Cátia Ramos is a PhD student at the Instituto de Investigação e Inovaçao em Saúde, University of Porto, Portugal who received an EACR Travel Fellowship to visit and work at the Centro de Investigación Cooperativa en Biociencias (CIC bioGUNE), Spain for the month of May 2024.
The EACR, with support from Worldwide Cancer Research, provides Travel Fellowships of up to €3,500 to enable early-career cancer researchers to gain new skills through a short-term visit to a lab or research group in another country.
You can read about other Travel Fellows and their experiences here.
Name: Cátia Ramos
Job title: PhD student
Home institute: Instituto de Investigação e Inovaçao em Saúde, University of Porto, Portugal
Host institute: Centro de Investigación Cooperativa en Biociencias (CIC bioGUNE),
Spain
Dates of visit: 01 – 31 May 2024
Other organisations that funded your trip: Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology
Research: Cancer patients often experience progressive loss of skeletal muscle and body fat which severely impacts their quality of life, and survival, particularly among gastric cancer cases. During malignant cell transformation, tumour cells display abnormal sugar structures on their surface, commonly known as glycans. Cancer cells release several soluble factorsthat can trigger the mobilisation of fatty acids from adipose tissue to sustain the high energy demands of tumour growth and metastasis formation. My project aims to determine the role of these short O-glycans in the communication between gastric cancer and adipose tissue.
Why did you choose to apply for an EACR Travel Fellowship?
I first heard about EACR Travel Fellowships from a colleague who had previously been awarded the fellowship. His positive experience and the opportunity to conduct part of my research work in a foreign laboratory motivated me to apply. Securing this fellowship provided the financial support necessary for me to join the host laboratory and allowed me to gain valuable research experience by collaborating with experts in my field of study
How did you choose the host lab?
During my stay, I had the opportunity to work at the Exosomes Lab and Metabolomics Platform at Centro de Investigación Cooperativa en Biociencias (CIC bioGUNE) in Bilbao, Spain. Doctor Juan Falcón-Perez’s team at CIC bioGUNE is highly experienced in the EVs and metabolomics field. They are focused on uncovering the functional role of extracellular vesicles in metabolism using state-of-the-art metabolomics technology. Given the topic of my research project, it was clear to us that CIC bioGUNE, particularly the laboratory of Doctor Juan Falcón-Pérez, would be the perfect environment to carry out our planned experiments
Can you summarise the research you did?
During my visit, I studied the intricate communication between differentially O-glycosylated
gastric cancer cells and white adipocytes. This interaction leads to a significant shift in the metabolic profile of both tumor cells and adipocytes. My work involved using cutting-edge metabolomics technology to study the metabolic profiles of gastric cancer cells and adipocytes. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to acquire valuable skills in using bioinformatic tools to comprehensively analyse the results obtained from this stay.
What were you able to do that you could not have achieved in your home lab?
The knowledge and expertise of Doctor Juan Falcón-Pérez and Doctor Oihane Albóniga Díez in metabolomics were incredibly valuable to achieve the aims set for my research stay. Working closely with them, I learned how to analyse the metabolic profile of differentially O-glycosylated tumour cells, expressing different levels of short O-glycans, and adipocytes. Through our collaborations, I gained valuable insights into interpreting the results within a biological context, significantly enhancing my research work quality. In my home laboratory, we lack the technology and expertise to carry out the proposed project. The opportunity to work in Doctor Juan Falcón-Pérez’s laboratory was crucial for the success of
my work.
Have you brought back any specific knowledge or technique that has benefited your home lab?
The state-of-the-art technologies, available at CIC bioGUNE, along with the extensive expertise of Doctor Juan Falcón-Pérez and Doctor Oihane Albóniga Díez in the field of metabolomics, played a crucial role in the success of my visit and were indispensable for the further development of my PhD project. In the Metabolomics Platform, I have gained valuable knowledge in the field of metabolomics that will undoubtedly benefit my home laboratory. I gained hands-on experience in a UPLC-MS system to perform a detailed analysis of the metabolic profile of my samples. Additionally, I learned how to use several bioinformatics tools such as MS-DIAL software for data processing, and Umetrics SIMCA-P software for statistical analysis.
Furthermore, I learned to navigate the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB) and the Metaboanalyst platform for metabolite identification and uncovering potential metabolic pathways to comprehend the biological implications of our findings
Does your lab plan to do any future collaboration with the host lab?
We are committed to furthering our collaboration with the host laboratory and delving deeper into the changes in the cells’ metabolomic profile during the tumour cells-adipocytes crosstalk. We firmly believe that these results will lead to a publication of substantial relevance in our research field.
“It was a very enriching experience and gave me the basis to now continue my work”
Did you take part in any interesting local activities during your visit?
Bilbao was a wonderful place to stay, offering numerous green spaces where you can walk your dog or simply lie on the grass and enjoy the sun. I mainly explored the city on foot, visiting many iconic landmarks. I visited the renowned Guggenheim Museum with its famous “Puppy” sculpture at the entrance and wandered through the narrow streets of Casco Viejo, the historic heart of the city. I also had the chance to take a ride on the Artxanda Funicular, an old cable railway that provided panoramic views of Bilbao, the river, and the surrounding mountains.
Beyond the city, I made the most of my time by venturing to other beautiful places nearby. I visited the famous Puente Vizcaya in Portugalete, went to the Mirador de San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, and took a walk around Plentzia.
What was a personal highlight of your trip?
During my time in Bilbao, I had the privilege to work with exceptional people. Going to a new institute with people from different backgrounds contributed significantly to my personal and professional growth. This experience allowed me to be more independent and to think more critically about my work and results. It was a very enriching experience and gave me the basis to now continue my work and implement what I learned in my laboratory, making it the most valuable aspect of my trip.
Is there anything else you’d like to mention?
I am very grateful to Doctor Juan Falcón-Pérez for the fantastic opportunity to spend some time in his laboratory and for his support during my visit. A special thanks to Doctor Oihane Albóniga Díez for her invaluable help and teachings. I would also like to thank all the members of the Exosomes Lab and Metabolomics Platform for their support and for always making me feel welcome! Additionally, I want to express my sincere appreciation to my supervisors, Doctor Daniela Freitas and Professor Celso A. Reis, for their support, and guidance. Lastly, I want to thank EACR for their financial support, which made this successful trip possible!
Want to find out more?
If you are interested in applying for the Travel Fellowship scheme, please click here for more information: EACR Travel Fellowships.
