Research, education, management

Professional summary

• Research. Research career from 2006 to 2019 across molecular and cell biology, RNA biology, immunology, medical parasitology and marine physiology. Gene expression during folliculogenesis in tilapia at CCMAR. Photoinhibition and D1-protein turnover in diatoms at BioISI and MARE, where I developed a new method for separating microalgae from sediment for protein extraction. Target genes and vaccine candidates for babesiosis, and monoclonal antibody development, at the Institute for Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Then sncRNA regulatory networks in T-cell activation — primary CD4+ T-cell isolation and proliferation assays alongside logical modelling in R, to predict miR-34c targets in TCR signalling. Five publications, seven posters at international and national conferences, and a competitive €240,000 grant.
• Teaching. Science teaching since 2019, in Portuguese and in English, from 5th grade to university level — Ciências Naturais and Físico-Química in Portuguese schools, Cambridge IGCSE and AS/A Level Biology, IB, and molecular and cell biology at university. A near-100% pass rate at Grémio de Instrução Liberal; a full course moved online during COVID without losing performance; Science Week organised and laboratory upgrades negotiated with school leadership.
• Management. Ran the RNA Biology lab, and managed my own doctoral project end to end — planning, timelines and delivery. Co-organised three scientific meetings. As assistant coastal manager in Cascais, coordinated municipal services, laboratories and external stakeholders, led a team of volunteer beach patrols, and traced the water contamination that ended the discharges. First prize at the Audax/ISCTE-IUL entrepreneurship competition, with a group biotech business project.

Work experience

• 2026 – present Escola Secundária Gil Vicente, Graça (TEIP4)
  Natural Sciences, 7th and 9th grades
• 2026 Escola Básica Francisco de Arruda, Ajuda (TEIP4)
  Natural Sciences, 3rd cycle; class-council secretary, 7th and 9th grades
• 2022 – 2023 Grémio de Instrução Liberal de Campo de Ourique
  Biology, Geology, Physics & Chemistry, 7th, 8th and 9th grades
• 2019 – 2021 Cambridge International School / Sapienti Unum, Cascais
  Biology, IGCSE and AS/A Level
• 2019 – present Freelance tutoring
  Sciences and maths, grade 5 to university level Subjects and exam preparation →
• 2015 – 2019 T cell biologist — PhD candidate in Systems Biology
  BioISI, University of Lisbon Human helper T cell differentiation and TCR signalling; RNA biology, transcriptomics and logical modelling.
• 2013 – 2014 Research assistant in medical parasitology
  Institute for Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, New University of Lisbon
• 2010 – 2012 Research scientist, molecular physiology of microalgae
  BioISI and MARE, University of Lisbon
• 2009 Assistant coastal manager
  City Hall of Cascais, Portugal
• 2006 – 2007 Research intern in molecular biology and ovary development
  Centre of Marine Sciences, Faro, Portugal

Education

• 2009 – 2011 MSc, Cellular Biology and Biotechnology
  University of Lisbon, Portugal Thesis: photoprotection and photoinhibition in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum — quantum yield of PSII and turnover of the D1 protein.
• 2005 – 2007 MSc, Marine Biology — Marine Biotechnology
  University of the Algarve, Faro, Portugal Thesis: gene-expression patterns during folliculogenesis in the tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus.
• 2002 – 2005 Licentiate, Marine Biology
  University of the Algarve, Faro, Portugal
• 2002 Secondary school, Science and Nature
  Escola Salesiana de Manique, Cascais, Portugal

Degree certificates and transcripts available on request.

Certifications

• 2024 Google Data Analytics
  Google, via Coursera Verify certificate →
• 2023 Google Project Management
  Google, via Coursera Verify certificate →

Skills

Languages

Publications

• Antunes S., Ferrolho J., Domingues N., Santos A.S. et al. Anaplasma marginale and Theileria annulata in questing ticks from Portugal Experimental and Applied Acarology, 2016; 70(1):79–88
• Ferrolho J., Domingues N., Domingos A., Santos-Gomes G. The role of the regulatory CD4+CD25+ T cell subset in host homeostasis during protozoan infection International Trends in Immunity, 2015; 3(1):6–16
• Antunes S., Merino O., Lérias J., Domingues N. et al. Artificial feeding of Rhipicephalus microplus female ticks with anti-calreticulin serum does not influence tick and Babesia bigemina acquisition Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases, 2015
• Cartaxana P., Domingues N., Cruz S., Jesus B. et al. Photoinhibition in benthic diatom assemblages under light stress Aquatic Microbial Ecology, 2013; 70:87–92
• Domingues N., Cartaxana P., Matos A.R., Marques da Silva J. Response of the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum to photooxidative stress resulting from high light exposure PLoS ONE, 2012; 7(6):e38162

Conferences

• Poster — Domingues N., Pinto F., Espada de Sousa A., Gama-Carvalho M. Exploring miR-34c-5p modulation of effector CD4 T cell differentiation through logical modelling 2018–2019 · 44th Portuguese Society of Immunology Meeting (IMM, Lisbon) · 5th European Congress of Immunology (RAI, Amsterdam) · 8th ptRNA meeting (i3S, Porto)
• 2nd Meeting in Mathematics and Biology 2016 · i3S, Porto, Portugal
• Posters — What are Portuguese ticks hiding? and Artificial feeding of Rhipicephalus microplus female ticks: effects of serum enriched with anti-calreticulin antibodies on tick and Babesia bigemina acquisition 2014 · 12th Biennial Conference of the Society for Tropical Veterinary Medicine and 8th International Conference on Ticks and Tick-borne Pathogens, Cape Town, South Africa
• Poster — Deloffre L., Domingues N., Canário A. Characterization of BMP receptor IB in Oreochromis mossambicus ovary — gene expression during follicle growth 2008 · 6th International Symposium in Fish Endocrinology, Calgary, Canada
• Poster — Domingues N., Deloffre L., Canário A. Gene expression during oogenesis in the Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) 2007 · 6th Iberian Congress on Compared Endocrinology, Cadiz, Spain

Also worth mentioning

• 2017 Co-organised the BioSys PhD summer retreat, Beja.
• 2022 Completed the Piscine C-language bootcamp at 42 Lisboa.
• 2020 Cambridge teaching courses Introductory AS & A Level Biology (9700) · IGCSE Biology (0610) · AS & A Level Marine Science (9693) · Marking Workshop, AS & A Level Biology — Cambridge Assessment International Education
• 2015 – 2019 Voluntary work at CheckpointLX, GAT, Lisbon — cohort-study consulting, awareness-campaign video production and STD prevention.
• 2018 Travel grant for the 5th European Congress of Immunology, Amsterdam.
• 2018 Co-organised the workshop Integrative Approaches in Neurodegeneration, University of Lisbon.
• 2016 – 2018 Soft-skill courses at the University of Lisbon: scientific writing, entrepreneurship, intellectual and industrial property, ethics in science and bioethics.
• 2016 Volunteer at Web Summit — participant welcoming and registration, Lisbon.
• 2014 Co-organised the workshop “Vectors of human and animal diseases: from epidemiology to control”, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Lisbon.
• 2014 Training school at ANSES, Paris (COST travel grant): qPCR on chips for high-throughput detection of vector-borne pathogens.
• 2013 Multimedia Design and Communication, Academic Profession, 1st semester, Copenhagen School of Design and Technology, Denmark. Acted as SCRUM Master on a group website project.
• 2010 1st prize, 9th Conference of Entrepreneurship and Business Creation, Audax/ISCTE-IUL Portugal Start Up. Group business project on extracting pectin from juice-industry residues such as apple pomace.
• 1996 – 2014 Topography work at PlaTerra and freelance — computer and field work across Portugal.
• 1990 – 2002 Competitive swimming, equestrianism, volleyball.
• Others Driving licence B. Cooking, healthy lifestyle and fitness, strength training, tech and videogames.