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Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions)

@silvapereiralab.bsky.social

230 followers 140 following 25 posts

Lab @ Católica Biomed Research Centre (Lisbon - PT) using cool tech to discover how parasites interact with blood vessels silvapereiralab.com

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Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · Feb 27

Here's a short summary of our most recent paper, published today on @commsbio.bsky.social:

We want to understand how Trypanosoma congolense cytoadheres, or sequesters, to the vascular endothelium because sequestration determines clinical outcome and disease severity.

(1/7)

Bioengineered 3D microvessels and complementary animal models reveal mechanisms of Trypanosoma congolense sequestration

Communications Biology - Organ-specific bioengineered microvessels and animal models reveal that Trypanosoma congolense sequestration depends on the endothelial cell bed, parasite strain, cyclic...

rdcu.be

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Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · 1d

Our amazing student @leonorloira.bsky.social presented some of the lab’s work today at the @parafrap.bsky.social #EMBOconference
We are very proud.

Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · 2d

At the #Parafrap #EMBO Conference “Host–Parasite Relationship: from Mechanisms to Control Strategies” in Ile des Embiez — amazing science, great friends, and stunning views! 🧬🌊✨

Reposted by Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions)

Richard McCulloch @rmc9z.bsky.social · 2d

Our lab has two funded PhDs to start in 2026 via the NorthWestBio programme

Project details here
www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...
...and here
www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...

Application deadline is Nov 21st 2025; apply here:
www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...

University of Glasgow - Postgraduate study - Centres for Doctoral Training - NorthWest Biosciences - Our Projects - Understanding Pathogens, from Molecules to Phenotypes - Richard McCulloch

www.gla.ac.uk

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Reposted by Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions)

Maria Bernabeu @mariabernabeu.bsky.social · Jul 11

Pre-print alert 🚨: We have developed 2D and 3D stable iPSC endothelial-differentiation models through dox inducible ETS expression. We demonstrate endothelial identity and used these models for studying malaria pathogenesis research. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

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Reposted by Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions)

Carolyn Bertozzi @carolynbertozzi.bskyverified.social · May 15

This is what can be achieved today due to longstanding federal support of academic basic science alongside close partnership of universities, private industry and NIH intramural initiatives. An ecosystem worth not just saving but doubling down on!

innovativegenomics.org/news/first-p...

First Patient Treated with Personalized CRISPR Therapy, Developed in Just Six Months

The first on-demand CRISPR therapy for an infant with a rare metabolic disease developed by the IGI and collaborators around the world.

innovativegenomics.org

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Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · May 4

Here’s our latest revision of microphysiological systems in parasitology research, published in @plos.org #plospathogens in collaboration with Jorge de-Carvalho (ITQB-NOVA) and @mariabernabeu.bsky.social. Kudos to @mariazalmeida.bsky.social, PhD student, for the heavy lifting of this work.

Leveraging microphysiological systems to expedite understanding of host–parasite interactions

Microphysiological systems (MPS) replicate the dynamic interactions between cells, tissues, and fluids. They have emerged as transformative tools for biology and have been increasingly applied to host...

journals.plos.org

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Reposted by Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions)

Leon Walther @trypsleon.bsky.social · Mar 25

Join us for our next TrypsClub Journal Club!

Emma Marie Briggs @emmamariebriggs.bsky.social · Mar 25

Next @bspparasitology.bsky.social TrypsClub Journal Club will take place online on 2nd April - all students, research assistants, postdocs and techs are welcome! Discussing a paper form the Mugnier lab group, featuring a Q&A with Moinca! Sign up here - tinyurl.com/5n6pme36

1. TrypsClub Journal Club Registration

We are pleased to invite you to the second BSP supported TrypsClub meeting! 2nd April, 2 pm (GMT) Our aim is to bring together ...

tinyurl.com

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Reposted by Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions)

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine @lshtm.bsky.social · Mar 13

Why the world needs a vision for public health now more than ever

LSHTM Director Liam Smeeth argues #PublicHealth research & education are even more important with #science under attack & global #health programmes facing unprecedented cuts.

www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/e...

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Reposted by Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions)

Prof Sheena Cruickshank @sheencr.bsky.social · Feb 27

Tragically, A child has died of measles in Texas. Cases of measles continue to grow in Texas & elsewhere in USA. Please seriously consider vaccinating your child with the MMR vaccine which is safe & effective. Outbreaks at this scale are NOT normal & is facilitated by high pptn of unvaccinated kids

A child is dead from measles.

5 things on my mind and answers to your questions

yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com

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Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · Feb 27

5. The profile of VSG expression in mouse models is altered in sequestered parasites.

(7/7)

Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · Feb 27

4. Both sequestered and non-sequestered parasites are infective to tsetse flies, but sequestered parasites result in heavier fly midgut infections. Whether this is linked to increased transmission potential remains unclear.

(6/7)

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Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · Feb 27

3. Sequestered parasites divide more than non-sequestered parasites in vitro and in vivo, regardless of the parasite strain.

(5/7)

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Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · Feb 27

2. cAMP Phosphodiesterase inhibition prevents and reverts parasite attachment to endothelial cells, suggesting that cAMP homeostasis is essential for sequestration.
(4/7)

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Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · Feb 27

What did we find?
1. Sequestration depends on wall shear stress/flow velocity, parasite strain, and endothelial cell type.

(3/7)

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Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · Feb 27

What's the problem?
using animal models is hard to decouple sequestration-derived events from general host responses.

So, what did we do?
We engineered 3D bovine microvessel models that mimic the bovine brain microvasculature and the bovine aorta.

(2/7)

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Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · Feb 27

Bioengineered 3D microvessels and complementary animal models reveal mechanisms of Trypanosoma congolense sequestration

Communications Biology - Organ-specific bioengineered microvessels and animal models reveal that Trypanosoma congolense sequestration depends on the endothelial cell bed, parasite strain, cyclic...

rdcu.be

1 5 9

Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · Feb 27

all the other co-authors, students and colleagues, who made this possible: @mariazalmeida.bsky.social , Teresa Porqueddu, Viola Introini, @silviasanzsender.bsky.social, and Diana Carrasqueira (5/5)

Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · Feb 27

- @marianadeniz.bsky.social, our long-term collaborator who never drops the ball and is always ready for new scientific adventures
- @aitorcasass.bsky.social, who accepted my crazy, time-constrained request of playing with tsetse flies, in a déjà-vu from our joint PhD time (4/5)

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Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · Feb 27

- the utterly supportive @luisamfigueiredo.bsky.social , who has encouraged me during my postdoc in her lab to push boundaries and not give up, and has allowed me to take this project forward to my lab (3/5)

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Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · Feb 27

Thanks to:
- @mariabernabeu.bsky.social , who spearheaded the microvessel technology in malaria, fully embraced my desire to adapt it to trypanosomiasis, and adopted me in her lab for a few amazing months (2/5)

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Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · Feb 27

The lab's first original research article presenting a novel microfluidic 3D model of bovine vasculature and discussing how T. congolense attaches to blood vessels is now published. But before I discuss the work, I'd like to thank key people who made it possible. (1/5)

Bioengineered 3D microvessels and complementary animal models reveal mechanisms of Trypanosoma congolense sequestration

Communications Biology - Organ-specific bioengineered microvessels and animal models reveal that Trypanosoma congolense sequestration depends on the endothelial cell bed, parasite strain, cyclic...

rdcu.be

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Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · Jan 17

Congratulations!!

Reposted by Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions)

Maria Bernabeu @mariabernabeu.bsky.social · Dec 20

We are very excited to announce a new @events.embl.org conference with a general focus on all infections with the goal to foster discussions across researchers working on multiple pathogens. We couldn't find a conference as such in Europe, so we decided to organize it 😊

www.embl.org/about/info/c...

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Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · Dec 3

Great opportunity with a great team!

stephanienofal.bsky.social @stephanienofal.bsky.social · Dec 3

I'm looking for a research technician! If you're interested in studying how malaria gametocytes remodel their host cell come join us on a @wellcometrust.bsky.social funded project at GIMM by applying here: gimm.pt/jobs/laborat...
Deadline 20th December. Please share!

Laboratory Technician – GIMMLaboratory Technician – GIMM

GIMM is recruiting a Laboratory Technician under an Employment Contract – Reference GIMM/CT/35-2024

gimm.pt

Silva Pereira Lab (Parasite Vascular Interactions) @silvapereiralab.bsky.social · Nov 30

I thought it was the summer holidays. Do you know the reason for higher abandonment rates near Christmas ?