Soares-Cunha, Carina; Domingues, Ana Verónica; Correia, Raquel G.; Coimbra, Bárbara; de Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, Ana J. "Modulation of reward behaviors by nucleus accumbens indirect pathway". Paper presented in XVI Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience (SPN), 2019.
  6. Gaspar, Rita; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Coimbra, Bárbara; Domingues, AV; Baptista, F; Fontes-Ribeiro, CA; 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 Glia - XIV European Meeting on Glial Cells in Health and Disease, 2019.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. Coimbra, Bárbara; Soares-Cunha, C; Borges, S.; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, AJ. "Role of LDT-VTA inputs in multiple phases of reward behaviour.". Paper presented in 11th FENS Forum of Neuroscience. Berlin, Germany, 7-11 July 2018, 2018.
  11. Mustonen, Paula; Karlsson, Linnea; Scheinin, Noora M.; Kortesluoma, Susanna; Coimbra, Bárbara; Rodrigues, Ana João; Karlsson, Hasse. "Different Aspects to Prenatal Stress from Hair Cortisol Concentration Studies?". Paper presented in NORDCAP Conference 2018, Finland, 2018.
  12. Mustonen, Paula; Karlsson, Linnea; Scheinin, NM; Kortesluoma, Susanna; Coimbra, Bárbara; Rodrigues, Ana João; Sousa, Nuno; Karlsson, Hasse. "Maternal prenatal depressive symptoms moderate the association between maternal hair cortisol concentration and infant corpus callosum integrity". Paper presented in 48th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2018.
  13. Coimbra, Bárbara; Soares-Cunha, C; Borges, S; de Vasconcelos, NAP; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, AJ. "Reward deficits triggered by glucocorticoid exposure depend on laterodorsal tegmentum inputs to ventral tegmental area in rats". Paper presented in ECNP workshop on Neuropsychopharmacology for junior scientists in Europe. Nice, France, 9-12 March 2017., 2017.
  14. Coimbra, Bárbara; Soares-Cunha, C.; Borges, S; de Vasconcelos, NAP; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, AJ. "Impairments in laterodorsal tegmentum to VTA projections underlie glucocorticoid triggered reward deficits.". Paper presented in XIII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience (SPN). Braga, Portugal, 25-26 May 2017., 2017.
  15. Coimbra, Bárbara; Soares-Cunha, C.; Borges, S; de Vasconcelos, NAP; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, AJ. "Impairments in laterodorsal tegmentum to VTA projections underlie glucocorticoid triggered reward deficits.". Paper presented in ISN-ESN Meeting 2017. Paris, France, 20-24 August 2017., 2017.
  16. Coimbra, Bárbara; Soares-Cunha, C; Borges, S; de Vasconcelos, NAP; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, AJ. "Impairments in laterodorsal tegmentum to VTA projections underlie glucocorticoid triggered reward deficits.". Paper presented in Society for Neuroscience (SfN). Washington, USA, 11-15 November 2017., 2017.
  17. Soares-Cunha, C; Coimbra, Bárbara; David-Pereira, A; Borges, S; Pinto, Luisa; Costa, P; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, AJ. "D2-expressing neurons in the nucleus accumbens modulates motivation". Paper presented in FENS SfN Summer School. Bertinoro, Italy, 29 May- 4 June 2016., 2016.
  18. Soares-Cunha, C; Coimbra, Bárbara; David-Pereira, A; Borges, S; Pinto, Luisa; Costa, P; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, AJ. "D2-expressing neurons in the nucleus accumbens modulate motivation". Paper presented in 10th FENS Forum of Neuroscience. Copenhagen, Denmark, 2-6 July 2016., 2016.
  19. Soares-Cunha, C; Coimbra, Bárbara; David-Pereira, A; Borges, S; Pinto, Luisa; Costa, P; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, AJ. "Activation of D1- and D2-expressing neurons in the nucleus accumbens enhances motivation". Paper presented in Society for Neuroscience (SfN). San Diego, USA, 12-16 November 2016., 2016.
  20. Coimbra, Bárbara; Soares-Cunha, C; Borges, S; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, AJ. "Impact of prenatal stress in laterodorsal tegmental area inputs to the ventral tegmental area". Paper presented in 10th FENS Forum of Neuroscience. Copenhagen, Denmark, 2-6 July 2016., 2016.
  21. Coimbra, Bárbara; Soares-Cunha, C; Borges, S; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, AJ. "Modulation of the laterodorsal tegmental area inputs to the ventral tegmental area by prenatal stress". Paper presented in 29th ECNP congress of applied and translational neuroscience. Vienna, Austria, 17 – 20 September 2016, 2016.
  22. Soares-Cunha, C; Coimbra, Bárbara; David-Pereira, A.; Borges, S; Pinto, Luisa; Costa, P; Deisseroth, K; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, AJ. "Activation of D2-expressing neurons in the nucleus accumbens enhances motivation". Paper presented in Neuroscience (SfN). Chicago, USA, 17-21 October, 2015., 2015.
  23. Coimbra, Bárbara. "The modulation of reward-responses is dependent on dopamine D2 receptor activation in the nucleus accumbens". Paper presented in 28th ecnp congress of applied and translational neuroscience. Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 29 August-1 September 2015., 2015.
  24. Soares-Cunha, C.; Coimbra, Bárbara; David-Pereira, A; Borges, S; Pinto, Luisa; Costa, P; Deisseroth, K; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, AJ. "Stimulation of dopamine D2-expressing neurons in the nucleus accumbens facilitates motivation". Paper presented in XIV Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience (SPN). Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal, 4-5 June 2015, 2015.
    10.1109/iembs.2009.5333768
  25. Coimbra, Bárbara; Soares-Cunha, C; Borges, S; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, AJ. "Effects of stress in the mesopontine cholinergic control of nucleus accumbens activity.". Paper presented in SPN 2015. XIII Reunião da Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências, Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal. June, 2015., 2015.
  26. Soares-Cunha, C; Coimbra, Bárbara; David-Pereira, A.; Borges, S; Pinto, Luisa; Costa, P; Deisseroth, K; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, AJ. "dopamine D2 receptor activation in the nucleus accumbens regulates motivation". Paper presented in ECNP Workshop for Junior Scientists in Europe. Nice, France, 12-15 March 2015., 2015.
  27. Soares-Cunha, C; Coimbra, Bárbara; Borges, S; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, AJ. "The motivational drive to natural rewards is modulated by prenatal glucocorticoid exposure.". Paper presented in FENS Forum. Washington, USA, 15-19 November 2014., 2014.
  28. Coimbra, Bárbara; Rodrigues, AJ; Sousa, Nuno. "Role of glucocorticoids in the epigenetic modulation of the cholinergic system". Paper presented in EMBO workshop - Epigenetic plasticity: Implications in neural (dys)function, Braga, Portugal. October 2014., 2014.
  29. Coimbra, Bárbara. "The motivational drive to natural rewards is modulated by prenatal glucocorticoid exposure.". Paper presented in FENS Forum. Milan, Italy, 5-9 July 2014., 2014.
  30. Soares-Cunha, C; Coimbra, Bárbara; Borges, S; Rodrigues, AJ; Sousa, Nuno. "Prenatal glucocorticoid exposure disrupts Pavlovian-instrumental transfer: role of D2 dopamine receptor". Paper presented in XII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience (SPN). Luso, Portugal, 31 May-2 June 2013., 2013.
  31. Coimbra, Bárbara; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, AJ. "From novelty-seeking to impulsive behaviour: effects of prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids". Paper presented in SPN 2013. XIII Reunião da Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências, Luso, Portugal. May/June, 2013., 2013.
  32. Coimbra, Bárbara; Borges, S; Soares-Cunha, C; Pêgo, José Miguel; Piscitelli, F; Marzo, V; Palha, J; Rodrigues, AJ; Sousa, Nuno. "Prenatal glucocorticoid exposure affects social and affective behaviors". Paper presented in Neuroscience 2012. XLII Meeting of the Society for Neurosciences, New Orleans, USA. October, 2012., 2012.
Journal article
  1. AGUIAR, LEANDRO; ROYON, Lea; Bastos-Gonçalves, Ricardo; Carvalho, T. T. A.; Teixeira, Eduardo; Faria, Ana Clara; Vasconcelos, Nivaldo; et al. Corresponding author: Coimbra, Bárbara. "Adaptive changes of cholinergic projections to the nucleus accumbens bidirectionally mediate cocaine reinforcing effects". Nature Communications (2025):
    Under revision
  2. Rodrigues-Neves, Ana C.; Monteiro, Jéssica; Coimbra, Bárbara; Gaspar, Rita; Domingues, Verónica; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Patrício, Patrícia; et al. "Early life behavioral deficits and microglia remodeling in the mesocorticolimbic system precede the emergence of Schizophrenia-like symptoms". Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 129 (2025): 416-433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2025.06.009.
    10.1016/j.bbi.2025.06.009
  3. Domingues, Ana Verónica; Carvalho, Tawan T. A.; Martins, Gabriela J.; Correia, Raquel; Coimbra, Bárbara; Bastos-Gonçalves, Ricardo; Wezik, Marcelina; et al. "Dynamic representation of appetitive and aversive stimuli in nucleus accumbens shell D1- and D2-medium spiny neurons". Nature Communications 16 1 (2025): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55269-9.
    10.1038/s41467-024-55269-9
  4. Jungmann, Rafael M.; Feliciano, Thaís; Aguiar, Leandro A. A.; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Coimbra, Bárbara; Rodrigues, Ana João; Copelli, Mauro; et al. "State-dependent complexity of the local field potential in the primary visual cortex". Physical Review E 110 1 (2024): https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.110.014402.
    10.1103/physreve.110.014402
  5. Ricardo Bastos-Gonçalves; Bárbara Coimbra; Ana João Rodrigues. "The mesopontine tegmentum in reward and aversion: From cellular heterogeneity to behaviour". Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (2024): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105702.
    10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105702
  6. Mustonen, Paula; Kortesluoma, Susanna; Scheinin, Noora M.; Perasto, Laura; Kataja, Eeva-Leena; Tervahartiala, Katja; Tuulari, Jetro J.; et al. "Negative associations between maternal prenatal hair cortisol and child socioemotional problems". Psychoneuroendocrinology 162 (2024): 106955. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106955.
    10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106955
  7. Deseyve, Catarina; Domingues, Ana Verónica; Carvalho, Tawan T. A.; Armada, Gisela; Correia, Raquel; Vieitas-Gaspar, Natacha; Wezik, Marcelina; et al. "Nucleus accumbens neurons dynamically respond to appetitive and aversive associative learning". Journal of Neurochemistry 168 3 (2024): 312-327. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.16063.
    10.1111/jnc.16063
  8. Patrícia A. Gomes; Cristian Bodo; Carlos Nogueras-Ortiz; Martina Samiotaki; Minghao Chen; Carina Soares-Cunha; Joana M. Silva; et al. "A novel isolation method for spontaneously released extracellular vesicles from brain tissue and its implications for stress-driven brain pathology". Cell Communication and Signaling (2023): https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-023-01045-z.
    10.1186/s12964-023-01045-z
  9. Raquel Correia; Ana Verónica Domingues; Bárbara Coimbra; Natacha Vieitas-Gaspar; Nuno Sousa; Luisa Pinto; Ana João Rodrigues; Carina Soares-Cunha. "Involvement of nucleus accumbens D2-MSN projections to the ventral pallidum in anxious-like behaviour". Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience (2023):
    Accepted
  10. Ana Verónica Domingues; Bárbara Coimbra; Raquel Correia; Catarina Deseyve; Natacha Vieitas-Gaspar; Stan B. Floresco; Nuno Sousa; Carina Soares-Cunha; Ana João Rodrigues. "Prenatal dexamethasone exposure alters effort decision making and triggers nucleus accumbens and anterior cingulate cortex functional changes in male rats". Translational Psychiatry (2022): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-022-02043-4.
    10.1038/s41398-022-02043-4
  11. Campos, Ana Bela; Duarte-Silva, Sara; Fernandes, Bruno; Coimbra, Bárbara; Campos, Jonas; Monteiro-Fernandes, Daniela; Teixeira-Castro, Andreia; Ambrósio, António Francisco; Maciel, Patrícia. "Microglial Depletion Has No Impact on Disease Progression in a Mouse Model of Machado-Joseph Disease". Cells 11 13 (2022): 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cells11132022.
    Published • 10.3390/cells11132022
  12. Lopes, Marta; Vieira de Castro, Joana; Pojo, Marta; Gonçalves, Céline S.; Martins, Eduarda P.; Coimbra, Bárbara; Sotiropoulos, Ioannis; et al. "Chronic Stress Does Not Influence the Survival of Mouse Models of Glioblastoma". Frontiers in Oncology 12 (2022): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.856210.
    10.3389/fonc.2022.856210
  13. 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
  14. Soares-Cunha, Carina; Domingues, Ana Verónica; Correia, Raquel; Coimbra, Bárbara; Vieitas-Gaspar, Natacha; de Vasconcelos, Nivaldo A.P.; Pinto, Luísa; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, Ana João. "Distinct role of nucleus accumbens D2-MSN projections to ventral pallidum in different phases of motivated behavior". Cell Reports 38 7 (2022): 110380. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110380.
    10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110380
  15. Bárbara Coimbra; Ana Verónica Domingues; Carina Soares-Cunha; Raquel Correia; Luísa Pinto; Nuno Sousa; Ana João Rodrigues. "Laterodorsal tegmentum–ventral tegmental area projections encode positive reinforcement signals". Journal of Neuroscience Research (2021): https://doi.org/10.1002/jnr.24931.
    10.1002/jnr.24931
  16. Viitaniemi, Hilja; Suominen, Auli; Karlsson, Linnea; Mustonen, Paula; Kortesluoma, Susanna; Rantavuori, Kari; Rodrigues, Ana João; et al. "Hair Cortisol Concentrations Are Associated with Dental Anxiety during Pregnancy". Dentistry Journal 9 4 (2021): 42. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/dj9040042.
    10.3390/dj9040042
  17. Gaspar, R.; Soares-Cunha, C.; Domingues, A.V.; Coimbra, B.; Baptista, F.I.; Pinto, L.; Ambrósio, A.F.; Rodrigues, A.J.; Gomes, C.A.. "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): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85100476643&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100302
  18. Aatsinki, A.-K.; Keskitalo, A.; Laitinen, V.; Munukka, E.; Uusitupa, H.-M.; Lahti, L.; Kortesluoma, S.; et al. "Maternal prenatal psychological distress and hair cortisol levels associate with infant fecal microbiota composition at 2.5 months of age". Psychoneuroendocrinology 119 (2020): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85086118792&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104754
  19. Lotfi, N.; Fontenele, A.J.; Feliciano, T.; Aguiar, L.A.A.; De Vasconcelos, N.A.P.; Soares-Cunha, C.; Coimbra, B.; et al. "Signatures of brain criticality unveiled by maximum entropy analysis across cortical states". Physical Review E 102 1 (2020): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85089345395&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    Submitted • 10.1103/PhysRevE.102.012408
  20. Bárbara Coimbra; Carina Soares-Cunha; Nivaldo A P Vasconcelos; Ana Verónica Domingues; Sónia Borges; Nuno Sousa; Ana João Rodrigues. "Role of laterodorsal tegmentum projections to nucleus accumbens in reward-related behaviors". Nature Communications (2019): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-11557-3.
    10.1038/s41467-019-11557-3
  21. Carina Soares-Cunha; Nivaldo A. P. de Vasconcelos; Bárbara Coimbra; Ana Verónica Domingues; Joana M. Silva; Eduardo Loureiro-Campos; Rita Gaspar; et al. "Correction: Nucleus accumbens medium spiny neurons subtypes signal both reward and aversion". Molecular Psychiatry (2019): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-019-0525-y.
    10.1038/s41380-019-0525-y
  22. Carina Soares-Cunha; Nivaldo A. P. de Vasconcelos; Bárbara Coimbra; Ana Verónica Domingues; Joana M. Silva; Eduardo Loureiro-Campos; Rita Gaspar; et al. "Nucleus accumbens medium spiny neurons subtypes signal both reward and aversion". Molecular Psychiatry (2019): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-019-0484-3.
    10.1038/s41380-019-0484-3
  23. Mustonen P; Karlsson L; Kataja EL; Scheinin NM; Kortesluoma S; Coimbra B; Rodrigues AJ; Sousa N; Karlsson H. "Maternal prenatal hair cortisol is associated with prenatal depressive symptom trajectories.". Psychoneuroendocrinology (2019): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/31400561.
    10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104383
  24. Fontenele AJ; de Vasconcelos NAP; Feliciano T; Aguiar LAA; Soares-Cunha C; Coimbra B; Dalla Porta L; et al. "Criticality between Cortical States.". Physical review letters 122 20 (2019): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/31172737.
    10.1103/physrevlett.122.208101
  25. Goulart, A.; Ferreira, C.; Rodrigues, A.; Coimbra, B.; Sousa, N.; Leão, P.. "The correlation between serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and tumor VEGF receptor 3 in colorectal cancer". Annals of Surgical Treatment and Research 97 1 (2019): 15-20. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85069501435&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.4174/astr.2019.97.1.15
  26. Soares, Ana Rosa; Esteves, Madalena; Moreira, Pedro Silva; Cunha, Ana Margarida; Guimarães, Marco Rafael; Carvalho, Miguel Murteira; Raposo-Lima, Catarina; et al. "Trait determinants of impulsive behavior: a comprehensive analysis of 188 rats". Scientific Reports 8 1 (2018): http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-35537-7.
    Published • 10.1038/s41598-018-35537-7
  27. Soares-Cunha, Carina; Coimbra, Bárbara; Borges, Sónia; Domingues, Ana Verónica; Silva, Deolinda; Sousa, Nuno; Rodrigues, Ana João. "Mild Prenatal Stress Causes Emotional and Brain Structural Modifications in Rats of Both Sexes". Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 12 (2018): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00129.
    Published • 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00129
  28. Mustonen P; Karlsson L; Scheinin NM; Kortesluoma S; Coimbra B; Rodrigues AJ; Karlsson H. "Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as a measure for prenatal psychological distress - A systematic review.". Psychoneuroendocrinology (2018): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/29609112.
    10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.03.019
  29. Soares-Cunha, C.; Coimbra, B.; Domingues, A.V.; Vasconcelos, N.; Sousa, N.; Rodrigues, A.J.; Soares-Cunha, Carina; et al. "Nucleus accumbens microcircuit underlying D2-MSN-driven increase in motivation". eNeuro 5 2 (2018): ENEURO.0386-18.2018. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85058232597&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    Published • 10.1523/ENEURO.0386-18.2018
  30. Bárbara Coimbra; Carina Soares-Cunha; Sónia Borges; Nivaldo AP Vasconcelos; Nuno Sousa; Ana João Rodrigues. "Impairments in laterodorsal tegmentum to VTA projections underlie glucocorticoid-triggered reward deficits". eLife 6 (2017): https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.25843.
    Published • 10.7554/eLife.25843
  31. Coimbra, Bárbara. "Adenosine A2A receptor regulation of microglia morphological remodeling-gender bias in physiology and in a model of chronic anxiety.". Molecular psychiatry (2017): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/27725661.
    Published • 10.1038/mp.2016.173
  32. Soares-Cunha, C.; Coimbra, B.; David-Pereira, A.; Pinto, L.; Costa, P.; Sousa, N.; Rodrigues, A.. "Activation of D1 and D2-expressing neurons in the nucleus accumbens enhances motivation". European Neuropsychopharmacology 26 (2016): S186. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0924-977x(16)31020-3.
    10.1016/s0924-977x(16)31020-3
  33. Soares-Cunha C; Coimbra B; Sousa N; Rodrigues AJ. "Reappraising striatal D1- and D2-neurons in reward and aversion.". (2016): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/27235078.
    10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.05.021
  34. Soares-Cunha, C; Coimbra, B; Borges, S; Carvalho, M M; Rodrigues, A J; Sousa, N. "The motivational drive to natural rewards is modulated by prenatal glucocorticoid exposure". Translational Psychiatry 4 6 (2014): e397-e397. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/tp.2014.45.
    10.1038/tp.2014.45
  35. Borges S; Coimbra B; Soares-Cunha C; Miguel Pêgo J; Sousa N; João Rodrigues A. "Dopaminergic modulation of affective and social deficits induced by prenatal glucocorticoid exposure.". (2013): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/23648781.
    10.1038/npp.2013.108
  36. Carvalho MM; Campos FL; Coimbra B; Pêgo JM; Rodrigues C; Lima R; Rodrigues AJ; Sousa N; Salgado AJ. "Behavioral characterization of the 6-hydroxidopamine model of Parkinson's disease and pharmacological rescuing of non-motor deficits.". (2013): http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/23621954.
    10.1186/1750-1326-8-14
  37. Borges, Sónia; Coimbra, Bárbara; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Ventura-Silva, Ana P.; Pinto, Luisa; Carvalho, Miguel M.; Pêgo, José-Miguel; Rodrigues, Ana João; Sousa, Nuno. "Glucocorticoid Programing of the Mesopontine Cholinergic System". Frontiers in Endocrinology 4 (2013): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2013.00190.
    Published • 10.3389/fendo.2013.00190
Thesis / Dissertation
  1. Coimbra, Bárbara. "Role of laterodorsal tegmentum in motivation and reward". PhD, Universidade do Minho, 2018.
  2. Rodrigues, Ana João; Sousa, Nuno; Coimbra, Bárbara Guimarães Salazar. "Effects of prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids in impulsivity and novelty-seeking behavior". Master, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/1822/24479.

Other

Other output
  1. Distinct role of nucleus accumbens D2-MSN projections to ventral pallidum in different phases of motivated behavior. 2020. Carina Soares-Cunha; Raquel Correia; Ana Verónica Domingues; Bárbara Coimbra; Nivaldo AP de Vasconcelos; Luísa Pinto; Nuno Sousa; Ana João Rodrigues. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.11.27.401042.
    10.1101/2020.11.27.401042
  2. Criticality between cortical states. 2018. Fontenele AJ; de Vasconcelos NAP; Feliciano T; Aguiar LAA; Soares-Cunha C; Coimbra B; Porta LD; et al. http://europepmc.org/abstract/PPR/PPR60235.
    10.1101/454934
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2025/06 Cholinergic mesopontine signals are selectively affected and bidirectionally mediate cocaine reinforcing effects 10th Mediterranean Neuroscience Society Conference
MNS (Greece)
2025/05/30 A cholinergic brainstem input to the nucleus accumbens bidirectionally mediate cocaine reinforcing effects XIX Meeting of the Portuguese Society of Neuroscience
Portuguese Society for Neuroscience (SPN) (Portugal)
2024/11/14 A new player in the addiction circuitry:  the laterodorsal tegmentum Neurobucano
Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) (Brazil)
2024/03 A cholinergic brainstem input to nucleus accumbens neurons determines cocaine place preference Gordon Research Conferences Basal Ganglia
GRC (United States)
2022 Laterodorsal tegmentum-Nucleus accumbens projections underlie cocaine-induced preference ISN-APSN 2022 Meeting
International Society of Neurochemistry (Honululu, United States)
2022 Laterodorsal tegmentum projections to nucleus accumbens drive preference and increase motivation. Addiction 2022
2022 Beyond Accumbens: role of LDT inputs in reward signalling. Ciência Falada
Universidade do Minho
2019/10/19 Role of different laterodorsal tegmentum inputs to nucleus accumbens in reward Neuroscience SfN 2019
Society for Neuroscience (Chicago, United States)
2019/08/27 In-vivo circuit manipulation/optogenetics - From networks to behavior and back Young Scientists’ Workshop associated with the EBPS Biennial Meeting 2019
European Behavioral Pharmacology Society (Braga, Portugal)
2017 Reward deficits triggered by glucocorticoids are driven by laterodorsal tegmentum-ventral tegmental area dysfunction 30th ECNP Congress of Applied and Translational Neuroscience
ECNP (France)
2017 Impairments in laterodorsal tegmentum to VTA projections underlie glucocorticoid triggered reward deficits XIII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience (SPN)
Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências (Portugal)
2017 Reward deficits triggered by glucocorticoid exposure depend on laterodorsal tegmentum inputs to ventral tegmental area in rats ECNP workshop on Neuropsychopharmacology for junior scientists in Europe.
ECNP (France)
2013 Prenatal glucocorticoid exposure disrupts Pavlovian-instrumental transfer: role of D2 dopamine receptor. XIII Reunião da Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências
Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências (Luso, Portugal)
2013 Dopaminergic modulation of affective and social deficits induced by prenatal glucocorticoid exposure SPN 2013. XIII Reunião da Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências
Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências (Luso, Portugal)
2013 From novelty-seeking to impulsive behaviour: effects of prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids SPN 2013. XIII Reunião da Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências
Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências (Portugal)
2012 The secretome of mesenchymal stem cells as therapeutical option for Parkinson's Disease 07/20/2015-07/24/2015
ICVS/3B's - Associate Laboratory

Supervision

Thesis Title
Role
Degree Subject (Type)
Institution / Organization
2024/10 - 2025 Cholinergic dynamics of projections from Laterodorsal Tegmentum to the Nucleus Accumbens in associative learning
Supervisor
Master in Biomedicine (Master)
Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
2023 - 2024 Valence encoding ensembles in Laterodorsal Tegmentum
Supervisor
Masters in Neurobiology (Master)
Universidade do Porto Faculdade de Medicina, Portugal
2021 - 2023 Investigating the neuronal ensembles encoding valence in the Laterodorsal Tegmentum
Supervisor
Mestrado em Ciências da Saúde (Master)
Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal

Event organisation

Event name
Type of event (Role)
Institution / Organization
2012 - Current Brain awareness week - neuroscience (2012)
2024 - 2034 Advanced techniques and methodologies for brain circuit-level analysis (2024 - 2024)
Workshop (Member of the Organising Committee)
Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2023 - 2023 New insights into the modulation of reward and aversion encoding in the brainstem (2023)
Symposium (Other)
Federation of European Neuroscience Societies, Belgium

Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências, Portugal
2019/08/27 - 2019/08/27 Organization of the Young Scientists’ Workshop associated with the EBPS Biennial Meeting 2019 (2019/08/27 - 2019/08/27)
Workshop (Co-organisor)
2017 - 2017 XV Portuguese Society for Neuroscience (2017 - 2017)
Conference (Member of the Organising Committee)
Universidade do Minho, Portugal
2014 - 2014 EMBO workshop: Epigenetic plasticity: Implications in neural (dys)function (2014 - 2014)
Workshop (Other)
Universidade do Minho, Portugal
2010 - 2010 Applied Biology Conference 2010 (2010)
Meeting (Member of the Organising Committee)
Universidade do Minho, Portugal

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event
Event name
Institution / Organization
2019/10/19 - 2019/10/23 Neuroscience congress - Oral presentation in symposium
Congress
Neuroscience 2019
Society for Neuroscience, United States
2019/08/28 - 2019/08/31 Neuroscience congress
Congress
EBPS Biennial Meeting 2019
European Behavioural Pharmacology Society, Germany
2019/08/27 - 2019/08/27 Lecture in workshop: "In-vivo circuit manipulation/optogenetics"
Workshop
European Behavioral Pharmacology (EBPS) Biennial Meeting 2019
European Behavioural Pharmacology Society, Germany
2019/05/30 - 2019/06/01 Neuroscience congress
Congress
XVI Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neurosciences
Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências, Portugal
2018/07/07 - 2018/07/11 Neuroscience congress
Congress
11th FENS Forum of Neuroscience 2018
Federation of European Neuroscience Societies, Belgium
2017/11/11 - 2017/11/15 Neuroscience congress
Congress
Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Neuroscience 2017
Society for Neuroscience, United States
2017/09/02 - 2017/09/05 Neuroscience congress - Oral presentation in symposium
Congress
30th ECNP Congress of Applied and Translational Neuroscience
European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Netherlands
2017/08/20 - 2017/08/24 Neuroscience congress
Congress
ISN-ESN Meeting 2017
International Society for Neurochemistry, Switzerland
2017/05/25 - 2017/05/26 Neuroscience congress - Oral presentation in symposium
Congress
XIII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience
Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências, Portugal
2017/03/09 - 2017/03/12 Workshop for junior scientists - Oral presentation in symposium
Workshop
ECNP workshop on Neuropsychopharmacology for junior scientists in Europe
European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Netherlands
2016/09/17 - 2016/09/20 Neuroscience congress
Congress
29th ECNP congress of applied and translational neuroscience
European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Netherlands
2016/07/02 - 2016/07/06 Neuroscience congress
Congress
10th FENS Forum of Neuroscience
Federation of European Neuroscience Societies, Belgium
2015/06/04 - 2015/06/05 Neuroscience congress
Congress
XIV Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience
Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências, Portugal
2014 - 2014 EMBO workshop
Workshop
EMBO workshop - Epigenetic plasticity: Implications in neural (dys)function
EMBO Press, Germany
2013 - 2013 Neuroscience congress - Oral presentation in symposium
Congress
XIII Reunião da Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociência
Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências, Portugal

Ad Hoc journal article review

Journal title (ISSN) Publisher
2025 - Current Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
2024 - Current eLife
2024 - Current Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience

Association member

Society Organization name Role
2016 - Current International Society for Neurochemistry Member
2016 - Current European Society for Neurochemistry Member
2013 - Current Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências Effective Member
2013 - Current Federation of European Neuroscience Societies Effective Member

Course / Discipline taught

Academic session Degree Subject (Type) Institution / Organization
2021 - Current Fundamentals in Neurosciences Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2013 - Current Laboratory Animal Sciences Animals Sciences (Postgraduate Certificate) (Curso de doutoramento (conclusão de unidades curriculares)) Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal

Evaluation committee

Activity description
Role
Institution / Organization Funding entity
2018 - Current Evaluation committee of Laboratory Animal Sciences Project
Evaluator
Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal

Journal scientific committee

Journal title (ISSN) Publisher
2022 - Current Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience (1662-5153) Frontiers
2022 - Current BMC Psychiatry Springer Nature

Mentoring / Tutoring

Topic Student name
2019/11/28 - 2020/01/03 Laboratory rotation - Master program in Health Sciences Natacha Gaspar
2019 - 2019 Laboratory Animal Sciences' Lab rotation Raquel Correia
2019 - 2019 Laboratory Animal Sciences' Lab rotation Carlos Marques
2019 - 2019 Laboratory Animal Sciences' Lab rotation Daniela Garcia
2018 - 2018 Laboratory Animal Sciences' Lab rotation Henrique Silva
2018 - 2018 Laboratory Animal Sciences' Lab rotation Joana Martins
2018 - 2018 Laboratory Animal Sciences' Lab rotation Laura Silva
2017 - 2018 Master Thesis in Health Sciences Laura Silva
2017 - 2017 Final project of biochemistry degree Ana Helena Borges
2017 - 2017 Final project of biochemistry degree Ana Rita Machado
2017 - 2017 Final project of biochemistry degree Vitória Baptista
Distinctions

Award

2022 Travel Award to attend the ISN-APSN Meeting, Honolulu, USA
International Society for Neurochemistry, Switzerland
2021 SPN Best Manuscript 2020
Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências, Portugal
2021 Research Incentive Award
Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal

Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
2020 Research Incentive Award
Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal

Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
2018 Travel scholarship granted by FENS/IBRO to attend FENS meeting 2018, Berlin, Germany
Federation of European Neuroscience Societies, Belgium
2017 Travel award to attend 30th ECNP Congress, Paris, France
European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Netherlands
2017 Travel Award for the ECNP Workshop on Neuropsychopharmacology for Junior Scientists in Europe, March 2017, Nice, France
European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Netherlands
2017 Best poster award on 30th ECNP Congress, Paris, France
European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Netherlands
2017 Fellowship Award for 2017 ISN ESN Meeting, Paris, France
2016 Best poster FENS/SfN Summer School on Cellular mechanisms and networks in addiction
Federation of European Neuroscience Societies, Belgium
2016 Travel award to granted by Portuguese Society for Neurosciences (SPN) to attend FENS meeting 2016

Title

2020 Scientific Employment Stimulus (CEEC 3rd Edition) - Junior Researcher
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal