André Filipe Vieira da Conceição (F710-8071-CA06)

Curriculum Vitae

André Filipe Vieira da Conceição

André Conceição finished a Master degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology with specialisation in Neurobiology, at the University of Coimbra in 2019. Before that, André Conceição concluded a Bachelor degree in Biomedical Sciences, at the University of the Algarve. André Conceição’s main focuses are polyglutamine diseases, namely Machado-Joseph disease and Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2. Both diseases are rare hereditary neurodegenerative disorders, although Machado-Joseph disease has an important prevalence in Portugal. André Conceição is interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms behind those disorders and, at the same time, in the development of new therapeutic approaches that might tackle their pathophysiology. Those approaches include viral delivery of gene-based therapies and novel CRISPR-Cas-based technology into the brain. Working at the laboratory as MSc student provided André Conceição with full autonomy in a set of techniques such as quantitative biochemical methods, nucleic acids extractions, free-floating immunohistochemistry, microscopy, analysis of animal behavior data and statistical analysis. André Conceição has employed both cell cultures and transgenic mice as disease models in his research. Currently, André Conceição is working as a research fellow at the Centre for Biomedical Research — University of the Algarve in the Molecular Neuroscience and Gene Therapy Laboratory, led by Professor Clévio Nóbrega. The laboratory is interested in studying cellular and molecular brain disease pathways, focusing mainly on polyglutamine diseases and the development of new therapeutics for these disorders. The work of André Conceição led to the production of a MSc thesis and a scientific article in an international journal, with two more in preparation. André Conceição integrated the team of two projects that were recently funded and has engaged in several opportunities to present his research in scientific symposia.

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Identification

Personal identification

Full name: André Filipe Vieira da Conceição
Date of birth: 1993/05/13
Gender: Male

Citation names

Conceição, André

Author identifiers

Ciência ID: F710-8071-CA06
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9348-3560

Email addresses

andrefilipevc@gmail.com (Professional)
andrefilipevc@hotmail.com (Personal)

Knowledge fields

Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Cell Biology
Medical and Health Sciences - Basic Medicine - Neurosciences

Languages

Language	Speaking	Reading	Writing	Listening	Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English	Advanced (C1)	Advanced (C1)	Advanced (C1)	Advanced (C1)

Education

	Degree	Classification
2020/11/01 - 2024/11/01 Ongoing	Ciências Biomédicas (Doutoramento) Universidade do Algarve, Portugal "Connecting mutant Ataxin-2 and synaptic disfunction: are stress granules the link?" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
2023/10/23 - 2023/11/10 Concluded	Advanced techniques for synapse biology (Outros) Université de Bordeaux, France The Cajal Advanced Neuroscience Training Programme, France	Aprovado
2021/02/05 - 2021/05/14 Concluded	StarUp Research (Pós-Graduação) Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal	Aprovado
2019 Concluded	Biologia Celular e Molecular (Mestrado) Major in Neurobiologia Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal "CRISPR/Cas9 as a tool for gene therapy in Machado-Joseph disease: silencing ATXN3 and CAG expansion correction”" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)	19
2018/05/09 - 2018/05/11 Concluded	Advanced Therapies Course (Outros) Major in Brain therapies Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal	18
2018/04/09 - 2018/04/20 Concluded	Synapses, Neuronal Circuits and Behavior Course (Outros) Major in Neurobiology Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal	19
2017 Concluded	Ciências Biomédicas (Licenciatura) Universidade do Algarve, Portugal "Epigenomic and transcriptomic analysis of breast cancer" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)	14

Affiliation

Science

	Category Host institution	Employer
2020/01/01 - 2020/10/31	Researcher (Research)	Universidade do Algarve Centro de Investigação em Biomedicina, Portugal
	Universidade do Algarve Centro de Investigação em Biomedicina, Portugal
2019/09/12 - 2019/11/30	Researcher (Research)	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2018/08/15 - 2019/09/12	Research Trainee (Research)	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
	Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal

Projects

Contract

	Designation	Funders
2020/01/01 - 2020/06/01	Overexpression of the RNA-binding protein GXXXX as a therapeutic strategy to MachadoJoseph disease and other Polyglutamine diseases #22424 Researcher Universidade do Algarve Centro de Investigação em Biomedicina, Portugal	AFM-Téléthon Ongoing
2020 - 2020	Development of a new assay do detect SARS-CoV-2 directly from clinical samples 126_596760136 Researcher Universidade do Algarve Centro de Investigação em Biomedicina, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Ongoing
2019/01/01 - 2019/09/12	Silencing the SCA3-causing gene ATXN3 through CRISPR interference Silencing the SCA3-causing gene ATXN3 through CRISPR interference Researcher Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal Universidade do Algarve Centro de Investigação em Biomedicina, Portugal	National Ataxia Foundation Concluded

Outputs

Publications

Conference abstract	Conceição, André; Koppenol, Rebekah; Tomé, Sandra; Carmo-Silva, Sara; Matos, Carlos A; Pereira de Almeida, Luis Fernando Morgado; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "A RNA binding protein alleviates pathology in two different mouse models of polyglutamine diseases.". Paper presented in 24th Anual Meeting of Portuguese Human Genetics Society. Proceedings published in Medicine, 2021. Published • 10.1097/MD.0000000000023585
Conference paper	Afonso, Inês T.; Koppenol, Rebekah; Conceição, André; Paulino, Rodrigo; Mirapalheta, Lourenzo; Matos, Carlos A; Nóbrega, Clévio. "From the molecular hallmarks to motor behavior: characterization of a new transgenic mouse model for spinocerebellar ataxia type 2". 2023.
Conference poster	Conceição, André; Filipa Couto; Brito, David V.C.; Koppenol, Rebekah; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "From Stress Response to Disease Mechanism: Exploring Stress Granules in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 2". Paper presented in Federation of European Neuroscience Societies Meenting Viena, 2024. Conceição, André; Koppenol, Rebekah; Afonso, Inês T.; Matos, Carlos A; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "Unveiling SCA2 disease phenotype: a new mouse model reveals motor deficits and neuropathology". Paper presented in Sociedade Portuguesa de Genética Humana, 2023. Conceição, André; Koppenol, Rebekah; Inês Afonso; Paulino, Rodrigo; Mirapalheta, Lourenzo; Matos, Carlos; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "A novel SCA2 transgenic mouse model displays disease-associated phenotype.". Paper presented in FENS Regional Meeting 2023 ¿ Algarve, 2023. Afonso-Reis Ines; Koppenol, Rebekah; Conceição, André; Vieira Romulo; Paulino, Rodrigo; Mirapalheta, Lourenzo; Matos, Carlos A; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues . Corresponding author: Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "the molecular hallmarks to motor behavior: characterization of a novel transgenic mouse model for Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2". Paper presented in ISN-ESN, 2023. Koppenol, Rebekah; Conceição, André; Afonso, Inês T.; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Costa, Rafael G; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "Motor phenotype characterization of a new transgenic mouse model for Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2". Paper presented in V Annual Meeting of the Algarve Biomedical Center, 2022. Perdigão, P; Matos, Carlos A; Lopes, Sara; Fernandes, Ana Rita; Lopes, Miguel; Conceição, André; Faro, Rosario; et al. "Modelling Machado-Joseph Disease in patient-derived isogenic lines by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated correction of ATXN3-CAG expansion". Paper presented in ESGCT 29th Annual Congress, European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, Edinburgh, 2022, 2022. Conceição, André; Koppenol, Rebekah; Marcelo, Adriana; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Afonso, Inês T.; Tomé, Sandra; Codêsso, José Miguel; et al. "A expressão da proteína G3BP1 reduz as anomalias neuropatológicas e motoras em modelos da Ataxia espinocerebelosa, tipo 3". Paper presented in Congresso da SPDMov 2022, 2022. Koppenol, Rebekah; Conceição, André; Marcelo, Adriana; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Afonso, Inês T.; Codêsso, José Miguel; Matos, Carlos A; Pereira de Almeida, Luis ; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "G3BP1 expression mitigates pathological phenotype in mouse models different polyglutamine diseases". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience (SPN), 2021. Conceição, André. "RBP-X protein mitigates disease-associated pathology in different polyglutamine diseases". Paper presented in 1st Virtual Conference at European Society for Neurochemestry., 2021. Conceição, André. "RBP-X protein mitigates motor deficits in differents mice models of polyglutamine diseases". Paper presented in 51.ª Reunião da Sociedade Portuguesa de Farmacologia, 2021. Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Conceição, André; Koppenol, Rebekah; Marcelo, Adriana; Afonso, Inês T.; Tomé, Sandra; Codêsso, José Miguel; et al. "Assessing the Role of Different G3BP1 Regions in the Mitigation of the Pathological Phenotype in SCA2 and SCA3 Disease Models". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2021. Koppenol, Rebekah; Conceição, André; Marcelo, Adriana; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Afonso, Inês T.; Tomé, Sandra; Codêsso, José Miguel; et al. "G3BP1 as a therapeutic target for spinocerebellar ataxias: mitigation of pathological traits in different mouse models". Paper presented in IV Jornadas Algarve Biomedical Center, 2021. Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Conceição, André; Koppenol, Rebekah; Marcelo, Adriana; Afonso, Inês T.; Tomé, Sandra; Codêsso, José Miguel; et al. "Mapping the domains of RBP-X towards mitigation of the pathological phenotype in polyglutamine disease models". Paper presented in IV Jornadas Algarve Biomedical Center, 2021. Koppenol, Rebekah; Conceição, André; Afonso, Inês T.; Rajado, Ana Teresa; Matos, Carlos A; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. "Generation of a novel transgenic mouse model of spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 expressing mutant ATXN2 in cerebellar Purkinge cells". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2021. Conceição, André; Koppenol, Rebekah; Marcelo, Adriana; Matos, Carlos A.; Ricardo Reis; Sandra Tomé; Diogo Teixeira; et al. "An RNA-binding protein alleviates pathology in two different mouse models of polyglutamine diseases.". Paper presented in 24th Annual Meeting of the Portuguese Society of Human Genetics, 2020. Conceição, André. "CRISPR-Cas9 systems targeting ATXN3 as therapeutic approaches for Machado-Joseph disease". Paper presented in 3rd International Ataxia Research Conference (IARC), Washington, DC, USA, 2019. Conceição, André. "CRISPR-Cas9 systems targeting ATXN3 as therapeutic approaches for Machado-Joseph disease". Paper presented in International Machado-Joseph Research Disease Conference, Washington, DC, USA, 2019. Conceição, André. "CRISPR-CAS9 as a tool for silencing and correcting ATXN3, the gene causing Machado-Joseph disease.". Paper presented in XVI Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience (SPN), Lisbon, Portugal, 2019. Conceição, André. "Transcriptional repression of mutant human ATNX3 using CRISPR interference mitigates the pathological phenotype of an in vivo Machado-Joseph disease model.". Paper presented in XVI Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience (SPN), Lisbon, Portugal., 2019. Conceição, André. "CRISPR-Cas9-mediated pre-transcriptional silencing of mutant ATXN3 decreases motor impairments of an in vivo Machado-Joseph disease model.". Paper presented in 22nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT), Washington, DC, USA, 2019.
Journal article	Conceição, André; Costa, Rafael G.; Matos, Carlos A.; Nóbrega, Clévio. "The polyglutamine protein ATXN2: from its molecular functions to its involvement in disease". Cell Death & Disease 15 6 (2024): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-024-06812-5. 10.1038/s41419-024-06812-5 Conceição, André; Koppenol, Rebekah; Nóbrega, Clévio. "On the role of RNA binding proteins in polyglutamine diseases: from pathogenesis to therapeutics". Neural Regeneration Research 18 12 (2023): 2695-2696. https://doi.org/10.4103/1673-5374.373711. 10.4103/1673-5374.373711 Conceição, André; Koppenol, Rebekah; Afonso, Inês T; Afonso-Reis, Ricardo; Costa, Rafael G; Tomé, Sandra; Teixeira, Diogo; et al. "The stress granule protein G3BP1 alleviates spinocerebellar ataxia-associated deficits". Brain 146 6 (2022): 2346-2363. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awac473. 10.1093/brain/awac473 Afonso, Inês T.; Lima, Patrícia; Conceição, André; Matos, Carlos A.; Nóbrega, Clévio. "Mutant Ataxin-2 Expression in Aged Animals Aggravates Neuropathological Features Associated with Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 2". International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23 19 (2022): 11896. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231911896. 10.3390/ijms231911896 Nóbrega, Clévio; Conceição, André; Costa, Rafael G.; Koppenol, Rebekah; Sequeira, Raquel L.; Nunes, Ricardo; Carmo-Silva, Sara; et al. "The cholesterol 24-hydroxylase activates autophagy and decreases mutant huntingtin build-up in a neuroblastoma culture model of Huntington’s disease". BMC Research Notes 13 1 (2020): http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13104-020-05053-x. Open access • 10.1186/s13104-020-05053-x
Thesis / Dissertation	Conceição, André. "CRISPR/Cas9 as a tool for gene therapy in Machado-Joseph disease: silencing ATXN3 and CAG expansion correction". Master, Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, 2019. Conceição, André. "Epigenomic and transcriptomic analysis of breast cancer". Degree, Universidade do Algarve, 2017.

Intellectual property

Patent	Koppenol, Rebekah; Marcelo, Adriana; Conceição, André; Nóbrega, Clévio David Rodrigues. 2022. "Isolated or artificial nucleotides for use in neurodegenerative diseases". United States. Granted/Issued
Provisional application for patent	2021. "Expression vector for GTPase-activating protein-binding protein 1 (G3BP1) in therapy of polyglutamine repeat diseases". Protected

Activities

Oral presentation

	Presentation title	Event name Host (Event location)
2021/02/18	RBP-X protein mitigates disease traits in different mice models of polyglutamine diseases	51.ª Reunião da Sociedade Portuguesa de Farmacologia Sociedade Portuguesa de Farmacologia (Portugal)
2020	CRISPR-mediated silencing of mutant ataxin-3 ameliorates motor symptoms of a Machado-Joseph disease model in vivo	XLX Meeting of the Portuguese Society of Pharmacology (SPF), Portuguese Society of Pharmacology (Coimbra, Portugal)
2019	CRISPR-Cas9 systems targeting ATXN3 as therapeutic approaches for Machado-Joseph Disease	International Machado-Joseph Research Disease Conference (Washington, DC, United States)
2019	CRISPR interference-mediated silencing of mutant ATXN3 decreases motor impairments of an in vivo Machado-Joseph disease model	53rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the European Society for Clinical Investigation (ESCI) European Society for Clinical Investigation (Coimbra, Portugal)

Supervision

	Thesis Title Role	Degree Subject (Type) Institution / Organization
2022/04/01 - Current	Caracterização do fenótipo motor e neuropatológico de um modelo transgénico de ataxia espinocerebelosa tipo 2, em murganho, com expressão moderada do gene ATXN2 Co-supervisor	Ciências Biomédicas (Degree) Universidade do Algarve, Portugal
2021/04/01 - Current	Inibição da formação de Grânulos de Stress num modelo lentviral de murganho de SCA2: impacto na neurodegeneração Co-supervisor	Ciências Biomédicas (Degree) Universidade do Algarve, Portugal
2020/03/01 - Current	How cells can be used to develop SCA2 models and therapies? – An in vitro perspective Supervisor	Ciências Biomédicas (Degree) Universidade do Algarve, Portugal

Distinctions

Award

2021	Scholarship - StarUp Research Post Graduation Program Universidade Nova de Lisboa Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Portugal
2021	1ª Classificado da categoria Saúde e Bem-Estar Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer Division - Universidade do Algarve, Portugal
2020	PhD Research Scholarship Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal