José Teixeira graduated in Biochemistry from the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro in Portugal and obtained the MSc in Biochemistry from the University of Porto, where he finished PhD studies in Pharmaceutical Sciences.
José Teixeira is currently a Postdoctoral researcher at the MitoXT - Mitochondrial Toxicology and Experimental Therapeutics Laboratory at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC) in the University of Coimbra. He has 25 peer-reviewed publications, 41 oral (four by invitation) and 48 poster presentations in scientific meetings (2010-2020), two patent applications (WO2018069904 and WO2018122789) and an h-index of 12 (Scopus). His research interest is focused on the development of new chemical entities (NCE) and the assessment of their bioactivity and toxicological outcomes, involving the development and biological evaluation of mitochondria-targeted agents based on naturally occurring phenolic scaffold as a therapeutic solution for oxidative stress-related pathologies.
THE INTERVIEW:
What was your dream profession as a child?
I dreamed to be a Chemical Engineer.
What was your academic background and how important was it for your present/future?
My graduation in Biochemistry, followed by specialization in Pharmaceutical Sciences, gave me the possibility to acquire skills in different areas. These skills are essential for me to be able to do translational research, that is, with the potential to be used not only in academic research but also in business research (pharmaceutical industry).
If you could go back, what would you change in your career and academic life?
I wouldn't change a thing.
Briefly, what does your research work consist of, and why did you choose this area?
My research work consists of the development of new chemical entities and the evaluation of their biological activity and toxicological results. This involves the development and biological evaluation of agents based on phenolic compounds of natural origin, that target mitochondria as a therapeutic solution for pathologies related to oxidative stress.
The option for this area is related to the fact that it allows to do a translational investigation.
In your opinion, what is the most stimulating thing in research VS the biggest challenges / difficulties in research? Did you ever imagine being where you are?
The most stimulating thing is to try daily to contribute, no matter how small the contribution, to provide solutions to real problems (lack of effective drugs for certain diseases) that still need to be answered. The biggest challenge is related to the fact that, in many diseases where therapeutic solutions are sought, there is still a lot of ignorance about its genesis. This increases the difficulty of the investigation and the likelihood of failure.
What advice would you give to people who are thinking about going to study Biotechnology (or another area of science), to those who are studying, and to recent graduates?
I advise you to be aware of these difficulties but to use all available knowledge to do the best you can. Our contribution can be the starting point for future work.
We are grateful to José Teixeira for sharing his testimonial.
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