I’m a molecular immunologist dedicated to translating fundamental immunological discoveries into improved health outcomes. My research focuses on understanding immune responses to viral infections, developing innovative vaccines, and creating cutting-edge tools to analyze the immune system activity in various diseases.
Publications
COVID-19
Nanobodies from camelid mice and llamas neutralize SARS-CoV-2 variants. Nature 2021
COVID-19 antibody development fueled by HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibody research. Current Opinion HIV AIDS 2021
Development of potency, breadth and resilience to viral escape mutations in SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies. BioRxiv 2021
Bispecific IgG neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 variants and prevents escape in mice. Nature 2021
Evolution of antibody immunity to SARS-CoV-2. Nature 2021
Enhanced SARS-CoV-2 neutralization by dimeric IgA. Science Transalational Medicine 2020
Antibody potency, effector function and combinations in protection from SARS-CoV-2 infection in vivo. J Exp Med. 2020
Escape from neutralizing antibodies by SARS-CoV-2 spike protein variants. Elife 2020
Longitudinal analysis of serology and neutralizing antibody levels in COVID19 convalescents. J. Infec. Dis. 2020
Convergent antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in convalescent individuals. Nature 2020
Measuring SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody activity using pseudotyped and chimeric viruses. J Exp Med. 2020
HIV Latent Reservoir
Sequence evaluation and comparative analysis of novel assays for intact proviral HIV-1 DNA. JVI. 2021
Combination of quadruplex qPCR and next-generation sequencing for qualitative and quantitative analysis of the HIV-1 latent reservoir. J Exp Med. 2019
Relationship between intact HIV-1 proviruses in circulating CD4+ T cells and rebound viruses emerging during treatment interruption. PNAS
Relationship between latent and rebound viruses in a clinical trial of anti-HIV-1 antibody 3BNC117. J Exp Med. 2018
Clonal CD4+ T cells in the HIV-1 latent reservoir display a distinct gene profile upon reactivation. Nat Med. 2018
HIV Immunotherapy
Heightened resistance to host type 1 interferons characterizes HIV-1 at transmission and after antiretroviral therapy interruption. Science Translation Medicine, 2021
Combination therapy with anti-HIV-1 antibodies maintains viral suppression. Nature. 2018
HIV-1 antibody 3BNC117 suppresses viral rebound in humans during treatment interruption. Nature. 2016
HIV-1 therapy with monoclonal antibody 3BNC117 elicits host immune responses against HIV-1. Science. 2016
Viraemia suppressed in HIV-1-infected humans by broadly neutralizing antibody 3BNC117. Nature. 2015
HIV bNAb development
Neutralizing activity of broadly neutralizing anti-HIV-1 antibodies against primary African isolates. Journal of Virology, 2020
A broadly neutralizing macaque monoclonal antibody against the HIV-1 V3-Glycan patch. Elife. 2020
Non-neutralizing Antibodies Alter the Course of HIV-1 Infection In Vivo. Cell. 2017 Aug 10;170(4):637-648.e10
Coexistence of potent HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies and antibody-sensitive viruses in a viremic controller. Sci Transl Med. 2017
Passive transfer of modest titers of potent and broadly neutralizing anti-HIV monoclonal antibodies block SHIV infection in macaques. J Exp Med. 2014
Epigenetics control of immune response in multiple sclerosis (MS) (2009-2013)
A non-functional galanin receptor-2 in a multiple sclerosis patient. Pharmacogenomics J. 2018
Autologous hematopoietic SCT normalizes miR-16, -155 and -142-3p expression in multiple sclerosis patients. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2015
Bone Marrow Transplant. 2015 miR-15a and 16-1 are downregulated in CD4+ T cells of multiple sclerosis relapsing patients. Int J Neurosci. 2012 Aug;122(8):466-71. PMID: 22463747.
Cancer Research (2009-2013)
Highly expressed placental miRNAs control key biological processes in human cancer cell lines. Oncotarget. 2018
Decreased platelet responsiveness to clopidogrel correlates with CYP2C19 and PON1 polymorphisms in atherosclerotic patients. Braz J Med Biol Res. 2017
Placenta-Enriched LincRNAs MIR503HG and LINC00629 Decrease Migration and Invasion Potential of JEG-3 Cell Line. PLoS One. 2016
Simvastatin modulates mesenchymal stromal cell proliferation and gene expression. PLoS One. 2015
Tuberculosis Research (2005-2008)
MicroRNA expression signatures in lungs of mice infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis (Edinb). 2016
Antigen-presenting cells transfected with Hsp65 messenger RNA fail to treat experimental tuberculosis. Braz J Med Biol Res. 2012
B cells Can Modulate the CD8 Memory T Cell after DNA Vaccination Against Experimental Tuberculosis. Genet Vaccines Ther. 2011
Intranasal vaccination with messenger RNA as a new approach in gene therapy: use against tuberculosis.BMC Biotechnol. 2010
Genetic vaccine for tuberculosis (pVAXhsp65) primes neonate mice for a strong immune response at the adult stage. Genet Vaccines Ther. 2007
Education
2009-2013 PhD. in Genetics, Sao Paulo University, Brazil
2006-2008 Master in Immunology, Sao Paulo University, Brazil
2002-2005 BS in Biology, Alfenas Federal University, Brazil
Positions
2022- 2024 Principal Scientist, ModernaTX
2021- 2022 Senior Scientist, ModernaTX
2018-2020 Senior Research Associate, The Rockefeller University
2014-2018 Postdoctoral Fellow, The Rockefeller University, New York
Youtube – Talks and interviews
Fiocruz Parana
Universidade Federal Fluminense – 1
Universidade Federal Fluminense – 2
Universidade Federal de Alfenas
EMESCAM Vitoria