The primary objective of the Institute of Biochemistry of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon is to contribute positively and actively to teaching and research of excellence. Its mission is teaching and research and many of those who come to us receive a scientific, technical and laboratory education that enables them to start their professional activity in distinct contexts.

The Editorial Team of the Newsletter went looking for some Ph.D. holders who studied at the Institute of Biochemistry and asked them a few questions.
  
Ana Salomé Veiga                         Henri Franquelim                       Sónia Henriques

Academic Degree            Awards and Scholarships            Current Duties

Ana Salomé Veiga           Finished the Ph.D. in Biochemistry at FCUL in 2007  — Dr José Luís Champalimaud Prize – 2004 and 2005 – Marie Currie Scholarship 11/2009 – 10/2012 FCT researcher at the Institute of Biochemistry of FMUL

Henri Franquelim           Finished the Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences at FMUL in 2012 – Max Planck Postdoctoral Fellowship – 2012 – Alexandre von Humboldt Award-2013 Researcher at the Cellular and Molecular Biophysics Department, MPIB, Martinsried, Germany

Sónia Henriques           Finished the Ph.D. in Biochemistry at FCUL in 2008 – Marie Currie Fellowship 2008 Research Fellow at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland

These doctors are currently associated with research in Portugal or abroad. Their research path started at the Institute of Biochemistry and their CVs boast high impact publications, awards and multiple collaborations. In her path as a researcher, Ana Salomé Veiga highlights “succeeding in obtaining a position as FCT Researcher, because it represents recognition for the research work I have been doing and also because it gives me the opportunity to carry out research in the area of anti-microbial peptides”.

In addition to publications, awards and collaborations, Henri Franquelim also stresses “the learning process on various topics inside and outside the laboratory, which helped me gain independence, work methods and knowledge for my scientific present and future.”

In her path, Sónia Henriques values “the scientific learning, the support and motivation of my mentors Professor Miguel Castanho (University of Lisbon) and Professor David Craik (University of Queensland). The funding received from Portugal, the European Commission and Australia was very valuable for the advancement of my career. The participation of peers from different parts of the world (e.g. Belgium, Denmark, United States, and Australia) has been invaluable.

Ana Salomé Veiga, FCT researcher at the Institute of Biochemistry, is currently researching “the development of new antibiotic compounds that can be used in the treatment of infections caused by resistant bacteria or bacterial biofilm”, which, according to her, “has proved to be a challenge. Antimicrobial peptides are a group of molecules that many consider to be candidates to a new generation of antibiotic agents.” Her research aims to develop new antimicrobial peptides that are highly active against resistant bacteria, even when the latter are grouped to protect themselves by forming biofilms.

Henri Franquelim received a Humboldt award, which sponsors the cooperation between researchers and scholars in Germany and abroad, and is currently in Munich. The young researcher states that “the fact that the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation awarded me a scholarship for young postdoctoral research is, in my view, the recognition of my scientific career to date, and above all an incentive for my future career.“

He continues to work in the area of Biophysics and Biomembranes, in a context more focused on Synthetic Biology and Nano-Engineering. “My postdoctoral project aims to unravel the molecular basis of the change in curvature of a biological membrane through scaffoldings (proteins capable of shaping a biological membrane which are involved in processes such as endocytosis, viral budding and cell division). The goal is to recreate a minimum synthetic system that is able to bend a membrane, not using traditional protein scaffoldings but DNA Origami, which is a nanotechnology capable of shaping DNA in customizable/programmable forms.”

Sónia Henriques, former Guest Assistant at the Institute of Biochemistry, is currently at the Institute of Molecular Bioscience in Queensland, Australia. “My main interest is the development of peptides as an alternative to conventional therapy. Specifically, it focuses on the design and determination of the action of peptides with potential in the treatment of two distinct cancers: stomach cancer and leukaemia. In the first project, the goal is to develop new antibiotics against the Helicobacter Pylori bacteria, which is the most common bacterial infection in humans and the biggest risk factor for the development of gastric cancer. The second project involves the development of the next generation of drugs to treat patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia who become resistant to drugs currently on the market. The aim is to develop alternative therapy that is less likely to induce resistance than the drugs currently available on the market.”

These researchers face many challenges. Ana Salomé Veiga states that, “Despite having secured funding for the next two years, given the current state of science in Portugal, my biggest challenge will be to have the necessary human and financial resources to continue quality research in the following years”. Henri Franquelim, “In addition to more specific scientific challenges related to my current and future projects, I believe the moving on to the next “labour” step will be one of my biggest challenges: Do a second post-doc vs. apply to main researcher positions? Academia vs. Industry?”. For Sónia Henriques, “Despite scientific research being the basis for progress of the wisdom and improvement of the quality and extension of human life, many are the challenges currently faced by researchers from around the world. Governments in the western world are channelling funding into areas of the economy that have practical results in the short time, and devalue the importance of basic and preclinical research, which have potential long term practical benefits for the economy of a country (e.g. generation of IP, health improvements, education and social behaviour). In order to train competitive researchers and make possible important discoveries, it is necessary to foster and fund science.”

For these young researchers, research will thus continue to be a daily challenge. The work conducted at the Institute of Biochemistry was the first step in a long journey that we hope and believe will be successful.

Editorial Team
news@fm.ul.pt