Biography
Sara graduated with a Bachelor of Biochemistry at the University of Trás os Montes and Alto Douro in 2012. This first contact with biochemical sciences during bachelor, lead her to finish a Master of Biochemistry at the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the University of Coimbra in 2014. She developed a master thesis entitled “Effect of the human amniotic membrane in hepatocellular carcinoma” and this work aimed to study the cellular mechanisms responsible for the effect of human amniotic membrane protein extracts in three human cell lines of hepatocellular carcinoma. During and after her studies, she managed to work at several clothing stores. After finishing her master thesis she worked as a volunteer trainee at the Histology and Anatomic Pathology Laboratory, University of Trás os Montes and Alto Douro and also as an external collaborator at Research Trial.
Summary of ESR Project
This project mainly aims and expect to uncover most of the mechanisms involved in the progression of NAFLD. The uncover of different signaling pathways will not only help to understand the mechanisms underlying the progression of the disease but also find paths that could improve NAFLD treatment and diagnosis.
The research will include methodologies to characterize the alterations in energy metabolism present in NAFLD, in particular glucose and lipid oxidation and synthesis, Krebs Cycle fluxes, beta oxidation and lipid synthesis, using mass spectrometry and 13C -stable isotope tracers and noninvasive “chemical biopsy” analysis of hepatic metabolite enrichments.
Supervisor:
Dr. Amalia Gastaldelli
Co-Supervisor:
Dr. Carina Prip-Buus
Secondments:
French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), France