Novel insights into maintenance of mitochondrial genome in POLG-related disease models

Even in high school I displayed a profound interest in life sciences, namely in the field of genetics. Therefore, I saw fit to pursue a degree in Genetics and Biotechnology in the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Portugal, which allowed me to acquire deep-rooted knowledge to advance in a scientific career in the fields of cellular and molecular biology.

However, while in this course, my interest on research in human diseases has exponentially broadened. I became determined to understand the molecular causes of human disease and thus joined the Molecular Medicine and Oncology Master’s at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (FMUP), Portugal. I developed my Master´s thesis in the field of cancer cell metabolism, with focus on mitochondrial dysfunction.

Joining the REMIX ITN and specifically the development of the proposed project with Massimo Zeviani will allow the intersection of both my interests: understanding the patho-molecular basis of the human disease and mitochondrial biology.