معرفی
Leonilde Morais Moreira is an Associate Professor at the University of Lisbon's College of Engineering, Department of Bioengineering. Her research focuses on exopolysaccharide biosynthesis regulation in Burkholderia cepacia complex bacteria, long-term evolution of Burkholderia multivorans isolates from cystic fibrosis patients, and the role of protein tyrosine phosphorylation in Burkholderia virulence. She teaches courses such as Molecular Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering. Her work integrates microbiology, molecular biology, and biomedical applications, with a particular emphasis on bacterial pathogenesis and adaptation in clinical environments.
Research interests include understanding how bacterial exopolysaccharides contribute to virulence, biofilm formation, and persistence in infections. Recent studies analyze mucoid morphotype transitions in Burkholderia species and their implications for chronic lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients. She also explores the role of tyrosine kinase and phosphatase systems in bacterial physiology and pathogenicity.
Publications highlight her contributions to microbial genomics, transcriptomics, and infection models. Her work often involves collaboration with teams studying bacterial-host interactions and developing diagnostic tools for SARS-CoV-2. She is affiliated with the Biomedical Sciences Research Group (BSRG) at IST, contributing to interdisciplinary research at the interface of engineering and life sciences.
