基本信息
views: 14
![](https://originalfileserver.aminer.cn/sys/aminer/icon/show-trajectory.png)
Bio
Principal Investigator (with Habilitation in Biomedical Sciences, 2011) at the Medical Parasitology Unit and at the Research Centre Global Health and Tropical Medicine of Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon (GHTM IHMT NOVA). PhD in Biology (University of Lisbon, 2000) and a degree in Biology (University of Lisbon, 1992).
Acting Coordinator of the GHTM's Research Group Vector Borne Diseases, Facilitator of the GHTM's Cross Cutting Issue Diagnostics, Coordinator of the GHTM biobank - Biotropical Resources (BIOTROP) and member of the IHMT's Scientific Council.
Main areas of research activity have been Life and Health Sciences, primarily in malaria and other parasitic diseases focusing three main lines: 1) Human host and parasite interactions, 2) Molecular epidemiology of malaria and 3) Development of portable platforms for early and multifunctional diagnosis of malaria infection.
Also teach at Biomedical Sciences, Parasitology and Global Health PhD and MSc courses of IHMT NOVA, being member of Scientific Committees of two Master and one PhD courses; have supervised and/or co-supervised post-docs (3), PhD (11), MSc (15) and BSc/Other (18) students.
Summary of major contributions to science:
The first interest has been malaria epidemiology, transmission dynamics, interactions and ecological relationships between different parasites co-infecting the same host and several studies in malaria endemic areas, namely Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Mozambique, and Equatorial Guinea were conducted.
During the studies in Cape Verde, the observation that infected people developed mild symptoms in spite of their presumptive weak immune status and high parasitaemia aroused interest on the human factors of susceptibility to malaria. Some protective human variants are those involving the erythrocyte-specific structural proteins and enzymes so research on the association of enzyme disorders on the RBC glycolytic and pentose-phosphate pathways and protection against the Plasmodium parasite has been initiated. Population studies showed that malaria infection was the most likely selective pressure that seems to shape both the pklr and tpi genomic regions in individuals from malaria endemic countries.
Looking then at biological processes involved, we hypothesized that the accumulation of 2,3-DPG due to a deficiency in pyruvate kinase could create an unsuitable environment for parasite and could be involved in the protection mechanism. Results showed an inhibition of parasite growth as parasites subjected to the artificial increase of 2,3-DPG in the culture medium produce significantly lower progeny; no effect was observed on the host cell, instead, the metabolic profile of 2,3-DPG treated infected cells became closer to that of non-infected cells.
Studies on other human disorders associated to malaria protection have also been done in collaboration with other researchers, highlighting an ongoing follow-up of a cohort of Angolan children with sickle cell anemia.
Additionally, being aware that prompt and accurate diagnosis is essential to prevent a mild malaria case from developing into severe disease or death, studies to develop new simple, rapid and sensitive molecular diagnostic tests to characterize malaria infected isolates have been done. Previous work is currently being restarted in order to develop a platform test for the rapid detection of markers associated to antimalarial drug resistance.
Research Interests
Papers共 65 篇Author StatisticsCo-AuthorSimilar Experts
By YearBy Citation主题筛选期刊级别筛选合作者筛选合作机构筛选
时间
引用量
主题
期刊级别
合作者
合作机构
Current issues in molecular biologyno. 6 (2024): 5845-5865
Brigida Santos,Catarina Ginete, Elisangela Goncalves,Mariana Delgadinho,Armandina Miranda,Paula Faustino,Ana Paula Arez,Miguel Brito
BLOOD CELLS MOLECULES AND DISEASES (2024): 102822-102822
Ana Balau,Daniel Sobral,Patricia Abrantes, Ines Santos,Veronica Mixao,Joao Paulo Gomes, Sandra Antunes,Ana Paula Arez
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCESno. 23 (2023): 16869
Inês Morais,Márcia M Medeiros,Maria Carvalho,Judit Morello,Sara M Teixeira, Suelma Maciel, Janice Nhantumbo,Ana Balau, Margarida T G Rosa,Fátima Nogueira,João Alexandre Rodrigues,Filomena A Carvalho,
Wilson Tavares,Joana Morais, José F. Martins, Ryan J. Scalsky,Thomas C. Stabler,Márcia M. Medeiros,Filomeno J. Fortes,Ana Paula Arez,Joana C. Silva
Load More
Author Statistics
Co-Author
Co-Institution
D-Core
- 合作者
- 学生
- 导师
Data Disclaimer
The page data are from open Internet sources, cooperative publishers and automatic analysis results through AI technology. We do not make any commitments and guarantees for the validity, accuracy, correctness, reliability, completeness and timeliness of the page data. If you have any questions, please contact us by email: report@aminer.cn