1 Curriculum vitae M. Leonor Cancela

Curriculum vitae M. Leonor Cancela
Name: Maria Leonor Quintais Cancela da Fonseca
Place and date of birth: Lisbon, 24-October-1956
Nationality: Portuguese
Institutional address and Research affiliation: University of Algarve, Faculty of Marine and
Environmental Sciences (FCMA) and Center of Marine Sciences/CCMAR-CIMAR/EDGE
Telephone: +351/ 289800971
Telefax: + 351/ 289800069
Email: [email protected]
Academic degrees, fields of study, awarding institutions, dates
2003: Agregação (Habilitation) in Molecular and Celular Biology, University of Algarve (unanimity)
1985: PhD - "Docteur de l’Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Mention Très honorable", Paris, France
1982: Diplôme dÉtudes Approfondies (DEA) in Biochemistry, University Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris,
France
1981: Maîtrise - "Biology of Organisms and Populations, option Animal Biology ", University Pierre et
Marie Curie, Paris VI - France
Academic positions, institution, starting date
April 06
Jan/April 2000:
Nov 98/Mar 06:
Nov 92/Oct 98:
Full Professor, University of Algarve/FCMA
Visiting Associate Project Scientist, Department of Biology, University of California
San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Associate Professor, University of Algarve/FCMA
Assistant Professor, University of Algarve/UCTRA
Previous positions, institutions, dates in reverse chronological order
Jul 91/Oct 92:
Feb 88/Jun 91:
Jan 86/Jan 88:
Jul 85/Dec 85:
Assistant Research Biologist, Department of Biology, University of California, San
Diego, California, USA.
Post Graduate Research Biologist, Department of Biology, University of California,
San Diego, California, USA.
Post Graduate Research Biochemist, Department of Biochemistry, University of
California, Riverside, California, USA.
Post Graduate Research Biochemist, INSERM, Hôpital Lariboisière, Paris, France.
International Consortiums and Research Centers
European Marine Genomics Network of Excellence: Partner 21 (Center of Marine Sciences,
University of Algarve). Fish and Shellfish Node. 2004-2008
Center of Marine Sciences: Biotechnology and Molecular Biology of Marine Organisms. 1995 to
present.
University of California, San Diego, Division of Biology: Associated Research Group with Prof. Paul
Price (http://biology.ucsd.edu/labs/pprice/Lab%20Members.htm)
Current research interests
Main: Control of gene expression of vitamin K-dependent matrix proteins during vertebrate development
and onset of skeletogenesis. Molecular determinants of mineralization. Cellular differentiation and
transformation in bone. Evolution of bone and cartilage and its implications in the onset of skeletal
adaptations to environmental conditions
Others: Host-parasite interaction in marine bivalves. Genetic variability and evolution. Molecular
adaptations to environmental stress.
Training (period 2003-2008)
EDGE lab has trained (i.e. thesis completed) 7 PhD, 12 Master and 17 Licenciatura (honour thesis)
students. In addition, it is currently participating in the training of 8 PhD and 6 Master students.
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EDGE Group Funding (last 5 yrs)
12 national projects (1277443 €), 7 international projects (391241 €), 6 collaborative actions with
academic labs (12194 €), 3 contracts with industrials (72286 €), 3 prizes (27000 €), FCT Pluriannual
(87625 €). Total funding: 1 892 789 €
Selected Publications (from 94 articles / 5 book chapters)
Viegas CSB, Simes DC, Laizé V, Williamson MK, Price PA, Cancela ML (2008) Gla-rich protein (GRP):
a new vitamin K-dependent protein identified from sturgeon cartilage and highly conserved in
vertebrates. J. Biol. Chem. (In press)
Conceição N, V Laizé, B Simões, AR Pombinho & ML Cancela (2008) Retinoic acid is a negative
regulator of matrix Gla protein gene expression in teleost fish Sparus aurata. Biochim. Biophy. Acta
(Gene Structure and Expression), 1779:28-39
Fonseca VG*, V* Laizé, MS Valente & ML Cancela (2007) Identification of an osteopontin-like protein
in fish associated with mineral formation. FEBS Journal 274:4428-4439
Simões B*, N Conceição*, CS Viegas, JP Pinto, PJ Gavaia, LD Hurst, RN Kelsh, & ML Cancela (2006)
Identification of a promoter element within the zebrafish colXα1 gene responsive to runx2 isoforms
Osf2/Cbfa1 and til-1 but not to pebp2αA2. Calcif. Tissue Int. 79(4):230-44.
Rafael MS, Laizé V, Cancela ML (2006) Identification of Sparus aurata bone morphogenetic protein 2:
Molecular cloning, gene expression and in silico analysis of protein conserved features in vertebrates.
Bone 39(6):1373-81.
Laizé V, CSB Viegas, PA Price & ML Cancela (2006) Identification of an osteocalcin isoform in fish
with a large acidic prodomain. J. Biol. Chem. 281(22):15037-43.
Ortiz-Delgado JB*, DC Simes*, CSB Viegas, BJ Schaff, C Sarasquete & ML Cancela (2005) Cloning of
matrix Gla protein in a marine cartilaginous fish, Prionace glauca: preferential protein accumulation
in skeletal and vascular systems. Histochem. & Cell Bio. 13:1-13.
Laizé V, P Martel, CSB Viegas, PA Price & ML Cancela (2005) Evolution of matrix and bone
γ-carboxyglutamic acid proteins in vertebrates. J. Biol. Chem. 280:26659-68.
Pinto JP, NM Conceição, CSB Viegas, R Leite, LD Hurst, RN Kelsh & ML Cancela (2005) Identification
of a new pebp2alfaA2 isoform from zebrafish runx2 capable of inducing osteocalcin gene expression
in vitro. J. Bone Min. Res. 20(8):1440-53.
Conceição N*, AC Silva*, J Fidalgo, J Belo & ML Cancela (2005) Identification of alternative promoter
usage for matrix Gla protein gene: evidence for differential expression during early development in
Xenopus laevis. FEBS J. 272:1501-10.
Frazão C, DC Simes, R Coelho, D Alves, MK Williamson, PA Price, ML Cancela & MA Carrondo
(2005) Structural evidence of a fourth Gla residue in fish osteocalcin: biological implications.
Biochemistry 44:1234-42.
Pombinho AR*, V Laizé*, DM Molha, SMP Marques & ML Cancela (2004) Development of two bonederived cell lines from the teleost Sparus aurata; evidence for extracellular matrix mineralization and
cell-type specific expression of matrix Gla protein and osteocalcin. Cell & Tissue Res. 315:393-406.
Simes DC, MK Williamson, JBO Delgado, CSB Viegas, PA Price & ML Cancela (2003) Purification of
matrix Gla protein (MGP) from a marine teleost fish, Argyrosomus regius: calcified cartilage and not
bone as the primary site of MGP accumulation in fish. J. Bone Min. Res. 18:244-59.
Conceição N, NM Henriques., MCP Ohresser, P Hublitz, R Schüle & ML Cancela (2002) Molecular
cloning of the matrix Gla protein gene from Xenopus laevis: functional analysis of the promoter
identifies a calcium sensitive region required for basal activity. Eur. J. Biochem. 269:1947-56.
Cancela ML, MCP Ohresser, CSB Viegas, JP Reia, MK Williamson & PA Price (2001) Matrix Gla
protein in Xenopus laevis: molecular cloning, tissue distribution and evolutionary considerations. J.
Bone Min. Res. 16:1611-22.
Cancela ML & PA Price (1992) “Retinoic acid dependent regulation of matrix Gla protein gene
expression in human cells”. Endocrinology 130: 102-108
Cancela L, H Ishida, JE Bishop & AW Norman (1992) “Local chromatin changes accompany the
expression of the calbindin D28k gene. Tissue-specificity and effect of vitamin D activation”. Mol.
Endocrinol. 6: 468-475
Cancela L, CL Hsieh, U Francke & PA Price (1990) “Molecular structure, chromosome assignment, and
promoter organization of the human matrix Gla protein gene”. J. Biol. Chem. 265: 15040-15048
(* Both authors contributed equally to this work and should be considered as first authors)
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