Ana Lapão
University of Oslo- UiO- Norway

I am originally from Portugal where I did my BSc in Biochemistry. At a later time, I did my MSc in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine in Vienna, Austria. Now I moved to Oslo to join Anne Simonsen’s group at the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences from the University of Oslo. My PhD project aims to understand the molecular mechanisms of aggrephagy – a selective autophagy pathway that removes insoluble protein aggregates present in the cells. Protein aggregates are often associated with neural diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s, urging the identification of new therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative disorders and other aggregate prone disorders. Outside the laboratory, I enjoy being outdoors taking walks in nature, travelling to new places and to practice yoga.