Carla Abreu obtained a BSc in Applied Biology from the University of Minho in 2007. She developed her BSc thesis in Professor Noel Lowndes’ lab at the University of Galway (Ireland), studying cell cycle control in response to DNA damage. She was subsequently awarded an FCT fellowship to pursue her PhD in the same lab (2008-2012). Her research focused on the interplay between cell cycle regulation and DNA damage signaling, combining genetic single-cell models (yeast, chicken/human cells) with proteomics.

In 2013, Carla joined Professor Maria Jasin’s lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York, USA) as a postdoctoral fellow, investigating the impact of developmental disorder- and cancer-associated variants on genome stability and cell proliferation in rodent models.

In 2018, Carla returned to Portugal to establish her independent research at IBMC/i3S (Porto), supported by a CEEC contract and multiple competitive project grants. Her research line focuses on molecular mechanisms regulating cell proliferation and cilia-mediated signaling during development, with particular interest in neurodevelopment and sensory perception. Her team combines genetic, biochemical, and advanced imaging approaches in rodent and C. elegans models. To date, her group has made seminal contributions uncovering key mechanisms governing dynein-2-mediated intraflagellar transport and its links to developmental disorders.

Carla supervised over 30 trainees and collaborates with national/international labs (ICVS, i3S, VU Amsterdam, Universitat Des Saarlandes, Oxford University). She regularly presents at national/international meetings, reviews for renowned scientific journals and funding agencies, and engages in outreach initiatives. She is now transitioning her team to ICVS to integrate into the Translational Neurogenetics team.