Sónia Claudia Morgado Gonçalves

Present situation

Since 2008 - Principal Investigator at CEBAL (Centro de Biotecnologia Agrícola e Agro-Alimentar do Alentejo)

Previous ativities

2006 - 2008 - Post-doc researcher at Forest Biotechnology Lab, ITQB (Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica), with the study entitled: “Functional characterization of differentially expressed genes during embryogenesis of maritime pine”

2001 - 2006 - PhD student at Forest Biotechnology Lab, ITQB (Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica) with the thesis entitled: “Embryo development in maritime pine - A differential gene expression approach”. The PhD was developed in collaboration with Institute for Paper Science and Technology at Georgia Tech, Atlanta, USA and University of Málaga, Spain.

1998 - 2001 – Researcher at Pinus Group, IBET, where she developed scientific activity in the frame of several projects dedicated to the integration of biotechnology tools in the breeding of maritime pine

Academic qualifications

16/12/2005 - Ph.D. in Biology, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (Portugal), thesis entitled “Embryo development in maritime pine - A differential gene expression approach”. Supervised by Doutor Célia Miguel and Doutor John Cairney
May, 2000 - “Licenciatura” degree in Plant Biology, Universidade de Lisboa

- Cork oak genomics

- Molecular regulation of cork formation

- Functional characterization of genes involved in plant development

- Transcriptional profiling of developmental processes

- Bioactive compounds in plants

- Member of Group 5

- Principal investigator at Agrogenomics Group, CEBAL

- Group members:

Leandra Rodrigues, post-doc

Tânia Almeida, PhD student, SFRH/BD/44410/2008 "Molecular regulation of cork development - the role of the transcription factor QsR2R3Myb", (in collaboration with University of Aveiro) 

Tiago Capote, PhD student, SFRH/BD/69785/2010 "The role of cork oak Myb68 transcription factor in phellogen development - an approach for the in vivo identification of the involved regulatory networks” (in collaboration with ISA and University of Oviedo)

Ana Ferro, Phd student, SFRH/BD/68847/2010 “A reverse genetics approach to identify cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) genotypes with improved polyphenolic content” (in collaboration with ITQB and University of Almeria)

Sara Valente, BI scholar

André Folgado, BI scholar, project PTDC/AGR-GPL/118856/2010 

- Prof. Conceição Santos and Dr. Glória Santos, CESAM, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Portugal

- Prof. Leonor Morais-Cecílio, Instituto Superior Agronomia (ISA)

- Prof. Margarida Oliveira, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica (ITQB)

- Dr Célia Miguel, Instituto De Biologia Experimental e tecnológica (iBET)

- Prof. Armando Silvestre, CICECO, University of Aveiro, Portugal

- Prof Ricardo Ordás, University of Oviedo (Spain)

- Prof Rafael Lozano, University of Almeria (Spain)

Almeida T, Menéndez E, Capote T, Ribeiro T, Santos C, Gonçalves S (2013) Molecular characterization of Quercus suber MYB1, a transcription factor up-regulated in cork tissues. Journal of Plant Physiology 170 (2013) 172– 178

Gonçalves S., Cairney J, Oliveira M & Miguel C (2007) PpRab1, a Rab GTPase from maritime pine is differentially expressed during embryogenesis. Molecular Genetics and Genomics 278: 273-282.

Tereso S, Gonçalves S, Marum L,Oliveira M, Maroco J & Miguel C (2006) Improved axillary and adventitious bud regeneration from portuguese genotypes of Pinus pinaster Ait. Propagation of Ornamental Plants, 6(1): 24-33.

Gonçalves S, Cairney J, Maroco J, Oliveira M, Miguel C (2005) Evaluation of control transcripts in real-time RT-PCR expression analysis during pine embryogenesis. Planta 222: 556-563.

MiguelC., GonçalvesS, Tereso S., MarumL., Maroco J. & OliveiraM. (2004) Somatic embryogenic from 20 open-pollinated seed families of portuguese plus trees of maritime pine. Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture 76, 121-130.

2012- 2015 – Principal Investigator (PI) of project. "GenoSuber – sequencing cork oak’s genome. Ref. ALENT-57-2011-20 (budget 1 132 423 euros)

2011-2014 - Principal Investigator (PI) of projetc: "Phellogen development and stress response in cork oak - the role of transcription factor Myb68” PTDC/AGR-GPL/118856/2010 FCT (budget: 114 262 euros)

2012 – 2015 - Participant in project: "UnValBio – Implementation of an unit dedicated to the valorization of biological resources". ALENT-07-0262-FEDER-001860

2009-2013 - Participant in project “Gene Regulatory Networks Underlying Phellogen Activity” PTDC/AGR-GPL/098369/2008

2009-2013 - Participant in project “Transcriptomics of maritime pine embryogenesis” PTDC/AGR-GPL/102877/2008