Mónica Sousa
Animal Facility
Scientific Coordinator
Monica M. Sousa earned a degree in Biochemistry and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Porto. During her doctoral research, she investigated the biology of an aggregation-prone protein that triggers axon degeneration. As a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University- New York, she explored signaling pathways involved in neurodegeneration caused by amyloid fibrils. Since 2008, Monica has led the Nerve Regeneration group at i3S, focusing on the study of axon growth and regeneration. Her research identified the spiny mouse as the first known mammal capable of spontaneous spinal cord regeneration. She currently serves as the director of IBMC, one of the founding institutes of i3S. In 2024, Monica was elected EMBO member.
Selected Publications
Costa A.C., Murillo B.R., Bessa R., Ribeiro R., Ferreira da Silva T., Porfírio-Rodrigues P., Martins G.G., Brites P., Kneussel M., Misgeld T., Brill M.S., Sousa M.M.
Axon-specific microtubule regulation drives asymmetric regeneration of sensory neuron axons. eLife13:, 2025. [Journal: Article] [IF: 6.4 (*)]
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.104069 SCOPUS: 85219648556
Sousa S.C., Aroso M., Bessa R., Veríssimo E., Silva T., Lopes C.D.F., Brites P., Vieira J., Vieira C.P., Aguiar P.C., Sousa M.M.
Stretch triggers microtubule stabilization and MARCKS-dependent membrane incorporation in the shaft of embryonic axons. Current Biology34(19):4577-4588.e8, 2024. [Journal: Article] [IF: 8.1 (*)]
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.08.018 SCOPUS: 85206018898
Brites P., Sousa M.M.
Neurons contribute to pathology in a mouse model of Krabbe disease in a cellautonomous manner. PLoS Biology20(7):, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 2] [IF: 9,8]
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001706 SCOPUS: 85134360903
Nascimento A.I., Da Silva T.F., Fernandes E.C., Luz L.L., Mar F.M., Safronov B.V., Sousa M.M.
Sensory neurons have an axon initial segment that initiates spontaneous activity in neuropathic pain. Brain145(5):1632-1640, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 11] [IF: 14,5]
DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac078 SCOPUS: 85131702538
Nogueira-Rodrigues J., Leite S.C., Pinto-Costa R., Sousa S.C., Luz L.L., Sintra M.A., Oliveira R., Monteiro A.C., Pinheiro G.G., Vitorino M., Silva J.A., Simão S., Fernandes V.E., Provazník J., Benes V., Cruz C.D., Safronov B.V., Magalhães A., Reis C.A., Vieira J., Vieira C.P., Tiscórnia G., Araújo I.M., Sousa M.M.
Rewired glycosylation activity promotes scarless regeneration and functional recovery in spiny mice after complete spinal cord transection. Developmental Cell57(4):440-450.e7, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 30] [IF: 11,8]
DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.12.008 SCOPUS: 85123830565
Pinto-Costa R., Sousa S.C., Leite S.C., Nogueira-Rodrigues J., da Silva T.F., Machado D., Marques J., Costa A.C., Liz M.A., Bartolini F., Brites P., Costell M., Fässler R., Sousa M.M.
Profilin 1 delivery tunes cytoskeletal dynamics toward CNS axon regeneration. Journal of Clinical Investigation130(4):2024-2040, 2020. [Journal: Article] [CI: 29] [IF: 14,8]
DOI: 10.1172/JCI125771 SCOPUS: 85082814702
Costa A.R., Sousa S.C., Pinto-Costa R., Mateus J.C., Lopes C.D.F., Costa A.C., Rosa D., Machado D., Pajuelo L., Wang X., Zhou F.Q., Pereira A.J., Sampaio P., Rubinstein B.Y., Pinto I.M., Lampe M., Aguiar P., Sousa M.M.
The membrane periodic skeleton is an actomyosin network that regulates axonal diameter and conduction. eLife9:, 2020. [Journal: Article] [CI: 50] [IF: 8,1]
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.55471 SCOPUS: 85082635132
Axon-specific microtubule regulation drives asymmetric regeneration of sensory neuron axons. eLife13:, 2025. [Journal: Article] [IF: 6.4 (*)]
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.104069 SCOPUS: 85219648556
Sousa S.C., Aroso M., Bessa R., Veríssimo E., Silva T., Lopes C.D.F., Brites P., Vieira J., Vieira C.P., Aguiar P.C., Sousa M.M.
Stretch triggers microtubule stabilization and MARCKS-dependent membrane incorporation in the shaft of embryonic axons. Current Biology34(19):4577-4588.e8, 2024. [Journal: Article] [IF: 8.1 (*)]
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.08.018 SCOPUS: 85206018898
Brites P., Sousa M.M.
Neurons contribute to pathology in a mouse model of Krabbe disease in a cellautonomous manner. PLoS Biology20(7):, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 2] [IF: 9,8]
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001706 SCOPUS: 85134360903
Nascimento A.I., Da Silva T.F., Fernandes E.C., Luz L.L., Mar F.M., Safronov B.V., Sousa M.M.
Sensory neurons have an axon initial segment that initiates spontaneous activity in neuropathic pain. Brain145(5):1632-1640, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 11] [IF: 14,5]
DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac078 SCOPUS: 85131702538
Nogueira-Rodrigues J., Leite S.C., Pinto-Costa R., Sousa S.C., Luz L.L., Sintra M.A., Oliveira R., Monteiro A.C., Pinheiro G.G., Vitorino M., Silva J.A., Simão S., Fernandes V.E., Provazník J., Benes V., Cruz C.D., Safronov B.V., Magalhães A., Reis C.A., Vieira J., Vieira C.P., Tiscórnia G., Araújo I.M., Sousa M.M.
Rewired glycosylation activity promotes scarless regeneration and functional recovery in spiny mice after complete spinal cord transection. Developmental Cell57(4):440-450.e7, 2022. [Journal: Article] [CI: 30] [IF: 11,8]
DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.12.008 SCOPUS: 85123830565
Pinto-Costa R., Sousa S.C., Leite S.C., Nogueira-Rodrigues J., da Silva T.F., Machado D., Marques J., Costa A.C., Liz M.A., Bartolini F., Brites P., Costell M., Fässler R., Sousa M.M.
Profilin 1 delivery tunes cytoskeletal dynamics toward CNS axon regeneration. Journal of Clinical Investigation130(4):2024-2040, 2020. [Journal: Article] [CI: 29] [IF: 14,8]
DOI: 10.1172/JCI125771 SCOPUS: 85082814702
Costa A.R., Sousa S.C., Pinto-Costa R., Mateus J.C., Lopes C.D.F., Costa A.C., Rosa D., Machado D., Pajuelo L., Wang X., Zhou F.Q., Pereira A.J., Sampaio P., Rubinstein B.Y., Pinto I.M., Lampe M., Aguiar P., Sousa M.M.
The membrane periodic skeleton is an actomyosin network that regulates axonal diameter and conduction. eLife9:, 2020. [Journal: Article] [CI: 50] [IF: 8,1]
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.55471 SCOPUS: 85082635132