Otilia V. Vieira

I did my PhD on the -Effect of oxidized-LDL on endothelial-cell apoptosis and the protective effects of phenolic compounds, (University of Coimbra and University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse). During my 1st post-doc, I worked on -Host-pathogen interactions-, (Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto). On my 2nd post-doc, I worked on -TGN sorting of newly synthesized cargo in polarized cells- (Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics , MPI-CBG, Dresden).  

In 2006, I returned to Portugal to establish myself as an independent scientist at the CNC, University of Coimbra. My group worked mainly on the mechanistic understanding of the process of plasma membrane resealing by lysosomes and its regulation during M. tuberculosis infection and also on the use of surfactants as topical microbicides to tackle sexually transmitted infections.  

In 2014, I was awarded with the prestigious iFCT award at the consolidator level and moved to CEDOC-NOVA MEDICAL SCHOOL, New University of Lisbon, where I am the PI of the group -Lysosomes and Disease - and Assistant Professor. In CEDOC, I started a translational research project on cardiovascular diseases taking advantage of my previous experience in atherosclerosis and membrane traffic. The main objectives of my research are to identify the biochemical and cell biological etiology of atherosclerosis at the bench and to carry this knowledge through modern analytical chemical techniques to a clinical prediction of CVD risk. The team involved in my research includes cardiologists, molecular cell biologists and biophysical chemists. In total I published 45 articles, 12 as first author, 20 as last author and 21 as corresponding author. Four of my publications have been highlighted in the Journal of Cell Biology, one in PNAS, one in EBioMedicine and three have been recommended in F1000Prime. Excluding the-Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy- citations, my publications have been cited more than 5000 times and my h-factor is 29 (Google Scholar).  

Since 2006, I completed the supervision of 7 post-doctoral fellows, 7 PhD students and 2 MSc students. 

In competitive calls for funding, which included the creation of an international consortium with Harvard Medical School, USA, of which I was the coordinator, I raised around TWO Million euros. I was also awarded with 2 INOVC awards. 

I am an Editor for Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group) and I also act as examiner in MSc/PhD theses; and participate in peer- and grant proposal reviewing. I am also member of the following H2020 consortiums: Twinning, RISE and COST Action.