About the research:
Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s, cause progressive loss of brain function, leading to problems with memory, thinking, and movement. Although they usually appear during aging, recent studies indicate that some changes may begin much earlier, still in the early stages of brain development. Research shows the presence of early biomarkers in people at genetic risk, and alterations in genes important for the formation and functioning of brain cells. This project seeks to understand whether these diseases are, at least in part, rooted in processes that begin early in life, which brain cells are involved, and how these alterations can increase the risk of neurological problems over time.
Awards and honors:
🏆 CAPES Thesis Prize in Biological Sciences II, CAPES, Brazil (2016)
🏆 Young Researcher Brazil/UK: The future of molecular imaging, British Council, Newton Foundation and CNPq, Brazil/UK (2016)
🏆 Affiliated Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, Brazil (2019)
🏆 One To Watch Award, Alzheimer’s Association, USA (2021)
🏆 Blas Frangione Early Career Achievement, Alzheimer’s Association, USA (2024)
Selected publications:
Ferrari-Souza JP et al., Microglia modulate Aβ-dependent astrocyte reactivity in Alzheimer’s disease. Nat Neurosci. 2026 Jan;29(1):81-87. doi: 10.1038/s41593-025-02103-0.
Borelli WV et al., Diagnostic performance of Alzheimer’s disease blood and CSF biomarkers in a Brazilian cohort with low educational attainment. Mol Psychiatry. 2025 Dec;30(12):6090-6098. doi: 10.1038/s41380-025-03192-w.
Da Ros LU et al., Social and health disparities associated with healthy brain ageing in Brazil and in other Latin American countries. Lancet Glob Health. 2025 Feb;13(2):e277-e284. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00451-0.
Bieger A et al., Influence of Different Diagnostic Criteria on Alzheimer Disease Clinical Research. Neurology. 2024 Sep 10;103(5):e209753. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000209753. Epub 2024 Aug 21.
Zimmer ER et al., [18F]FDG PET signal is driven by astroglial glutamate transport. Nat Neurosci. 2017 Mar;20(3):393-395. doi: 10.1038/nn.4492
