Jorge H. Leitão

associate professor

A-5122-2012

iBB Group: bsrg

jorgeleitao@tecnico.ulisboa.pt

Expertise: Bacterial Genetics and Genomics, Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression, non-coding RNAs, Antimicrobials

Short Bio:

Jorge H. Leitão received his Ph.D. degree in Biotechnology in 1996 from the former Technical University of Lisbon (now Univerisity of Lisbon), Portugal, under the supervision of Prof. Isabel Sá-Correia. During his Ph.D. degree, he studied the role of the environmental factors in the biosynthesis of alginate by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In 2001 was a post trainnee in immunology for 6 months at the University of Tubingen (Germany) under the supervision of Prof. Gerd Döring, and took a sabbatical leave in 2005 at the University of Zurich (Switzerland) in the Microbiology Department under the supervision of Prof. Leo Eberl. J.H. Leitão is presently Associate Professor of the Biological Sciences scientific and pedagogical area at the Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico (University of Lisbon), Portugal. His current research interests are focused on post-transcription regulation of bacterial gene expression by samll non-coding RNAs, as well as on the biology and pathogenesis of bacteria of the Burkholderia cepacia complex. Other research interests include resistance to antimicrobials, and the molecular characterization of microbial populations of ecological, industrial or health interest.

ORCID

SCOPUS

CIÊNCIA VITAE

Research Focus:

Bacterial gene expression regulation by small noncoding RNAs and pathogenesis

sRNAs-EV: Are non-coding RNAs contained in Burkholderia cepacia complex extracellular vesicles used to manipulate the host's immune response?”. 2022.07091.PTDC,
DOI: 10.54499/2022.07091.PTDC. PI.

CNCVir: The coding and noncoding virulome of Burkholderia cenocepacia.

PTDC/BIA-MIC/1615/2014. PI. Exploitation of immunogenic proteins of the Burkholderia cepacia complex to design new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

FCT PTDC/BBB-BIO/1958/2012. Team member. RNOMICS-Bcc: RNomics studies to identify small non-coding RNAs of Burkholderia cepacia complex involved in host-pathogen interactions”.

FCT PTDC/BIA-MIC/119091/2010. PI [Exploiting the typ II phosphomannose isomerase BceAJ as a new target for the development of new antimicrobials and for biotechnological applications.

PTDC/EBB-BIO/098352/2008. PI.

Matos G, Feliciano JR, Leitão JH. Non-coding regulatory sRNAs from bacteria of the Burkholderia cepacia complex. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 2024; 108, 280 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-024-13121-6.

Seixas AMM, Gomes SC, Silva C, Moreira LM, Leitão JH, Sousa SA. A Polyclonal Antibody against a Burkholderia cenocepacia OmpA-like Protein Strongly Impairs Pseudomonas aeruginosa and B. multivorans Virulence. Vaccines 2024. 12(2):207. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12020207.

Pita T, Feliciano JR, Leitão JH*. Identification of Burkholderia cenocepacia non-coding RNAs expressed during Caenorhabditis elegans infection. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2023. 107, 3653–3671. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-023-12530-3.

Sousa S, Seixas AMM, Marques JMM, Leitão JH*. Immunization and Immunotherapy Approaches against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia Complex Infections. Vaccines. 2021. 9(6):670. doi: 10.3390/vaccines9060670.

Pita T, Feliciano JR, Leitão JH. Extracellular RNAs in Bacterial Infections: From Emerging Key Players on Host-Pathogen Interactions to Exploitable Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2020. 21(24):9634. Doi: 10.3390/ijms21249634.

iBB People

Jorge H. Leitão