Research Fellow and Team Leader in Molecular Biology of Leukemia at i3S since 2016.
He obtained his PhD degree at the Radboud University Nijmegen (NL), under supervision of Ad Geurts van Kessel, and performed post-doctoral research at the Jacques Ghysdael group in Institut Curie (Orsay, FR). He became an independent researcher in 2008, when establishing a research group at the University of Algarve (Faro, PT).
The main objectives of his research team are to uncover molecular and cellular mechanisms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and identify potential therapeutic targets.
Over the years, he has investigated the role of T-cell receptor signaling in T-cell leukemia and is exploring the potential of manipulation the TCR molecular mechanisms to facilitate leukemic cell apoptosis and to prevent disease dissemination (Blood 2007; Cancer Discovery 2016, J Leuk Biol , 2025) . He has also uncovered a role for microenvironmental cells in assisting T-cell leukemia development (PLoS One 2008; Br J Haematol 2015; Carcinogenesis 2018). Furthermore, his group is investigating the role of PSGL-1 glycoprotein as an immunotherapeutic approach against lymphoma (Hematol Oncol 2024, Leukemia, 2025).
https://sites.google.com/site/nunordossantos/
Selected Publications
Antibody blockade of the PSGL-1 immune checkpoint enhances T-cell responses to B-cell lymphoma: IMMUNOTHERAPY. Leukemia39(1):178-188, 2025. [Journal: Article] [IF: 13.4 (*)]
DOI: 10.1038/s41375-024-02446-w SCOPUS: 85207331538
Catarino T.A., Pacheco-Leyva I., Baessa M., Pereira J.L., dos Santos N.R.
Transgenic αβ TCR tonic signaling is leukemogenic while strong stimulation is leukemia suppressive. Journal of Leukocyte Biology117(3):, 2025. [Journal: Article] [IF: 3.1 (*)]
DOI: 10.1093/jleuko/qiae249 SCOPUS: 105001526539
Pereira J.L., Ferreira F., dos Santos N.R.
Antibody targeting of surface P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 leads to lymphoma apoptosis and tumorigenesis inhibition. Hematological Oncology42(2):, 2024. [Journal: Article] [CI: 2] [IF: 3.9]
DOI: 10.1002/hon.3257 SCOPUS: 85186259449
Catarino T.A., Pacheco-Leyva I., Al-Dalali F., Ghezzo M.N., Fernandes M.T., Costa T., dos Santos N.R.
Cdkn2a inactivation promotes malignant transformation of mouse immature thymocytes before the β-selection checkpoint. Experimental Hematology116:30-36, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 1] [IF: 2,6]
DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2022.10.001 SCOPUS: 85141834507
Pereira J.L., Cavaco P., da Silva R.C., Pacheco-Leyva I., Mereiter S., Pinto R., Reis C.A., dos Santos N.R.
P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 promotes T cell lymphoma development and dissemination. Translational Oncology14(8):, 2021. [Journal: Article] [CI: 7] [IF: 4,8]
DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2021.101125 SCOPUS: 85107136274
Ghezzo M.N., Fernandes M.T., Pacheco-Leyva I., Rodrigues P.M., Machado R.S., Araújo M.A.S., Kalathur R.K., Futschik M.E., Alves N.L., Dos Santos N.R.
FoxN1-dependent thymic epithelial cells promote T-cell leukemia development. Carcinogenesis39(12):1463-1476, 2018. [Journal: Article] [CI: 10] [IF: 4]
DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgy127 SCOPUS: 85059494778
Trinquand A., Dos Santos N.R., Quang C.T., Rocchetti F., Zaniboni B., Belhocine M., De Jesus C.D.C., Lhermitte L., Tesio M., Dussiot M., Cosset F.L., Verhoeyen E., Pflumio F., Ifrah N., Dombret H., Spicuglia S., Chatenoud L., Gross D.A., Hermine O., Macintyre E., Ghysdael J., Asnafi V.
Triggering the TCR developmental checkpoint activates a therapeutically targetable tumor suppressive pathway in T-cell leukemia. Cancer Discovery6(9):973-985, 2016. [Journal: Article] [CI: 36] [IF: 20]
DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-15-0675 SCOPUS: 85012044290
Fernandes M.T., Ghezzo M.N., Silveira A.B., Kalathur R.K., Póvoa V., Ribeiro A.R., Brandalise S.R., Dejardin E., Alves N.L., Ghysdael J., Barata J.T., Yunes J.A., dos Santos N.R.
Lymphotoxin-β receptor in microenvironmental cells promotes the development of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia with cortical/mature immunophenotype. British Journal of Haematology171(5):736-751, 2015. [Journal: Article] [CI: 21] [IF: 5,4]
DOI: 10.1111/bjh.13760 SCOPUS: 84955381960