Work Experience

Registered Clinical Scientist |Oxford University Hospitals, UK | 06/2023 – Present

Molecular Haematology/Oxford Regional Genetics| Solid Tumours Team

I’m part of the Solid tumour team at Oxford Genetics Lab and I am responsible for analysing and reporting molecular genetics result (manly described in the section below as senior BMS). Currently, I am also responsible for analysing WGS data obtained from a range of different solid tumours and discuss potential actionable findings with the clinicians prior reporting.

Senior Biomedical Scientist |Oxford University Hospitals, UK | 03/2018 – 06/2023

Molecular Haematology | Cancer Genetics Team

I have worked as a HCPC registered senior biomedical scientist (BS70842) within the Molecular haematology department. My job is to analyse, and report results for different services of our department, which offer a range of molecular comprehensive analysis for different malignancies including haemato-oncology, the lung, colorectal, melanoma, gastro-intestinal stromal tumour (GIST) and other solid tumours.

As part of this job, I have been also analysing and reporting results from the Cancer Arm of 100,000 Genomes Project.

Main activities and tasks:

• EGFR & BRAF gene mutation analysis
• Analyse and classify variants identified by NGS (including 50 gene cancer, CLL and myeloid panels)
• Chimerism testing (analysis and reporting)
• Clonality testing (analysis and reporting)
• Handle telephone calls and emails relating to the work of the service.
• Provide training and supervision for trainee/visiting scientists.

Doctoral Research Fellow| Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto, Portugal | 01/2014 – 10/2017

Molecular Oncology and Viral Pathology Group – Research Centre & Department of Virology

I was granted with an international PhD scholarship and, during this period I have studied the impact of EBV infection in gastric carcinomas from Portugal (prevalence and clinical characterisation). The role of EBV in cell cycle deregulation was also investigated.

Main activities and tasks:

• Patients’ selection & data collection from medical records
• Perform systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
• Statistical analyses
• Laboratory management (Lab equipment and stocks)
• Development and troubleshooting techniques.
• Samples (stomach tissues and blood) processing and nucleic extraction
• Genomic and viral mRNA quantification by RT-qPCR
• Viral detection in gastric tissues by in situ hybridization
• Analysis of TP53 mutations by NGS; Gene sequencing (to identify new or established mutations on tumour suppressor genes)

Doctoral Research Fellow | Imperial College of London, United Kingdom | 09/2016 – 09/2017

Virology Section, St Mary’s campus

This position represents a one-year research period at Prof. Paul Farrell’s laboratory, which aimed to investigate whether EBV affects p53 function in gastric cancer cells.

Main activities and tasks:

• Development of an in vitro study to investigate the role of EBV on p53 deregulation.
• Cell culture using AGS cells and EBV-BAC clones.
• Plasmid and EBV-BAC transfection
• Cloning & Western blotting

Biomedical Scientist | Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto, Portugal | 07/2011 – 09/2016

Department of Virology

Molecular diagnosis of viral infections in patients with different malignancies. Also, determination of serologic status of patients proposed to transplant of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells and their respective donor. I have gain experience with different equipment, including.

This role also involved teaching undergraduate students and development/implementation of new diagnostic tests (for HPV genotyping, detection and identification of CMV mutations, etc.).

Additionally, I was responsible for development and optimization of new protocols for chimerism motorization in patients submitted to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the Department of Haematology.

Research Fellow | Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto, Portugal | 07/2011 – 12/2013

Molecular Oncology and Viral Pathology Group – Research Centre

Research member of the following two projects:

• Project 1: ”Genetic markers of HPV infection and cervical cancer: MicroRNAs”
• Project 2: ”Oncogenic HPV Types Infection in Adolescents and University Women from North Portugal: From Self-Sampling to Cancer Prevention”
• Participation in a program of Health Education about HPV infection in Portuguese schools and universities

Teaching Experience

Invited Assistant Professor, Biotechnology College of the Portuguese Catholic University | 2011 –2016

My role was to teach theoretical and practical classes of clinical and molecular virology as part of both Applied Microbiology master’s course and Biotechnology degree.

Education

PhD: Clinical and Health Services Research, Faculty of Medicine of Porto | 2013 – 2017

Doctor Hugo Sousa (IPO-Porto); Co-Supervisor: Prof. Paul Farrell (Imperial College London)

Thesis Title: ‘’The clinical impact of Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric cancer subtype’’

MSc: Molecular Medicine and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine of Porto | 2010 – 2012

BSc: Biomedical Sciences (Clinical Analysis and Public Health), CESPU| VN Famalicão | 2006 – 2010

Professional Memberships

• Clinical Scientist in Cancer Genomics, HCPC registered.

Languages

• Portuguese (Native), English (Proficient) and Spanish (Basic)

Honours and Awards

• International Ph.D. grant from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) – between Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto and Imperial College London
• Best Oral Presentation Award at GICD conference, 2017: EBV is a late event of gastric carcinogenesis.
• PBJ Santander Prize for Scientific Excellence 2016 (Genetic polymorphism in DNMTs and gastric cancer)

Publications (top 5)

I have published over 15 articles within Pubmed-indexed journals.

• Ribeiro J, Malta M et al. Epstein-Barr virus is absent in gastric superficial neoplastic lesions. Virchows Arch. 2019 Dec;475(6):757-762. doi: 10.1007/s00428-019-02670-1
• Ribeiro J, Oliveira C, Malta M, Sousa H. Epstein-Barr virus gene expression and latency pattern in gastric carcinomas: a systematic review. Future Oncol 2017; 13: 567-579. DOI: 10.2217/fon-2016-0475
• Ribeiro J, Malta M, Galaghar A, et al. P53 deregulation in Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric cancer. Cancer Lett 2017; 404: 37-43. DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2017.07.010
• Campos AB, Ribeiro J, Pinho Vaz C, et al. Genotypic resistance of cytomegalovirus to antivirals in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients from Portugal: A retrospective study. Antiviral Res 2017; 138: 86-92. DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2016.10.016
• Campos AB, Ribeiro J, Boutolleau D, Sousa H. Human cytomegalovirus antiviral drug resistance in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: current state of the art. Rev Med Virol 2016; 26: 161-182. DOI: 10.1002/rmv.1873

Conference Contributions

– Invited Chairperson for a specific session at 30th International Papillomavirus Conference & Clinical Workshop (HPV 2015), 17-21 September 2015

– Part of the “1st Advanced Course in Clinical and Molecular Virology” committee providing support to the organisation and technical training during the course. 9-20th May 2016, Porto (http://hugomls.wixsite.com/virologycourse2016)