Ricardo Mouro Pinto
About Ricardo Mouro Pinto
Ricardo Mouro Pinto is an Associated Scientist in Medical & Population Genetics at the Broad Institute and an Instructor in Neurology at Harvard Medical School. He has a strong background in human genetics, particularly in trinucleotide repeat instability and its relation to disorders such as Huntington's disease and Friedreich Ataxia.
Work at Broad Institute
Ricardo Mouro Pinto has been serving as an Associated Scientist in Medical & Population Genetics at the Broad Institute since 2016. In this role, he focuses on the mechanisms of trinucleotide repeat instability in human genetics. His research particularly addresses unstable microsatellite-associated disorders, including Friedreich Ataxia and Huntington’s disease. His work contributes to the understanding of genetic variations and their implications in these conditions.
Current Role at Harvard Medical School
Since 2015, Ricardo Mouro Pinto has held the position of Instructor in Neurology at Harvard Medical School. His role involves teaching and conducting research in the field of neurology, with a specific emphasis on genetic factors influencing neurological disorders. His experience at this prestigious institution has allowed him to engage with a wide range of academic and clinical activities.
Education and Expertise
Ricardo Mouro Pinto earned a Bachelor's Degree in Genetics from Cardiff University from 1999 to 2002. He then pursued a Master's Degree in Human Molecular Genetics at Imperial College London from 2002 to 2003. Following this, he completed his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) at Brunel University London, focusing on therapeutic testing and epigenetic characterization of Friedreich Ataxia from 2006 to 2010. His educational background equips him with a strong foundation in genetics and molecular biology.
Previous Experience in Academia
Before his current roles, Ricardo Mouro Pinto worked as a Teaching Assistant at Brunel University London from 2006 to 2009. He also served as a Research Technician at Imperial College London from 2004 to 2007 and as a Research Assistant at PAREXEL from 2003 to 2005. These positions provided him with valuable experience in research methodologies and teaching, contributing to his development as a scientist.
Research Contributions
Ricardo Mouro Pinto has made significant contributions to the understanding of genetic mechanisms in Huntington's disease. He identified Mlh1 genetic variation as a key factor affecting instability in Huntington's disease mice. His research demonstrated the importance of MLH1 protein levels in somatic expansions associated with the disease. He has also applied genome-wide linkage scans and gene knockout analysis to implicate DNA mismatch repair components as critical modifiers of somatic CAG instability.