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Alzheimer's Disease Research
I have been interested in academic research since I was an undergraduate student in the
Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Brazil. During that time, I participated of the
scientific initiation program of the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and
Technological Development (CNPq) under mentorship of Prof. João B. Calixto. In the Prof.
Calixto`s lab I had the opportunity to learn several functional and molecular techniques in
the pain, inflammation and natural compounds field. This experience fueled my interest in
science and initiated my desire to pursue a career in academic research.
After completing undergraduate studies, I chose to pursue an advanced degree in
pharmacology under mentorship of Prof. João B. Calixto in the Department of Pharmacology
at UFSC, Brazil. During my M.S. studies I dedicated myself to the characterization of the
molecular mechanisms involved in the bradykinin B1 receptor expression in the vascular
system after tissue damage. Of note, several pieces of evidence indicate that B1 receptor
induction plays a critical role in inflammatory pathological states. Also, I took part in a
series of studies in collaboration with the Aché Laboratórios Farmacêuticos S.A. for the
characterization of the anti-inflammatory properties of the essential oil of Cordia
verbenacea, a native Brazilian medicinal plant belonging to the Boraginaceae family. Of
high interest, these studies resulted in the production of the first medicine (Acheflan®)
researched and developed entirely in Brazil.
In my PhD studies, I become especially interested in study the relationship between the
inflammatory process and the Alzheimer`s disease (AD). My main research topic was to
evaluate the involvement of the cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), the enzyme
inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and the bradykinin system in the molecular and
behavior changes induced by the β-amyloid (Aβ) protein. My studies demonstrated that
TNF-α, iNOS and bradykinin signaling pathways are linked and exert an important role in
the cognitive deficits observed in the earlier stages of AD, suggesting those molecules as
possible targets for AD drug discovery. Of interest, my study was later published in the
Journal of Neuroscience (J Neurosci, 27:5394-5404, 2007) and was highlighted in the Nature
Reviews Drug Discovery (Nat Rev Drug Disc, 6:520, 2007), one of the most important journal
in the Pharmacology field and the number one monthly review journal in the field of drug
discovery.
Having acquired a strong interest in the study of neurodegenerative disease, I decided to
further my training by joining the lab of Prof. Frank LaFerla at University of California –
Irvine (UCI) as a post-doctoral researcher. Prof. LaFerla is an internationally recognized
molecular biologist who has achieved particular attention lately for the development of
different transgenic model, which have helped in understanding the pathological
mechanisms of AD. Under Prof. LaFerla`s mentorship, I have been expanding my expertise in
molecular biology and in vivo studies.
Concerning my career goals, I intend in the future become an independent scientist in an
academic setting. I plan establish a laboratory with well-focused research interests that
elucidate pathogenic mechanisms in human degenerative disorders. Also, considering that
Brazil is one of the countries with the biggest biodiversity in the word. I intend study the
effect of Brazilian-derived natural compounds, whose choice can be based on
ethnobotanical and chemotaxonomical studies, and high-throughput screening for the
ability to inhibit AD neuropathology. The sum of these studies may lead to the development
of new therapeutic tools to effectively treat AD patients.
Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Brazil. During that time, I participated of the
scientific initiation program of the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and
Technological Development (CNPq) under mentorship of Prof. João B. Calixto. In the Prof.
Calixto`s lab I had the opportunity to learn several functional and molecular techniques in
the pain, inflammation and natural compounds field. This experience fueled my interest in
science and initiated my desire to pursue a career in academic research.
After completing undergraduate studies, I chose to pursue an advanced degree in
pharmacology under mentorship of Prof. João B. Calixto in the Department of Pharmacology
at UFSC, Brazil. During my M.S. studies I dedicated myself to the characterization of the
molecular mechanisms involved in the bradykinin B1 receptor expression in the vascular
system after tissue damage. Of note, several pieces of evidence indicate that B1 receptor
induction plays a critical role in inflammatory pathological states. Also, I took part in a
series of studies in collaboration with the Aché Laboratórios Farmacêuticos S.A. for the
characterization of the anti-inflammatory properties of the essential oil of Cordia
verbenacea, a native Brazilian medicinal plant belonging to the Boraginaceae family. Of
high interest, these studies resulted in the production of the first medicine (Acheflan®)
researched and developed entirely in Brazil.
In my PhD studies, I become especially interested in study the relationship between the
inflammatory process and the Alzheimer`s disease (AD). My main research topic was to
evaluate the involvement of the cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), the enzyme
inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and the bradykinin system in the molecular and
behavior changes induced by the β-amyloid (Aβ) protein. My studies demonstrated that
TNF-α, iNOS and bradykinin signaling pathways are linked and exert an important role in
the cognitive deficits observed in the earlier stages of AD, suggesting those molecules as
possible targets for AD drug discovery. Of interest, my study was later published in the
Journal of Neuroscience (J Neurosci, 27:5394-5404, 2007) and was highlighted in the Nature
Reviews Drug Discovery (Nat Rev Drug Disc, 6:520, 2007), one of the most important journal
in the Pharmacology field and the number one monthly review journal in the field of drug
discovery.
Having acquired a strong interest in the study of neurodegenerative disease, I decided to
further my training by joining the lab of Prof. Frank LaFerla at University of California –
Irvine (UCI) as a post-doctoral researcher. Prof. LaFerla is an internationally recognized
molecular biologist who has achieved particular attention lately for the development of
different transgenic model, which have helped in understanding the pathological
mechanisms of AD. Under Prof. LaFerla`s mentorship, I have been expanding my expertise in
molecular biology and in vivo studies.
Concerning my career goals, I intend in the future become an independent scientist in an
academic setting. I plan establish a laboratory with well-focused research interests that
elucidate pathogenic mechanisms in human degenerative disorders. Also, considering that
Brazil is one of the countries with the biggest biodiversity in the word. I intend study the
effect of Brazilian-derived natural compounds, whose choice can be based on
ethnobotanical and chemotaxonomical studies, and high-throughput screening for the
ability to inhibit AD neuropathology. The sum of these studies may lead to the development
of new therapeutic tools to effectively treat AD patients.
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