Categoria | Professor
Departamento | Department of Diagnostic, Therapeutic and Public Health Sciences, Lisbon School of Health - Polytechnic University of Lisbon
Email | ana.ramos@essl.ipl.pt
Nota Biográfica
Ana Marques Ramos is an Adjunct Professor at the Lisbon School of Health (Escola Superior de Saúde de Lisboa, Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon) and an integrated researcher at the Health and Technology Research Center (H&TRC). She holds a PhD in Biosciences (Cellular and Molecular Biology) from the University of Coimbra.
Her academic and scientific career is positioned at the interface of molecular oncology, gene expression regulation and laboratory innovation, with a strong focus on translational control mechanisms and mTOR signalling. Her work bridges mechanistic molecular research with applied biomedical sciences, contributing to the development of translational approaches in cancer biology and laboratory diagnostics.
At ESSL, she plays an active role in teaching and academic governance. She is the Programme Director of the postgraduate programme Advances in Molecular Oncobiology Applied to Diagnosis and Therapeutics and contributes to academic course structures, including curriculum development and the strategic training of biomedical laboratory professionals. Her teaching spans undergraduate, MSc and postgraduate levels, particularly in molecular pathology, oncobiology and laboratory-based methodologies.
She supervises students across multiple academic levels and is actively involved in fostering scientific training and critical thinking in biomedical sciences.
In parallel, she maintains an active role in the scientific community through editorial responsibilities, peer review and participation in national and international initiatives. She is an Editorial Board Member of Histochemistry and Cell Biology (Springer Nature), Guest Editor of a Special Issue on advances in cancer detection and diagnosis, and peer reviewer for international journals in oncology, molecular biology and biomedical sciences. Her engagement also extends to science communication, community outreach and science education initiatives, including cancer-related volunteering and the coordination of the ESSL Working Group for UNA Model WHO Portugal, a higher education simulation of the World Health Assembly focused on non-communicable diseases.
She leads independent research lines and interdisciplinary initiatives bridging molecular biology, histochemical innovation and emerging biophysical approaches in cancer research.
She is also a member of COST Action CA24115 – Connecting an INternational Network of Academic Manufacturers of ONcoimmunotherapies (CINNAMON), contributing to WG4 – Clinical Research and WG6 – Training and Dissemination. Through this European network, she participates in initiatives related to translational oncology, biomarker-oriented research, capacity building and scientific training in emerging cancer therapies.
- Áreas de Investigação e de Interesse Científico
Her research focuses on the integration of molecular mechanisms with translational and applied biomedical contexts. Main areas include:
• Translational control and non-canonical mechanisms of protein synthesis, particularly cap-independent translation
• mTOR signalling in cancer, including regulation under stress conditions and therapeutic targeting
• Cellular adaptation to stress and its implications in tumour biology
• Histochemical innovation and optimisation, focusing on safer, robust and analytically compatible methodologies
• Integration of histological and molecular analyses, particularly in FFPE samples
• Phenotypic impact of deep intronic mutations, integrating molecular biology and bioinformatics approaches
• Translational oncology, linking molecular regulation to cellular phenotype
Her current research also explores emerging interdisciplinary approaches combining biophysical stimuli and cancer cell biology, within innovative experimental frameworks.
- Experiência Profissional relevante - externa à ESSL
Before joining the Lisbon School of Health, Ana Marques Ramos developed her research career in leading national research institutions.
She was a researcher at the National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge (Department of Human Genetics), where she contributed to establishing a research line focused on translational regulation mechanisms. During this period, she played a key role in the identification and functional characterization of cap-independent translation in cancer-related transcripts, including mTOR and Δ133p53.
She was also affiliated with the BioSystems & Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI) and the Research Center for Biodiversity, Functional and Integrative Genomics (BioFIG), further strengthening her expertise in molecular biology and gene expression regulation. These experiences provided a solid foundation for the development of independent research lines with translational and clinical relevance.
She maintains a consistent contribution to the scientific community as an Editorial Board Member of Histochemistry and Cell Biology (Springer Nature), Guest Editor of a Special Issue on advances in cancer detection and diagnosis, and peer reviewer for international journals in oncology, molecular biology and biomedical sciences.
She is also a member of the Stakeholders Group of the National Cancer HUB, contributing to strategic dialogue between research, healthcare and innovation sectors.
Her broader engagement includes participation in academic committees, scientific event organisation and session moderation, reflecting an active role in shaping research environments and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration
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