Maria Carmo-Fonseca

Maria Carmo-Fonseca is a Full Professor at the University of Lisbon Medical School and President of Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes since 2014. She has held leadership roles including Executive Director of Instituto de Medicina Molecular (2001-2014) and Director of the Harvard Medical School-Portugal Program (2009-2015). She chairs the Scientific Advisory Board for GenoMed, a molecular diagnostics spin-off.

• PhD from Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (1988)
• Post-doctoral fellow at European Molecular Biology Laboratory (1992)
• Editor: Journal of Cell Science and RNA journal
• Member: European Molecular Biology Organization, Academia das Ciências de Lisboa, Academia Portuguesa de Medicina

Her research focuses on pre-mRNA splicing mechanisms and RNA metabolism in disease. Using technologies like NET-seq and POINT, her work bridges transcription dynamics, spliceosome interactions, and therapeutic applications in cancer and monogenic disorders. Her publications (150+ papers, h-index 54) emphasize RNA processing as a diagnostic and therapeutic target.

Recent articles highlight innovations in nascent RNA analysis, transcription-splicing coupling, and antisense RNA regulation. These span subfields including RNA sequencing, spliceosome inhibition, and age-related barriers to stem cell reprogramming.

• RNA Society President (2021-2022)
• Prémio Pessoa (2010)
• Gulbenkian Science Award (2007)
• José Sala-Trepat Prize (1993)

With 10,000+ citations, she leads a lab advancing RNA biology through genome-wide studies and collaborates with international organizations. Her work integrates basic science with clinical translation in molecular diagnostics and drug development.