Dr. Vera Lucía Gomes Francisco
Emerging Investigator
Research Group on Cardiometabolic Risk and Diabetes
Presentation
Dr. Vera Francisco has a degree in Biochemistry and a PhD in Health Sciences and Technologies from the University of Coimbra, Portugal. As a post-doctoral researcher, she carried out 3 EASD Fellowships at the Alberto Sols Biomedical Research Institute (Madrid) where she specialized in metabolic diseases. After obtaining a contract, Sara Borrell (ISCIII), joined the Santiago de Compostela Health Research Institute where she focused her research on the role of adipokines, molecules released by adipose tissue, in the development of metabolic and inflammatory diseases, in the field of translational research.
Since 2022, she obtained a Miguel Servet contract (ISCIII). She is an emerging researcher at INCLIVA. Her work focuses on establishing new biomarkers and therapeutic targets in metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, highlighting the role of new adipokines and inflammatory axes.
She has participated in European projects, national competitive projects and collaborative projects with the pharmaceutical industry. She is the author of 36 papers (24 in the first quartile, 5 as a corresponding author) and 2 book chapters. She is also a reviewer of articles in international journals and “Guest editor” of the journal Biology.
Publications
Metabolomic signature and molecular profile of normal and degenerated human intervertebral disc cells. Francisco V, Eldjoudi D, Gonzalez-Rodriguez M, Ruiz-Fernandez C, Cordero-Barreal A, Marques P, Sanz M, Real J, Lago F, Pino J, Farrag Y, Gualillo O. Spine Journal. 2023 Oct;23(10):1549-1562. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2023.06.005. PMID: 37339697
Overview of cellular and soluble mediators in systemic inflammation associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Marques P, Francisco V, Martinez-Arenas L, Carvalho-Gomes A, Domingo E, Piqueras L, Berenguer M, Sanz M. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023 Jan 24;24(3):2313. doi: 10.3390/ijms24032313. PMID: 36768637
Adipokines in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: are we on the road toward new biomarkers and therapeutic targets?. Francisco V, Sanz M, Real J, Marques P, Capuozzo M, Ait Eldjoudi D, Gualillo O. Biology. 2022 Aug 19;11(8):1237. doi: 10.3390/biology11081237. PMID: 36009862
Projects
Title: Correlaciones fisiopatológicas entre la enfermedad hepática metabólica y la enfermedad cardiovascular: búsqueda de nuevos biomarcadores.
Funding body: Universidad de Valencia-INCLIVA
Principal Investigator: Vera Lúcia Gomes Francisco, Mª Isabel Fariñas Gómez
Duration: 2024 – 2025
Total budget: 5000 €