J.I. (Joana) Sabino Pinto, PhD

Ph.D., Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig (Germany)

Dissertation Title: “Deadly and beneficial roles of microbes in amphibians: from detection methods to host responses to the pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, with insights into cutaneous microbiota”; Advisor: Prof. Dr. Miguel Vences; Magna Cum Laude (top 15%)

May 2015

–

Dec 2018

M.S. in Biology, Free University of Brussels (Belgium)

Dissertation Title: “Using amphibian skin secretions to predict host susceptibility to Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis”; Advisor: Prof. Dr. Frank Pasmans

Sep 2011

–

Jun 2013

B.S., Faculty of Sciences, Lisbon University (Portugal)

Major: Biology; Minor: Evolutionary and Developmental Biology

Sep 2008

–

Jul 2011

PostDoc; University of Groningen (the Netherlands)

Project: Fungus, frogs and MHC: the role of sexual selection in the evolution of disease resistance

Nov 2019

–

Present

Research Associate; University of Massachusetts (United States of America)

Responsibilities: Primer design, MHC and mucosome analysis, Routine laboratory work

Mentor: Prof. Dr. Doug Woodhams, Dr. Molly Bletz

Feb – Mar 2019

and

Sep 2019

Research Assistant; Technische Universität Braunschweig (Germany)

Project: Determination of Fire Salamandra management units in Germany

Responsibilities: Training students (Geo-ecology, 2017 and 2018; 5 students, 240h) on the theory behind the laboratorial approaches and experimental design, Teaching laboratorial techniques (qPCR, eDNA, barcoding), Guiding the students on data analysis (Qime, Deblur, Mothur) and writing the final report

Aug – Sep 2017

and

 Aug – Sep 2018

Bioinformatics Assistant; Technische Universität Braunschweig (Germany)

Responsibilities: Analysis and management of large genomic (16S Illumina data: Qime, Deblur, Mothur, LEfSE) and transcriptomic (microarrays and RNAseq: Trinity, Bowtie, DRAP, R, R Bioconductor, Trinity, Annocript, Blast+) datasets on Linux, Windows, and Mac (Python and R), Training of students (BSc to PhD) in analyzing “omics” data and providing technical support

Apr 2016

–

Jan 2019

PhD; Technische Universität Braunschweig (Germany)

Additional Responsibilities: Organization of Lab Meetings and other group activities

May 2015

–

Dec 2018

Project Coordinator; Technische Universität Braunschweig (Germany)

Project: Understanding Bsal’s distribution and developing conservation strategies for salamanders in Germany

Responsibilities: Managing collaborators, Organizing the field and lab work, Conducting country wide screenings in both captivity and in the wild to track the expansion of Bsal’s geographical range, Processing all samples (qPCR, culturing bacteria, conduction inhibition assays), Analyzing the data and wroting some of the manuscripts

Jul 2015

–

Nov 2017

Field assistant; University of Porto (Portugal)

Project: Long Term Ecological Research at Baixo Sabor

Responsibilities: Capturing amphibians, fish and locust

Mentor: Dr. Pedro Beja

Field assistant/ Lab technician; Lisbon University (Portugal)

Project: Emerging diseases and the future of amphibians in Europe

Responsibilities: Capturing and sampling amphibians (skin swabs and toes), Processing all the toe samples (skeletochronology), Analyzing the results.

Mentor: Prof. Dr. Rui Rebelo

Sep 2013

–

Apr 2015

Internship / Field assistant; Free University of Brussels (Belgium)

Project: Investigating the possibility of mating pheromones in amphibians

Responsibilities: Capturing amphibians, Set up field enclosures, Hourly checking of all individuals

Mentor: Prof. Dr. Franky Bossuyt

Volunteership /Field assistant; University of Kent (United Kingdom)

Project: Emerging diseases and the future of amphibians in Europe

Responsibilities: Capturing and sampling amphibians (skin swabs and toes).

Mentor: Prof. Dr. Richard Griffiths

Internship; University of Lisbon (Portugal)

Project: Creation of a database of European and North American Mammals

Responsibilities: Development of a Mammals of America database.

Mentor: Prof. Dr. Henrique Pereira

Oct 2009

–

Jul 2010

2022

24. Hazard, Q.C.K., Sabino-Pinto, J., López-Baucells, A., Farneda, F.Z., Meyer, C.F.J., Rocha, R. (2022). Reproductive phenologies of phyllostomid bats in the Central Amazon. Mammalian Biology (Accepted).

2021

23. Woodhams, D., Madison, J., Bletz, M.C., McCartney, J., LaBumbard, B., Whetstone, R., McDonnell, N.B., Preißler, K., Sabino-Pinto, J., Piovia-Scott Cocca, J. (2021). Responsible biosecurity and risk mitigation for laboratory research on emerging pathogens of amphibians. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 147: 141-148.

22. Mantzana-Oikonomaki, V., Maan, M., Sabino-Pinto, J. (2021). Wildlife pathogen detection: evaluation of alternative DNA extraction protocols. Biology Methods and Protocols, 6(1): bpab018.

21. Santos, B., Bletz, M., Sabino-Pinto, J., Cocca, W., Francois, J., Freeman, K.L.M., Kuenzel, S., Ndriantsoa, S., Noel, J., Rakotonanahary, T., Vences, M., Crottini, A. (2021). Characterization of the microbiome of the invasive Asian toad in Madagascar across the expansion range and comparison with a native co-occurring species. PeerJ, 9: e11532.

2020

20. Schulz, V., Schulz, A., Klamke, M., Preissler, K., Sabino-Pinto, J., Müsken, M., Schlüpmann, M., Heldt, L., Kamprad, F., Enss, J., Schweinsberg, M., Virgo, J., Rau, H., Veith, M., Lötters, S., Wagner, N., Steinfartz, S., Vences, M. (2020). Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans in the Ruhr District, Germany: history, distribution, decline dynamics and disease symptoms of the salamander plague. Salamandra, 56(3): 189-214.

19. Sachs, M., Schluckebier, R., Poll, K., Schulz, V., Sabino-Pinto, J., Schmidt, E., Simon, K., Künzel, S., Ziegler, T., Arndt, H., Vences, M. (2020). Evidence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and other amphibian parasites in the Green toad (Bufotes viridis), syntopic amphibians and environment in the Cologne Bay, Germany. Salamandra, 56(3): 275-284.

2019

18. Sabino-Pinto, J., Goedbloed, D., Sanchez, E., Czypionka, T., Nolte, A., Steinfartz, S. (2019). The role of plasticity and adaptation in the incipient speciation of a fire salamander population. Genes, 10(11): 875.

17. Sabino-Pinto, J., Rakotoarison, A., Bletz, M.C., Edmonds, D., Glaw, F., Vences, M. (2019). A new species of the Spinomantis bertini species complex (Anura: Mantellidae) from Pic d’Ivohibe Special Reserve (Madagascar). Zootaxa, 4656(1): 133-142.

16. Sabino-Pinto, J., Martel, A., Pasmans, F, Steinfartz, S., Vences, M. (2019). Pooling skin swabs does not inhibit qPCR detection of amphibian chytrid infection. PloS one, 14(4): e0214405.

15. Sabino-Pinto, J., Krause, E.T., Bletz, M.C., Martel, A., Pasmans, F., Steinfartz, S., Vences, M. (2019). Detectability vs. time and costs in pooled DNA extraction of cutaneous swabs: a study on the amphibian chytrid fungi. Amphibia-Reptilia, 40(1): 29-39.

2018

14. Lötters, S., Wagner, N., Kerres, A., Vences, M., Steinfartz, S., Sabino-Pinto, J., Seufer, L., Preissler, K., Schulz, V., Veith, M. (2018). First report of host co-infection of parasitic amphibian chytrid fungi. Salamandra, 54(4): 287-290.

13. Bletz, M.C., Kelly, M., Sabino-Pinto, J., Bales, E., Praet, S.V., Bert, W., Boyen, F., Vences, M., Steinfartz, S., Martel, A., Pasmans, F. (2018). Disruption of skin microbiota contributes to salamander disease. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 285(1885): p.20180758.

12. Sabino-Pinto, J., Veith, M., Vences, M., Steinfartz, S. (2018). Asymptomatic infection of the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans in captivity. Scientific Reports, 8(1): 11767.

11. Dalbeck, L., Düssel-Siebert, H., Kerres, A., Kirst, K., Koch, A., Lötters, S., Ohlhoff, D., Sabino-Pinto, J., Preißler, K., Schulte, U., Schulz, V., Steinfartz, S., Veith, M., Vences, M., Wagner, N., Wegge, J. (2018). Die Salamanderpest und ihr Erreger Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal): aktueller Stand in Deutschland. Zeitschrift für Feldherpetologie, 25: 1-22.

2017

10. Sabino-Pinto, J., Galán, P., Rodríguez, S., Bletz, M.C., Bhuju, S., Geffers, R., Jarek, M., Vences, M. (2017). Temporal changes in cutaneous bacterial communities of terrestrial and aquatic phases of newts (Amphibia). Environmental Microbiology, 19(8): 3025-3038.

09. Bletz, M.C., Vences, M., Sabino-Pinto, J., Taguchi, Y., Shimizu, N., Nishikawa, K., Kurabayashi, A. (2017). Cutaneous microbiota of the Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus), a representative of an ancient amphibian clade. Hydrobiologia, 795(1): 153-167.

08. Sabino-Pinto, J., Bletz, M.C., Iturriaga, M., Vences, M., Rodríguez, A. (2017). Low infection prevalence of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Chytridiomycetes: Rhizophydiales) in Cuba. Amphibia-Reptilia, 38(1): 1-7.

07. Rosa, M.G., Sabino-Pinto, J., Laurentino, T.G., Martel, A., Pasmans, F., Rebelo, R., Griffiths, R.A., Bosch, J., Stöhr, A., Marschang, R., Price, S., Garner, T., Bosch, J. (2017). Impact of asynchronous emergence of two lethal pathogens on amphibian assemblages. Scientific Reports, 7: 43260.

2016

06. Sabino-Pinto, J., Bletz, M., Islam, M.M., Shimizu, N., Bhuju, S., Geffers, R., Jarek, M., Kurabayashi, A., Vences, M. (2016). Composition of the cutaneous bacterial community in Japanese amphibians: effects of captivity, host species, and body region. Microbial Ecology 72(2): 460-469.

05. Spitzen-van der Sluijs, A., Martel, A., Asselberghs, J., Bales, E., Beukema, W., Bletz, M., Dalbeck, L., Goverse, E., Kerres, A., Kinet, T., Kirst, K., Laudelout, A., Marin da Fonte, L., Nöllert, A., Ohlhoff, D., Sabino-Pinto, J., Schmidt, B.R., Speybroeck, J., Spikmans, F., Steinfartz, S., Veith, M. Vences, M., Wagner, N., Pasmans, F., Lötters, S. (2016). Expanding Distribution of Lethal Amphibian Fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans in Europe. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 22(7): 1286-1288.

2015

04. Sabino-Pinto, J., Bletz, M., Hendrix, R., Perl, R.B., Martel, A., Pasmans, F., Lötters, S., Mutschmann, F., Schmeller, D., Schmidt, B.R., Veith, M., Wagner, N., Vences, M., Steinfartz, S. (2015). First detection of the emerging fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans in Germany. Amphibia-Reptilia, 36(4): 411-416

2014

03. Rosa, M.G., Sabino-Pinto, J., Noël, J., Andreone, F. (2014). Predation on the treefrog Boophis rufioculis (Anura: Mantellidae) by the freshwater crab Hydrothelphusa sp. (Decapoda, Potamonautidae) in Madagascar. Crustaceana, 87(7): 890-894.

02. Sabino-Pinto, J., Mayerl, C.J., Meilink, W.R.M., Grasso, D., Raaijmakers, C.B., Russo, V.G., Segal, M., Stegen, G., Clegg, J., Srikanthan, A.N., Glaw, F., Vences, M. (2014). Descriptions of the advertisement calls of three sympatric frog species in the subgenus Vatomantis (genus Gephyromantis) from Madagascar. Herpetology Notes, 7: 67-73.

2013

01. Meilink, W.R.M., Clegg, J.R., Mayerl, C.J., Sabino-Pinto, J., Grasso, D., Stegen, G., Segal, M., Kok, P.J.R. (2013). Confirmation of the presence of the sphaerodactylid lizard Gonatodes vittatus in Guyana, and an indication of a reproductively active population in Georgetown. Salamandra, 49(1): 59-62.