Experience
Ana Rita Araújo's PhD research focused on addressing protein aggregation and neurodegeneration, with a particular emphasis on Alzheimer’s disease (AD). She demonstrated the bioactivity of cork-derived polyphenols, including vescalagin and castalagin, revealing their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-amyloidogenic properties. These compounds were shown to modulate Abeta aggregation into non-toxic forms and mitigate oxidative stress and DNA damage, earning her the Young Biophysicist Prize from the Portuguese Society of Biophysics in 2021.
Supported by an IACOBUS Predoctoral grant at CIQUS (University of Santiago de Compostela), she synthesized galloyl-terminated dendrimers, confirming the critical role of galloyl (GA) moieties in remodeling toxic Abeta species. She also identified glucosamine-6-sulfate as a compound capable of restoring neuronal functions impaired in AD.
Her current research focuses on supramolecular chemistry, specifically the development of hydrogels and micelles, as advanced biomaterials for therapeutic applications.
Research Area
Other medical sciences
Short biography sketch
Background
Ana Rita Araújo began her academic journey in 2006 at the Institute of Engineering of Porto (ISEP), where she earned both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Chemical Engineering, graduating in 2011 with a final grade of 15 out of 20. As part of her Master's program, she participated in the Erasmus Program and studied at Kaho Sint-Lieven University in Ghent, Belgium. Following her graduation in 2011, she joined the 3Bs Research Group as a researcher on the GlueCork project—an industry-academia collaboration focused on the development and valorization of cork-based by-products.
Ana Rita Araújo has been involved in several research projects, including initiatives co-funded by the European Commission under FP7 and H2020. Notably, she contributed to the Find & Bind project, focusing on the functionalization of 2D surfaces for biosensing applications. She began her Ph.D. studies at the University of Minho in 2015 and was awarded a Ph.D. scholarship in 2017 under the Doctoral Programme in Advanced Therapies for Health (PATH). Her research was conducted at the CIQUS Laboratory in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, and centered on the use of natural-based compounds as antibacterial, anti-UV, and anti-amyloidogenic agents for potential application in Alzheimer’s disease.