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Researcher

M.M. (Maria) Alves, PhD

Assistant Professor, Principal Investigator

  • Department
  • Clinical Genetics
  • Focus area
  • Congenital Intestinal Disorders, Genetic and Molecular mechanisms of disease, Advanced research models and technologies, Translational Research, Development of new therapies
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About M.M. (Maria) Alves, PhD

Introduction

Dr. Maria M. Alves is an associated professor and principal investigator of the Gastrointestinal Genetics Group at Erasmus Medical Center. With a background in Biochemistry and a PhD in Medical Sciences, her research focuses on rare congenital intestinal disorders, such as Hirschsprung disease, Congenital Short Bowel Syndrome, and Visceral Myopathy. Her group combines genetics, molecular biology, zebrafish models, and cutting-edge techniques like single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics to uncover the molecular mechanisms behind these diseases. The ultimate goal is to identify novel therapeutic targets and improve the quality of life for affected children and their families.

Field(s) of expertise

Medical Genetics

Pediatric Gastroenterology

Gastrointestinal Development

Neurogastroenterology

Molecular Biology

Functional Genomics

Zebrafish as a Disease Model

High-resolution analysis of gene expression/tissue organization

Education and career

2021-to date: Principal Investigator Gastrointestinal Genetics group, Department of Clinical Genetics and Pediatric Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

2017-2020: Senior scientist at the Department of Clinical Genetics; Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

2012-2017:  Post-doctoral fellow at the Department of Clinical Genetics; Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

2010-2012: Post-doctoral fellow at the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

2005-2010: Ph.D student at the University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands. Thesis titled: “Functional and Genetic studies in MEN2 and Hirschsprung disease”.

1999-2004: Bsc. Degree in Biochemistry with a Master degree in Applied Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Porto, Portugal.

Publications

Recent publications:

 

Complete publication list

 

Teaching activities

  • Minor Genomics in Society

  • Master Genomics in Society

Other positions

  • Member of the International Consortium on Visceral Myopathy

  • Member of the International Consortium on Hirscshsprung disease 

  • Member of the Dutch Society of Gastroenterology

  • Member of the European Society of Human Genetics

My Groups

Gastrointestinal (GI) Genetics group

The GI Genetics Group studies genetic and molecular drivers of congenital intestinal diseases to advance diagnosis and develop better treatments.

Related

Departments and research centers

Genetic Identification logo

Clinical genetics

Research groups/labs

Gastrointestinal (GI) Genetics group