Pedro José De Castro Esteves

Biography

"Fully graduated as a Biologist in the Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto (1996). Admitted to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in 2003, in the Faculty of Faculty of Science - Universidade do Porto. Since 2003, Post-Doc researcher in CIBIO-InBIO.   Leader of the Group Immunogenetics, Microbes and Infectious Diseases (IMID) since 2013. The major interest of my Research Group is to study the host-parasite co-evolutionary processes by monitoring changes in the genetic content of populations of a model species, the European rabbit (O. cuniculus), in relation to two epizootics that have decimated wild populations in the recent past (i.e. Myxomatosis and RHD). I am also interested in studying other diseases in leporids, like EBHS that is affecting several hare species (Lepus sp.). My main objective is to study the genetic variation at host (rabbit and hares) candidate genes that confer resistance against these diseases, because these are the prime candidates for undergoing adaptive evolutionary change. Insights in the actual changes at the molecular level should contribute to a documented evaluation of current models of parasite-host co-adaptation, and of the role of infectious disease in shaping the recent evolution of the rabbit and hare species. Additionally, I am also interested in virus evolution (endogenous and exogenous) and in the rabbit innate and adaptive immune system genes, like Toll like receptors, Interleukins, MHC and antibodies."  

Research Interest

The major interest of my Research Group is to study the host-parasite co-evolutionary processes by monitoring changes in the genetic content of populations of a model species, the European rabbit (O. cuniculus), in relation to two epizootics that have decimated wild populations in the recent past (i.e. Myxomatosis and RHD).