Research
The Structural Genomics Laboratory studies proteins involved in diverse biological processes, such as DNA repair and protection, oxidative stress resistance and hydrogen sulfide metabolism, by a structural genomics approach. The lab combines structural biology methodologies like X-ray crystallography and Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS), with X-ray imaging, biochemical, biophysical and spectroscopic analysis. Moreover, we are also building our knowledge on Cryo-Electron Microscopy through the Twining Project Horizon 2020 IMpaCT. The Laboratory is composed of three research teams which are integrated in the MOSTMICRO and iNOVA4Health Research Units at ITQB NOVA.
The Lab’s research is focused on the structural characterization of biomolecules with potential impact in industry and/or medicine.
The goal of the Laboratory of Structural Virology is to provide insights into viral latency through viral-host protein interaction studies.
In the Membrane Protein Crystallography Laboratory, we determine the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules. The laboratory is integrated in the Macromolecular Crystallography Unit.
The Applied Protein Biochemistry Group addresses problems and pathologies regarding human metabolism (namely, the hydrogen sulfide metabolism) and works on therapeutic proteins against SARS-CoV-2 and similar viruses, or other biomedical applications. Their core scientific and methodological approaches combine protein biochemistry, biophysics and structural biology, benefiting from its integration in the Macromolecular Crystallography Unit. The lab's acquired knowledge is continuously shared within a network of collaborators and aims to enable the development of innovative diagnostics and therapeutic tools for different human diseases.
Lab picture
Research Interests and Focus 1. Photosynthetic Processes. My primary research interest is centered around the study of photosynthetic organisms. In response to the global food crisis, research on various photosynthetic organisms has intensified worldwide, aiming to unravel the principles and limits of photosynthesis. By leveraging my expertise as a cryo-EM specialist, I aim to elucidate the central processes in photosynthetic organisms through high-resolution structural characterization using cryo-EM. This includes multisubunit (pigment)-protein complexes, including membrane-associated ones and supercomplexes of metabolic pathways (metabolones), allowing us to decipher stoichiometries, subunit proximity, interfaces, and the localization of reaction centers and antennae. 2. Cellular Transport Mechanisms. My secondary research interest delves into the intricate structures of COPI and COPII vesicles, along with the dynamics of key proteins such as Arf1, governing intracellular vesicular trafficking and membrane dynamics. As a cryo-EM specialist, I aim to decode the mechanisms underlying cellular transport, focusing on processes like (dis)-assembly of COPI and COPII vesicles.
