Vânia M. Moreira

ORCID: 0000-0001-6169-5035

CURRENT POSITIONS

** University Lecturer

Chancellor's Research Fellow in Medicinal Chemistry

Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom

**Adjunct Professor & Principal Investigator

Drug Discovery Programme, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Finland

EDUCATION AND DEGREES AWARDED

**Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, UK (FHEA), 2017

**Title of “Docent” (Adjunct Professor) in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Helsinki, Finland, 2015

**Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry, University of Coimbra, Portugal & University of Maryland, USA, (highest-scoring grade, “Passed with Distinction and Honours”), 2008

**Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharm.D.), University of Coimbra, Portugal, Grade 17 out of 20 (First-class honours), awarded with the “ Sociedade Farmacêutica Lusitana Award” (best student of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the year in Portugal), 2003

RESEARCH AREAS

Drug Discovery, Medicinal Chemistry, Natural Products, Antimicrobial and anti-biofilm agents & materials, Neglected diseases, Cancer, (Neuro)inflammation

MAJOR FUNDING SOURCES

The Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation (TEKES); Huonekalusäätio; University of Helsinki Research Funds; Magnus Ehrnrooth Foundation; Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT); FP7-HEALTH-2013-INNOVATION-1 (European Funding); Academy of Finland; Tenovus Sctoland

CURRENT COMPOSITION OF RESEARCH GROUP

Doctoral students

Declan Mullen (Oct 2018 - ); Next generation bio-based antimicrobial agents

Ghada Hassan (Sep 2016-); Sustainable antimicrobial coatings

Tiina Ahonen (Sep 2014-); New drugs for chronic pain

Nina Forsman (co-supervisor; Sep 2016-); Sustainable multifunctional coatings for textiles and other cellulosic materials

FORMER RESEARCH GROUP MEMBERS

Post-doctoral researchers

Dr. Xing Wan (May 2017- Jan 2018); Sustainable antimicrobial coatings

Dr. Leena Keurulainen (Sep 2016 - Apr 2017); Sustainable antimicrobial coatings

Doctoral students

Dr. Laura Kolsi (main supervisor, graduated 2019); Synthesis of Abietane-Type Diterpenoids with Anticancer Activity

Dr. Raisa Haavikko (co-supervisor; graduated 2015); Synthesis of betulins with new bioactivities

Dr. Nehad El-Salamouni (visiting doctoral student; graduated 2013); Design and synthesis of some novel phenolic compounds and their quinone oxidation products of potential biological activities

M.Sc. students

M.Sc. Ruaraidh MacGregor (main supervisor, graduated 2018), Cellulose antimicrobial solutions

M.Sc. Graeme Lester (main supervisor, graduated 2018), The anticancer activity of picealactones

M.Sc. Declan Mullen (main supervisor, graduated 2018); Targeting metabolic serine hydrolases for the development of new anti-inflammatory drug leads

M.Sc. Henni-Karoliina Ropponen (main supervisor, graduated 2018); Exploiting the Potential of Abietane-type Diterpenoids for the Design and Synthesis of Antimicrobial and Anti-biofilm Agents

M.Sc. Peter Grutschreiber (co-supervisor, graduated 2017); Synthesis and characterisation of morphine derivatives as intermediates in development of new compounds for treatment of chronic pain

M.Sc. Tiina Mäenpää (co-supervisor, graduated 2017); Derivatives of abietic acid and their bioactivity

M.Sc. Eunice Cavalheiro (co-supervisor, graduated 2017); Synthesis of 5-methylene(thio)ureas (thio)barbiturates as potential xanthine oxidase inhibitors

M.Sc. Sara Krogerus (co-supervisor, graduated 2016); Benzylic oxidations of dehydroabietic acid derivatives at positions 7 and 15

M.Sc. Ghada Hassan (main supervisor, graduated 2016); Synthesis of abietic and dehydroabietic acid derivatives to target bacterial biofilms

M.Sc. Augustin Long (co-supervisor, graduated 2014); Modification of resin acids for the production of biologically active molecules

M.Sc. Anna-Kaarina Palomäki (co-supervisor; graduated 2013); Lääkeaineisiin ja rohdoksiin liittyvien tutkimuksellisten kokeellisten töiden kehittäminen lukion kemianopetukseen