Henrique Girao (HG) is Principal Investigator of the Faculty of Medicine of University of Coimbra (FMUC), Deputy Director for Research and Development, Vice-chairperson of the Cardiovascular Council, Leader of the Group “Ubiquitin-dependent Proteolysis and Intercellular Communication”, Coordinator of the IBILI Research Line “Ageing and Molecular Mechanisms of Disease”, Director of the Laboratory of Biostructural Imaging. At the FMUC, HG coordinates the PhD programme in Health Sciences and the Master Course of Biomedical Research, and integrates the Board of Directors of the Inter-University Doctoral Programme in Ageing Chronic Diseases.
HG is specialized in cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of protein degradation and intercellular communication, necessary for the maintenance of cell homeostasis. In particular, HG has been interested in understanding how disturbance of proteolysis, namely non-canonical functions of ubiquitin in signalling lysosomal degradation, and intercellular communication, mediated by gap junctions and exosomes, contribute to cardiovascular disorders.
