Email:

lcerqueirafe.up.pt

Phone: +351 22 041 4858

Room: E307

Laboratory: E007; E009

Assistant Researcher

Research group: Biotechnology

Background: PhD in Biomedical Engineering - University of Minho, Portugal

Laura Cerqueira

Major research topics

• NAM-FISH applications for bacterial detection in food, health and environmental sectors
• Engineered biofilms in industrial systems
• Reproducibility and standardization of biofilms
• Legionella pneumophila detection in water systems
• Microfluidic applications for bacterial detection
• Spatial transcriptomics

Selected Publications

Barbosa, A., Miranda, S., Azevedo, N., Cerqueira, L., Azevedo, A. "Imaging biofilms using fluorescence in situ hybridization: seeing is believing". Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol. Sec. Biofilms Volume 13.

Barbosa, V., Rodrigues, C., Cerqueira, L., Miranda, J.M., Azevedo, N. F. "Microfluidics combined with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for Candida spp. detection” Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol., (2022), 10:987669.

Nácher-Vázquez, M., Barbosa, A., Armelim, I., Azevedo, A.S., Almeida, G.N., Pizarro, C., Azevedo, N.F., Almeida, C., Cerqueira, L. “Development of a Novel Peptide Nucleic Acid Probe for the Detection of Legionella spp. in Water Samples”. Microorganisms, (2022),

Vol. 10, 1409.

Nácher-Vázquez, M., Santos, B., Azevedo, N.F., Cerqueira, L. “The role of Nucleic Acid Mimics (NAMs) on FISH-based techniques and applications for microbial detection”. Microbiological Research, (2022),Vol. 262, 127086.

Cerqueira, L., Moura, S., Almeida, C., Vieira, M.J., Azevedo, N.F. “Establishment of a New PNA-FISH Method for Aspergillus fumigatus Identification: First Insights for Future Use in Pulmonary Samples”. Microorganisms, (2020), Vol. 8, 1950.

Selected Projects

e.Biofilm – Creation of a group pf Excellence on Engineered Biofilms (Grant Agreement N. 101087568), funded by Horizon Europe Framework Programme | ERA Chairs. Beginning: 2023. Duration: 48 months. Role: Researcher

COST Action exRNA-PATH - RNA communication across kingdoms: new mechanisms and strategies in pathogen control (CA20110); Funded by European Union; Beginning 2021: Duration: 48 months. Role: Management Committee member | Working Group member (WG2/WG3/WG4)

FLUDS – Desenvolvimento de sistemas baseados em espectroscopia de

fluorescência para detecção microbiana (FEUP; SARSPEC,Lda.; NORTE-01-0247-FEDER-046970), funded by Agência Nacional de Inovação, SA.; FEDER. Beginning: 2021. Duration: 30 months. Role: Researcher

Color-ISH – Development of a new colorimetric method for the rapid detection of Legionella spp. in water samples (FEUP; INIAV; POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029961), funded by FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. Beginning: 2018. Duration: 48 months. Role: PI; Researcher

uFISH - Integração de hibridação in situ fluorescente com microfluídica para deteção rápida de patogéneos alimentares (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-031011), funded by FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. Beginning: 2018. Duration: 48 months. Role: Researcher