Ana Vieira Antao

Responsible for two preclinical R&D projects supporting mRNA vaccine development against infectious diseases. Developed and validated bioanalytical assays and designed in vivo studies to comparatively evaluate mRNA vaccine candidates. Managed cross-functional teams to ensure timely progression and goal achievement across projects. Translated scientific findings to support go/no-go decisions on project direction in meetings with VP-level scientific leadership. Mentored research associates.

Designed and conducted a doctoral project focused on the development of intranasal adenoviral vector-based vaccines against respiratory viruses (Graduate school GRK2504). Coordinated in vivo studies to support vaccine candidate selection. Colaborated with academic partners, contributing with my technical and scientific expertise in mucosal immunology. Presented research outcomes at conferences; authored six peer-reviewed publications. Mentored B.Sc. and M.Sc. students.

Established experimental protocols to characterize vaccine-induces immune responses of a vaginal vaccine candidate against HIV infection. Analyzed and interpreted scientific data, ensuring methodological accuracy, and communicated evidence-based results to supervisors and mentors in internal meetings. Supported team members in experimental execution and data interpretation, facilitating successful completion of endpoints and timely advancement of projects.

Supported the preclinical development of vaccine candidates against bacterial and viral infections. Developed and validated bioanalytical assays to characterize vaccine-specific immune responses. Contributed to the execution of in vivo study endpoints, including tissue processing, isolation and culture of immune cells for downstream immunological analysis. Presented scientific reports to senior team members, contributing to data-driven decisions on study planning and experimental refinement.

Applied in vitro diagnostic and bioanalytical methods to support patient diagnosis. Analyzed and interpreted immunological data, facilitating evidence-based patient case discussions with healthcare professionals. Established innovative laboratory models using human biological samples to investigate immune responses to HIV infection. Communicated key research findings in a poster-format at national conferences; authored two peer-reviewed publications. Supervised M.Sc. students.