Sílvia Socorro (Socorro S) has a PhD in Biological Sciences (2001) and has joined the University of Beira Interior (UBI) in 2002 as Assistant Professor.

In 2013 has received the Habilitation degree in Biomedicine by UBI.

Actually, is Full Professor of Biomedicine and the Director of the PhD programme in Biomedicine.

Research interests

Sílvia Socorro leads a research group studying the endocrinology, metabolism and carcinogenesis of reproductive tissues. Research interests mainly target the action of sex steroids in reproduction and cancer. Sex hormones regulate male and female reproductive biology, also playing an important role in cancer of reproductive tissues. In the last years, the physiological actions of estrogens/androgens, and the identification of steroid-responsive genes in reproductive tissues has deserved special attention. Novel proteins with a role in the control of cell survival and death, and with impact both on male fertility and cancer have been identified. Research work also implicated estrogens/ androgens in the control of cell metabolism. Current research is focused on the exploitation of the metabolic alterations associated with male infertility and cancer, and on the development of steroid- and metabolism-based biomarkers and therapeutic options.

Selected Publications

• Carvalho TMA, Cardoso HJ, Figueira MI, Vaz CV, Socorro S (2019) The peculiarities of cancer cell metabolism: a route to metastasization and a target for therapy. Eur. J Med Chem 171: 343-363
• Mateus I, Feijó M, Espínola LM, Vaz C, Correia S, Socorro S (2018) Glucose and glutamine handling in the Sertoli cells of transgenic rats overexpressing regucalcin: plasticity towards lactate production Sci Rep 8(1): 10321
• Correia S, Vaz CV, Silva AM, Cavaco JE, Socorro S (2017) Regucalcin counteracts tert-butyl hydroperoxide and cadmium-induced oxidative stress in rat testis. J Appl Toxicol. 37(2):159-166.
• Figueira MI, Correia S, Vaz CV, Cardoso HJ, Gomes IM, Marques R, Maia CJ, Socorro S (2016) Estrogens down-regulate the stem cell factor (SCF)/c-KIT system in rat prostate: evidence of antiproliferative and apoptotic effects Biochem Pharmacol 99:73-87.
• Vaz CV, Correia S, Cardoso HJ, Figueira MI, Marques R, Maia CJ and Socorro S (2016) The emerging role of regucalcin as a tumor suppressor: facts and views Curr Mol Med 16 (7): 1-13.
• Vaz CV, Marques R, Alves MG, Oliveira PF, Cavaco JE, Maia CJ, Socorro S (2016) Androgens enhance the glycolytic metabolism and lactate export in prostate cancer cells by modulating the expression of GLUT1, GLUT3, PFK, LDH and MCT4 genes J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 142(1):5-16.
• Vaz CV, Marques R, Maia CJ, Socorro S (2015) Aging-Associated Changes in Oxidative stress, Cell proliferation and Apoptosis are Prevented in the Prostate of Transgenic Rats Overexpressing Regucalcin Transl Res 166 (6): 693-705.
• Vaz CV, Rodrigues DB, Socorro S, Maia CJ (2015) Effect of extracellular calcium on regucalcin expression and cell viability in neoplastic and non-neoplastic human prostate cells Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res 1853(10 Pt A):2621-2628.
• Correia S, Cardoso HJ, Cavaco JE, Socorro S (2015) Estrogens as apoptosis regulators in mammalian testis: angels or devils? Expert Rev Mol Med 17: e2.
• Cardoso HJ, Vaz CV, Correia S, Figueira MI, Marques R, Maia CJ, Socorro S (2015) Paradoxical and contradictory effects of Imatinib in two cell line models of hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Prostate. 75(9):923-935.
• Marques R, Vaz CV, Maia CJ, Gomes M, Gama A, Alves G, Santos CR, Schmitt, F, Socorro S (2015) Histopathological and in vivo evidence of regucalcin as a protective molecule in mammary gland carcinogenesis. Exp Cell Res. 330(2):325-335.
• Correia S, Alves MR, Cavaco JE, Oliveira PF. Socorro S. (2014) Estrogenic regulation of testicular expression of SCF and c-kit: implications in germ cell survival and male fertility. Fertil Steril. 102(1): 299-306.
• Marques R, Maia CJ, Vaz C, Correia S, Socorro S (2014) The diverse roles of calcium-binding protein regucalcin in cell biology: from tissue expression and signalling to disease Cell Mol Life Sciences 71:93-111
• Correia S, Guerreiro PM, Oliveira PF, Lopes G, Alves MG, Canário AVM, .E. Cavaco JE, Socorro S (2013) Sperm parameters and epididymis morphology and function in transgenic rats overexpressing the Ca²⁺-binding protein regucalcin: a hidden role for Ca²⁺ in epididymal function? Mol Hum Rep 19(9): 581-589
• Vaz CV, Alves MG, Marques R, Moreira PI, Oliveira PF, Maia C, Socorro S (2012). Androgen-responsive and nonresponsive prostate cancer cells present a distinct glycolytic metabolism profile Int J Biochem Cell Biol 44 (11): 2077-2084.
• Laurentino S, Correia S, Cavaco JE, Oliveira PF, Rato L, Sousa M, Barros A, Socorro S (2011) Regucalcin is broadly expressed in male reproductive tissues and a new androgen target gene in mammalian testis. Reproduction 142(3): 447-456.
• Laurentino S, Cavaco JEB, Barros A, Sousa M and Socorro S. (2009) Estrogen Receptors α and β in Human Testis: both isoforms are expressed. Syst Biol Reprod Med. 55(4): 137-44.

Full publication list

Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Silvia_Socorro/?ev=hdr_xrf~
Orcid ID: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8181-488X
Researcher ID: http://www.researcherid.com/rid/G-2285-2010
Google citations: http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=PA3L_h8AAAAJ