Ana Rita Teixeira
Beneficiary of the Short-term Research Internships at the University of Texas at Austin 2023
| Role | PhD Student |
| Affiliation Institution | Institute of Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), University of Coimbra |
| Host Institution | Department of Radiation Oncology, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Program Area | Medical Physics |
Short Bio
Ana Rita Teixeira is currently a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering and a researcher at ICNAS – Institute of Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health, University of Coimbra, Portugal. Her work is focused on quantifying preclinical radiobiological effects of photons and protons in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Ana Rita is involved in the optimization of a PET cyclotron-based proton beam line for irradiation of GBM cells at the ICNAS facility. In addition, she works with functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as radiosensitizing agents. Ana Rita’s background includes a BSc in Physics (2017) and a MSc in Medical Physics (2019) from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto (FCUP), Portugal.
Work description
During her stay at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Ana Rita will evaluate the radiobiological effects of clinical proton and photon beams in GBM cells. Her cultures will be irradiated in the presence and absence of gold nanoparticles to determine their radiosensitizing faculties.
Expectations about the Short-term Research Internship
“The UT MD Anderson Cancer Center is widely recognized for their remarkable work in cancer research and provides multiple advanced proton beam therapy technologies. With my research internship at MDACC, I plan to discover new methods for evaluating biological interactions of radiation in a preclinical context, as well as get an understanding of the engineering behind clinical proton beam accelerators. On top of that, I am thrilled to understand the day-to-day logistics of a clinical proton therapy center and acquire valuable knowledge to apply in Portugal, once this type of facility emerges.”
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David R. Grosshans
Professor
MD Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas
