Benedita Pinheiro | Staff Scientist Ciência ID: CB17-E1B7-4EE7 email: b.pinheiro@fct.unl.pt I am a researcher in the Glycolab Group in the Research Unit UCIBIO. I have obtained a PhD in Animal Science and Technology in 2010, at the Technical University of Lisbon (presently University of Lisbon), studying the assembly and function of the bacterial multi-enzymatic complex involved in plant cell all carbohydrate degradation, the cellulosome. I am particularly interested in the protein-protein cohesin-dockerin interaction and in the study of carbohydrate-interacting proteins such as lectins and carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs). Being a member of the GlycoLab from the beginning, I have been involved in its setup and in the broadening of its scope through the implementation of protein microarrays. I am currently contributing to the ongoing GlycoLab projects with my expertise in molecular biology, protein production and X-ray crystallography. One of our joint projects is on solving the first X-ray 3D structure of human malectin in complex with its endogenous glycan ligand, with insights into its recognition in the Endoplasmic Reticulum and malectin evolution and function in protein quality control in mammals. |
PhD Students
Ana Benavente | Ciência ID: 151D-9B12-F19D email: a.benavente@campus.fct.unl.pt Ana holds a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Lisbon and an MSc in Biotechnology from NOVA School of Science and Technology. During her master’s thesis year at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Ana developed an in vitro model of mucinous tumors, sparking a strong interest in glycobiology and the role of glycans in health and disease. Ana is currently a PhD researcher at GlycoLab, where she investigates the molecular determinants of host O-glycan recognition by bacterial glycan-binding proteins in colorectal cancer. Her work integrates high-throughput glycan microarray technologies with structural biology to uncover mechanisms that shape host–microbe interactions in cancer. |
Calebe Juchem | Ciência ID: CF1F-1C18-5481 email: c.juchem@campus.fct.unl.pt I hold a BSc in Biomedical Sciences (2021) and an MSc in Medical Sciences (2023) from Univates University, including a research period at Concordia University of Edmonton through the ELAP program. My research experience comprises three years as a scientific initiation fellow at the Laboratory of Acarology (Univates), where I contributed to projects in microbiology, immunology, molecular biology, and metabolomics. More recently, I spent one year as a research fellow at the Functional Glycobiology Lab (FCT-NOVA), gaining experience in protein expression, purification, and glycan-protein interaction analysis using advanced microarray technologies. These experiences led me to my PhD in Biotechnology at NOVA/FCT, where I am developing a toolkit of O-glycopeptidases from mucin-degrading bacteria to study cancer-associated O-glycoproteins. By integrating glycan microarrays and mass spectrometry, my project aims to deepen the understanding of mucin-type O-glycosylation in cancer and explore its potential for clinical applications. |
MsC Students
Alumni
| Filipa Lopes Former MSc Student  | Liliana Ringler Former MSc Student  | André Favinha Former MSc Student  | ||
| Diana O. Ribeiro Former PhD student  Ciência ID: 7E10-CBC0-596D | Viviana Correia Former PhD student  Ciência ID: B117-5D40-0DCE | Raquel Costa Former PhD student  Ciência ID: C51E-D98C-9BEC | ||
| Filipa Trovão Former PhD Student  Ciência ID: AC11-1704-9BF8 | Nuno Lopes Former PhD Student  Ciência ID: A217-25D0-E92D |