Patricia Sosa Acosta

I am a SciLifeLab PULSE Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Protein Science at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. My current research integrates high-throughput affinity-proteomics, mass-spectrometry-based proteomics, multi-disease serology, and autoantibody-repertoire profiling to identify and validate biomarkers for early diagnosis of neurological complications caused by arboviruses such as Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya, and Oropouche viruses. This project combines clinical cohorts and advanced data-integration methods to link proteomic signatures with clinical outcomes and to improve diagnostic readiness for neurotropic emerging viruses. 

Previously, I completed my Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), where I worked on multi-omics approaches to study the molecular mechanisms associated with the development of the congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) and to identify putative biomarkers that predict CZS during pregnancy. At UFRJ, I also worked as a postdoctoral fellow investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying TORCH infections (e.g., syphilis, toxoplasmosis, CMV, and ZIKV) using MS-based proteomics. These experiences gave me a strong foundation in both top-down and bottom-up proteomics, PTM analysis (phospho- and glycoproteomics), untargeted and targeted MS acquisition methods, and sample preparation strategies for plasma, CSF, brain tissue, and FFPE samples.