Sofia G. Seabra

Sofia G. Seabra completed a PhD in Biology (Evolutionary Biology) by the Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, in 2007. Her postdoctoral research included phylogenetic, phylogeographic and population genetic studies that involved the application and development of bioinformatics tools. Since April 2020 she is Assistant Researcher on Bioinformatics and Biostatistics at the International Public Health and Biostatistics Teaching and Research Unit of Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa.

She participated in scientific projects as Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator, and responsible for project tasks. She supervised post-graduate students and participated in evaluation committees in PhD and Master theses. Teaching activities included classes, as Invited Assistant Professor, on Practical Bioinformatics, Evolutionary Biology, and Phylogenetics. She was a member of organizing and scientific committees and carried out scientific reviewing for several scientific journals. Outreach activities included participation in the European Researchers’ Night events.

Sofia Seabra’s previous postdoctoral research focused on understanding evolutionary patterns and processes in studies of phylogenetics, phylogeography, population structure, detection of selection, introgression and genotype/phenotype association, mainly in insect species. These studies involved the analyses of high throughput genomics data and the application of several bioinformatics tools, including de novo genome assemblies, resequencing, and genome-wide association studies.

At IHMT she integrates the team of the GHTM Bioinformatics Hub, aiming to promote and develop bioinformatic tools for research.

1. Seabra SG, Silva SE, Nunes VL, Sousa VC, Martins J, Marabuto E, Rodrigues ASB, Pina-Martins F, Laurentino TG, Rebelo MT, Figueiredo E, Paulo OS. (2019). Genomic signatures of introgression between commercial and native bumblebees, Bombus terrestris, in western Iberian Peninsula – implications for conservation and trade regulation. Evolutionary Applications 12: 679–691. https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.12732
2. Seabra SG, Fragata I, Antunes MA, Faria GS, Santos MA, Sousa VC, Simões P & Matos M. (2018). Different genomic changes underlie adaptive evolution in populations of contrasting history. Molecular Biology and Evolution 35: 549–563.
3. Rodrigues ASB, Silva SE, Pina-Martins F, Loureiro J, Castro M, Gharbi K, Johnson KP, Dietrich CH, Borges PAV, Quartau JA, Jiggins CD, Paulo OS & Seabra SG. (2016). Assessing genotype-phenotype associations in three dorsal colour morphs in the meadow spittlebug Philaenus spumarius (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae) using genomic and transcriptomic resources. BMC Genetics 17:144.
4. Seabra SG, Brás PG, Martins J, Martins R, Wyatt N, Shirazi J, Rebelo MT, Franco JC, Mateus C, Figueiredo E, Paulo OS. (2015). Phylogeographical patterns in Coenosia attenuata (Diptera: Muscidae), a widespread predator of insect species associated with greenhouse crops. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 14, 308–326.
5. Rodrigues ASB, Silva SE, Marabuto E, Silva DN, Wilson MR, Thompson V, Yurtsever S, Halkka A, Borges PAV, Quartau JA, Paulo OS, Seabra SG. (2014). New mitochondrial and nuclear evidences support recent demographic expansion and an atypical phylogeographic pattern in the spittlebug Philaenus spumarius (Hemiptera, Aphrophoridae). PLoS ONE, 9(6): e98375. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0098375