Ana Rita Álvaro

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Leader

Sleep and biological rhythms in ageing and age-related diseases

E-mail
ritaa80@cnc.uc.pt
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Overview

Ana Rita Álvaro (ARA) completed her PhD degree in 2008 in Cellular and Molecular Biology where she gained expertise in neurophysiology and neuromodulation of neuronal cells. After the PhD, her career path is characterized by two distinct stages. First, as an invited assistant professor at University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal, where she was responsible for teaching several subjects of the BsC and MSc degrees, including Cell Biology and Cellular Genetics. During 4 years, ARA had the opportunity to develop communication, educational and leadership skills and, at the same time, she was also integrated within UTAD’s scientific projects, being the supervisor of 3 MSc thesis and 9 BSc projects, and published her first independent paper. Second, after 2014, ARA has been mainly devoted to scientific research activities, and joined CNC-UC as a post-doc. During this period, she implemented an innovative research line, matching fundamental and applied research through a project, whose aim was to evaluate the biological clock disruption in Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) patients and, consequently, identify possible new biomarkers that may anticipate OSA diagnosis. At the same time, ARA was responsible for the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells in a project that brought together 6 international partners within an European Consortium (JPND). ARA is currently a hired researcher at CNC-UC, co-author of 26 articles in peer-reviewed international journals which gives her a h-index of 15 and 449 citations (8 papers Impact Factor> 9,5; 81 % in Q1). As a result of this scientific production, she raised competitive national and international research funding (~350K€) where ARA is the PI. Additionally, ARA’s work has been recognized with 16 awards, of which, 3 were from Portuguese Pneumology Society in a total 18 k€, which reveals the impact of her work in the context of the medical community. Moreover, ARA has international collaborations already established with specialists in the sleep and circadian rhythm field (Angela Relógio, David Smith, Amita Sehgal). As scientific supervisor or co-supervisor ARA has mentored 37 students, 7 in PhD, 11 in MSc and 19 in BsC. At the moment, ARA is the scientific supervisor of 3 PhD students. ARA actively participates in outreach activities, such as in Brain Awareness Week (55 activities) and in the organization of awareness activities of the International Sleep Day (since 2018), in collaboration with the Sleep Portuguese Association. In 2015 & 2017, she had the opportunity to participate in a Startup programme (www.ineostart.pt) where she learnt entrepreneurship competences. From this programme, she co-founded the startup project SleepApnea ID.

Affiliation

CNC; CIBB; iiiUC

Publications

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Information about journal articles, updated at 15-12-2024, from platform CIÊNCIAVITAE.

Does sperm need to sleep? An overview of the impact of sleep disturbances on male (in)fertility.

Carvalhas-Almeida , Catarina; Maria Inês Cristo; Cavadas, Claudia; Ramalho-Santos, João; Álvaro, Ana Rita ; Sandra Amaral, Sleep Medicine Reviews . 2024. submitted Sleep Medicine Reviews

The mystery of fatal familial insomnia.

Duarte, Raquel; Carvalhas-Almeida , Catarina; Santos, Bárbara; Gaspar, Laetitia S; Varela Amaral, Sara; Joao Cardoso; Rita Félix; et al, Frontiers for Young Minds. 2024. submitted Frontiers for Young Minds

Treatment with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Alters Transcriptomic and Epigenomic Signatures of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Gaspar, Laetitia S.; Smith, David F.; Pyakurel, Santoshi; Santos, Bárbara; Carvalhas-Almeida, Catarina; Ferreira, Mafalda; Moita, Joaquim; et al, European Respiratory Journal . 2024. submitted European Respiratory Journal

Differential expression of microRNAs in Obstructive Sleep Apnea: a systematic review and pathway analysis.

Gaspar, Laetitia S; CAPITÃO, ANA; Santos, Bárbara; Mendes, Alexandrina Ferreira ; Cavadas, Claudia; Moreira, Irina S; Álvaro, Ana Rita , Journal of Advanced Research. 2024. submitted Journal of Advanced Research

Modeling hypothalamic pathophysiology in vitro for metabolic, circadian, and sleep disorders

Leal, Helena; Carvalhas-Almeida, Catarina; Álvaro, Ana Rita; Cavadas, Cláudia, Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2024. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tem.2024.01.001 . 10.1016/j.tem.2024.01.001 . published Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism

Understanding neuron-glia crosstalk and biological clocks in insomnia

Catarina Carvalhas-Almeida; Joana Serra; Joaquim Moita; Cláudia Cavadas; Ana Rita Álvaro, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105100 . 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105100 . Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

The impact of insomnia on frailty and the hallmarks of aging

Catarina Carvalhas-Almeida; Cláudia Cavadas; Ana Rita Álvaro, Aging Clinical and Experimental Research. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-022-02310-w . 10.1007/s40520-022-02310-w . Aging Clinical and Experimental Research

Peripheral biomarkers to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Gaspar, Laetitia S.; Santos-Carvalho, Ana; Santos, Bárbara; Carvalhas-Almeida, Catarina; Barros-Viegas, Ana Teresa; Oliveiros, Bárbara; Donato, Helena; et al, Sleep Medicine Reviews. 64. 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2022.101659 . 10.1016/j.smrv.2022.101659 . Sleep Medicine Reviews

Establishment and characterization of human pluripotent stem cells-derived brain organoids to model cerebellar diseases

Brás, João; Henriques, Daniel; Moreira, Ricardo; Santana, Magda M.; Silva-Pedrosa, Rita; Adão, Diana; Braz, Sandra; et al, Scientific Reports. 1. 12. 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-16369-y . 10.1038/s41598-022-16369-y . Scientific Reports

The NutriClock Study Protocol - Assessing the Impact of a Chrononutrition Intervention in Patients With Cardiometabolic Disturbances

Lages, Marlene; Gaspar, Laetitia; Carmo-Silva, Sara; Frontini, Roberta; Álvaro, Ana; Cavadas, Cláudia; Fonseca, Rui; et al, Current Developments in Nutrition. 468 - 468. Supplement. 5. 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab039_004 . 10.1093/cdn/nzab039_004 . Current Developments in Nutrition

Copper impair autophagy on zebrafish (Danio rerio) gill epithelium

Luzio, A.; Parra, S.; Costa, B.; Santos, D.; Álvaro, A.R.; Monteiro, S.M., Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology. 86. 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2021.103674 . 10.1016/j.etap.2021.103674 . published Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology

Effects of short-term exposure to genistein and overfeeding diet on the neural and retinal progenitor competence of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Luzio, A.; Figueiredo, M.; Matos, M.M.; Coimbra, A.M.; Álvaro, A.R.; Monteiro, S.M., Neurotoxicology and Teratology. 88. 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ntt.2021.107030 . 10.1016/j.ntt.2021.107030 . published Neurotoxicology and Teratology

Common risk factors and therapeutic targets in obstructive sleep apnea and osteoarthritis: An unexpectable link?

Gaspar, Laetitia S.; Sousa, Cátia; Álvaro, Ana Rita; Cavadas, Cláudia; Mendes, Alexandrina Ferreira, Pharmacological Research. 164. 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.phrs.2020.105369 . 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.105369 . Pharmacological Research

Long-term Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment Ameliorates Biological Clock Disruptions in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

C014-4DE9-206C; Janina Hesse; Müge Yalçin; 0F1A-8AFD-63A0; Catarina Carvalhas-Almeida; Mafalda Ferreira; B01F-45DC-F6D7; et al, Ebiomedicine. 2021. in press Ebiomedicine

The Superpowers of Our Sleep

Gaspar, Laetitia S.; Santos, Bárbara; Barros-Viegas, Ana Teresa; Cardoso, João; Varela Amaral, Sara; Carvalhas-Almeida, Catarina; Santos-Carvalho, Ana; Cavadas, Cláudia; Álvaro, Ana Rita, Frontiers for Young Minds. 8. 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/frym.2020.540052 . 10.3389/frym.2020.540052 . Frontiers for Young Minds

The importance of determining circadian parameters in pharmacological studies

Laetitia S. Gaspar; Ana Rita Álvaro; Sara Carmo-Silva; Alexandrina Ferreira Mendes; Angela Relógio; Cláudia Cavadas, British Journal of Pharmacology. 2827 - 2847. 16. 176. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.14712 . 10.1111/bph.14712 . British Journal of Pharmacology

Loss of hierarchical imprinting regulation at the Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome locus in human iPSCs.

Pólvora-Brandão D; Joaquim M; Godinho I; Aprile D; Álvaro AR; Onofre I; Raposo AC; et al, Human molecular genetics. 2018. http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/30102380 . 10.1093/hmg/ddy274 . Human molecular genetics

Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Hallmarks of Aging

Gaspar, L.S.; Álvaro, A.R.; Moita, J.; Cavadas, C., Trends in Molecular Medicine. 675 - 692. 8. 23. 2017. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85025131167&partnerID=MN8TOARS . 10.1016/j.molmed.2017.06.006 . Trends in Molecular Medicine

Copper induced apoptosis in Caco-2 and Hep-G2 cells: Expression of caspases 3, 8 and 9, AIF and p53

Santos, S.; Silva, A.M.; Matos, M.; Monteiro, S.M.; Álvaro, A.R., Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part - C: Toxicology and Pharmacology. 138 - 146. 185-186. 2016. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84963665511&partnerID=MN8TOARS . 10.1016/j.cbpc.2016.03.010 . Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part - C: Toxicology and Pharmacology

Impaired adrenal medullary function in a mouse model of depression induced by unpredictable chronic stress

Santana, M.M.; Rosmaninho-Salgado, J.; Cortez, V.; Pereira, F.C.; Kaster, M.P.; Aveleira, C.A.; Ferreira, M.; Álvaro, A.R.; Cavadas, C., European Neuropsychopharmacology. 1753 - 1766. 10. 25. 2015. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84943267584&partnerID=MN8TOARS . 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2015.06.013 . European Neuropsychopharmacology

Neuropeptide Y stimulates autophagy in hypothalamic neurons

Aveleira, Célia A.; Botelho, Mariana; Carmo-Silva, Sara; Pascoal, Jorge F.; Ferreira-Marques, Marisa; Nóbrega, Clévio; Cortes, Luísa; et al, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. E1642 - E1651. 13. 112. 2015. 10.1073/pnas.1416609112 . published Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Emerging novel roles of neuropeptide Y in the retina: From neuromodulation to neuroprotection

Santos-Carvalho, Ana; ¿?lvaro, Ana Rita; Martins, João; Ambrósio, António Francisco; Cavadas, Cláudia, Progress in Neurobiology. 70 - 79. Jan. 112. 2014. 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2013.10.002 . published Progress in Neurobiology

Fluoxetine induces proliferation and inhibits differentiation of hypothalamic neuroprogenitor cells in vitro

Sousa-Ferreira, L; Aveleira, C.; Botelho, M; Álvaro, Ana Rita Costa Silva; de Almeida, P.L.; Cavadas, C., PLoS One. eCollection2014 - eCollection2014. 3. 9. 2014. 10.1371/journal.pone.0088917 . published PLoS One

Neuropeptide Y receptors activation protects rat retinal neural cells against necrotic and apoptotic cell death induced by glutamate

Santos-Carvalho, A; Elvas, F; ¿?lvaro, A R; Ambrósio, A F; Cavadas, C., Cell Death and Disease. e636 - e636. 5. 4. 2013. 10.1038/cddis.2013.160 . published Cell Death and Disease

Proliferative Hypothalamic Neurospheres Express NPY, AGRP, POMC, CART and Orexin-A and Differentiate to Functional Neurons

Sousa-Ferreira, Lígia; ¿?lvaro, Ana Rita; Aveleira, Célia; Santana, Magda; Brandão, Inês; Kügler, Sebastian; Pereira de Almeida, Luís; Cavadas, Cláudia, PLoS ONE. 19745 - 19745. 5. 6. 2011. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21589937 . 10.1371/journal.pone.0019745 . published PLoS ONE

Moderate Long-Term modulation of Neuropeptide Y in hypothalamic arcuate nucleus induces energy balance alterations in adult rats

Sousa-Ferreira, L.; Garrido, M.; Nascimento-Ferreira, I.; Nobrega, C.; Santos-Carvalho, A.; Álvaro, A.R.; Rosmaninho-Salgado, J.; et al, PLoS ONE. 7. 6. 2011. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-79960672953&partnerID=MN8TOARS . 10.1371/journal.pone.0022333 . PLoS ONE

Regulation of catecholamine release and tyrosine hydroxylase in human adrenal chromaffin cells by interleukin-1ß: Role of neuropeptide y and nitric oxide

Rosmaninho-Salgado, J.; Araújo, I.M.; ¿?lvaro, A.R.; Mendes, A.F.; Ferreira, L.; Grouzmann, E.; Mota, A.; et al, Journal of Neurochemistry. 911 - 922. 3. 109. 2009. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-64149092206&partnerID=MN8TOARS . 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.06023.x . published Journal of Neurochemistry

Neuropeptide Y inhibits [Ca 2+]i changes in rat retinal neurons through NPY Y1 , Y4 and Y5 receptors

Álvaro, Ana Rita ; Rosmaninho-Salgado, Joana; Ambrósio, António F.; Cavadas, Cláudia, Journal of Neurochemistry. 1508 - 1515. 5. 109. 2009. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19344373 . 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.06079.x . published Journal of Neurochemistry

Neuropeptide Y protects retinal neural cells against cell death induced by ecstasy

Álvaro, A. R.; Martins, J.; Costa, A.C.; Fernandes, E.; Carvalho, F.; Ambrósio, A.F.; Cavadas, C., Neuroscience. 97 - 105. 1. 152. 2008. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18249070 . 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2007.12.027 . published Neuroscience

Neuropeptide Y stimulates retinal neural cell proliferation - involvement of nitric oxide

¿?lvaro, Ana Rita; Martins, João; Araújo, Inês M.; Rosmaninho-Salgado, Joana; Ambrósio, António F.; Cavadas, Cláudia, Journal of Neurochemistry. 2501 - 2510. 6. 105. 2008. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18331583 . 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2008.05334.x . published Journal of Neurochemistry

Unaltered hepatic oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondrial permeability transition in wistar rats treated with nimesulide: Relevance for nimesulide toxicity characterization

Moreno, António J.; Oliveira, Paulo J.; Nova, Carlos D.; ¿?lvaro, Ana R.; Moreira, Renata A.; Santos, Sandra M. D.; Macedo, Tice, Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology. 53 - 61. 2. 21. 2007. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17427176 . 10.1002/jbt.20159 . published Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology

Neuropeptide Y regulates catecholamine release evoked by interleukin-1ß in mouse chromaffin cells

Rosmaninho-Salgado, Joana; ¿?lvaro, Ana Rita; Grouzmann, Eric; Duarte, Emilia P.; Cavadas, Cláudia, Peptides. 310 - 314. 2. 28. 2007. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17207896 . 10.1016/j.peptides.2006.11.015 . published Peptides

Intracellular signaling mechanisms mediating catecholamine release upon activation of NPY Y1 receptors in mouse chromaffin cells

Rosmaninho-Salgado, J.; Araújo, I.M.; ¿?lvaro, A.R.; Duarte, E.P.; Cavadas, C.; Álvaro, A.R., Journal of Neurochemistry. 896 - 903. 3. 103. 2007. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-35248895279&partnerID=MN8TOARS . 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2007.04899.x . published Journal of Neurochemistry

NPY in rat retina is present in neurons, in endothelial cells and also in microglial and Müller cells

¿?lvaro, Ana Rita; Rosmaninho-Salgado, Joana; Santiago, Ana Raquel; Martins, João; Aveleira, Célia; Santos, Paulo F.; Pereira, Tiago; et al, Neurochemistry International. 757 - 763. 5. 50. 2007. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17353067 . 10.1016/j.neuint.2007.01.010 . published Neurochemistry International

5 34 out of 34 Publications

All projects

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Information of exclusive responsibility of the researcher 15-12-2024 , from platform CIÊNCIAVITAE.

2024/04/01 - 2025/03/31

Insomnia O’ clock: new technology to insomnia detection algorithm

Mapfre

Principal investigator

Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular

Funders: Mapfre Foundation

2023/04/01 - 2024/03/31

Sleep@aGlance - A good night under the stars

---

Principal investigator

Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular

Funders: ResMed Foundation

2022/06 - 2023

Science also sleeps: raising awareness about good (and bad) sleep habits

SaS

Universidade de Coimbra Instituto de Investigação Interdisciplinar; Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Estudos Interdisciplinares do Século XX

Funders: Universidade de Coimbra Instituto de Investigação Interdisciplinar

2022/03 - 2023/03

Sleep2BeHappy

Sleep2BeHappy

Principal investigator

ResMed Foundation

Funders: ResMed Foundation

2021/01/01 -

Sleep4All

Sleep4All

Principal investigator

Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular da Universidade de Coimbra

Funders: ResMed Foundation

2020 -

Saúde no Saber

Saúde no Saber

Researcher

Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular da Universidade de Coimbra

Funders: Ciência Viva

2020 - 2023

CIBB (Center for Innovative Biomedicine & Biotechnology) - Institutional Strategic Project

UIDB/04539/2020

Researcher

Center for Innovative Biomedicine & Biotechnology

Funders: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.

2018/06/01 - 2021/12/31

NiNjA - New Neuroendocrine Strategy for healthy Aging.

PTDC/MED-FAR/30167/2017

Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular

Funders: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

2018/04/01 - 2019/03/31

SleepApnea ID

CENTRO-01-0246-FEDER-000017

Principal investigator

Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular da Universidade de Coimbra

Funders: Universidade de Coimbra

2018/07/06 - 2021/07/05

A detecção precoce da Apneia do Sono como uma nova estratégia para atrasar o envelhecimento

PTDC/MEC-MCI/29002/2017

Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular

Funders: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

2018/07 - 2021/08

noOSAnoAGEING- A deteção precoce da Apneia do Sono como uma nova estratégia para atrasar o envelhecimento

POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029002

Principal investigator

Fundos Europeus para o Desenvolvimento Regional ; Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia

2017/03/27 -

LifeSciences ByCENTRO

CENTRO-01-0246-FEDER-000011

Researcher

Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular da Universidade de Coimbra

Funders: Centro 2020

2016/09/01 - 2018/06/30

Advanced models of polyglutamine disorders (HD, SCA3, SCA7)

ModelPolyQ

Post-doc Fellow

Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular da Universidade de Coimbra

Funders: EU - Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND)

2016/01/01 - 2016/06/30

Progeria – NPY

PRF 2015-60

Post-doc Fellow

Progeria Research Foundation

Funders: Progeria Research Foundation

2015 - 2018

HealthyAging2020 (Institutional strategic project)

POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007440

Researcher

CNC.IBILI

2015 - 2018

HealthyAging2020 (Institutional strategic project)

POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007440

Researcher

CNC.IBILI

2014/07/15 - 2015/07/31

Projeto Mais Centro - "Aging, Stress And Chronic Diseases: From Mechanisms to Therapeutics"

CENTRO-07-ST24-FEDER-002006

Post-doc Fellow

Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular da Universidade de Coimbra

Funders: QREN and Compete

2013/01 - 2013/06

Com(s)Ciência Ambiental

Projeto Escolher Ciência - PEC 120

Researcher

Funders: Ciência Viva

2010/02 - 2012/09

The Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and Dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (DPPIV) as new promising targets on the adipose tissue regulation in obesity

Provided by PTCRIS: 102415

Other

Funders: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.

2010/04 - 2013/07

Caloric restriction increases lifespan: role of neuropeptide Y on autophagy

99082

Post-doc Fellow

Funders: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.

2007/01 - 2007/10

Avaliação da toxicidade induzida pelo ecstasy na retina de rato: estudos in vitro e in vivo

Gabinete de Apoio à Investigaç

Other

Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular de Coimbra

2007/01 - 2007/10

Avaliação da toxicidade induzida pelo ecstasy na retina de rato: estudos in vitro e in vivo

Gabinete de Apoio à Investigaç

Other

Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular de Coimbra

2007/05 - 2009/04

NPY in the retina retina: why? and what for?

PTDC/SAU-NEU/73119/2006

Other

Funders: Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia

2005/04/01 - 2008/06/30

Interacção entre catecolaminas e neuropeptídeo Y nas células cromafins humanas

POCI/SAU-FCF/60399/2004

Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular

Funders: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

2005/04 - 2008/06

Crosstalk between catecholamines and neuropeptide Y in human chromaffin cells

Provided by PTCRIS: 60399

Other

Funders: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.

5 25 out of 25 projects

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