Margarida Brás and Daniel Oliveira awarded with PhD Studentships from The Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)

The researchers Margarida Brás and Daniel Oliveira from Pereira Lab were awarded with PhD studentships from the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). Their projects are focused on technologically advancing direct reprogramming platforms.

Margarida’s project “Unraveling the potential of hemogenic reprogramming for immune rejuvenation in aging” will be developed in collaboration with The University of Lausanne, intersecting extensive expertise in cellular reprogramming and anti-aging therapies. In vivo transcription factor (TF)-mediated direct cell reprogramming is offering new possibilities for breakthroughs in rejuvenation and tissue repair. In the context of the immune system, aging causes function impairment of hematopoietic stem cells, a multipotent lineage responsible for generating all blood cell types. Margarida will explore the transient induction of hemogenic and hematopoietic transcriptional programs though in vivo expression of TFs GATA2, FOS, and GFI1B (GFG). Specifically, she will assess the hemogenic potential of GFG reprogramming in vitro, develop a novel hemogenic reprogrammable mouse model, characterize GFG reprogramming in vivo, and assess the rejuvenating potential of this strategy in aged mice. Overall, her project will deliver an innovative strategy for improving immune function and promote organismal rejuvenation.

Daniel’s PhD “A combinatorial transcription factor screening platform for immune cell reprogramming” will be articulated between academic and industrial settings and integrate a collaboration with IRB Barcelona, with knowledge in single-cell transcriptomics and lineage tracing. Harnessing the promise behind in vivo cell reprogramming to generate therapeutically valuable immune cell types, this project aims to define TF combinations to instruct immune fates across myeloid and lymphoid lineages. Daniel’s work will expand our combinatorial barcoded TF screening platform with single-cell readout, REPROcode, by 1) further developing REPROcode immune library of candidate reprogramming TFs; 2) reprogramming several immune cell types with immune cell-specific TF pools; and 3) validating immune cell identity and function. This will enable to develop an immune cell reprogramming toolbox for immunotherapy, while significantly increasing knowledge on the gene regulatory networks underlying immune cell function. This technology hast the potential to personalize immunotherapies – in cancer and across immune pathologies such as chronic viral infections, autoimmunity, and aging.

Both Margarida’s and Daniel’s projects will be at the technological forefront of in vivo reprogramming-based therapies, presenting auspicious plans to tackle future health challenges.