Rosário Almeida

Molecular Neurobiology

Senior Researcher

Rosário Almeida graduated in Biochemistry, by the University of Porto (UP), in 1986. Entered the academic career and, in parallel, developed a PhD in Biomedical Sciences that was concluded in 1995, at Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar (ICBAS), UP. Currently, is Associate Professor of Biochemistry at ICBAS, and Principal Researcher at IBMC. Rosário Almeida main research interests aim to elucidate molecular mechanisms and pathophysiology of transthyretin amyloidosis and modulators of these processes. In this sense, investigates the effects of natural and synthetic compounds, in vitro and in vivo using animal models of familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) aiming their potential therapeutic application in disease.

Participated in several projects, in particular, as PI in three projects, financed by FCT, and supervised several undergraduate students, 2 master students, 3 PhD students and 2 Post-Docs. Published about 60 articles in international peer reviewed journals and 1 book chapter (h-index of 28).

Selected Publications

Bezerra F., Niemietz C., Schmidt H.H.J., Zibert A., Guo S., Monia B.P., Gonçalves P., Saraiva M.J., Almeida M.R.,

In vitro and in vivo effects of SerpinA1 on the modulation of transthyretin proteolysis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences22(17):, 2021. [Journal: Article] [CI: 5] [IF: 6,2]
DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179488 SCOPUS: 85114018847.

Bezerra F., Saraiva M.J., Almeida M.R.,

Modulation of the Mechanisms Driving Transthyretin Amyloidosis. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience13:, 2020. [Journal: Review] [CI: 23] [IF: 5,6]
DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.592644 SCOPUS: 85098104145.

Bezerra F., Simões C.J.V., Beirão J.M., Saraiva M.J., Brito R.M.M., Almeida M.R.,

Targeting transthyretin amyloidosis in the eye with next-generation stabilizers: AT40 displays potent TTR stabilization in the human vitreous. Amyloid26(sup1):73-74, 2019. [Journal: Letter] [CI: 2] [IF: 4,3]
DOI: 10.1080/13506129.2019.1583193 SCOPUS: 85069628713.

Ferreira N., Saraiva M.J., Almeida M.R.,

Uncovering the neuroprotective mechanisms of curcumin on transthyretin amyloidosis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences20(6):, 2019. [Journal: Review] [CI: 27] [IF: 4,6]
DOI: 10.3390/ijms20061287 SCOPUS: 85062979338.

Sant'Anna R., Almeida M.R., Varejao N., Gallego P., Esperante S., Ferreira P., Pereira-Henriques A., Palhano F.L., De Carvalho M., Foguel D., Reverter D., Saraiva M.J., Ventura S.,

Cavity filling mutations at the thyroxine-binding site dramatically increase transthyretin stability and prevent its aggregation. Scientific Reports7:, 2017. [Journal: Article] [CI: 13] [IF: 4,1]
DOI: 10.1038/srep44709 SCOPUS: 85016162023.

Ferreira N., Gonçalves N.P., Saraiva M.J., Almeida M.R.,

Curcumin: A multi-Target disease-modifying agent for late-stage transthyretin amyloidosis. Scientific Reports6:, 2016. [Journal: Article] [CI: 40] [IF: 4,3]
DOI: 10.1038/srep26623 SCOPUS: 84969921377.

Ferreira N., Pereira-Henriques A., Almeida M.R.,

Transthyretin chemical chaperoning by flavonoids: Structure-activity insights towards the design of potent amyloidosis inhibitors. Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports3:123-133, 2015. [Journal: Article] [CI: 21]
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2015.07.019 SCOPUS: 84939508272.

Sant'Anna R., Gallego P., Robinson L.Z., Pereira-Henriques A., Ferreira N., Pinheiro F., Esperante S., Pallares I., Huertas O., Almeida M.R., Reixach N., Insa R., Velazquez-Campoy A., Reverter D., Reig N., Ventura S.,

Repositioning tolcapone as a potent inhibitor of transthyretin amyloidogenesis and associated cellular toxicity. Nature Communications7:, 2016. [Journal: Article] [CI: 125] [IF: 12,1]
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10787 SCOPUS: 84959087061.

Ferreira N., Pereira-Henriques A., Attar A., Klärner F.G., Schrader T., Bitan G., Gales L., Saraiva M.J., Almeida M.R.,

Molecular Tweezers Targeting Transthyretin Amyloidosis. Neurotherapeutics11(2):450-461, 2014. [Journal: Article] [CI: 40] [IF: 5,1]
DOI: 10.1007/s13311-013-0256-8 SCOPUS: 84899492342.

Ferreira N., Saraiva M.J., Almeida M.R.,

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate as a potential therapeutic drug for TTR-related amyloidosis: "In vivo" evidence from FAP mice models. PLoS ONE7(1):, 2012. [Journal: Article] [CI: 93] [IF: 3,7]
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029933 SCOPUS: 84855650426.