- R2RL24, John Bull Building, Plymouh Science Park, 16 Research Way, Plymouth, PL6 8BU
- +44 1752 437314
- claudia.barros@plymouth.ac.uk
Profiles
Dr Claudia Barros
Associate Professor of Neuroscience (Research)
Peninsula Medical School (Faculty of Health)
Principal Investigator, Associate Professor of Neuroscience, Peninsula Medical School, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth.
Deputy Director Doctoral College, Faculty of Health (Peninsula Medical and Dental Schools, School of Biomedical Sciences), University of Plymouth.
Qualifications
Claudia Barros obtained her 5-year Diploma in Biology from the Lisbon Sciences University, Portugal and her PhD (2003) from the University of Cambridge, UK. In late 2003, she became a postdoctoral associate fellow in the laboratory of Prof. Ulrich Müller at the Dorris Neuroscience Center of The Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, USA. Her studies focused on cellular and molecular mechanisms directing neural development and function. Claudia returned to the UK in Autumn 2009 and after a brief stay at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, Oxford University, she was awarded an Early Career Fellowship from the Leverhulme Trust, UK to start in late 2010 as a Research Fellow at Bangor University, Wales. In June 2013, Claudia joined the Peninsula Medical School, University of Plymouth, as a Lecturer and Principal Investigator. She is currently Associate Professor of Neuroscience and her research team investigates regulatory mechanisms responsible for the development and maintenance of postembryonic Neural Stem Cells in the brain during health and disease such as upon tumour formation and growth.
Other qualifications: Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (since 2014).
Other roles: Deputy Director of Doctoral College (Nov 2019-present).
Other former roles at UoP: Vice-chair Faculty Research Degrees Committee 2015-2019; Peninsula Medical School postgraduate Research Coordinator (2015-Jan 2020).
Professional membership
Higher Education Academy Fellow
British Society for Cell Biology member and Ambassador at University of Plymouth
British Society for Developmental Biology member
King's College Cambridge University Fellow
Key publications
(2019) 'STRIPAK Members Orchestrate Hippo and Insulin Receptor Signaling to Promote Neural Stem Cell Reactivation' Cell Reports 27, (10) 2921-2933.e5 , DOI Open access
(2016) 'The Hippo signalling pathway maintains quiescence in Drosophila neural stem cells' Nature Communications 7, (0) 0-0 , DOI Open access
(2012) 'Disruption of microtubule integrity initiates mitosis during CNS repair' Dev Cell 23, (2) 433-440 , DOI Open access
(2009) 'Impaired maturation of dendritic spines without disorganization of cortical cell layers in mice lacking NRG1/ErbB signaling in the central nervous system' Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106, (11) 4507-4512 , DOI Open access
Teaching interests
Neuroscience, Cancer, Neural Stem Cell Development in Health and Disease,
Current contributions to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching:
Peninsula Medical School - Biomedical Sciences Special Session Units (SSU2, SSU3 and/or SSU5, year 1 and 2)
Peninsula Dental School, Life Sciences - Emerging Concepts in Biomedical Science (year 2) and Molecular Biology of Cancer (year 2)
School of Biomedical Sciences, BHCS3007 - Contemporary issues in Neurobiology - Neural Stem Cells (year 3)
School of Biomedical Sciences, BHCS3001 - Personal Research Projects (year 3)
School of Biomedical Sciences5006 - MSc Research Project
School of Biomedical Sciences3030 - 1-year long Personal Research Project (year 3)
School of Biomedical Sciences, Summer research placements, year 1
Pastoral Tutoring, Peninsula Medical Schools of Medicine and Dentistry undergraduates, all years
Past contributions:
Peninsula Medical School SSU R- Research in Action (year 4)
Research interests
Current research in our team focus on the identification and characterisation of molecular signals controlling post-embryonic Neural Stem Cell mitotic activation, cell identity and differentiation in normal but also in pathological conditions, such as upon neoplastic transformation. Our work involves functional genetics, gene expression and imaging studies. We take advantage of the fruit fly Drosophila brain as an in vivo model, and we translate findings into mammalian systems including human brain tissues and neural cell cultures.
Grants & contracts
Research Grant (ResM, PhD studentship; PI), Brain Tumour Research & PMS, University of Plymouth (2019-22)
Research Grant (PhD studentship; PI), ITSMED University of Plymouth (2018-21)
Research Grant (Project grant, PI), Brain Research Trust, UK (2018-21)Research Grant (PhD studentship; PI), ITSMED University of Plymouth (2016-19)
BBSRC New Investigator Research grant, UK (2015-18)Research Grant (PhD studentship; PI), ITSMED University of Plymouth (2013-16)
Research Grant (PhD studentship; PI), Tenovus Cancer Care UK (2011-2015)
Research Grant (MRes studentship; PI), KESS UK/EU (2012-13)
Early Career Fellowship, Leverhulme Trust UK (2010-13)
Postdoctoral Fellowship, The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation USA (2005-07)
PhD Studentship, FCT Portugal (1999-2003, Cambridge University UK)
Science Initiation grant, FCT Portugal (1998-99)
Undergraduate studentship, Prodep Portugal (1997-98)
Key publications
(2019) 'STRIPAK Members Orchestrate Hippo and Insulin Receptor Signaling to Promote Neural Stem Cell Reactivation' Cell Reports 27, (10) 2921-2933.e5 , DOI Open access
(2016) 'The Hippo signalling pathway maintains quiescence in Drosophila neural stem cells' Nature Communications 7, (0) 0-0 , DOI Open access
(2012) 'Disruption of microtubule integrity initiates mitosis during CNS repair' Dev Cell 23, (2) 433-440 , DOI Open access
(2009) 'Impaired maturation of dendritic spines without disorganization of cortical cell layers in mice lacking NRG1/ErbB signaling in the central nervous system' Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106, (11) 4507-4512 , DOI Open access
Key publications are highlighted
Journals
Articles
(2019) 'STRIPAK Members Orchestrate Hippo and Insulin Receptor Signaling to Promote Neural Stem Cell Reactivation' Cell Reports 27, (10) 2921-2933.e5 , DOI Open access
(2018) 'A zinc-finger fusion protein refines Gal4-defined neural circuits' Molecular Brain 11, (1) 46-46 , DOI Open access
(2016) 'Inhibition of STEP61 ameliorates deficits in mouse and hiPSC-based schizophrenia models' Molecular Psychiatry , DOI Open access
(2016) 'The Hippo signalling pathway maintains quiescence in Drosophila neural stem cells' Nature Communications 7, (0) 0-0 , DOI Open access
(2012) 'Disruption of microtubule integrity initiates mitosis during CNS repair' Dev Cell 23, (2) 433-440 , DOI Open access
(2012) 'Colocalization between endogenous erbB4 and endogenous kalirin-7 in interneuronal dendrites' Molecular Psychiatry 17, (1) 1-1 , DOI
(2012) 'Control of interneuron dendritic growth through NRG1/erbB4-mediated kalirin-7 disinhibition' Mol Psychiatry 17, (1) 1-107 , DOI Open access
(2011) 'Extracellular matrix: functions in the nervous system' Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 3, (1) , DOI Open access
(2009) 'Beta1 integrins are required for normal CNS myelination and promote AKT-dependent myelin outgrowth' Development 136, (16) 2717-2724 , DOI Open access
(2009) 'Regulation of radial glial survival by signals from the meninges' J Neurosci 29, (24) 7694-7705 , DOI Open access
(2009) 'Impaired maturation of dendritic spines without disorganization of cortical cell layers in mice lacking NRG1/ErbB signaling in the central nervous system' Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106, (11) 4507-4512 , DOI Open access
(2003) 'Drosophila nonmuscle myosin II promotes the asymmetric segregation of cell fate determinants by cortical exclusion rather than active transport' Dev Cell 5, (6) 829-840 , DOI Open access
(2002) 'Rapid tissue-specific expression assay in living embryos' Genesis 34, (1-2) 123-126 , DOI Open access
(2002) 'Two-color GFP imaging demonstrates cell-autonomy of GAL4-driven RNA interference in Drosophila' Genesis 34, (1-2) 170-173 , DOI Open access
Chapters
(2005) 'Integrin Functions in Nervous System Development' Integrins in Development Georgetown, TX Landes Bioscience