Ana Coelho Lab
 |
Biodiversity includes an immensity of species handling recognized unique biological processes that deserve to be thoroughly investigated, also aiming at defining new potential biomimetic targets. Proteomics integrated with other omics approaches and supported by de novo peptide sequencing and proteogenomics, is being used as a high-throughput strategy to fulfill this goal. |
|
Ana Maria Varela Coelho Phone (+351) 214469462/4
|
|
 |
Research Interests
Biodiversity includes an immensity of species. Few of them have been widely studied, and are now established as model organisms. However, it is evident that many more species handling recognized unique biological processes deserve to be thoroughly investigated. However, not enough tools are available to depict their molecular and cellular processes. At the Proteomics of Non-Model Organisms Laboratory we use integrated omics approches coupled with other methodologies (like, flow cytometry and microscopy) aiming at a) defining new antimicrobials and therapeuthic targets through a deeper understanding of bacteria colonization and infection processes; b) contribute to clarify the mechanisms involved in echinoderms central nervous system regeneration envisaging biomimetic biomedical applications. Additionally, these experimental strategies have been used for the discovery of diagnosis and therapeuthic biomarkers.
The toolbox of omics approaches have been utilized also in collaboration with several national and international research groups for the i) identification of novel targets for therapeutics and infection prevention through the understanding of microbe-host interactions with relevance in veterinary and medical contexts involving non-model bacteria (such as, Ehrlichia ruminantium and Saphylococcus epidermidis by improving their genome annotation and refining knowledge on their pathogenesis mechanisms and metabolic and biological pathways; ii) clarification of antimicrobial mechanisms of chitosan polymers and their nanoparticle-counterparts; iii) discovery of biomarkers for diagnosis of bacterial infectious disesases, namely for the early diagnosis of tuberculosis; iv) characterization of relevant biological processes of marine organisms, in particular wound healing and regeneration, as well as ellutidating the anti-microbial activity of asteroidea secundary metabolites associated with them.
Group Members
-
Ana Varela Coelho, Assistant Researcher, Research Group Coordinator
-
Luis Gafeira Gonçalves, Assistant Researcher
-
Elisabete Morais, PhD Student
-
Filipe Magalhães, Research Student
-
Filipa Fernandes, Research Student
-
Tomás Cruz, Master Student
-
Alexandre Umbelino, Master Student
Selected Publications
-
L G Gonçalves, S Santos, L P Gomes, J Armengaud, M Miragaia, A V Coelho “Skin-to-blood pH shift triggers metabolome and proteome global remodelling in Staphylococcus epidermidis” Front Microbiol., 2022, 13:1000737. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.1000737
-
A F Fernandes, L G Gonçalves, M Bento, S I Anjo, B Manadas, C Barroso, M Villar, R Macedo, M J Simões, A V Coelho “Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomic and Metabolomic Profiling of Serum Samples for Discovery and Validation of Tuberculosis Diagnostic Biomarker Signature.” Int. J. Mol. Sci., 2022, 23, 13733. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232213733
-
Andrade C, Bárbara O, Silvia G, Martinez P, Simões B, Bispo C, Ferrario C, Bonasoro F, Rino J, Sugni M, Gardner R, Zilhão R, Coelho AV “Characterization of Coelomic Fluid Cell Types in the Starfish Marthasterias glacialis Using a Flow Cytometry/Imaging Combined Approach” Frontiers in Immunology, 2021, 12, 807, https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.641664
Laboratory's Website
For further information please visit the laboratory's website
Proteómica de Organismos Não-Modelo (PT)
A variabilidade entre seres vivos reflecte-se na extensa diversidade de processos biológicos e bioquímicos que estes protagonizam. O estudo das proteínas e dos metabolitos que em determinadas condições, cada organismo sintetiza em combinação com a interpretação do seu genoma constituem ferramentas fundamentais para perceber os referidos processos. Esta observação da Natureza permite aperfeiçoar e estimular novas ideias com aplicações em biomedicina, numa estratégia de biomimetismo. Uma abordagem holística em que se identificam e quantificam em simultaneo muitas biomoléculas, por exemplo genes, proteínas e metabolitos têm-nos permitido a) conhecer melhor as interacções patogéneo-hospedeiro com relevância em medicina veterinária e humana com foco na identificação de novos alvos terapêuticos e biomarcadores de diagnóstico; b) refinar o conhecimento dos processos moleculares e biológicos desempenhados por bactérias não-modelo; e c) perceber a espantosa capacidade de regeneração das estrelas do mar, em particular os mecanismos associados à reconstrução do seu sistema nervoso central.
