News
15-04-2023
BIOSAFE participates at ECCMID 2023
BIOSAFE team is presenting 3 Poster communications at the 33rd European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark, Hybrid event, from 15-18 April 2023 (details in Publications).
31-03-2023
Congratulations to BIOSAFE team member – Joana Neves - by her Master thesis defense
On 31st of March 2023, Joana Neves successfully defended her thesis entitled “Drug repurposing for identification of new efflux inhibitors and/or antibiofilm agents against Staphylococcus epidermidis”, Master in Medical Microbiology at IHMT-NOVA.
30-03-2023
BIOSAFE team publishes a new scientific article
Leal M, Morais C, Ramos B, Pomba C, Abrantes P, Costa SS, Couto I. 2023. Exploring efflux as a mechanism of reduced susceptibility towards biocides and fluoroquinolones in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. Animals. 13:1270. 10.3390/ani13071270.
23-03-2023
BIOSAFE team publishes a new scientific article
Morais C, Costa SS, Leal M, Ramos B, Andrade M, Ferreira C, Abrantes P, Pomba C, Couto I. 2023. Genetic diversity and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius associated with skin and soft-tissue infections in companion animals in Lisbon, Portugal. Frontiers in Microbiology. In press. 10.3389/fmicb.2023.116783.
16-03-2023
Congratulations to BIOSAFE team member – Paula Zacharias - by her Master thesis defense
On 16th of March 2023, Paula Zacharias successfully defended her thesis entitled “Characterization of the transcriptome of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 exposed to chlorhexidine”, Master in Medical Microbiology at IHMT-NOVA.
01-02-2023
Congratulations to BIOSAFE team member – Carolina Antunes - by her Master thesis defense
On 1st of February 2023, Carolina Antunes successfully defended her thesis entitled “In silico identification and experimental validation of new drugs inhibiting efflux and biofilms in Staphylococcus aureus”, Master in Biomedical Sciences at IHMT-NOVA.
29-11-2022
BIOSAFE team publishes a new scientific article
Ferreira C*, Abrantes P*, Costa SS, Viveiros M and Couto I, 2022. Occurrence and Variability of the Efflux Pump Gene norA across the Staphylococcus Genus. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23(23), 15306. 10.3390/ijms232315306.
04-11-2022
Congratulations to Biosafe team member - Marta Leal - awarded with the best Master's student in Medical Microbiology
On 4th of November 2022, Marta Leal was awarded with the Professor Doutor Manuel Pinto Award, for the best Master's student in the area of Medical Microbiology.
30-09-2022
BIOSAFE team publishes a new scientific article
Andrade M, Oliveira K, Morais C, Abrantes P, Pomba C, Rosato AE, Couto I, and Costa SS, 2022. Virulence Potential of Biofilm-Producing Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus coagulans causing Skin Infections in Companion Animals. Antibiotics 11 (10):1339. 10.3390/antibiotics11101339.
21-09-2022
BIOSAFE participates at the Webinar "Antimicrobial Resistance in a One Health Perspective"
On 21st September, Sofia Santos Costa was invited to give a talk at the "Antimicrobial Resistance in a One Health Perspective" Webinar organised by Universidade da Beira Interior. Presentation was held in the scope of International Microorganism Day.
17-09-2022
BIOSAFE participates in the ebook "Communicating Science in Microbiology"
BIOSAFE team participated in the ebook "Communicating Science in Microbiology", published by the Portuguese Society of Microbiology, with image and text contribution to the theme "Microbiology in the fight against Superbacteria".
17-09-2022
BIOSAFE participates at International Microorganism Day
On 17th September, BIOSAFE team joined other Portuguese scientists working in the field of Microbiology to celebrate the International Microorganism Day by participating in the initiative entitled “Antibiotic resistance: a macro challenge”. Given the major public health problems that drug resistant bacteria and parasites bring to the global public health, the team shared with the general public their knowledge and the work that is being developed to fight this global health challenge.
12-09-2022
BIOSAFE organizes a Summer School on Antimicrobial Resistance
The “Summer School on AMR 2022”, organized under the scope of the FEDER/FCT funded project BIOSAFE with support from GHTM/IHMT-NOVA, took place online from 12th-15th September. It was attended by 36 participants from 8 countries, representing 16 different institutions. Lectures were presented by a panel of renowned international and national experts on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), including Professor Stefan Schwarz and Doctor Andrea T. Feßler, from Freie Universität Berlin (Germany); Professor Adriana E. Rosato from University of California Riverside (USA), Doctor Sara Babo Martins and members of the BIOSAFE team that presented the main findings of the project. Presentations covered several topics on AMR, namely an overview of bacterial mechanisms of AMR, new methods to assess biocide susceptibility, next-generation sequencing and transcriptomic approaches to explore AMR mechanisms and AMR in a One Health perspective.
01-08-2022
BIOSAFE is launching the Summer School on AMR
BIOSAFE team is organising the summer school on AMR, 12-15 September 2022. Applications are open.
29-04-2022
Biosafe team publishes a new scientific article
Costa SS, Ribeiro R, Serrano M, Oliveira K, Ferreira C, Leal M, Pomba C and Couto I, 2022. Staphylococcus aureus causing skin and soft tissue infections in companion animals: antimicrobial resistance profiles and clonal lineages. Antibiotics 11 (5):599. 10.3390/antibiotics11050599.
23-04-2022
BIOSAFE participates at ECCMID 2022
BIOSAFE team presented 1 Mini-Oral Flash communication and 3 Poster communications at 32nd European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) held in Lisbon, Portugal, Hybrid event, on 23-26 April 2022 (details in Publications).
21-03-2022
Congratulations to BIOSAFE team member - Marta Leal - by her Master thesis defense
On 21st of March 2022, Marta Leal successfully defended her thesis entitled “Evaluation of efflux activity in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and its contribution for biocide decreased susceptibility”, Master in Biomedical Sciences at IHMT-NOVA.
07-02-2022
Congratulations to BIOSAFE team member - Mariana Andrade - by her Master thesis defense
On 7th of February 2022, Mariana Andrade successfully defended her thesis entitled “Study of the virulence potential of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius associated with skin infections in companion animals”, Master in Biomedical Sciences at IHMT-NOVA.
25-01-2022
Congratulations to BIOSAFE team member - Ketlyn Oliveira - by her Master thesis defense
On 25th of January 2022, Ketlyn Oliveira successfully defended her thesis entitled “Evaluation of virulence traits of Staphylococcus aureus associated with skin and soft tissue infections”, Master in Medical Microbiology at IHMT-NOVA.
21-01-2022
BIOSAFE participates at 5th Annual Texas Medical Center Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship Conference
BIOSAFE team presented 1 poster communication at 5th Annual Texas Medical Center Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship Conference, on 19-21 January 2022.
21-12-2021
Congratulations to BIOSAFE team member – Bárbara Ramos - by her Master thesis defense
On 21st of December 2021, Bárbara Ramos successfully defended her thesis entitled “Contribution of efflux and other resistance mechanisms to fluoroquinolone resistance in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius”, Master in Biomedical Sciences at IHMT-NOVA.
24-11-2021
BIOSAFE participates at Microbiotec'21
BIOSAFE team presented 6 poster communications at Microbiotec - Congress of Microbiology and Biotechnology 2021 held virtually, November 23rd-26th 2021 (details in Publications).
11-11-2021
Biosafe team publishes a new scientific article
Costa SS, Ferreira C, Ribeiro R, Fessler AT, Schink AK, Kadlec K, Kaspar H, et al., 2021. Proposal of epidemiological cut-off values for apramycin 15 µg and florfenicol 30 µg disks applicable to Staphylococcus aureus. Microbial Drug Resistance 27 (11):1555-1559. 10.1089/mdr.2020.0402.
23-09-2021
BIOSAFE team meeting
BIOSAFE team joined for a virtual work force meeting. Eleven members participated in the meeting, there were three oral presentations on current results and future plans were discussed.
05-05-2021
BIOSAFE supports the initiative WHO World Hand Hygiene Day - 5 May 2021
The BIOSAFE project supports the initiative from the WHO (World Health Organization), celebrating the World Hand Hygiene Day (WHHD), in the context of the WHO SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands global campaign.
This year WHHD focuses on achieving effective hand hygiene action at the point of care. Promote WHHD amongst your networks and participate in: - The high-level meeting entitled “Effective hand hygiene at the point of care, now more than ever”, convened by the WHO Deputy Director General (DDG), Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, on 5 May 2021 at 1-2:30 pm CET. - The “Faces of the Campaign” initiative.
02-05-2021
Biosafe team publishes a new scientific article
Costa SS, Oliveira V, Serrano M, Pomba C and Couto I, 2021. Phenotypic and Molecular Traits of Staphylococcus coagulans Associated with Canine Skin Infections in Portugal. Antibiotics 10 (5):518. 10.3390/antibiotics10050518.
24-03-2021
Biosafe team publishes a new scientific article
Ferreira C, Costa SS, Serrano M, Oliveira K, Trigueiro G, Pomba C and Couto I, 2021. Clonal lineages, antimicrobial resistance, and PVL carriage of Staphylococcus aureus associated to skin and soft-tissue infections from ambulatory patients in Portugal. Antibiotics 10 (4):345. 10.3390/antibiotics10040345.
19-11-2020
GHTM SESSION | Fourth GHTM Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Day
Once again, The Global Health and Tropical Medicine R&D Centre (GHTM, IHMT-NOVA) joined the initiatives from the WHO (World Antibiotic Awareness Week, 18 – 24 November) and ECDC (European Antibiotic Awareness Day, 18 November), organising a webinar for GHTM researchers and collaborators to present their work and discuss how their research is contributing to the global fight against Antimicrobial Resistance. This year session was specially focused on how research on this topic can thrive and contribute to combat drug resistance in a world fighting a pandemic crisis, highlighting the resources available at GHTM for this purpose.
Hosts: Isabel Couto, Sofia Santos Costa, Pedro Cravo
04-2020
Biosafe team publishes a new scientific article
Cremers N, Belas A, Costa SS, Couto I, de Rooster H, and Pomba C, 2020. In vitro antimicrobial efficacy of two medical grade honey formulations against common high-risk meticillin-resistant staphylococci and Pseudomonas spp. pathogens. Veterinary Dermatology 31:90-96. 10.1111/vde.12811.
17-02-2020
Congratulations to BIOSAFE team member - Maria Serrano - by her Master thesis defense
On 17th of February 2020, Maria Serrano successfully defended her thesis entitled “Molecular characterization of staphylococci associated with skin and soft tissue infections”, Master in Biomedical Sciences at IHMT-NOVA.
27-01-2020
Congratulations to BIOSAFE team member - Rute Ribeiro- by her Master thesis defense
On 27th of January 2020, Rute Ribeiro successfully defended her thesis entitled “Antimicrobial resistance in staphylococci causing infection in pets”, Master in Biomedical Sciences at IHMT-NOVA.
13-01-2020
Congratulations to BIOSAFE team member - Carolina Ferreira- by her Master thesis defense
On 13th of January 2020, Carolina Ferreira successfully defended her thesis entitled “Resistance to biocides and topical antibiotics in Staphylococcus aureus of human origin”, Master in Medical Microbiology at NOVA.
19-12-2019
Congratulations to BIOSAFE team member - Valéria Oliveira- by her Master thesis defense
On 19th of December 2019, Valéria Oliveira successfully defended her thesis entitled “Resistance to biocides and antibiotics in staphylococci causing infection in pets”, Master in Medical Microbiology at NOVA.
05-12-2019
BIOSAFE participates at Microbiotec'19
BIOSAFE team presented 7 poster communications at Microbiotec - Congress of Microbiology and Biotechnology 2019 held in Coimbra, Portugal, December 5th-7th 2019.
21-11-2019
GHTM Sessions| Third GHTM Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Day
Once again, GHTM R&D centre joined the World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) initiatives (World Antibiotic Awareness Week: 18 – 24 November and the European Antibiotic Awareness Day: 18 November ) by hosting the Third GHTM Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Day, a meeting for GHTM researchers and collaborators to present their studies in this topic and to provide a platform for discussion of future initiatives to combat antimicrobial resistance.
Hosts: Isabel Couto, Sofia Santos Costa
27-09-2019
BIOSAFE participates at Noite Europeia dos Investigadores 2019
BIOSAFE team was present at NEI at Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Lisbon, with the activity "Antimicrobial resistance: the role of biocides and the new weapon to the fight against superbugs". The aim of this initiative was to raise community awareness on the thematic of non-antibiotic (biocides: antiseptic and disinfectant solutions) antimicrobial resistance and how the reuse of old medicines in new applications can help to fight this problem and contribute for a sustainable development and better quality of life.
26-09-2019
BIOSAFE participates at 1st International Conference of the European College of Veterinary Microbiology
BIOSAFE team presented 1 poster communication at 1st International Conference of the European College of Veterinary Microbiology held in Athens, Greece, on 26-27 September 2019. The 1st ICECVM was dedicated to Veterinary Microbiology and included a forum on One-Health and antibiotic resistance of microbial pathogens, and a session on Veterinary Specialisation addressed at students of veterinary medicine and veterinarians.
17-09-2019
BIOSAFE participates at International Microorganism Day (IMD 2019)
BIOSAFE team joined the International Microorganism Day celebrations organized by the Portuguese Society of Microbiology in collaboration with ITQB-NOVA at Jardins do Palácio do Marquês, Oeiras.
28-04-2019
BIOSAFE participates at Gordon Conference: “Multi-drug Efflux Systems 2019" at Lucca, Italy
BIOSAFE team presented 1 oral communication and 1 poster at Gordon Research Conferences.
7-03-2019
1st BIOSAFE workforce team meeting at IHMT
BIOSAFE team joined for the first work force meeting at IHMT. Eleven members participated in the meeting, there were 8 oral presentations on current results and future plans were discussed (see detailed program here).
3-12-2018
BIOSAFE project was presented on the 1st International Conference NOVAsaúde Chronic Disease and Infection| "Resistence to antibiotics: from prevention to the control of infection in One Single Health"
Antibiotic resistance is a worldwide growing health problem due to the high number of deaths that it causes annually, especially in hospital settings. In this conference, national and international researchers will discuss the importance of this theme and the mechanisms of prevention and control of infectious diseases. A renowned specialist in Antibiotic Resistance in Animal Health, Professor Christina Greko of the National Veterinary Institute of Sweden, will also address the problem of overuse of antibiotics in animal production as a source of transmission of antibiotic resistance to humans.
13-11-2018
GHTM Sessions| Second GHTM Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Day
Antimicrobial resistance is a growing and global public health issue affecting millions of people every year. In the last years, we have witnessed an alarming rise of infections caused by antimicrobial resistant bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi in the hospital environment but also in the community. Antimicrobial resistance is a complex and multifactorial problem which demands a concerted action to stop the emergence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistant pathogens.
As in previous years, the World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) promote, respectively, the World Antibiotic Awareness Week (12 – 18 November) and the European Antibiotic Awareness Day (18 November). The GHTM R&D centre joins these initiatives by hosting the Second GHTM Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Day, a meeting for GHTM researchers and collaborators to present their studies in this topic and to provide a platform for discussion of future initiatives to combat antimicrobial resistance.
Hosts: Isabel Couto, Sofia Santos Costa
